Editing Georgetown, Colorado (section)

==History==
{{more citations needed section|date=February 2011}}
[[File:Georgetown, Colorado (1867).jpg|thumb|left|Georgetown, 1867]]
[[Image:DSCN2128 georgetownsixthstreet e 600.jpg|left|thumb|View west along Sixth Street in downtown Georgetown, with the historic [[List of Masonic buildings|Masonic Temple]] in the foreground]]
[[File:GraceChurchGeorgetownColorado.jpg|thumb|right|upright|[[Grace Episcopal Church (Georgetown, Colorado)|Grace Episcopal Church]], built in 1870, now overlooks [[Interstate 70 in Colorado|Interstate 70]].]]
[[File:Georgetown co.jpg|thumb|left|Georgetown]]
[[Image:DSCN2140 georgetownalpinehose e 600.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The historic Alpine Hose Firehouse No. 2 in Georgetown]]
[[File:Public School Georgetown.JPG|thumb|left|Georgetown Public School]]

The area was first settled in 1859 during the [[Pike's Peak Gold Rush]]. George and David Griffith were members of a mining party which decided to separate from the others in the Central City and Idaho Springs areas. They found gold in Clear Creek (near the present-day site of the Alpine Inn) and decided to settle in the area for the rest of the summer and fall. The Griffith Mining District incorporated in June 1860. Soon after the formation of the Griffith Mining District, several early residents joined to form the "Georgetown Company," claiming 640 acres for a townsite. The townsite would be overseen by the Griffith Mining District. The commercial district was tagged "Main Street," a name which would continue into the 20th century. The center of the nascent town was roughly in the area of the I-70 interchange, close to the present-day Rutherford stables.<ref name="FirstSettlers">{{cite web |url=http://www.townofgeorgetown.us/The%20first%20settlers%20came%20to%20the%20Georgetown%20area%20in%201859.pdf |title=First settlers came to the Georgetown are in 1859|access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref>

Silver, the main product from the district, was not discovered until 1864. John Henry Bowman (1850&ndash;1900) came to Silver Plume, Colorado, in 1883, then moved to Georgetown, Colorado, in 1885. A machinist, he worked as foreman of the Miners Sampling Works. Later, he was superintendent of the American Sisters Mine, a company in which he owned stock. American Sisters Mine was a consolidation of Two Sisters Mine and Native American Mine, silver mines located on Columbia Mountain in upper Clear Creek County, Colorado. In 1891&ndash;1892, John Bowman and his wife, Lavinia Potts Bowman (1848&ndash;1901) built what later became known as the Bowman/White House in Georgetown (a historical site today). There they raised two daughters, Iorria and Mary Ellen ("Mellie"). In 1899, Iorria married J. E. Carnal and moved to Ohio.

For the most part, Mellie (1876&ndash;1969) stayed in the family home after she married John James ("J.J.") White (1870&ndash;1932) in 1901. She inherited half of her father's share in the American Sisters Mine and served on the Georgetown Library Association from 1911&ndash;1922.

Mellie's husband, John James White Sr., bought the remaining stock of what was now called the Two American Sisters Mine. He managed construction of a dam and power plant north of Georgetown, and built a new shaft house and mill at the mine site. White, an attorney, practiced law, served as the [[Mayoralty in the United States#Mayor-Council|Police Judge (Mayor)]] of Georgetown from 1900&ndash;1902, and was President of the Georgetown school board. The Bowman-White House still remains, and is registered as a historical site in Georgetown, Colorado.<ref>Bowman/White Family Papers, WH32, Western History Collection, The Denver Public Library.</ref>

In the fall of 1867 discussions began about the formation of a town. On January 28, 1868, the Territorial Legislature passed a law incorporating the Town of Georgetown.<ref name="FirstSettlers"/>  A few months later it wrested the [[county seat]] from nearby [[Idaho Springs, Colorado|Idaho Springs]], which is a larger community today. The historic courthouse dates from this year. Georgetown is the only [[List of municipalities in Colorado|Colorado municipality]] that still operates under a charter from the [[Territory of Colorado]] which includes a Police Judge as Mayor and a [[Board of Selectmen]] instead of a Town Council. The building of the [[narrow-gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] [[Colorado Central Railroad]] up the canyon from [[Golden, Colorado|Golden]] in the 1870s further increased the central position of the town. Although most of the railroad was later removed, a portion remained between the town and [[Silver Plume, Colorado|Silver Plume]] and is operated today as a tourist railroad called the [[Georgetown Loop]]. The town experienced its greatest growth and prosperity during the [[Colorado Silver Boom|Colorado silver boom]] of the 1880s when it rivaled [[Leadville, Colorado|Leadville]] to the west as the mining capital of Colorado. At one time, before the collapse of the silver boom in 1893, the town population exceeded 10,000, and a movement arose briefly among local citizens to move the state capital there from Denver.

The frontier gambler, [[Poker Alice]], lived for a time in Georgetown and in several other Colorado communities where she was considered an expert player and dealer.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-pokeralice.html| title=Kathy Weiser, "Poker Alice - Famous Frontier Gambler"| publisher=legendsofamerica.com| access-date=May 10, 2012}}</ref>
 
Following the collapse of the Silver Boom, the town population dwindled. In the 1950s the town began to experience a small renaissance as an ''[[après-ski]]'' watering hole for the thousands of [[skiing|skiers]] who passed through the town on their way down from the mountains at the ski areas near [[Loveland Pass]] and [[Guanella Pass]]. Small craft shops began to set up businesses in the once decrepit 19th century storefronts. By the late 1960s, the establishment of a museum in one of the historic hotels had made the town a popular summer tourist destination where visitors could relive the experience of walking among structures from the mining boom. Furthermore, as the front range ski areas grow in popularity, the town makes for a good midway-stop for the returning skiers coming through I-70. More winter sports traffic comes from the nearby Otter Mountain, and in the winter the town's hotels house many skiers.

The made-for-TV movie ''The Christmas Gift'', starring [[John Denver]], was filmed in Georgetown in 1986. The film is about a widower and his daughter who go to Georgetown for vacation and business and find the true meaning of Christmas.

Other movies filmed at least partly in Georgetown include the made-for-TV movies "Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo, and "Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin Deep Scandal"; and the feature film "[[Switchback (film)|Switchback]]" with Danny Glover and [[Dennis Quaid]]; and at least one scene from "[[The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox]]", with Goldie Hawn and George Segal. In addition, it has been the site for the filming of various commercials, and some music videos, including part of John Tesh's "A Romantic Christmas."<ref>Personal knowledge from living there.</ref>

The Sonic Bloom Music Festival previously took place every June in Georgetown, but has been on hiatus since 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sonic Bloom Festival &#124; June 2014 - Colorado's Premier Electronic Music Festival |url=http://sonicbloomfestival.com/2013/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029205400/http://sonicbloomfestival.com/2013/ |archive-date=October 29, 2013 |access-date=October 24, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Staff |first=MFW |date=2024-04-18 |title=Music Festivals Cancelled So Far In 2024 {{!}} MFW |url=https://www.musicfestivalwizard.com/music-festivals-cancelled-so-far-in-2024/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240420130446/https://www.musicfestivalwizard.com/music-festivals-cancelled-so-far-in-2024/ |archive-date=2024-04-20 |access-date=2025-01-02 |work=Music Festival Wizard |language=en-US}}</ref>

On February 19, 2020, a dog named Parker was sworn in as honorary mayor of Georgetown. He was unanimously elected by the town Board of Selectmen.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Dog Wearing Tie Becomes Mayor of Small Colorado Town |url=https://people.com/pets/parker-snow-dog-mayor-georgetown-colorado/ |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=People.com |language=en}}</ref>