Editing Steamboat Springs, Colorado (section)

== History ==
[[File:DSCN7433 rabbitearsmotel e 600.jpg|thumb|left|Steamboat Springs is a mix of older architecture and newer resort developments, especially near the ski resort on the eastern edge of town.]]
[[File:Steamboat Spring.jpg|thumb|left|The Steamboat Spring, with history marker sign]]
[[File:Routt County Courthouse, Steamboat Springs, Colorado.JPG|thumb|left|The [[Routt County, Colorado|Routt County]] Courthouse in Steamboat Springs]]

The area surrounding Steamboat Springs was originally inhabited by the Yampatika band of the [[Ute people|Utes]], who hunted in the valley during the summer. [[animal trapping|Trappers]] began to move through the area during the first decades of the 19th century. [[James Harvey Crawford]], the founder of Steamboat Springs, first arrived in the spring of 1874. The Crawford family moved there in 1876, and for the first five years were the sole permanent white residents of the town. The native Utes were forcibly removed from the area to a [[Indian reservation|reservation]] in [[Utah]] by the U.S. Army starting in 1879. Milestones in the development of the pioneer town included the first sawmill in 1873, incorporation of the town in 1900, and the arrival of the railroad in 1909. The economy of the region was originally based on ranching and mining, which still have a large presence in the county.<ref>Richards, Dee, ''Steamboat Round the Bend'', 1976.</ref><ref>Leckenby, Charles H., ''The Tread of Pioneers'', 1945.</ref><ref>Stanko, Jim; Towler, Sureva; & Seligson, Judy, ''The Historical Guide to Routt County'', 2010</ref>

Steamboat is home to several natural hot springs that are located throughout the area (see Geography). Upon first hearing a chugging sound, early trappers believed that a steamboat was coming down the river. When the trappers saw that there was no steamboat, and that the sound was coming from a hot spring, they decided to name the spring Steamboat Spring.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://geoheat.oit.edu/bulletin/bull27-3/art4.pdf |title=Lund, John W. ''Steamboat Springs, Colorado.'' Sept. 2006. |access-date=September 15, 2011 |archive-date=April 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402122221/http://geoheat.oit.edu/bulletin/bull27-3/art4.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Originally, [[skiing]] was the only method of transportation during harsh and snowy Rocky Mountain winters. In turn, the popularity of skiing as a winter pastime catalyzed development of the town and other communities all over the [[Rocky Mountains]]. In 1913, [[Carl Howelsen]], a Norwegian, moved to town and introduced ski jumping. Howelsen built the first jump on Howelsen Hill, now part of the [[Howelsen Ski Area]]. He also founded the annual Winter Carnival, a celebration still held each winter. The festival includes ski racing and jumping, dog sledding, and chariot events down Lincoln Avenue, the city's main street. Light shows on both Mount Werner and Howelsen Hill are highlights. Howelsen also founded the [[Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club]] and built the town's first ski jumps. The oldest continually operating ski area in North America, Howelsen Hill, now bears his name and is one of just three complete ski jumping complexes in the United States.

The Steamboat Ski Resort was largely established by two local men, Jim Temple and John Fetcher. Temple led the effort to develop the area. Fetcher, a local rancher, was the main designer and builder. The resort opened on what was then called Storm Mountain in 1963.
[[File:Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs.jpg|left|thumb|A kid sledding behind a horse down Main Street during Winter Carnival in Steamboat Springs]]
In 1974, The Industrial Company (TIC) was started in Steamboat Springs and has since grown into one of the largest industrial construction companies in the United States with revenues of approximately $2 billion in 2007. The company is one of the largest employers in Routt County and has more than 9,000 employees worldwide.
TIC - The Industrial Company was acquired by Kiewit Engineering and all operations except the Training Center moved elsewhere (Denver, etc.).{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}{{date?}}
The main TIC complex on Routt County Road 129 has been acquired by Yampa Valley Electric Association as their new headquarters, with extensive renovation. This property provides ample areas for offices, vehicle maintenance, and construction laydown activities.{{citation needed|date=August 2018}}

In 1993, the City Council of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, conducted a poll of its residents to choose a new name for the bridge that crossed the Yampa River on Shield Drive. With 7,717 votes, the winning name was "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge". The bridge was officially dedicated in September 1993, and James Brown appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the event.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/the-godfathers-bridge/|title=The Godfather's bridge|last=Crowl|first=Doug|website=www.steamboatpilot.com|date=June 30, 2002 |language=en-US|access-date=February 24, 2020}}</ref>

===Historic buildings===
Historic buildings in Steamboat Springs include:
* [[Christian Science Society (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)|Christian Science Society]], at 7th and Oak, was built of logs in 1934 and is now listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].
* [[Crawford House (Steamboat Springs, Colorado)|The Crawford House]], at 12th and Crawford, was built of local stone in 1894 by the founder of Steamboat, James Harvey Crawford, and is now listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].