Tincup, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Tincup, or Tin Cup, originally called Virginia City, is an unincorporated community
in Gunnison County
, Colorado
, United States
. The community was once a prominent mining town. Tincup is now a community of summer homes with a few year-round residents. Many historic buildings are still in use.
In October 1859, prospector Jim Taylor panned some gold from Willow Creek, and carried it back to camp in a tin cup; he named the valley “Tin Cup Gulch.”. For years the area was the site of seasonal placer mining
, but no year-round communities were established, partly because of the danger of Indian attack.
In 1878, lode deposits were discovered in the area, and the town of Virginia City was laid out in March 1879. By the 1880 census, the town had a population of 1,495. Virginia City was incorporated in August 1880, but confusion with Virginia City, Nevada
, and Virginia City, Montana
, caused the residents to change the name. The town was reincorporated in July 1882 as Tin Cup.
Early Tin Cup was a violent place. Town marshall Harry Rivers died in a gunfight in 1882, and marshall Andy Jameson was shot to death in 1883.
The town population declined when the mines were exhausted. The post office closed in 1918, and the last town election was held in 1918.
http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=106:3:2099683893390873::NO::P3_FID:189089
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Gunnison County
Gunnison County, Colorado
Gunnison County is the fifth most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 15,324 at the 2010 census. The county was named for John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer and captain in the Army Topographical Engineers, who surveyed...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The community was once a prominent mining town. Tincup is now a community of summer homes with a few year-round residents. Many historic buildings are still in use.
History
Placer mining
Placer mining is the mining of alluvial deposits for minerals. This may be done by open-pit or by various surface excavating equipment or tunneling equipment....
, but no year-round communities were established, partly because of the danger of Indian attack.
In 1878, lode deposits were discovered in the area, and the town of Virginia City was laid out in March 1879. By the 1880 census, the town had a population of 1,495. Virginia City was incorporated in August 1880, but confusion with Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
, and Virginia City, Montana
Virginia City, Montana
Virginia City is a town in and the county seat of Madison County, Montana, United States. In 1961, the town and the surrounding area was designated a National Historic Landmark District, the Virginia City Historic District...
, caused the residents to change the name. The town was reincorporated in July 1882 as Tin Cup.
Early Tin Cup was a violent place. Town marshall Harry Rivers died in a gunfight in 1882, and marshall Andy Jameson was shot to death in 1883.
The town population declined when the mines were exhausted. The post office closed in 1918, and the last town election was held in 1918.
Location
Tincup is at an elevation of 10157 feet (3,095.9 m) at 38°45′16"N 106°28′42"W.http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=106:3:2099683893390873::NO::P3_FID:189089
External links
- Tincup, Colorado, includes photo gallery
- GhostTowns.com: Tin Cup, Colorado
- Tincup