The History of Frisco, Colorado
The town of Frisco is rich in history dating back to the 1800s.
The first recordable inhabitants of the Frisco area were the Ute Indians who traveled this area extensively and who’s trails are still evident on the tundra above timberline. The first modern settlers were the “mountain men” who trapped furs in the Summit County area from 1810 through the 1850′s. With the dawning of the 1870′s, silver was discovered in the adjacent mountains and the miners arrived to seek their riches. The town of Frisco was founded in 1873 by Henry Recen, and by 1882 it had 250 permanent residents.
Around 1885, many of Frisco’s original hotels were built and they served Frisco and the surrounding area’s two railroads, many businesses and taverns and vast numbers of mines and miners. The mining glory days lasted until 1918.
In the 1930′s, with the coming of the Great Depression, Frisco’s permanent population decreased to 18 residents. Frisco was one of a handful of mining towns to survive this period. The area gradually became a crossroads as highways were pushed across the Rocky Mountains.
The first development in our modern era was the opening of Arapahoe Basin in 1946. Then when construction of Lake Dillon began in 1963, hundreds of workers moved to the area. This gave Summit County the renewed energy that it needed. Both Breckenridge ski area and Vail opened to the public in 1965. The Eisenhower tunnel opened in 1972, and Copper Mountain and Keystone opened the same year. The modern period of skiing had begun.
Today Frisco is home to approximately 3,500 residents and offers every imaginable recreational opportunity available. Our area now hosts visitors from all corners of the world throughout every season.
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