Black Hawk, Colorado

Black Hawk, Colorado
Restored historic buildings in downtown Black Hawk.
Restored historic buildings in downtown Black Hawk.
Nickname: 
"The City of Mills"
Motto(s): 
"Preserving the Past, Preparing for the Future, Still Making History"[2]
Location within Gilpin County, Colorado
Location within Gilpin County, Colorado
Black Hawk is located in the United States
Black Hawk
Black Hawk
Location within United States
Coordinates: 39°48′26″N 105°29′52″W / 39.80722°N 105.49778°W / 39.80722; -105.49778[3]
Country United States
State Colorado
CountyGilpin County[1]
Founded1859
IncorporatedJune 12, 1886[4]
Government
 • TypeHome rule municipality[1]
Area
 • Total6.871 km2 (2.653 sq mi)
 • Land6.871 km2 (2.653 sq mi)
 • Water0.000 km2 (0.000 sq mi)
Elevation2,456 m (8,058 ft)
Population
 • Total127
 • Density19/km2 (48/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP code
80403, 80422 (PO Box)[7]
Area code303
FIPS code08-07025
GNIS feature ID2409856[6]
Websitewww.cityofblackhawk.org

Black Hawk is a home rule municipality located in Gilpin County, Colorado, United States.[1] The population was 127 at the 2020 United States Census,[5] making it the least populous city (but not town) in Colorado. It was a mining settlement founded in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush and is now a part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.

Black Hawk is located adjacent to Central City, another historic mining settlement in Gregory Gulch. The two cities form the federally designated Central City/Black Hawk National Historic District. The area flourished during the mining boom of the late 19th century following the construction of mills and a railroad link to Golden.

The town declined during the 20th century but has been revived in recent years after the 1991 establishment of casino gambling following a statewide initiative in 1990. In early 2010, the Black Hawk city council passed a law banning the riding of bicycles in the town, drawing a reaction from bicycle advocacy groups and international press. The ban was overturned by the Colorado Supreme Court in 2013.[8]

  1. ^ a b c d "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  2. ^ City of Black Hawk official website
  3. ^ "2014 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Places". United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
  4. ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c "Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  6. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Black Hawk, Colorado
  7. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on September 3, 2007. Retrieved September 3, 2007.
  8. ^ Webb v. Black Hawk, 2013 CO 9