Colorado Ghost Town Books/Maps
Jamestown (Jim Town) Colorado Townsite - Ghost town
Jamestown was known by several different names over the course of time. First settled by George Zweck when he brought cattle into the area. The Zweck name is still a prominent name in Longmont. The first miners to the area named the place Buckhorn back in 1864/1865. After the town grew the townspeople decided to name the town Camp Jimtown. Along the way the name was changed to Jamestown. The town has a history of mining Gold, tellurium ore, silver and even supplied fluorspar during World War I.
Some famous people came to Jamestown. The uncle of the Red Baron, Baron Von Richthofen, also Griffith Evans the killer of "Rocky Mountain" Jim Nuggent and most importantly my neighbor Paul. You can see the cabin Griffith Evans built in 1872 behind the fence in the picture above. Today it is home to 275 people year round a combination of Ghost town, summer homes and a tourist stop.
Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell 2005
A viewer writes - I showed my mother the Rocky Mountain profiles web site. She informed me that Granddads house is the one that is facing the road with the two upstairs windows broken out. When my mother went for a visit about 5 years ago the lady that runs the gift shop tried to tell her that the gift shop didn't used to be the general store, meat counter, lunch counter and post office. My mother grew up in Jamestown although most of the residents there called it Jimtown. Mr. Bassenett lived in the house directly across from my Granddads house and we used to swim in the cement canal behind his house. School house hill wasn't Mesa road and Slaughterhouse Gulch Road was just dump road. We spent ever summer there until my granddad move off the mountain for health reasons. My Uncle Al Goodard had built a house directly behind Granddads. It's sad to see his house in such shambles but from what I understand he never owned the house or land much to our sadness when he died. I would have like to have had my kids see his house the way I got to see it. If you need any information about the town my mother remembers alot of the families that lived there. She was born in boulder but grew up in Jamestown, Sunshine and Lyons. My Mothers Dad owned a bike shop in Boulder called the Spoke. I believe that the Dougherty's still live in Boulder but could be mistaken. Granddad Goodard, David Goodard was his name had 6 childred Abby, Frank, Ralph, Star, Al and my grandma Inez. All of them had children and there children spent time in Jamestown. Thank you for responding to my email. Please keep in touch. Penny Greenhill
A reader writes - Thanks for making My Day. I lived in Jamestown over 40 years ago. I have all ways mist it, I would love to came back. But don't think that will aver happen. But was good to see some of it. Thank You
A reader writes - Is one of the pictures taken in Jamestown the abandon house of the Goodard Family. My Uncle Al built a brown house directly behind my Great Grandpas house. His name was David Goodard. My mother grew up in Jamestown and we visited my grandpa there every summer until he moved off the mountain in about 1980.
A reader writes - I believe one of your pictures is of my great grandpas house, the house with the green roof. My great grandpa was David Goodard. Grandpa had six children Frank, Ralph, Star, Abby, Inez, and Al. Penny Greenhill Newport North Carolina
A viewer writes - My grandfather was a minor in Jamestown, his name was Williamson. My parents, brother and sister lived in an old boarding house in Jamestown when I was born. My mother was a teacher at the elementary school. I have many memories of my time in Jamestown even though I was a small child. I loved watching the fireworks. Even though we moved we continued through the years to come and watch every 4th. Soon after we moved out of the boarding house, it burned down. The only thing that remained was the fireplace. It had been in our family for many years and it was devastating to my mother. One thing that stands out when I think of Jamestown, is the ghost stories i grew up hearing. I have also had many a friend laugh at me when I tell them a story that I kept to myself for many years. I am the worlds biggest skeptic when it comes to ghosts! but, when I was a small child I would stand in our back yard and look across the road up to the mountain. I was only 3 or 4 but remember very well. I had what some people would call imaginary friends. To me they were very real. I would talk to them often. I know I felt that they were male and that there were two of them. I remember feeling such warmth and friendship when I would talk with them. Honestly I'm not crazy. My mother remembers me telling her all about it. I am now 37, 4 years ago I went online and read that there were two Indian chiefs who were buried on that mountain. From what I have read that area is not only rich in mining history but also Indian territory. Do you know much about that? I have many stories of that town and could write pages of it. just thought I would share a couple.
A viewer writes - August 2008 - The picture of the house with the broken windows in Jamestown was the Goodard house. Frank and I went to Jamestown in May of 2008 and took a picture of the house also. It looks exactly the same as the picture here. Barbara Goodard, Boulder, Colorado
A viewer writes - I live in Jamestown, Colorado and have my whole life, and it is not a combination "ghost town, summer homes and a tourist stop" It is home to 275 people year round and the most important thing to me in the whole world. I grew up there and the people are some of the most honest, loving and amazing people you will ever meet. Please change your description.
A viewer writes 9/2008 - Thanks I never dreamed of was finding a site about Jimtown. I grew up there as a young boy 1952 to 1959. We lived in a two story house on Main st. The Woods House. I read the guest book and it brings back many memories. The Goodard House I was in most because Roxan and I were playmates. I am the youngest of four in my family. My father died in the mine there in Sept of 1959. I have many old photos of Jamestown, B/W post cards, a 1957 school class photo, photos of the 1969 flash flood, even a News Paper from 1958. I would very much like to here from old childhood friends. Jerry Woods e-mail jwwestvirginia2000@yahoo.com
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Do you know that Charlie Brown is in the class photo?
Jerry was kind enough to supply these old postcards, the newspaper clip and photos from the 1950s. The house in the bottom center is a photo for you to see what Jerry's old house looked like in 1955 and before. HE was told by his mother it was a boarding house. He is the youngest in the photo.
Oh yea google maps has a good view of most of Jimtown as it looks today. The house is, I believe 30 so. main the two story Red House Jerry
A viewer writes 12/2008 - How does one post a comment to the website, i.e., Jamestown. I am a Jamestown, 4th generation resident and the town clerk for the past 12 years. My great grandparents (Elizabeth and Erle Smith lived at 67 12th Street and owned the barn that is on the front of the web page. Thanks for putting this information into the form of a website. Quite exciting! Let me know how to post comments to it and thank you! Our official Jamestown website should be up and running in the near future.
A viewer writes 12/ 2008 - Thanks for the labor of love - I'm a 20 year Jimtown Resident, and very much appreciate your writeup of historical facts that I was unaware of. There's no need to post this on the web page. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas!
A viewer writes 12/2008 - Hi there, What a great website, I really enjoyed it. I visited relatives in Jamestown, CO when I was a kid (1977). My great Aunt Margaret (Lee) ran the gift shop and my second cousin ran the general store/post office. Cousin still lives there. It is a beautiful place-- I remember swimming in the cement canals too! Sincerely, Donna from Michigan
A viewer writes 12/2008 - To Penny Greenhill - The lady running the gift shop needs to learn her Jamestown history. Our cousins ran the general store/lunch counter and post office for years. Dianne
A viewer writes - 2/24/2009 - Hi, My name is Cynthia I am a 34 year old Swiss girl that lived in Jamestown for 2 years and a half between 1980 and 1982 I went to the Elementary School and lived in a house that was before owned by a woman named Sue that had horses. I would love to get in touch with people that lived in Jamestown at that time and maybe even went to school with me. The main teacher was Jenny McCanne (I am not sure of the spelling) Those years in Jamestown were for me the best years of my childhood. I remember Tony the postman and Bianca (who is still in contact with my mom Josiane) that worked at the counter of the Merc. I just loved living in that town and would love to go back. Please if you remember me or were living there at that time send me an e-mail at : ccangucu74@yahoo.com I still have the class picture taken at that time if it interests you Rocky please let me know. Hope to here form you soon. Cynthia
A viewer writes - April 2/2009 - A small plea for Help – I received a request from an individual needing some help to get some additional funds for the restoration of the Jamestown Town Hall. They are running into a funding issue and want to apply for additional funds. All that is needed to help is for you to write a letter in support of the renovation and send it to the Jamestown Clerk. Here is the email address - clerk@jimtown.org . If you have lived in Jamestown and can add some personal touches as to why you want the renovation to continue that would be excellent. Go ahead let’s flood them with letters.
A viewer writes - April 21/2009 - I lived in Jamestown for the first 14 years of my life (1981-1995). My favorite memories, besides my wedding and the birth of my children, are in that town. I loved Margaret Lee and her gift shop. I ate more meals at the Merc then anywhere else in my life. I even worked there a little. My mom was the town clerk for a while and she worked at the Merc many a times. My first kiss was at the fantastic waterfall. The waterfall was also where I just about broke my ankle. So many memories. Thank you for your site. Its wonderful to see all the pictures and to see the stories of fellow Jimtown people.
A viewer writes - Wednesday, April 29, 2009 - I wrote not too long ago about the first 14 years of my life and what Jamestown means to me. It meant a lot to my mom as well. Unfortunately, she passed away on April 16th. I know that she felt that a part of her belonged in Jamestown. She was best friends with Nancy Botzum (Goodard), as well as friend to many of the inhabitants. I know she missed living there almost everyday of her life. She once rode a horse the entire length of Jamestown on the bottom side of the horse. Jamestown was her life for so long. I am sorry that no one from Jamestown was able to make it to her service, but that is not what mattered to my mom. Thank you to all of you from Jamestown that helped form my mom's (Stacy) life, and for giving her the memories she had. And thank you for my memories. I will never forget that beautiful little mountain town. Anyone who needs to contact me is free to do so @ EKCorwin@yahoo.com. Jamestown is the best and it will always be in my heart.
A viewer writes - April 29, 2009 - Thank you for your note. I really do appreciate it. Wish I could find more information about the history of Jamestown. Doesn't seem to be much else out there. Thank you for having a place I can go to remember my home.
A viewer writes - August 2009 - The home in the bottom picture - two upstairs windows and a beautiful porch - is Ivydell. As a child we would come to this special place for a few weeks in the summer - a few families had gone together to get this place as a summer retreat. I was glad to learn that someone lives there again. Some of my most fond memories of childhood are in Jamestown.
A viewer writes - December 28th 2009 - hello there, my name is alistair bain i live in dundee scotland , i have a cousin who lives or used to live in jamestown in the old school house i beleive dont know if you can help or not but i would like to get back in touch. hope to hear from you soon alistair bain alistair.bain@blueyonder.co.uk
A viewer writes, provides a photo and some memories January 6th 2010
We happened to find the site about Jim Town (officially Jamestown). Several of us have passed some memories back and forth. You might be interested. Feel free to edit and use what you want or none at all. We have enjoyed remembering.
Compiled from cousins Art Bashford-CA, Bob Bashford-CO, and Lucille Bashford Miller-KS, and Roger Snell-WY.
Lucille: Art and I lived in Jim Town during WWII. Dad (Al Bashford) worked at the mill. I would have been 4 years old or so. My memories are of a home with the backyard slanting down to the creek. There was a big barn too, and I believe the house faced right at the road. We got our first dog when we lived there and I remember looking down through the slats of a bushel basket to see the puppy. I also remember that we hung black-out curtains and minimized the light so the enemy bombers wouldn’t be able to see us because the mill was important to the war.
I got to go to school with Art as a visitor one day. I remember a white school house up a steep hill (but that’s the mountains, isn’t it?) That day I glued pictures to a paper and it was the kitten, Puff chasing a balloon. (Do you all remember Puff from the Dick and Jane books?). The other day I found that picture in my Mom’s (Gladys Bashford) keepsakes.
Bob is a couple of years younger than I, so he has fewer memories.
My mom tells the story of living in "Jimtown", on a blizzard night when I got Pneumonia at age one. She remembered someone fixing a "whiskey hot toddy" to help with the fever and congestion, and made one for me that was a bit "strong"! I guess I was standing on my head in the corner of my crib and all sorts of funny stuff, but hey, I survived!
Lucille: The hot toddy treatment was not unusual medicine to be given to kids of any age. I remember it through my life.
Art:
Hi, I got your e-mail just as we left for a few days at Bodega Bay and nearby areas and I've been thinking about Jim Town since. I have many memories of living there. Yes Bob's family lived there when we did. Guy came over and rescued one of our Banty hens . She had fallen in at the outhouse! We had a very large white rabbit that roosted with the chickens.
Dad took Harry Covey and I to the mine. It is on the Balaratt Mountain north of town. It was an open pit mine. We stayed over night at Bob's house . All of us kids had chicken pox. The guy who ran the only bar went a little nuts from what he ate and terrorized the town one night . Dad and Guy were working that night so Dad took us to stay with Ina.
Every once in a while a big Herford range bull would go up and down the street butting doors and other things. We had to haul water for a time because a calf had died and fallen in the ditch that supplied water.
We had a small black cat have a liter of kittens under the house .We caught some of the kittens and gave them away. One family of kids slept with theirs and killed it.
Mom and I have been up there several times. It has changed but not a lot.
I know this rambles but I tried!
Roger: Roger is married to one of the Bashford cousins, but he also lived up in the mountain country. He had met Bob for the first time at a family reunion this year and they found that they both new Jim Town (and Nederland etc). He recognized the picture of the Mill that was found with Gladys Bashford’s pictures this Thanksgiving.
A special THANKS to Lucy Miller for her contributions.
A viewer writes - Tuesday, March 09, 2010 As a current resident of Jimtown (the heck with the Post Office designation of "Jamestown") for nearly 30 years, it is really heartwarming to read the reminiscences of other people to whom the town is special. We are planning a rededication ceremony for the newly renovated Town Hall within the next month - I will post the date here after it's set at a meeting tonight - and everyone is welcome to join us in the celebration! nancyfarmer57@hotmail.com
UPDATE ------ The date for the rededication of the Jamestown Town Hall is Saturday, April 3, starting at 4:00 p.m. We'll have a ribbon-cutting ceremony, then pot luck from 5:00 - 6:30 or so, then a dance band of some sort. Still have to get that arranged, so can't tell you what kind of music, but it will be danceable. Everyone is welcome, and feel free to bring photos and stories about Jimtown's history.
A viewer writes - Tuesday, March 09, 2010 - I lived in Jamestown from 1951 - 1962 and was thrilled to find this website and pictures. I have many wonderful memories of my childhood there. I attended many Halloween parties, Christmas parties and performed in programs and band concerts in the town hall and we even roller skated there! I became a Christian in the little church and it was used for school when they built the 'new' 3 room school house when I was in second grade! First grade was in a one room schoolhouse with all the children, an 'out - house' and we had a well pump to fill a pail for drinking water! I would build home made paper kites and catch a jet stream to fly them until they were a tiny speck, sending my brother for 'more string!!' Tree houses, sledding on frozen creeks and down the school house hill, not to mention all the natural wild life that was there then! Many bear, mountain lions, bob cats, elk, deer, golden eagles. My father was chief of 'Civil Defense Unit #5' there and he would take the fire truck to a high mountain lake and flood it smooth for fund raiser ice skating parties with gigantic toboggan and tube runs that came down and flew across the lake! Just a wonderful childhood! Email is rosielong01@hotmail.com if anyone would like to chat! Rosie Long (Rosie Brown when I lived there)
A viewer writes - Friday, March 12, 2010 - Thank you so much! I am Charlie Brown (61yrs. old) I grew up in Jamestown Colorado. On your wonderful site, I am the little boy (checkered shirt) behind the princess in the class photo! I can't thank you enough! WOW!
A viewer writes Monday, August 30, 2010
Hi all former and current JimTowners!
My name is Danny Jeske. I lived in Jamestown from 1951 to 1964. I don't think there is a better place on earth for a kid to grow up than Jamestown. Have many many fond memories of the Merc, TownHall, The church and the people that lived there too. My Father worked in several of the mines and the mill. He also worked in one of the uranium mines above Jim Creek. Very Cool to hear of Rosie and Charlie Brown...and Jerry Woods. If any of you see this comment feel free to email me at djorsd@msn.com. Would be ecstatic to hear from Ya!!
Thanks for creating this site Rocky - Hopefully Later - Dan Jeske Longmont Colorado
A viewer writes - Tuesday, October 26, 2010 - It was with great interest that I read your web on Jimtown. If you will indulge me for a moment I would like to share some of my interest in Jimtown and the people who used to live there. I must tell you that I am deeply involved with family history and have a passion for information about my ancestors. Such a passion that I wrote a book on my families roots. What an undertaking.
My grandfather and grandmother, Levi (Lee) and Ruth Taylor lived across little Jim Creek, in a cabin accessible by a foot bridge that my uncle, Riley Taylor rebuilt many years ago. My grandfather and uncle died in 1936, a year before I was born. Riley died after swimming in a cold, springfed pool after a days hard work in a mine. My grandmother lived in that cabin for a number of years before moving to a log cabin about two or three doors down the street from the mercantile. I was told that this cabin was the first cabin built in Jimtown. I don't know that to be a fact. Later, because of her advancing age, my grandmother moved to Nebraska to be near her daughter who was my mother. I have many fond memories of childhood visits to Jimtown. My grandparents and my uncle are buried in the Jimtown cemetery. We recently visited the site and were very pleased to see that someone had cleaned the brush from around the tombstones of my ancestor's graves. I would personally like to thank whoever did that. We don't visit Jimtown that often but it is a pleasant town and the roar of Jimcreek is a childhood memory that I will not soon forget. I would greatly appreciate any information on Jimtown that anyone might be able to share. My e-mail address is schmidt_1@windstream.net
You have a great web site. Thank you for all your effort. Duane Schmidt 2635 Arrow Ridge Pl. Lincoln, NE 68506
A viewer writes Thursday November 11th 2010 - Hi Rocky. I have been looking over your latest Jimtown post and sent a couple e-mails too old school mates. I sure do hope to get a reply. You have done more for us old Jimtowners than you know. To bad more folks wont leave there e-mail address. Anyway I have a link I want to share with you < Just take time to search it out it is fantastic. Jerry Woods p.s. keep up the good work.
http://nell.boulder.lib.co.us/record=b1521692
A viewer writes - Saturday, July 02, 2011 - My name is Doris (Dougherty) Truby and I lived in Jamestown (only our elders called it Jim Town) from 1949 until about 1965,although I went back very often to visit my Grandparents; Dave and Ruth Goodard. My children got to enjoy this homestead until 1981 when Dave passed. I have only been back once as I now live in North Carolina and that was about 7 or 8 years ago. My Mom was Inie (Inez) and my Uncle Al lived in Jamestown until recently.I was very surprised to learn my cousins Charlie and Rosie were still around! I'm the girl with the braids standing next to Charlie in the Reed class photo. I remember the Jeske family very well, especially Mike, for someone that was special, he was the only one that remembered my birthday many years after moving away. When I visited Jamestown I was saddened at the decline of Grandpas house but amazed that MY house was in very good shape and being lived in. Often thought of writing my memories of life there, as my Grandchildren love hearing about 'back then'. Names that pop into my head are; Dean and Gene Sapp, Willa Jean and Alpha May Hamlin, Larry Upp, Mrs. Lively, Trista Perrin (her father was the preacher) Dennis Reed, 'Monk' and Grace Gunn, the Jansens and the Coatsworths...lots of names lots of very dear memories!! My email add.; doristruby@yahoo.com
A viewer writes - Tuesday, September 13, 2011 -- Hi, my name is Ralph Kemptner, I believe my great grandfather Ernest Owen Kemptner was mayor of Jamestown for a short while, some time around 1930. I'm told he also owned a silver mine. I would love to have any information regarding him that is available. My email address is rkemptner@comcast.net
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