A Lonely Storefront
Chivington was established in 1887 and was one of many railroad towns to spring up along the Missouri Pacific Railroad line. The town was named after Col. John Chivington, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and is more famously known for leading the attack on the Native American encampment at Sand Creek that resulted in the infamous Sand Creek Massacre. At its height, Chivington had many local businesses and many residents. The crown jewel was the $10,000, 60-room, 3-story Queen Ann styled Kingdon Hotel.
Chivington's demise started when the MPR realized that the alkali content in the towns water was too high for their trains boilers, so they moved the water station to a different town just across the Kansas boarder. The Dust Bowl and Great Depression in 1920 and 1930 drove out many residents as well.
Today, a small handful of residents remain, but the town is a far cry from where it was in its glory days.
A Lonely Storefront
Chivington was established in 1887 and was one of many railroad towns to spring up along the Missouri Pacific Railroad line. The town was named after Col. John Chivington, who served in the Union Army during the Civil War and is more famously known for leading the attack on the Native American encampment at Sand Creek that resulted in the infamous Sand Creek Massacre. At its height, Chivington had many local businesses and many residents. The crown jewel was the $10,000, 60-room, 3-story Queen Ann styled Kingdon Hotel.
Chivington's demise started when the MPR realized that the alkali content in the towns water was too high for their trains boilers, so they moved the water station to a different town just across the Kansas boarder. The Dust Bowl and Great Depression in 1920 and 1930 drove out many residents as well.
Today, a small handful of residents remain, but the town is a far cry from where it was in its glory days.