CUSTER CITY

NAME: Custer City
COUNTY: Custer
ROADS: 2WD
GRID: 8
CLIMATE: Cold winter with snow, cool summer
BEST TIME TO VISIT:
Summer
COMMENTS: Near Bassick.
REMAINS: Nothing.
A marble statue of General George A. Custer was unveiled on June 11, 1902 with his widow looking on to commemorate the founding of Custer City. The ceremonies started with a speech by Governor James B. Orman followed by athletic events, a baseball game, horseracing and all sorts of contests. All this to celebrate what was to be Colorado's most modern city with the first pre-fabricated houses in Colorado. The most exciting part of the ceremonies was the actual erection of the town itself. The houses and buildings were built elsewhere, primarily in Pueblo, in sections and shipped to Custer City to be put together on the spot. Some 40 buildings and homes went up. By nightfall all the buildings were up and occupied. Here, on what was a bare hill that morning, stood a modern city by 1902 standards. That day of June 11, 1902 was the only big day the town ever had. Custer City's big dreams were never realized. High on a hill separating the once-bustling mining towns of Querida and Rosita, are two large but lonely marble blocks, set a few feet apart on a weed-blown field that mark the center of what used to be Custer City. Submitted by Henry Chenoweth.

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