TWO BUTTES, COLO. -- It's one of the smallest incorporated "cities" in the state, and it is working on getting some big attention.
Two Buttes, Colorado is a small, very small town in far southeastern Colorado. The population is estimated to be about 50 within the city limits. However, many buildings and structures remain from its heyday, when the population reached close to 2,000.
The town was founded under the formation of the dam at Two Buttes creek, making the Two Buttes reservoir. A study was done on the water availability of the creek, and it was determined that a large reservoir could be sustained. However, the study overestimated the water, and the reservoir could not fill and keep capacity. In the 1940s, the reservoir was allowed to drain.
Two Buttes was officially incorporated in 1911. The town held many residents tied to the reservoir. However, the evaporation of the reservoir also led to a steady decline in the town's population. Now, Two Buttes is a quiet stop on a lonely paved road that is many agricultural.
In early 2010, a group of teenagers stumbled across some documents in the local trash dump. The documents contained complete history of the town, including all written correspondence, town laws, and other acts. According to museum curator Theresa Hendricks, Two Buttes now has one of the largest archival collections in the nation.
Town residents are hoping that the community can become a historical society, attracting visitors and other outside businesses.
There is a museum and library in town, open on Friday. The reservoir will hold some water after a heavy rain, and the buttes still rise majestically over the plains.
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