Como

Como is an unincorporated community in Park County in central Colorado. According to the 2010 census, the population of zip code 80432 is 439.

History

It is believed the town was named by miners from Como, Italy, who worked the coal fields of the area. In 1879, the town became the location of a depot of the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad, which was extended over Kenosha Pass to reach the silver mining areas during the Colorado Silver Boom. Later, the town served as a division point for trains going northward over Boreas Pass and southward toward Garos and over Trout Creek Pass at the western end of South Park. Como’s roots trace back to the 1859 gold rush, but true growth began when the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad reached the area in 1879. Suddenly, Como became a bustling railroad division point—miners, Chinese and Italian workers, and rail crews transformed the once-quiet South Park valley into the largest town in Park County by the early 1880s. With up to 26 trains a day rolling through, the community sprouted a roundhouse (built 1881), a depot, a restaurant, and a hotel—structures central to daily life. The Gilman Hotel, established around 1880, burned in 1896 and was rebuilt into the enduring South Park Hotel in 1897.

By 1910, the Trout Creek Pass flood and later rail declines shuttered operations—ultimately ending rail service by 1937. Though the railroad faded, many historic buildings survived and now form a preserved snapshot of that era. The town has many historic weathered structures, including the roundhouse, hotel, and depot. It has the air of a ghost town that is still nevertheless populated. Como has a small commercial district consisting of a post office, gallery and hotel. The roundhouse and depot have been renovated by the Denver, South Park & Pacific Historical Society with plans to make them into an area tourist attraction.

Geography

You can find Como at 39°18′58″N 105°53′34″W It sits approximately one-half mile (1 km) west of U.S. Route 285 and some nine miles (15 km) northeast of the county seat of Fairplay. Como is accessible by a paved County Road 33, which becomes gravel inside the town. Boreas Pass Road runs northwest over Boreas Pass to Breckenridge. Como has a population of 270 if you include the surrounding area.

Comment

Como has more than its share of building in need of more than a bit of paint. That being said, you can not help but notice a rugged "Colorado" mountain town vibe.