Census Designated Place in Colorado, United States
| Sunshine, Colorado | |
|---|---|
| Census Designated Place | |
 Location of the Sunshine CDP in Boulder County, Colorado | |
  SunshineLocation of the Sunshine CDP in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 40°03′53″N 105°22′34″W / 40.06472°N 105.37611°W / 40.06472; -105.37611 (Sunshine CDP, Colorado) | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Boulder County |
| Government | |
| • Type | unincorporated community |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.481 km (1.730 sq mi) |
| • Land | 4.481 km (1.730 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.000 km (0.000 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,239 m (7,346 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 198 |
| • Density | 44/km (110/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code | Boulder 80302 |
| Area codes | 303 & 720 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2583302 |
Sunshine (also known as Sunshine Canyon) is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Boulder, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Sunshine CDP was 198 at the United States Census 2020. The Boulder post office (Zip Code 80302) serves the area.
History
Gold ore was discovered in Sunshine in 1873, and many prospectors moved to the area to seek their fortunes. By 1876 Sunshine was a booming mining camp, with a population of 1,200. Sunshine had a post office, a schoolhouse, a newspaper, The Sunshine Courier, several hotels and boarding houses, two mercantile firms, three blacksmiths, and two saloons.
Sunshine built a stone schoolhouse in 1900, which is still in good condition and used for community events. Noted for its sophisticated construction and neoclassical design, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
As gold became harder to find and extract, most mines shut down, and by 1908 Sunshine's population dwindled to about 200. Ranching was prevalent after World War I, with just a few mines still operating. The remaining mines were closed in July, 1942, by a decree of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, as the United States geared up for production of wartime materials.
Geography
Sunshine is located in central Boulder County, in the hills northwest of the city of Boulder. It is bordered by the Crisman CDP to the south, and the Glendale and Lazy Acres CDPs are to the north.
The Sunshine CDP has an area of 1,107 acres (4.481 km), all land.
Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Sunshine CDP for the United States Census 2010.
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 230 | — |
| 2020 | 198 | −13.9% |
| Source: United States Census Bureau | ||
See also
References
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sunshine, Colorado
- ^ "State of Colorado Census Designated Places - BAS20 - Data as of January 1, 2020". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ United States Census Bureau. "Sunshine CDP, Colorado". Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "Zip Code 80302 Map and Profile". zipdatamaps.com. 2020. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- Howard, June Peterson (1994). Stories of Sunshine: Life in a Mining Camp. The Book Lode. ISBN 0-9617799-6-9.
External links
- Sunshine Fire Protection District
- Sunshine, Colorado
- Sunshine mines and miners
- Sunshine @ Mindat.org
- Boulder County website
| Municipalities and communities of Boulder County, Colorado, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| County seat: Boulder | ||
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |