Peyton is an
unincorporated town, a
post office
A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...
, and a
census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by
El Paso County,
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. The CDP is a part of the
Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, ...
. The Peyton post office has the
ZIP Code 80831.
[ At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Peyton CDP was 214.]
The nearby unincorporated area of Falcon
Falcons () are birds of prey in the genus ''Falco'', which includes about 40 species. Some small species of falcons with long, narrow wings are called hobbies, and some that hover while hunting are called kestrels. Falcons are widely distrib ...
also uses zip code 80831.[ Peyton and towns such as Falcon, Calhan, Ramah, ]Simla
Shimla, also known as Simla (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Himachal Pradesh, the official name until 1972), is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summe ...
, and Matheson straddle U.S. Highway 24 between Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010. Colorado Springs is the second-most populous c ...
and Limon, Colorado
Limon is a statutory town in Lincoln County, Colorado, United States. Its population was 2,043 at the 2020 United States census, the most populous municipality of the county. Limon lies at the intersection of Interstate 70, U.S. Highways ...
where US 24 intersects with Interstate 70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, Baltimo ...
.
History
Peyton was settled by George Peyton in 1888 and was surveyed and platted on December 25
of that year. Originally called Mayfield, the settlement was renamed Peyton after the post office
had been refused under that name because there was already a Mayfield, California.
[http://adm2.elpasoco.com/planning/falcon_peyton_masterplan/library/Print/Chapter2.pdf
El Paso County Falcon Peyton Area Master Plan]
Among the first settlers of Peyton were James and Susan McDermott. With the coming of the Rock Island Railroad
The original Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.
At ...
they settled in Calhan in 1888 and in 1890 moved to Peyton where Mr. McDermott was the first postmaster and ran a general store for 25 years. His home, which still stands at the southwest corner of Main and Front Streets, was a popular boarding house.[1926 obituary, '']Colorado Springs Gazette
''The Gazette'' is a daily newspaper based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. It has operated since 1873.
History
The publication began as ''Out West'', beginning March 23, 1872, but failed in its endeavor. The company relaunched ...
''
A few years later, Russell Gates opened a mercantile store. He had previously established
general stores in Limon, Calhan, Eastonville, Elbert
and Elizabeth, Colorado
Elizabeth is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town, Statutory Town that is the List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous municipality in Elbert County, Colorado, Elbert County, Colorado, United States. The town population w ...
. These enterprises
carried everything from pins to coffins plus running a creamery. The store closed in 1920. At
one time, there were five general stores in Peyton, one of which also sold gasoline.
By 1900, 50 people lived in Peyton. While farming and coal mining comprised the main
occupation, supporting services included a blacksmith, physician, general store, creamery,
hotel, and clergy. Joseph Zimmerman built a hall above a storage building attached to the Gates
store. This meeting place hosted Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows (or Oddfellows when referencing the Grand United Order of Oddfellows or some British-based fraternities; also Odd Fellowship or Oddfellowship) is an international fraternity consisting of lodges first documented in 1730 in 18th-cen ...
, Modern Woodmen, elections, community
dances, and fundraising events.
The first telephone in Peyton arrived in 1904. It ran on a dry cell battery and had a crank to turn
to get your party. Telephone lines ran as the top strand on the barbed wire fences. Eventually,
the area had enough phones that a central switchboard was installed. Mrs. George Hayes
became the switchboard operator until 1922.
In 1923, a devastating fire took out several buildings, a number of automobiles and the stock in
a general store. The town was rebuilt and by the 1930s boasted 13 businesses.
In 1945, the original railroad depot was torn down and replaced with a new one. Ten years later,
that depot was no longer needed, and the railroad sold it to the Methodist Church in 1958. They
tore it down and used the materials for an addition to their church.
When the school house burned down in 1954, Peyton residents were alarmed that they didn't have their own fire protection. A group of people met at the Grange Hall and created the Peyton Volunteer Fire Department. The town chose their board members and Clarence Cook became the first Fire Chief. A few months later, by-laws were drawn up and regular meetings established. To support their activities, the Department held benefits such as dances or street carnivals. Eventually, they raised enough money to build a fire station. The department continues today as an all volunteer department.
In June 1965, a flood badly damaged the railroad tracks in the Peyton area. The water washed
out 500 feet of fill beneath the track, leaving it suspended in mid-air. The flood also damaged
the underpass east of Peyton by taking out several tons of concrete supports leaving that track
several feet above the original road base. It took county, state, and railroad crews working
double shifts to make the necessary repairs to make the tracks operational again.
Geography
The Peyton CDP has an area of , all land.[
]
Demographics
The United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
initially defined the for the
Arts and culture
* The Black Squirrel Creek Bridge, a property formerly listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
, was located between Peyton and Falcon, Colorado. The bridge was dismantled and replaced in 2012.
* Th
Homestead Ranch Regional Park
is located in Peyton with facilities that include a playground and hiking trails.
Education
Students are served b
Peyton School District 23JT
in the Peyton area and by Falcon School District 49 in the Falcon area and nearby areas of Colorado Springs.
Notable people
* Kalen Ballage, NFL
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
running back, attended Falcon High School
* Lisa Joann Thompson, dancer and actress
See also
* South Central Colorado Urban Area
*Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area
Colorado is a state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, ...
References
External links
Peyton @ Colorado.com
El Paso County website
{{authority control
Census-designated places in El Paso County, Colorado
Census-designated places in Colorado