Following a typical mining town cycle of boom to bust, St. Elmo quickly plummeted from its peak of 2,000 residents in 1890, to a few stubborn stragglers. This well preserved ghost town, one of Colorado’s best, is just a short drive from Buena Vista.
     With silver and gold ore dwindling, the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad pulled up tracks in 1920s. A humorous cliché recounts the remainder of the town’s folk riding out on the last train. This Main Street view captures some of the remaining original buildings. An unfortunate fire claimed a group of structures including town hall. Plans are underway to return this important hitoric link to its 19th century glory.
     A ghost town cannot be complete without a ghost, and St. Elmo’s apparition remains an intriguing part of the town’s history. It’s been said that the Stark family loved their St. Elmo and clung to the hope of the town’s resurgence. Brother and sister, Annabelle and Tony, continued to run the town’s hotel and general store well into the 20th Century. Although cleanliness wasn’t their forte, they managed to eke out a meager existence. To this day Dirty Annie makes frequent appearances in the hotel’s second story window. For those St. Elmo visitors looking for a little more adventure and bring a little backcountry moxie, a rugged road leads up and over the Divide at Tincup Pass and heads toward Tincup and Taylor Park Reservoir. The Buena Vista (pleasant view) name is fitting for this area of Rocky Mountain settings.