A Brief History of Dumont
Dumont began as Mill City in 1859 during the rush to develop Clear Creek’s mineral deposits. Ore processing shaped the settlement: mills and smelters supported nearby mines, while stagecoach travelers stopped at the Mill City House, built in 1860. In 1880 the community took the name Dumont in honor of mining pioneer Colonel John M. Dumont. A school followed in 1909. The later construction of Interstate 70 removed much of the settlement’s southern side, changing a community whose early identity had been closely tied to mining and mountain transportation.