A Brief History of Minturn
Railroading shaped Minturn’s early years. A six-stall roundhouse and the first depot were built in 1886, and the Denver & Rio Grande reached the community in 1887. The settlement took its name from Robert Bowne Minturn, who helped raise money for the railroad. In 1892, the community opened its first school on Pine Street, where one teacher taught all grades. Heavy snow interrupted train service during the winter of 1899. Residents elected Frank Steacy as their first mayor in 1904, and the town council held its first meeting that November.