Peyton, Colorado

How Peyton is governed

Peyton appears to be an unincorporated community or a census-designated place, so it may have no city government of its own — services usually come from El Paso County and its elected officials. The chart below is a generic template; readers can correct it if Peyton does have local officials.

Form of government not yet listed.

0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.

• Mayor

  Executive

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  The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.

  • City Manager / Administrator

    Executive

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    The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).

    • Police Chief

      Administration & departments

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      Leads the police department.

    • Fire Chief

      Administration & departments

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      Leads the fire and emergency services department.

    • Public Works Director

      Administration & departments

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      Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.

    • Finance Director

      Administration & departments

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      The budget, taxes, and city accounts.

    • Planning & Zoning Director

      Administration & departments

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      Land use, zoning, building permits.

    • Parks & Recreation Director

      Administration & departments

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      Parks, programs, and public facilities.

• City Council

  Legislative

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  The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.

  • City Clerk

    Administration & departments

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    Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.

  • City Attorney

    Administration & departments

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    The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.

  • Boards & Commissions

    Legislative

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    Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.

• Municipal Court

  Judicial

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  Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.

  • Municipal Judge

    Judicial

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    Presides over the municipal court.

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Population over time

From 250 in 2010 to 214 in 2020 (−14.4%).

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.

Among the first settlers of Peyton were James and Susan McDermott. With the coming of the Rock Island Railroad 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.

A few years later, Russell Gates opened a mercantile store. He had previously established

general stores in Limon, Calhan, Eastonville, Elbert

and Elizabeth, Colorado. 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, 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, by 1955, that depot was no longer needed, and the railroad subsequently 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.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Other cities in Colorado

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• Colorado Springs 478,961
• Aurora 386,261
• Fort Collins 169,810
• Thornton 141,867
• Arvada 124,402
• Westminster 116,317
• Pueblo 111,876

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