Highway of Legends
Cokedale, CO

Cokedale gets its name from the word coke, which is made from coal. All of the moisture is removed, and as much sulphur and phosphorus as possible. Only fixed carbon and ash remained. One use of coke was in the smelting of iron, because it burned with intense heat. Established in 1906, Cokedale was one of the many mining towns in the early 1900s that mined coal, and it was known as the “model” mining camp. By 1909 the camp had 1,500 people living there and were 350 coking ovens. Remains of the coking ovens can still be seen today. Slag piles, which are the impurities washed out of the coal, can be seen outside of town. When it is cold, steam rises from the piles.

The town itself is well preserved and is on the National Historic Register. In 1948, Cokedale was incorporated after the mines closed in 1947. When the mines closed, people were offered homes for $100 per room and $50 per lot. The town today remains preserved as a turn-of-the-century mining town.