Ulysses – Colorado Ghost Town
by local author & historian: John LaBorde
Ulysses – Colorado Ghost Town was established in 1894. There is no mention of what was there as it too was just a dot on the US Geological Survey map. It would have been along old highway 24 where it junctions with highways 40 and 287. Today it would be under the exit ramps of Interstate 70 where it crosses this junction.
Speculation would be that a speculator wanted this place to become a railroad town. The Chicago Rock Island railroad was building across Kansas headed for Colorado. There were many speculators that set up trading posts in hopes the railroad would stop at their place of business. If that was the case, the people of Ulysses were disappointed for the railroad went on west and set up camp at Limon.
Almost due south roughly 4 miles was the railroad town of Lake Station. Someone from here may of seen the advance of the railroad and seen that he could profit from it if he had a town on this new railroad.
To start a business in the late 1800’s required a tent of sorts and a sign. Travelers would stop if they needed supplies or information. One such enterprising gentleman set his tent up along the stage route. He hung his sign that said trading post. The travelers stopped there to get some food. They entered the tent asking for something to eat. He had some molding pork fat, well dried hardtack, and stale flour. He did have some barrels of whiskey though. He offered it to the travelers saying it was the finest west of the Mississippi.
Now under layers of sand, gravel, concrete and asphalt lies the forgotten spot of Ulysses. Flying over the interstate speedway one probably dives over what had been the dream of an enterprising gentleman.