Clear Creek

Formed November 1, 1861 (3^rd county)

Clear Creek County (9,394), Georgetown (1,115), Idaho Springs (1,793)                

The wood and metal courthouse of Clear Creek County was built in 1978 north of town.  The Modern style structure is located on Argentine Street at 6^th Street.  Although Interstate Highway 70 is next to the courthouse, access to the highway is 10 blocks north.  William R. Riddick provided the building designs.  The building was remodeled in 2011.  An 1874 version of the courthouse was also in Georgetown.  The county was formed on November 1, 1861 as one of the original Colorado counties.  It is the 3^rd county.  Idaho Springs was the original county seat before moving to Georgetown in 1867.  Clear Creek is named for a local creek.  Georgetown is named for founder George Griffith.  The center of the county is 16 miles East-Southeast of Georgetown nearer Idaho Springs. 

Clear Creek County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, manager, coroner, and treasurer (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Six District Court Judges serve Clear Creek, Eagle, Lake, and Summit counties and a Trial Court Judge, clerk, and county attorney serve Clear Creek County (judicial.)  The county is located in north central Colorado just west of Denver, Colorado.  The Continental Divide forms most of the western border.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Gilpin, Jefferson, Park, Summit, and Grand counties.  

The area of the county is 396.5 square miles.  The county is 59 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 39 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 23.7 persons per square mile making it 20 out of 64 in the state.  Clear Creek County has 36.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 70 crosses the county east to west, Jefferson County to Summit County.  United States Highway 6 enters east from Jefferson County, joins Interstate Highway 70, separates and exits into Summit County.  United States Highway 40 comes joined with Interstate Highway 70 from Jefferson County, separates, and heads north into Grand County.  The county is shaped like the head of a rhino facing west.  Georgetown is located slightly north of center in the county.  Idaho Springs is in the northeast quarter of the county near the border.  Georgetown is the county seat and Idaho Springs is the largest city.  Georgetown is 11.9% of the county population while Idaho Springs is 19.1% of the county population.  The county is in the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metropolitan Statistical Area.