Carbonate, Colorado

The Town of Carbonate is a statutory town and an extinct silver mining camp located in Garfield County, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1879, Carbonate was designated the original seat of Garfield County from its creation on February 10, 1883, until voters moved the county seat to Glenwood Springs later that year. The Carbonate post office operated from April 13, 1883, until November 15, 1886. On November 4, 2014, the property owners of Carbonate voted to reactivate the town government despite the population being 0 since the 1890 United States Census, making it the smallest town in the state of Colorado.

History
Carbonate was founded as a silver camp in 1879. On February 10, 1883, Colorado created Garfield County and designated Carbonate as the original county seat. The Town of Carbonate incorporated on April 13, 1883, and the Carbonate post office opened the same day. Carbonate's location high in the Flat Tops mountains made access difficult. After a few months, the Garfield County seat was moved to Glenwood Hot Springs. As the silver played out, miners departed. By 1890, no residents remained.

On November 4, 2014, Carbonate property owners voted 9 to 0 to reactivate the town's government in hopes of future development. The town has summer visitors but no permanent residents, making it the only active incorporated municipality in Colorado with no permanent population.

Geography
Carbonate is in the Flat Tops mountains, 21.5 km north of Glenwood Springs.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 2.605 km2 including 0.036 km2 of water.

Demographics
Carbonate has been continuously uninhabited since the 1890 United States Census.Reporting a population of zero up to today.