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History · Hugo

Hugo dates to 1870, and 56% of its homes were built before 1940

Its Register listing is the Hugo Municipal Pool. Below: 5 old photos and papers, maps from 1911 on, and the census since 1880.

1870founded
1on the National Register
56%homes built before 1940
5old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Hugo’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Hugo began

When was Hugo founded?

1870

Hugo dates its founding to 1870 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1880.

First census: 140 in 18802020 census: 787156 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1871.The full story ↓

What stands out about Hugo’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Old housesHalf of Hugo’s homes were built before 1938.
★ What stands out · The story

How Hugo came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hugo.

Read it all →

In about 1859 the town was developed as a cattle ranching community to supply miners with provisions. The town was also used as a local stage coach stop.

There are two stories as to how the town obtained its name. One version says the town was named by the Kansas Pacific Railroad builders after pioneer stage agent (Overland company), Hugo Richards. Richards later moved to Prescott, Arizona where he became town banker and businessman. Another story says the town was named for Richard Hugo who was a local settler. The town was founded in 1870, and incorporated in 1909.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hugo, 1870 to 1980

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1870
    FoundingHugo is established
  3. 1871Post officeThe Hugo post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1903In the archiveCowboys following the train and cheering President Roosevelt
  6. 1980On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Hugo, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s5 items
Cowboys following the train and cheering President Roosevelt1903Cowboys following the train and cheering President Ro…"Pot luck" with the "boys" - President Roosevelt's cowboy breakfast at Hugo, Colorado1903"Pot luck" with the "boys" - President Roosevelt's co…"Pot luck" with the "boys" - President Roosevelt's cowboy breakfast at Hugo, Colorado1903"Pot luck" with the "boys" - President Roosevelt's co…Hody [i.e. Howdy?] Mr. President1903Hody [i.e. Howdy?] Mr. PresidentPres. R, "that steak looks fine"1903Pres. R, "that steak looks fine"
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today4 recent
Hugo, Colorado2014Hugo, ColoradoHugo, Colorado2014Hugo, ColoradoHugo, Colorado downtown 12012Hugo, Colorado downtown 1Grain Silos in2008Grain Silos in
On the map

Hugo on the map in 1980

The U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hugo.

Hugo on the 1980 USGS map1980Hugo sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hugo.

Every building

Hugo, building by building, 1911

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a sheet.

Hugo fire insurance map, 1911, sheet 11911Sheet 1 of 1
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Cowboys following the train and cheering President Roosevelt
Retake this viewCowboys following the train and cheering President Roosevelt, 1903

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Hugo’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Hugo

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2008
Hugo Municipal Pool
Hugo Municipal Pool
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Moderne1
WPA Moderne1
Hugo Municipal PoolModerne

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Hugo, census by census

02004006008001,00018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 943

Between 140 and 943 people in every census since 1880.

13 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hugo’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Hugo

Nobody well known was born in Hugo itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Glenn MorrisAmerican track and field athlete · b. 1912
W
Wilbur WhiteAmerican football halfback · b. 1912
Help out

Finish Hugo’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewCowboys following the train and cheerin…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Questions about Hugo’s history

What year was Hugo founded?

In 1870, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Hugo’s post office opened in 1871, and the census of 1880 counted 140 people here.

What is on the National Register in Hugo?

One place: the Hugo Municipal Pool (listed 2008).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (4), the Library of Congress (5), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.