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Sheridan Lake, COPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
–Not graded
History · Sheridan Lake

Sheridan Lake’s post office opened in 1887, and 27% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1890 on and the census since 1960.

1887first post office
0on the National Register
27%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Sheridan Lake began

When was Sheridan Lake founded?

1887

The Sheridan Lake post office opened in 1887, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 90 in 19602020 census: 55139 years
Founding year: the first Sheridan Lake post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Sheridan Lake’s past

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

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Sheridan Lake are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18903 editions of the USGS map, 1890 to 1984. Watch Sheridan Lake change.Old housesHalf of Sheridan Lake’s homes were built before 1963.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Sheridan Lake’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Sheridan Lake’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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On the map

Sheridan Lake on the map, 1890 to 1984

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Sheridan Lake. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Sheridan Lake on the 1890 USGS mapSheridan Lake on the 1968 USGS mapSheridan Lake on the 1984 USGS map1890Granada sheet · 1:125,000

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

The story

How Sheridan Lake came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Sheridan Lake.

Read it all →

The Bee, Colorado, post office opened on August 18, 1887, but was renamed Sheridan Lake on October 27, 1887. The community was named after Phil Sheridan, a pioneer hunter.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Sheridan Lake, decade by decade

Today11 recent
Weskan Grain Stockton elevator2026Weskan Grain Stockton elevatorStockton Grain Elevator2026Stockton Grain ElevatorColorado Pacific train2026Colorado Pacific trainWeskan Grain Stockton elevator in2025Weskan Grain Stockton elevator inSheridan Lake, Colorado aerial view (2025)2025Sheridan Lake, Colorado aerial view (2025)Sheridan Lake, CO2025Sheridan Lake, COPlainview School (Kiowa County, Colorado)2024Plainview School (Kiowa County, Colorado)Colorado Pacific Railroad in2024Colorado Pacific Railroad inSorghum harvesting2023Sorghum harvestingSheridan Lake, Colorado2015Sheridan Lake, ColoradoCOMap-doton-SheridanLake2005COMap-doton-SheridanLake
People over time

Sheridan Lake, census by census

01001960198020002020Peak: 95

Between 55 and 95 people in every census since 1960.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

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

Famous people

Famous people close to Sheridan Lake

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

See all →
Ken CurtisAmerican actor and singer · b. 1916
G
Gene MilfordAmerican film editor · b. 1902
Wayne R. GrishamRecipient of the Purple Heart medal · b. 1923
Raymond O. BartonUnited States general · b. 1889
C
Curt GentryAmerican historian · b. 1931
N
Nellie M. PayneAmerican entomologist and agricultural chemist · b. 1900

Questions about Sheridan Lake’s history

What year was Sheridan Lake founded?

The Sheridan Lake post office opened in 1887, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

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 (11), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.