Franceville

Colorado's high-country ghost towns sit at altitudes that would give a flatlander nosebleeds — silver camps killed by an 1893 vote in Washington.

Franceville was a coal mining town and railroad post office in eastern El Paso County, Colorado, about five miles from the town of Falcon and twelve miles east of Colorado Springs. The Franceville post office operated from November 2, 1881, until May 14, 1894. The town was located on land owned by Matt France. There were 120 people in the town in 1885.

The on-the-ground condition of Franceville is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Franceville is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Franceville is roughly 38.8066, -104.5948 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.