GOLD HILL, Colo. — A family has returned to the small Colorado mountain town of Gold Hill for the first time in 44 years, and found it hasn't changed much. Thankfully.
Gold Hill has no cell phone service, no running water and no heat — until someone starts a fire in the potbelly stove. But when the "closed" sign turns to "open" at the Gold Hill General Store, the small Colorado mountain town comes alive.
▶️ WATCH: Denver7's Mike Castellucci takes a trip to the tiny town of Gold Hill
Dwight DeBroux owns the general store — one of only two businesses in town.
"You have to try our chocolate chip cookie. Oh, it is the cookie," DeBroux said.
The cookies draw people in. Two minutes after opening, a family surrounded the potbelly stove — the Smiths, who had just returned to Gold Hill for the first time in 44 years. It turned out Dustin Smith was born there.
"Brought my son here," Smith said.
His father, Woody Smith, remembered the town well.
"My wife and I lived here and my youngest son Dusty was born here — delivered him with a mid-wife. One year, there was 12 feet of snow," Woody said.
After 44 years away, the family expected things to look different.
"Not much. The log cabins and the school (are) pretty much the same," Woody said.
Dustin pointed out the house where he was born — a little home with small wagons out front, just two doors down from the general store. It turned out that house now belongs to the town's mayor. The Smiths and the mayor were in the general store at the same time but never met.
The mayor, Kelly Veit, described what the general store means to the community.
"It's a place for opinions, (to) drive consensus, move things forward, move things backward, if necessary," the mayor said.
The town's quietness is something residents take pride in.
"We sort of respect and honor our quietness here," the mayor said.
DeBroux moved to Gold Hill eight years ago after finding something he hadn't expected.
"Decided to move up here. When you hit the dirt road, your shoulders kind of relax, forget about the outside noise for a while, and have a real impact on real people in your community and be the change you want to be," DeBroux said.
The general store's appeal extends beyond locals. One employee came to Gold Hill while traveling and never left.
"I wound up staying and that was 14 years ago," she said.
For those who find their way to Gold Hill, whether passing through on the way to California or returning after decades away, the general store offers something hard to find elsewhere.
"Great energy up here," DeBroux said.
And the homemade pie doesn't hurt either.
"Yeah, they bought all the pie. It's homemade, we make these ourselves," DeBroux said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
