The Kingdom of Breckenridge – The Left Them Off the Map
There are No Kings in This Kingdom!
by Shauna Farnell
Founded as a town in November 1859, Breckenridge has always been a royal oasis of nature’s gifts. Allegedly omitted from official maps of the United States in the early 1900s, it eventually became known as a kingdom – a slice of history that gave birth to a mindset that some people, especially long-time Breck locals, still embrace today.
In the early days, the area’s natural gifts did not fall from the sky, but came from within the earth. People flocked here in search of gold, as evidenced by the remnants of mines, mine tailing piles and dredge boats in and around town. The mining rushes ebbed and flowed over the years, reaching a high note with events like the discovery of Colorado’s largest gold nugget, Tom’s Baby (which you also may know as one of the steepest ski runs at Breck Resort, under E Chair on Peak 9). Breck’s economy took a dive during the Great Depression, which is when a group of local women came across maps they claimed showed that Breck had never been formally annexed into the United States.
“They contacted the governor and made this huge spectacle. There was a massive turnout. The governor came up, there was a marching band and flag-raising. It made national news,” says Breckenridge History Director Larissa O’Neil. “A Colorado historian contacted them and was like, ‘hey ladies, there’s this other treaty and Breckenridge has always been part of the United States.’ But the ladies didn’t want the fun police raining on their parade, so they ignored it and went on with their event.”
Run annually for decades to come, the event became No Man’s Land, including beard-growing and chainsaw-carving contests. In the 1960s, the bigger event, launched by ski resort founders Trygve Berge, Bill Round and Sigurd Rockne, was Ullr Fest, complete with a Main Street parade, local king, and queen. The aim was to lure more skiers into town after the resort’s rather slow first season. The town produced its own currency in honor of the event, but the U.S. Treasury put a quick end to it. It was around this time, in the early 1970s, that the town’s Chamber of Commerce placed a sign on Highway 9 reading “The Kingdom of Breckenridge Welcomes You.”
“The idea has stuck ever since,” O’Neil says. “Breckenridge has this desire to be seen as a different sort of place from the rest of the country – whimsical and fun and eclectic.”
As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary and Colorado its 150th in 2026, Breck History is launching a special exhibit at the Welcome Center Museum this April. Stop in to check out the “Kingdom of Breckenridge” road sign and many other artifacts from Breck’s most character-building and debaucherous era.
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