As I was researching for my first three novels, I looked at the 1860 US census for 1860. Below are the totals I found and the occupations listed for the people living in Central City, Colorado. These totals include only a few of the miners that who in town. The others who lived in the hills outside of the town were listed on a separate accounting and there were a lot of them.
Central City
Men— 518
Women—72 (which included 23 females listed as girls)
Children 30
Occupations listed:Miner, Merchant, Saloon Keeper, Shoemaker, Baker, Engineer, Cook, Carpenter, Laborer, Spinster, Lawyer, Doctor, Surveyor, Silversmith, Sheriff, Deputy sheriff, Hotel owner, Housekeeper, School teacher, Clerk, Gambler, Post Master, Real estate dealer, Rancher, Farmer, Musician, Boardinghouse keeper, Rancher & herdsman, Peddler, Minister, Physician, Cabinet Maker, Teamster, Salesman, Harness Maker, Printer, Miller, Butcher, Mechanic, Herdsman, Gold smith, Grocery, Wheelwright, Wagon maker, Freighter, Prospector
Until I looked at this census, I hadn’t realized how many different occupations were in a small town at the beginning of a gold rush, but it gave me lots of ideas for my characters’ occupations.
