Franceville, Colorado

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.

[5] It was named for Matt France, who discovered lignite coal from six to fourteen feet below the surface.

France was also instrumental in having the Denver and New Orleans Railroad opened to provide transportation of people and goods through the area, including the transportation of coal from the mine,[1] which was purchased by the railroad from France.

The mine closed in 1898,[6] when it reported the average annual output was 20,000 tons.

[11] Evidence of meteoric iron used by prehistoric man was found in Franceville in 1890.