The entire site of the former mining district and town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1904 Colorado Fuel and Iron bought the entire Sunrise Mine.

[3] Colorado Fuel and Iron hoped to make Sunrise a model company town.

Because of decreasing ore quality and problems in the domestic steel market, the town and mine were closed by Colorado Fuel and Iron in 1980.

Over the lifetime of the mine 40 million tons of iron ore were produced, more than any other C.F.