Hartman, Colorado Declared Abandoned After Officials Resign and Water Crisis

The former statutory town of Hartman in southeast Colorado, home to about 30 residents, was officially declared abandoned by the Colorado Secretary of State on July 28, 2026. All elected officials – the mayor and the three trustees – resigned in January, leaving the town without a board of trustees, clerk, or any authority to manage contracts, finances, or elections.

Residents had been living under a boil‑water order since October 2025 after the town’s water system lost chlorine for more than a month, rendering the water undrinkable and foul‑smelling. A resident, Jessie Simmons, filed an abandonment request in June, stating the town “has no board of trustees or town clerk, is unable to hold an election, and owns and operates water infrastructure needed to treat and deliver water to residents.”

Deputy Secretary of State Andrew Kline, who presided over the hearing, noted that Hartman “is not a place that is uninhabited, but rather a place where the resignation of all elected officials effectively prevents its residents from electing a new government.” The declaration follows a recent change to Colorado law that allows a town to be deemed abandoned when it lacks governing officials and controls critical water infrastructure. Prowers County Commissioners will now assume responsibility for public roads and the water system.

The abandonment marks the end of a 116‑year‑old community that survived the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression but could not overcome internal conflict and a failing water supply.