Breck's handle harkens back to mining history

The first story behind the name of the town is simply that Breckenridge was named for Thomas Breckenridge, who came with the first party of miners in 1859, said Frisco resident Bill Fountain, who has done extensive research on Summit County's history. There are no details known as to why, just that they decided to name the town after him.

The second story is that as the town was being platted, they decided to call it Breckinridge after the then vice president of the U.S., John C. Breckinridge, Fountain said. That was a strategic move so that they would get a post office in the area - something that was vital to a town, he continued.

The post office came. However, the spelling of the town changed.

Fountain's theory is that both stories are correct. The first spelling is with an "e" and likely named after Thomas Breckenridge, he said. Later, about the time the post office arrived, the spelling changed to an "i" before going back to the original way, he added.

"You can't go against what the records show. .. I find the spelling both ways," Fountain said.