Russell in Costilla County is a ghost town named after William G. Russell who was considered the founding-father of the state. Russell’s gold discovery in Cherry Creek led to the Gold Rush of 1859. In 1862, Russell and his brothers left Colorado and raised a Cavalry Company for the Confederate Army. After the Civil War and the Amnesty of 1868, Russell returned to Colorado and discovered an alluvial plain rich in gold, where a small town called Russell was established. Although Russell made a respectable profit, it was not as significant as his earlier fortunes amassed in Gilpin County. The town site of Russell is now a small cluster of buildings located near a Department of Transportation garage.