Area History
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The history of Telluride Colorado, is tangible now as the spectacular, ore-filled mountains that lured its first settlers. A registered National Historic District since the 1960s, Telluride retains the Victorian charm and boomtown spirit of the hardy souls who ventured here in search of gold 125 To learn more about our wonderful telluride History stop by the |
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There are also Descriptive plaques along main street describing Telluride's halcyon mining days and Historic walking tours that share the wild exploits of Telluride's earliest residents. In the Summer, Jeep tours roam the steep mountain mining roads to old mines and ghost towns, oh and the best views you have ever seen.
THE UTE INDIANS
These nomadic people once thrived in this region. They were the first visitors to the Telluride valley. Making their summer camps along the San Miguel River, they hunted in the surrounding mountains for elk, deer and mountain sheep. In the winter, they retreated to the lowlands and nearby red rock canyons of the desert to find shelter and dry ground. For centuries, this way of life continued unchanged.
THE EARLY EXPLORERS and GOLD
The Spanish made their way north through Mexico in thye late 1700’s and established an outpost in present day Santa Fe. They were Fransiscans and Monks searching for an overland route to the Pacific coast…and perhaps riches, they crossed the lower Rocky Mountains and named them the the “San Juans”. They named many of the rivers and towns that are promiment features in todays society However, none stayed to settle this rugged high-altitude environment.
Fur trappers were the first “whites” to spend time in the San Juans, but with the over-trapping of the beaver due to the increasing popularity of top hats made from the animal’s pelt, the trappers moved on, farther north. The discovery of GOLD in 1858 put Colorado on the map. As prospectors looking for riches flooded the northern Rockies, many fortune seekers headed to the seldom visted Southwest corner. With the discovery of gold in 1867 in the San Juans, the gates opened and a new era began.
OUTPOST to A NEW MINING TOWN
At 11,000 feet, on the steep slopes high above this valley, a prospector named John Fallon made the first claim in this region in 1875. The area was called Marshal Basin, and soon he was to be rich. He registered the Sheridan Mine with the Silverton County Clerk, a claim that proved to be rich in zinc, lead, copper, iron, silver and gold.
A town began to grew on the flat fertile valley below these claims it was called “ Columbia” Because of confusion with similar mining camp names like Columbia, California, the U. S. Post Office refused to grant the town a local branch. So the locals changed the name from Columbia, to Telluride in 1880. The name was probably derived from “Tellurium” (However ironic,it is not found here), it is a non-metallic element often associated with gold.
The other theory (much more fun….) is that the town was named for the famous send-off by the “proper women and church goers” as vistor’s rode by them heading East to the “Red-Light District”.They said “To-hell-u-ride,” as these unruly fortune seekers headed to the southern San Juans to make their fortunes.
With the arrival of the railroad in 1890, the town flourished. Telluride’s population soared to over 5,000. Many of these were immigrants who made the arduous journey over the snowy and steep Rockies. The melting pot of Finns, Swedes, Irish, supported the infrastructure of the mining Boom.
The town boasted all the amenities of a thriving modern community including Electricity. The First National Bank Building, where in 1891 L.L. Nunn conspired to make Telluride the first American town lit by electricity still stands. The experiment worked and it was the brightest town in the west…including the much-heralded Red-Light District. Famous “popcorn alley” for the brothels and the infamous “Big Billie” were colorful illustrations then and remind us of our past today. The miners lived a hard life, and they used Telluride as a 2 day vacation every month. They spent their savings, and lived big, for they knew how dangerous the mining was. In the storefronts today, you can easily see the past with it’s shops and saloons.
Mining for Gold, Silver, Zinc, Lead and Copper created over 350 miles of tunnels that honeycomb through the mountains at the east end of the valley stretching all the way to Ouray on the other side of the mountains. The wealth and allure of Telluride did not only attract miners, but also Bank Robbers…… the likes of Butch Cassidy and his “Wild Bunch” mulled around the region. Butch’s career began in Telluride in 1889 with the broad daylight robbery of the San Miguel National Bank.
THE CRASH
Silver prices crashed in 1893, Mining in America was over. Then the outbreak of the World War I in 1917 essentially shut down Telluride’s mining boom. Gold prices were fixed during the war and miners and their families left the region in drioves. Many of them joined the armed forces or worked in war-related industries. In 1965, Telluride was a mere ghost town, the population had dwindled to less than 600 residents. The bowling alley and saloons abandoned, the 70’s were coming and telluride seemed doomed as a has-been ore-town.
A NEW GOLD…WHITE GOLD
The sleepy, poor town of Telluride was resurrected in the 1970s by another kind of gold…White Gold SNOW. A small group of hopeful locals, led by Billy Mahoney Sr., and Joe Zoline though that this would be a perfect ski area, they were right. A rope tow was built just east of town park and up on the ridge above town called “Gold Hill”.
The new ski resort reshaped the economy and revived Telluride. In 1978, two Colorado natives, Ron Allred and Jim Wells, assumed the reins of the ski area, and never looked back. Their vision included a “mountain village” resort complex along with a first-class ski area and year-round destination resort. Working closely with Mahoney, whom they named their vice president, they installed snowmaking equipment, added lifts and carved new terrain designed specifically for beginner skiers. In 1996, the Gondola opened, linking the two towns forever. The “G” is a free shuttle, the first of its kind in North America, and has become one of the area’s most popular attractions. In 1998, the ski area expanded again, opening a “terrain park” or “Air Garden”. In 2002 the ski area expanded again, DOUBLING it’s previous size. It included 4 new lifts and increased snowmaking capabilities. White Gold is now why we are here, Thank you Mr. Mahoney.
NEVER SUMMER?
You would think that the Telluridians would never want the snow to stop falling, but when the white stuff melts, the rivers roar and that is when the Boating season begins. Summer offers endless recreational activities like Mountain biking, jeeping, Rock Climbing and FESTIVALS.
FESTIVALS
Telluride’s summer season is filled with 16 different festivals, it brings a whole new economic windfall to the area. The wide range of festivals include Wine, Food, Jeeping, FILM, Blues, and BLUEGRASS. It has turned Telluride into a year-round resort. Find out more about festivals in Telluride >>
Scott Elkins
Ben Jackson