Volume 5: Telluride/ Ouray/ Ophir
These mountain towns are gems in Southwest Colorado. Telluride and tiny Ophir are in San Miguel County, and Ouray, not far away if unimproved roads aren’t a barrier, is located in Ouray County. Telluride is the most populous (about two thousand residents) and best known of the three, home to a famous ski resort, many well-known music festivals, and exclusive luxury homes. Telluride’s colorful history as a hard-rock mining town where gold, silver, and tellurium were extracted beginning in 1878 changed dramatically in the 1970s when the Telluride Ski Resort opened. Telluride’s elevation is 8,750 feet above sea level, a bit higher than Ouray’s 7,792. (source) Fewer than 1,000 people call Ouray home, but each year many thousands of tourists visit the charming village, nicknamed the “Switzerland of America.” Like most mountain towns in the region, Ouray was founded on mining (gold, in this case), made accessible by the railroad, and popular with visitors. (source) Ophir, Colorado, is the highest in elevation of these three towns at 9,695 feet. Gold was discovered in 1875, and the town was founded in 1881, but the mines decreased until there was only one resident in 1970! Telluride’s popularity in recent has allowed a few hundred residents to call Ophir home. (source)
Pages
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- 175 feet of R. G. Southern Ry. Track near Telluride, left 62 feet in the air by a cloud burst
- Postcard with a picture of a bridge spanning a creek. There is a letter on both the front and the back.
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- 1876 Gourmet Restaurant
- Four views of the 1876 Gourmet Restaurant in Ouray, Colorado.
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- 2nd Cascade Falls (Ouray, Colo.)
- View of waterfall which is on the right side of the photo a tall pine tree stands to the right of the waterfall.
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- A "close up" of one of Ouray's "Gators"
- A close up of one of Ouray's Gators.
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- A Two Hours' Catch at Lake San Cristobal, near Lake City, Colorado
- A postcard with a photograph of fish, with a description written on the bottom that reads, "A Two Hours' Catch at Lake San Christobal, near Lake City, Colorado." The postcard is addressed to Mr. Harry Bannes.
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- A glimpse of Ouray, Colo., Mt. Hayden in background
- A glimpse of Ouray, Colorado, with Mt. Hayden in background
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- A mine near Telluride, Colo.
- A mine near Telluride, Colorado.
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- A pack train (Ouray, Colo.)
- Photo of mules with packs on their backs crossing a bridge appears to be hand colored over a b/w photo.
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- A postcard of Telluride, showing Ingram and Bridal Veil Falls.
- A color drawing of Ingram. On the postcard it reads, "Near Telluride, Colo. Showing Ingram and Bridal Veil Falls." Mountains can be seen in the background.
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- A postcard order form from Telluride, Colorado, dated April 15th, 1904.
- An order postcard from Telluride dated April 15th, 1904. The order is signed from "Uncle Dick".
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- AAA Circle M Motel, Ouray, Colorado 81427
- View of Circle M Motel located in Ouray, Colorado, with vehicles and mountain cliffs in the background.