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)
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Colored lithographic photo print image of an elevated view of photo of Ouray, CO in a valley surrounded by mountains.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Photo of downtown Ouray; older vehicles parked on both sides of the street; two people crossing the road Chevron Gas Station is on the left a mountain Peak overlooks the town
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- View of Ouray surrounded by mountains.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Photo of hot springs swimming pool, with an A-frame structure near the pool. Several vehicles are parked in front of the pool. A mountain peak is visible in the far background.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Located in the Western Hotel Museum at Ouray, Colorado, this photograph shows a dining room reconstruction where meals would have been eaten and dances held.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Aerial photo of Ouray surrounded by mountains. In the far background is a snow covered peak, but the town itself is clear of snow.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Distant view of downtown Ouray; a double lane road runs through the town.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- View of the town of Ouray, Colorado. in the valley between two mountains.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- A view of Ouray, Colorado between two snow-covered spruce trees. Snow sets off the res brick buildings of town and the red striped cliffs across the valley. A few low hanging clouds hang suspended over.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Aerial photo of snow capped mountain peaks overlooking the town of Ouray. On the back of the post card is information about Switzerland of America Jeep rentals.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Ouray, Colorado. Panorama of Ouray city streets.
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- Ouray (Colo.)
- Ouray, Colorado, the "Switzerland of America" 7,800 feet in elevation is surrounded by 12,000 to 14,000 foot high mountains of the Uncompahgre National Forest.