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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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Color photographic print postcard of an elevated view of the Telluride, Colo. town grid; mountain peaks in background with trees at right foreground.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Sepia toned photograph of Telluride beyond a frame of pine trees. Trails and roads have been cut into the slope across the valley below the cliffs and dark mountains above.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Aerial view of Telluride, Colorado. Writing on the bottom: "This is where we live" [writing on the back] one cent stamp on the back addressed Mrs. Herman Leribner in New Brunswick, Canada; postmarked Aug. 7, 1908 in Telluride.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- View of Telluride beyond a stand of spruce trees from a ridge above, surrounded by mountain peaks crisscrossed by roads cut into the side. Scattered conifers frame the nearest line of cliffs.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- A panoramic view of Telluride with snow capped mountain peaks visible beyond the hills across the valley. Mountain trails and roads have been clearly cut into the conifer forest.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Image of an elevated view of Telluride in a valley with trees in the foreground. A trail or road can be seen winding its way up the slope behind town.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- A view of Telluride looking down the canyon from Black Bear Mill. Partially dry mining reservoirs lie in front of the grid of streets. Meadow and aspens cover the valley floor and rocky slopes. Scattered conifers frame the line of red cliffs the line the canyon slopes. A few patches of golden aspens can be seen on the north-facing slope on the left. The San Juan mountains lie in the distant horizon.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Lithograph photo print image of Telluride in a valley in the San Juan Mountains, at the beginning of the fall season when with a few of the aspens changing colors.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Downtown Telluride, with vehicles parked on both sides of the street. The Sheridan Hotel is visible on the right side. Snow-capped mountains in the far background. [Writing on back] addressed to Erie Motel Coo Coo Club Erie, Penn.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Lithograph photo print of Telluride, CO above a stand of spruce trees that overlook the valley. A steep line of cliffs framed by scattered conifer trees, meadows, and a road cutting across the valley.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Color lithograph photo print image of downtown Telluride; vehicles are parked on the left; the Sheridan Hotel in foreground; mountain peaks are in background.
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- Telluride (Colo.)
- Aerial view of Telluride. Snow is on the upper reaches of the surrounding mountains.