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

Telluride (Colo.)
Color photographic print postcard of Telluride, Colo from a distance. Foreground yellowing shrubbery and trees; town at center; background with snow covered mountains.
Telluride (Colo.)
Colored lithographic photo print postcard of downtown Telluride; vehicles parked on both sides of the street; sign on building on the right is "Light and Power," to the left a brick building with sign "Sheridan Hotel": Mountain peaks in background, center.
Telluride (Colo.)
Photographic print image of Telluride, CO. in a valley with spruce trees in the foreground and mountain peaks in the background.
Telluride (Colo.)
Image of an elevated view of Telluride, CO in a valley. Mountian peaks in the background.
Telluride (Colo.)
Color photo print postcard depicting downtown Telluride, Colo.. Vehicles park along each side of the street; green and snow capped mountains in background.
Telluride (Colo.)
Photo of Telluride Colorado taken from a hill. Writing on the side notes "this town is 8800 ft. high."
Telluride (Colo.)
Photo of downtown Telluride; vehicles are parked on both sides of the street; the street is clear of snow; mountains in the background are covered with snow
Telluride (Colo.)
Aerial photo of Telluride in a valley.
Telluride (Colo.)
Color lithographic photo print postcard of downtown Telluride street. A Spring or Summer season scene with: Brick building with "Sheridan Hotel" sign at left; vehicles parked on each side of street; clouds hanging overhead; mountains in background are green and snow capped.
Telluride (Colo.) (altitude 8756 feet) and Smuggler Road
Aerial photo of Telluride; a road visible on the left side leads up the hill; the landscape is green.
Telluride (Colo.) and the Black Bear Mine boarding house
Photo of four Jeeps in front of a dilapidated two-story cabin. Two people are in the entrance of the cabin that overlooks a valley containing a town.
Telluride (Colo.) clouds in the San Miguel Valley
Writing on the back states, "Clouds in the San Miguel Valley Colorado.-Telluride".

Pages