Telluride in San Miguel County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Telluride's Founding
| | Telluride Local History Series | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 2025
1. Telluride's Founding Marker
Prior to Spanish exploration in the Telluride region, Native Americans of the Ute tribe used this area as a seasonal hunting ground. In the 1870's, however, mining ventures and a substantial population growth displaced the Utes further Southwest within Colorado.
Settlements soon formed near the burgeoning mines. The town of Telluride was incorporated in 1879 in the name of Columbia. In 1887, Columbia was replaced with the name Telluride, so as to ease the postal service's confusion between Columbia, Colorado and Columbia, California. The word Telluride is derived from the element tellurium which is usually combined with precious metals found in this region.
Telluride was originally incorporated in Ouray County. In 1883, San Miguel County was established and Telluride served as the county seat.
Telluride's population has fluctuated throughout its history. At the turn of the century, the town maintained its largest population of 5,000 residents. Many different ethnic groups comprised the citizenry; Finnish, Irish, Cornish, Swedish and Italian were among the dominant groups. The Depression of 1919 and the uncertain mining
this page online
Erected 1983 by Town of Telluride.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Industry & Commerce • Political Subdivisions • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1879.
Location. 37° 56.254′ N, 107° 48.772′ W. Marker is in Telluride, Colorado, in San Miguel County. It is at the intersection of West Colorado Avenue and Oak Street (now a pedestrian walkway), on the right when traveling east on West Colorado Avenue. The marker is located beside the sidewalk, on the north side of Elks Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 236 West Colorado Avenue, Telluride CO 81435, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Western Slope. It is also in the American Mountain West, in Colorado Plateau, and at the Four Corners. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western
Arlene Reid Collection
2. Marker detail: Colorado Avenue (Main Street)
late 1890s
late 1890s
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Milestone in the History of Alternating Current (here, next to this marker); New Sheridan Hotel (here, next to this marker); Transportation (here, next to this marker); Telluride (here, next to this marker); Courthouse (within shouting distance of this marker); Colorado Centennial Project (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named New Sheridan Hotel (within shouting distance of this marker); Tomboy Mine Office (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Telluride.
Also see . . .
1. Telluride, Colorado (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: Gold was first discovered in Colorado near present-day Denver, setting off the Pike's Peak gold rush of 1858. The Smuggler gold vein above Telluride, and placer gold in the San Miguel River, were discovered in 1875. John Fallon made the first claim in Marshal Basin above Telluride in 1875 and settlement followed. The town of Columbia(Submitted on September 1, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)was founded in 1878. The Telluride, Colorado, post office opened at Columbia on July 26, 1880, since the United States Post Office Department would not approve the name Columbia. The town population was 2,607 in the 2020 United States census.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 18, 20253. Telluride's Founding MarkerLooking south from West Colorado Avenue; Elks Park is in the background.The town was named after valuable ore compounds of the chemical element tellurium, a metalloid element which forms natural tellurides, the most notable of which are telluride ores of gold and silver. Although gold telluride minerals were never actually found in the mountains near Telluride, the area's mines were rich in zinc, lead, copper, silver, and ores which contained gold in other forms.
The Telluride Historic District, which includes a significant portion of the town, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
2. A Brief History of Telluride (Town of Telluride).
Excerpt: With the coming of the railroad in 1890, the remote boom-town flourished. A melting pot of immigrants seeking their fortunes turned Telluride into a thriving community of 5,000. But when silver prices crashed in 1893, followed by the First World War, the mining boom collapsed. Miners moved on and the towns population gradually dwindled from thousands to hundreds.(Submitted on September 1, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)In the 1970s, Telluride reinvented itself. Legendary powder - a different sort of gold - was being mined. When the Telluride Ski Resort opened in 1972, the character of the community changed, and the town spun back into high gear. Born of the same spirit as skiing, cultural events, festivals, music, and performing arts were founded, and flowed through the seasons. Telluride now has a reputation for world-class skiing and a stunning ambiance.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 1, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 142 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 1, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
