Block 19: 501-545 Main Street

Lots 1-12

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Ouray National Historic District

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Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 15, 2025

1. Block 19: 501-545 Main Street Marker

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Slope.

West.

America,

Mountains,

Hemisphere,

World,

Anglosphere.

From the National Register Nomination prepared by Martha Sullenberger and Roger Henn, 7/27/1981:
The

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 15, 2025

2. Block 19: 501-545 Main Street Marker

Looking southeast across Main Street. The Beaumont Hotel is in the right background, at the corner of Main Street and 5th Avenue.

Ouray Historic District encompasses almost the entire town which retains, to an amazing degree, its historic character spanning the period 1886 to 1915. These years encompass the height of Ouray’s importance as a supply center for nearby mining regions, and they also saw the architectural maturing of the town from a rude frame-dominated camp to a brick and stone, prosperous city. In this framework, Ouray is important as an example of the process of urbanization on the mining frontier in the last decade of the century. Along with Silverton and Telluride, Ouray was the principal town in the San Juan mining district, ranked as the third largest producing mining district in Colorado between 1893-1915 and first on the western slope. Ouray is a fine example of late 19th century architecture and a physical reminder of mining history in the San Juans.

Ouray had its beginnings as a town in 1875 when prospectors from Silverton worked their way into Ouray via Bear Creek and the Uncompahgre River searching for ore. The following spring the new community witnessed a rush and developed into a burgeoning mining camp. The town was surveyed and formally incorporated in 1876. It had a population of 400 with 214 buildings (mostly log), a school with 43 children in attendance, four general stores, one sawmill, one ore sampling works, two hotels, and a post office. In 1877, Ouray County was established. With the removal of the Utes in 1881, the northern portion of the county was opened to ranching and homesteading. In 1882 Otto Mears constructed a toll road to the new region and Ouray was quickly taking on the trappings of a true urban center. Brick buildings began to replace the less permanent, more hazardous frame ones. By 1885, the town had a population of 1800. The silver crash of 1893 proved a temporary disaster to Ouray, as for the entire San Juan region which had primarily been a silver mining area. After a brief depression Ouray continued to grow and thrive because of rich gold mines which had been developed on Gold Hill, just north of Ouray. Ouray reached its peak around the turn-of-the-century. By 1900 it had a population of 2,196. Many large, predominantly Queen Anne style homes were built, concentrated in the southeast section of town. The commercial district contained many brick structures ornately finished with cast iron facades or Italianate or Romanesque brickwork.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 15, 2025

3. Block 19: 501-545 Main Street Marker

Looking northeast across Main Street. The Hess Block, currently housing Hotel Ouray, is in the left background, at the corner of Main Street and 6th Avenue.

Excerpt:  The Ouray Historic District, in Ouray, Colorado, is a 114-acre historic district which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Many of the commercial buildings are Italianate in style; many residences are Victorian. Its 270 contributing buildings include government and commercial buildings. Many of the commercial buildings are along Ouray's Main Street, also known as Third Street, which is U.S. Highway 550. The historic district encompasses almost all the original townsite.

Excerpt:  Located in the San Juan mountains, the district reflects Ouray’s importance as a supply center for the nearby mining regions from 1886 to 1915. The buildings within the district represent a variety of styles, with brick Italianate structures predominating in the commercial area. Primarily frame residential structures are found on

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 15, 2025

4. Hess Block (labeled today, above the corner doorway, as “Stanislawski Block”)

From the National Register Nomination:
Romanesque, two-story brick corner business block. Angled doorway is flanked along Third Street with fixed display windows flush with the facade. Main floor windows on Sixth Avenue and second story windows are double hung with fixed half-round transoms. Brick Romanesque arches form window surrounds. Panel brickwork is located along the cornice.

the hillsides overlooking the town.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, July 15, 2025

5. Beaumont Hotel

From the National Register Nomination:
By 1885, tourism as well as mining was an economic force in Ouray as many were attracted by the numerous hot springs and magnificent setting of the town. As a response to this trend, the Beaumont Hotel was built in 1886, and it was destined to become one of the finest hotels in the West. The Beaumont spoke of the prosperity of Ouray on the eve of the arrival of the railroad. The hotel was scheduled to open in November of 1886, but the opening ball was not held until July 22, 1887. The Beaumont Hotel remains as the focus of pride for Ouray citizens and is a major tourist attraction.

Second Empire style. Elaborate three-story brick structure with mansard roof and multiple mansard gables. First floor has central doorway to hotel with business fronts on either side. Multiple facades give the appearance of an urban block. The structure is dominated by a square corner tower with a pyramidal roof and cast-iron weathervane.