Telluride, Colorado

The Utes Indians were the first residents of the Telluride Valley, using the area along the San Miguel River for summer camps and hunting in the surrounding mountains.

In 1875, John Fallon made the first claim in the Marshal Basin just above Telluride. His Sheridan mine was found to be rich in precious metals. With this discovery, the mining boom began. The town of Columbia, Colorado was established five years later in 1880.

When the town applied for incorporation the name Columbia was rejected by the U.S. Post office as Columbia, Col. was too similar to Columbia, Cal. The name was changed to Telluride.

There are several theories on how Telluride got its name. Some assert the town is named after tellurium, an element found near gold deposits of gold. Another theory is that Telluride is a variation of “To-Hell-u-Ride.”

It was in Telluride that Butch Cassidy was introduced to a fellow Utah cowboy, Matt Warner. Along with Warner’s brother-in-law, Tom McCarty, the trio would return to Telluride on June 24, 1889 to rob the San Miguel Valley Bank.

By 1890 Telluride was flourishing with and the population rose to 5,000. Silver prices crashed in 1893 and the boomtown went bust. Telluride’s population fell to less than 600 residents. For some the glory days were over.

The town made a comeback in the 1970’s when skiing became the next great boom for Telluride, turning the quiet Colorado town into a thriving tourist destination. At 8,750 feet above sea level, Telluride is home to some of the most desirable slopes in the country. Telluride is also the home to several summer festivals.

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