Telluride Historic Structures
Due to its important contributions to early mining, Telluride has been a National Historic Landmark District since 1964. To protect the town's Victorian and mining character, Telluride established HARC (Historic and Architectural Review Commission). Any new building or remodel plans must be reviewed and approved by HARC before construction begins. The buildings on this self-guided tour have withstood the passage of time, although many have been restored.
Ashley Boling of "Historic Tours of Telluride":
970-728-9746.
Telluride Historical Musuem
www.telluridemuseum.com
History
From the Gold Rush to First Tracks
Founded in 1878, Telluride has a history as colorful as the people, places and sounds that make up the present-day town.
Jazz great Dizzy Gillespie summed it up best, "If Telluride ain't paradise, then heaven can wait."
Originally christened Columbia, the fledgling mining town changed its name in 1887 because of post office confusion with a California mining camp with the same name. From these beginnings Telluride began its ascent to the summit of the mining industry. Most say the town is named for the ore of the nonmetallic element tellurium that is found in combination with gold and silver. Others say it is named after a castaway call, "To Hell You Ride," from loved ones who knew of the town's boisterousness. Either way, the young town was full of promise. Lots were as little as $1 in 1881 and houses sprang up, ranging in size from miners' simple wooden shacks to grand Victorian mansions of mine owners.
The allure of money and success drifted through Telluride in a palpable wave of greed and desire. The area seemed geographically poised at just the right spot: the southwestern end of the Colorado Mineral Belt, a hearty strip of crustal deformation containing fissures of gold, silver, lead and zinc ore. The mines scattered high above the Telluride valley churned out millions of dollars in precious metals year after year.
At the apex of the gold rush, nearly 5,000 people inhabited the "Town Without a Bellyache." The famous Tomboy Mine was one of the world's greatest gold producers. There were dances, plays, marching bands and thousands of minds intent on a single communal goal: prosperity. Prostitutes worked out of run-down houses called cribs on Pacific Street, selling their bodily wares to the work-weary and lonely. Home to tinkling pianos and snapping garters, Popcorn Alley- aptly named for the constant opening and closing of doors during the night-was bustling with business until the Silverbell finally shut its doors in 1959.
Inevitably, lawlessness was commonplace. Butch Cassidy pulled his first heist in Telluride, robbing the San Miguel Valley Bank in 1889 and casting a new, wild notoriety on the town.
Despite the spoils of success, a vein of discontent began to pulse underneath the bright festivities of Main Street life. Workers at the profitable Smuggler-Union mine, bitter over low wages for their back-breaking toil, went on strike. Through the turn of the century, conflict between management and labor followed, pulling Telluride into a gradual decline. The final blow came when the area's mines shut down in 1953. Many left town, and those who stayed sensed the potent energy that had marked the area's heyday had begun to dry up.
For over 20 years, Telluride was an official Colorado ghost town. The million-dollar homes of today sold for back taxes, and the population dropped into the hundreds. Then the town had its second rush, discovering an untapped vein of frozen crystal...
Snow-once reviled by miners. Clouds gather in glorious abundance over the San Juans, dumping soft powder on the town, and the mountain. This powder boom put Telluride back on the map, making it a boomtown once again.
Skiing was introduced to Telluride by Swedes and Finns, maybe for the sheer joy, but more likely for the quick means of transport it provided the eager miners, hell-bent on being the first to visit their favorite bordello. It became more of a sport in the 1930s, when the Ski-Hi Ski Club pulled members up a small run on an unsteady rope tow.
Nearly 40 years later, an entrepreneur from Beverly Hills, Joe Zoline, happened upon Telluride, finding an opportunity "to do something beautiful and constructive." His vision for a ski area in Telluride resulted in the opening of the first lifts in 1972. Seven years later, two Colorado natives, Ron Allred and Jim Wells, picked up where Zoline left off.
Nowadays the town population is 1,600, and skis, boots and poles have replaced the miners' tools of the trade.
Few knew the impact snow would have on this town that had fallen asleep under the steady rocking of popular neglect. Telluride is a coveted, almost magical, destination. Mention Telluride and those who know this tiny town will nod wisely in appreciation for the sheer beauty of the place.
For more information on the Telluride Area's history:
/www.telluriderealtors.com/telluride/history.html
For Telluride Photography
(scenic photos & prints):
DOUG BERRY-
970.728.6503/ 729.0122
www.telluridestock.com
*contributer of most photos on this website
Meg Bona- www.megbphotography.com
WhitRichardson-www.whitrichardson.com
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Telluride Area Communities
Telluride:
A National Historic Landmark District with Victorian-era architecture, Telluride is nestled in a box canyon at the base of the Telluride Ski Mountain (8,750'), surrounded by 13,000 foot peaks. The picturesque San Miguel River and river trail wind through town joining Town Park with the historic train depot. The town is less than one mile long so all accommodations are just a short walk to Main Street shops and restaurants or to the two ski lifts and the year-round gondola accessing the mountain. Rental shops and ticket offices are available at both ski lift bases. The Valley floor and Town Park are popular with cross-country skiers. Town Park has an ice skating rink and sledding hill.
Telluride and Mountain Village combine the best of Colorado with their history, culture, recreational opportunities, breathtaking scenery, fine dining & shopping, funky tradition, the luxury resort experience, and a wide array of entertainment and festivals... all within a (free) 12-minute gondola ride of each other.
Mountain Village:
European-style Mountain Village is at 9,450 feet and overlooks some of the most magnificent peaks in the San Juans. The center of skiing operations and the children's ski school, the 92-acre Village core offers ski in/ski out accommodations, lift ticket windows, equipment rentals, restaurants and shops as well as easy access to some of the region's most spectacular cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. Also a world-class summer resort, the Village boasts an 18-hole championship golf course and 3,000 acres of National Forest for hiking and biking.
Ridgway:
Ridgway is a small community in Ouray County, only 38 miles from Telluride on US 62. From ranchers to ice climbers to small business owners, the local population is diverse. Whether you're looking for a 35-acre parcel, a contemporary log home, or a historic mining-era house, Ridgway allows you to take advantage of lower-priced housing with no transfer tax, while enjoying the benefits of proximity to the Montrose Regional Airport and the Telluride resort amenities. Relax on the beach at Ridgway State Park, soak in one of Ouray's hot springs; or, if you're extremely fit, climb Mt. Sneffels, Ridgway's 14,000-foot peak.
Area Subdivisions
Aldasoro-
Eighty years ago, Joaquin and Serapio, the original Aldasoro Brothers, left their homeland in the Basque Pyrenees of Spain and traveled land and sea to awaiting jobs herding sheep in eastern Utah. Seeking summer pasture, they moved the herds up into the San Juan Mountains and discovered Telluride, where Joaquin and Serapio embarked upon their own American Dream. Their first purchase, in 1926 consisted of a small plot of land on Deep Creek Mesa. The Aldasoro Brothers, as they prospered over the years, acquired 11 of the surrounding homesteads that together became known as the Aldasoro Ranch. In the late 1980's, the agriculture industry became unprofitable and debt accumulated, which led Albert Aldasoro, son of Joaquin, to develop 1550 acres of the Ranch into the largest low-density developments in the region. The Aldasoro Ranch is comprised of 166 single-family lots with 620 acres of open space, the home of abundant wildlife.
The Ski Ranches-
Ski Ranches, the original development done by Telski's Joe Zoline, has large lots and great western exposure. The Ski Ranches has equestrian and trail easements on all lots. The Ski Ranches are the best value in the region with paved roads, underground power, telephone, natural gas and central water. Currently lots in the Ski Ranches are at the price point where Mountain Village and Aldasoro were 4 years ago.
Elk Run -
Elk Run is located directly south of the Ski Ranches. This low-density subdivision of 30 lots was the precursor to the Mountain Village. This was the first development done by the Benchmark group led by Ron Allred. Elk Run is ten minutes from town and five minutes from the Mountain Village core and offers private tennis and large lots that average 5.3 acres.
The Preserve -
The Preserve was part of the property that the Zoline family retained when they sold the Ski Resort to Allred's Benchmark Group. The Zoline's developed this low-density neighborhood into 12 lots averaging approximately 13-acres each. One of the southernmost high-end developments, the Preserve sits on the benches below highway 145 across from Raspberry Patch and offers some of the best views on Turkey Creek Mesa with privacy that is uncompromised.
Sunnyside Ranch -
One of the last great ranch properties at any resort in the Rocky Mountain West sits on a beautiful and secluded bench just above the town of Telluride. Sunnyside Ranch offers everything you want in a 35-acre parcel, starting with an unsurpassed location only a few minutes from the slopes, the town, Mountain Village and the airport. Your views wrap around 360 degrees of towering mountains and deep valleys, of ski slopes and blue skies. Surrounded by National Forest lands on three sides, Sunnyside Ranch provides you with long-term peace and security. A chorus of springs and creeks throughout the ranch serenades your days and nights, and a veritable preserve of wildlife lives on premises. The exceptional improvements include a gated entry, paved roads and driveways, underground utilities (phone, gas, electric) and a central water system. |
