Ouray County, Colorado

Ouray County /ˈjʊəreɪ/ is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,436.[1] The county seat is Ouray.[2] Because of its rugged mountain topography, Ouray County is also known as the Switzerland of America.

Ouray County
U.S. county
Ouray County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°10′N 107°46′W
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedJanuary 18, 1877
Named forChief Ouray
SeatOuray
Largest cityOuray
Area
 • Total542 sq mi (1,400 km2)
 • Land542 sq mi (1,400 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
4,952
 • Density8.2/sq mi (3.2/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.ouraycountyco.gov
Switzerland of America

History

Ouray County was formed out of San Juan County on 18 January 1877, the first county designated by the newly formed Colorado State Legislature. It was named for Chief Ouray, a distinguished Ute Indian chief. Ouray was designated county seat on 8 March 1877. On 19 February 1881, Dolores County was formed out of Ouray County.

On 27 February 1883, Ouray County was split into San Miguel County and what is currently Ouray County. The portion that became San Miguel County almost retained the name Ouray County when the Colorado General Assembly initially renamed Ouray County as Uncompaghre County.[3] Four days later on 2 March 1883, the General Assembly changed its mind and changed the name of Uncompaghre County back to Ouray County.[4]

Ouray County Courthouse

The Ouray County Courthouse was constructed in Ouray in 1888 and is located on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mining operators in the San Juan mountain area of Colorado formed the San Juan District Mining Association (SJDMA) in 1903, as a direct result of a Western Federation of Miners proposal to the Telluride Mining Association for the eight-hour day, which had been approved in a referendum by 72 percent of Colorado voters.[5] The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan counties.[6] The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 542 square miles (1,400 km2), of which 542 square miles (1,400 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.1%) is water.[7] The highest mountain in Ouray County is Mount Sneffels at 14,150 feet above sea level. Many high peaks of more than 13,300 feet also exist. Other prominent features in Ouray County include Log Hill Mesa and Pleasant Valley.

Adjacent counties

Major Highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18802,669—
18906,510143.9%
19004,731−27.3%
19103,514−25.7%
19202,620−25.4%
19301,784−31.9%
19402,08917.1%
19502,1030.7%
19601,601−23.9%
19701,546−3.4%
19801,92524.5%
19902,29519.2%
20003,74263.1%
20104,43618.5%
2019 (est.)4,952[8]11.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 3,742 people, 1,576 households, and 1,123 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (3/km2). There were 2,146 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.34% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,576 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.50% under the age of 18, 4.10% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 34.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 102.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,019, and the median income for a family was $49,776. Males had a median income of $35,141 versus $26,176 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,335. About 6.00% of families and 7.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 2.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Presidential elections results
Ouray County vote
by party in presidential elections[14]
Year Republican Democratic Others
2016 40.8% 1,351 51.3% 1,697 7.9% 262
2012 46.3% 1,481 51.4% 1,646 2.3% 75
2008 44.7% 1,367 53.5% 1,636 1.9% 57
2004 51.5% 1,402 47.0% 1,278 1.5% 41
2000 57.3% 1,279 31.6% 705 11.2% 249
1996 54.9% 984 31.7% 569 13.4% 241
1992 41.3% 653 29.1% 461 29.6% 469
1988 63.9% 814 34.5% 439 1.7% 21
1984 70.9% 914 28.4% 366 0.8% 10
1980 67.7% 813 19.7% 237 12.6% 151
1976 62.5% 645 32.3% 333 5.2% 54
1972 74.6% 669 20.7% 186 4.7% 42
1968 52.0% 401 32.4% 250 15.6% 120
1964 43.7% 358 55.6% 456 0.7% 6
1960 54.0% 508 46.0% 432 0.0% 0
1956 65.9% 634 33.5% 322 0.6% 6
1952 61.9% 697 36.7% 413 1.5% 17
1948 54.9% 574 44.1% 461 1.0% 10
1944 62.3% 503 37.6% 303 0.1% 1
1940 49.1% 589 50.5% 606 0.3% 4
1936 38.4% 428 60.7% 677 1.0% 11
1932 34.6% 398 61.3% 706 4.2% 48
1928 51.5% 535 46.1% 479 2.4% 25
1924 44.3% 484 23.4% 256 32.3% 353
1920 61.5% 735 33.6% 402 4.9% 58
1916 28.1% 399 67.6% 961 4.3% 61
1912 18.6% 273 48.4% 710 33.0% 483

Recreation
Ouray County, Colorado with Mount Sneffels

Ouray County, named Switzerland of America, is home to many parks and hiking trails. The Ridgway State Park is located due north of Ridgway on the Ridgway Reservoir and includes a marina and camping facilities as well as an extensive trail system. Within and surrounding the county are the Uncompahgre National Forest, Mount Sneffels Wilderness, and the Uncompahgre Wilderness. Leading through the county is the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail. Well known for its view of the San Juan Mountains and Cimarron Range, scenic highways such as the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway and San Juan Skyway National Scenic Byway exist. The Great Parks Bicycle Route and Western Express Bicycle Route also go through Ouray County.

The Elks Lodge of Ouray County is only one of a very few surviving American locations for a bowling alley facility - a more famous one being Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Holler House - that uses exclusively human-operated pinsetting units to set the tenpins for bowling on its pair of vintage wood bowling lanes.[15]

Communities
View from Ouray to Loghill Village
Fall colors on Bear Creek, south of Ouray

Ouray County has two home rule municipalities, three census-designated places, and four unincorporated communities. The home rule municipalities are the city of Ouray and town of Ridgway, also the most populous settlements in the county. Loghill Village is the next largest development and is a residential, relatively affluent, community in comparison to the rest of the county. Along with Loghill, Portland and Colona serve as census-designated places within Ouray County. The unincorporated communities within the county are Camp Bird, Dallas, Thistledown, and Eldredge. All the communities, with the exception of Ridgway and Ouray, serve as primarily residential communities, though Loghill Village maintains a small tourism sector.

Colona, Eldredge, and Dallas are located in the northern reaches of the county along U.S. Highway 550, though Eldredge and Dallas are located within the valleys of the San Juan Mountains while Colona is in the short stretch of the Uncompahgre Valley within Ouray County. Portland is placed down valley of Ouray, though still south of Ridgway. Camp Bird and Thistledown are communities placed southwest of Ouray on Camp Bird Road. From north to south the communities are Colona, Eldredge, Dallas, Ridgway, Ouray, and then southwest along Camp Bird Road to Thistledown and Camp Bird. The historic towns of Sneffels and Ironton are located further west from Camp Bird and south of Ouray, respectively. Populations listed below are from the 2010 United States census data.[16]

Incorporated cities and towns

census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Historic towns

Minerals of Ouray County
  • Rhodochrosite—Monarch Mountain Mine, Ouray District
  • Sphalerite-Chalcopyrite-Quartz--Camp Bird Mine, Ouray
  • Sphalerite—Camp Bird Mine, Ouray
  • Quartz-Baryte—Silver Point Mine, Ouray County
  • Galena—Camp Bird Mine, Ouray
  • Galena-Sphalerite—Camp Bird Mine, Ouray
  • Chalcopyrite-Quartz—Camp Bird Mine, Ouray
  • :Molybdenite-Pyrite—Ouray County
  • Quartz—Crystal Cave, Ouray
  • Gold—Ouray

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "Colorado County History". COGenWeb Project. 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
  4. "Colorado County Evolution". Don Stanwyck. 2003. Archived from the original on 2007-02-05. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
  5. Roughneck—The Life and Times of Big Bill Haywood, Peter Carlson, 1983, page 65.
  6. The Corpse On Boomerang Road, Telluride's War On Labor 1899-1908, MaryJoy Martin, 2004, page 201.
  7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  12. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  15. Junior Mativi, Mike Canavan, Steve Turk, Eli Lane (June 14, 2009). Tulane Alley Brunswick B 10 semi automatic pinsetter (YouTube) (YouTube). Ouray County Elks Lodge, Colorado USA: wattaman. Event occurs at 4:54. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  16. "Colorado Trend Report 2: State and Complete Places (Sub-state 2010 Census Data)". Missouri Census Data Center. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2011.

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