Ouray County Historical Society & Museum

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Ouray County Historical Society & Museum

The mission of OCHS is dedicated to preserve, exhibit and interpret Ouray artifacts and history.

05/23/2026

Welcome to our Summer 2026 season!

We have begun to dip our toes into the world of podcasting. It’s exciting and new for us, and we hope you’ll give us a listen and send us your feedback. We plan to interview local residents with significant historical backgrounds and stories to tell.
There are several ways to find our podcasts, including through our website, and via three popular podcast apps.

Find us on our website, ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org, at this link:

https://www.ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org/podcasts

Or find all our podcasts on Spotify, Apple or iHeart Radio. Just search “Ouray Times” and like us, or add us to your favorites in the app of your choice. Or follow the links below:

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/3kXUQvDo0bj4PNVoxqlUIp

Apple
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ouray-times-a-podcast-by-the-ouray-county/id1896378921

iHeart Media
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ouray-times-a-podcast-by-t-332837487

We look forward to seeing you in person and engaging with you through our social media platforms. Thank you for your continued support!

Warmest regards for a happy summer season,

OCHS Board of Directors & Staff

05/10/2026

Our “Evenings of History” summer schedule is all set. Listen to our first podcast, “Ouray Times,” as Ouray County Historical Society archivists Gail Saunders and Alan Todd discuss this year’s eight-week lineup. The popular series has been running for over 40 years.

For more details, see the schedule on our website:

Ouray County Historical Society
420 6th Ave.
Ouray • Colorado
970-325-4576
Ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org

Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/show/3kXUQvDo0bj4PNVoxqlUIp

Apple
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ouray-times-a-podcast-by-the-ouray-county/id1896378921

iHeart Media
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ouray-times-a-podcast-by-t-332837487

04/28/2026

This is the only known copy to exist of the “Ridgway Reporter” published in Ridgway, CO from Dec. 1904 to Nov. 1906. Walter Elder purchased the press and printing appliances from Ellen Cassedy, who had published the “The Populist” for the prior ten years.
Elder declared his paper to be Republican in political leanings, a stark change from “The Populist” which backed the People’s Party.
Elder struggled making ends meet during his two-year stint, and in a tongue-in-cheek goodbye to publishing declared that he couldn’t continue because he was spending all his time counting his cash.
This lone surviving issue was obtained by descendants of Elder who found it in a pile of belongings. It was sent to the “Ouray County Plaindealer” which in turn donated it to the Ouray County Historical Society around 2015.
The publication date is August 31, 1906. Advertisers include the Mentone Hotel, once Ridgway’s marquee hotel, located at the corner of Cora and Clinton. It burned down November 18, 1935. Another advertiser was R. A. Hotchkiss, of the prominent Hotchkiss family. You’ll note that “Hotchkiss” is misspelled in the ad.
Elder’s motto for the paper: “We help those who help us.”

Our mission is to preserve, protect, procure, exhibit and interpret whatever relates to the natural, social and cultural history of Ouray County and the surrounding San Juan Mountain region of Colorado.
Consider donating your historic items to us.

Ouray County Historical Society
420 6th Ave.
Ouray • Colorado
970-325-4576
ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org

03/24/2026

What $100 could get you in 1882!! George Wilder and the Munn brothers, Ira and Charles, purchased “all the hot water flowing from Blocks 34 & 35 in the town of Ouray” on June 1, 1882, from the Town of Ouray.
These blocks are where you’ll find d the Wiesbaden Hotel these days.

We love local history.

Ouray County Historical Society
Ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org

12/10/2025

According to the July 8, 1910 issue of The Plaindealer (Ouray), the Ouray baseball team defeated the Telluride nine during the July 4, 1910 celebration in Ouray. A large crowd was in attendance. The score was 9-7.

Ouray County Museum
Ouray County Historical Society
420 6th Ave.
Ouray • Colorado

Located in the historic Miner’s Hospital.

12/02/2025

Cursive writing that looks like a wheat field in the wind.

The date was May 19, 1890. The judge was M. Kayser. The defendant in the Town of Ouray court was Frank Cooley. He was fined $40 plus $4 in costs for violating Section 9, Chapters 1 & 5 of the local ordinances.
Frank was sentenced to “hard labor” in the town jail. Or he could be released if he ponied up the fine.
That was quite the fine. The equivalent of about $1,500 today.
Wonder if Frank learned his lesson?

Ouray County Museum
Ouray Historical Society
420 6th Avenue
Ouray• Colorado
970-325-4576

09/21/2025

Join us for a tour of
Dallas Park Cemetery
7690 Hwy. 62, west of Ridgway

Led by Colleen McElroy

Saturday, September 27, 10:00 a.m.
$20 per person

Call 970-325-4576 to reserve your spot
(Meet at the cemetery)

Ouray County Historical Society
420 6th Avenue
Ouray • Colorado

09/01/2025

An inquiry to Mr. John T. Roberts of the Wanakah Mining and Smelter from L. E. Neal, representing the Good Hope mine near Silverton.
Mr. Neal used letterhead from the Iola Hotel and Ranch.
Iola, you say?
Yes, once a busy summer resort town on the D&RG line, which now rests beneath the eastern end of the Blue Mesa Reservoir. Hidden beneath the waters are the sites of the Rio Vista Resort, Wilt Hotel and S. N. Ziegler’s Iola Hotel.
The letterhead boasts that the hotel is “Home of the Rainbow Trout.” Indeed, was a prized destination for fishing the Gunnison River. Rooms were $2/night.
In 1910, its neighboring town, Kezar, was inundated with flood waters as ice flows stacked up in the river. Fifty years later the entire area was flooded to make the reservoir. In 2018, drought caused the waters to recede so far that Iola was exposed. Remnants of streets, foundations and even the base of the school’s flagpole with children’s initials were visible.
Neal’s hand-written note, from 1915, is part of a recent donation to the Ouray County Historical Society.

Ouray County Historical Society
Ouray County Museum
420 6th Avenue
Ouray, Colorado
970-325-4576

08/17/2025

Thanks to a generous donor, we have acquired a hand-drawn Log Hill Mesa calendar from 1979.
Interestingly, some of the businesses who supported the calendar didn’t supply phone numbers as a point of contact. Instead, they supplied a CB channel.
The artist was Lorabelle Smith, who lived on Log Hill and had an art studio in her home.

Have historic items related to Ouray County and want them preserved? Consider a donation to the Ouray County Historical Society.

Ouray Count Museum
Ouray County Historical Society
420 6th Avenue
Ouray • Colorado
970-325-4576

07/01/2025

Whatcha doin’ tonight?

How ‘bout an evening of bandits, betrayal, gunfights, miscreants and murder?

Join us for an Evening of History.
Tuesday, July 1
7pm • Wright Opera House
472 Main Street • Ouray

Address

420 6th Avenue
Ouray, CO
81427

Telephone

+19703254576

Website

http://www.ouraycountyhistoricalsociety.org/

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