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HISTORY
Our Heritage
In the summer of 1891, Lucien L. Nunn, in
partnership with George Westinghouse and
Nikola Tesla, revolutionized the power industry
with the world’s first successful transmission
of alternating current (AC) power from his
hydroelectric plant in Ames to the Gold King
Mine near Alta. The benefits of inexpensive
power for mining and milling concerns were
immediate and substantial. From 1893 to 1929,
tens of millions of dollars in gold, silver, lead,
copper and zinc ore were extracted from the 350
miles of multi-level tunnels that honeycombed
the interior of the mountain basins east of
Telluride. From 1905 to 1911 alone, the Telluride
district turned out over $16,200,000 in gold and
silver: The Liberty Bell, Smuggler-Union and
the Tomboy Mines accounted for 90 percent
of that sum. Slowdowns at the mines followed
WWI, and with the onslaught of the Depression,
mining in Telluride came to a virtual standstill.
Despite a brief reprisal in the ’50s and ’60s, by
the late 1960s, the population dwindled to less
than 600 residents. Telluride was little more than
a ghost town.
White Gold
In its own magical way, Telluride resurrected
itself during the 1970s, when several of its
more enterprising and forward-looking citizens
recognized that the town’s history and majestic
scenery attracted people and that winter
recreation could provide an alternative to the
unpredictable business of mining. When a small
group of wishful locals, led by Billy Mahoney,
Sr., joined forces with entrepreneur Joe Zoline,
a ski area was literally cut out of the north face
of Gold Hill’s slope down to the south side of
town. During Telluride’s centennial anniversary
in 1978, Telluride Ski Corp. began implementing
a grand expansion plan that would soon place
Telluride and Mountain Village on the map of
world-class resorts, while in the east end of
the valley the mines and mill closed for good.
Telluride’s transformation from mining town to
resort city was complete. Ore buckets gave way
to gondolas.
Cultural Mecca
In 1963, Telluride was recognized by the
secretary of the interior and processed through
the National Park Service as “nationally
significant in American history and culture.”
Because of its nineteenth-century frontier boomtown
façade and Queen Anne-style architecture,
Telluride was designated a National Historic
Landmark District. The turn-of-the-past-century
buildings in Telluride, and mining relics in the
surrounding mountains, preserve the region’s
legacy, and each year thousands of visitors
come to explore its past and enjoy its present.
As alpine enthusiasts shaped Telluride’s
winter scene, artists and culture lovers nurtured
a vibrant and diverse array of summer festivals,
and Telluride was reborn as a year-round resort.
The longest-running events—Telluride Film
Festival, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Telluride
Chamber Music and the Imogene Pass Run—all
began as small grassroots efforts in the early
’70s. A host of events has since joined the
celebration—including Mountainfilm, Jazz
Celebration, Telluride Blues & Brews Festival,
Wild West Fest, Telluride Balloon Festival,
Telluride Mushroom Festival, Cajun Fest, Plein
Air, Tech Fest, Walking Words, Telluride Music
Fest and Writers in the Sky.
You Are Here
Today, Telluride’s population of 2,200-plus
residents is less than half of what it was during
the mining heyday. Miners have been replaced
by (or have become) skiers and snowboarders.
Festivals have grown up and enhanced their
offerings, but Telluride’s history is not forgotten.
Look around: Whether you stumble across
an old mining shack in the forest or scale a
rugged peak for a majestic view, you’ll find that
Telluride’s mountains are still full of riches, and
the spirit of the Old West remains.
Telluride Historical Museum
On the National Register of Historic Places,
Telluride Historical Museum was built in 1896
by Dr. H.C. Hall as the miners’ hospital. Located
at the north end of Fir Street, it served as an
infirmary until 1964 and reopened as a museum
in 1966. After finding in 1994 that the stone
building was on the verge of collapse, it was
stabilized, restored and reopened seven years
later with new displays. The eclectic collection
is three dimensional with staged groupings
and hands-on interactive features, including a
hospital room, a model that shows how Nunn’s
original AC power transmission worked, mining
artifacts, and many historic photographs and
relics from the region. Hours are Tuesday
through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. with
extended hours on Thursdays to 7 p.m. Call
970.728.3344 for more information, or visit the
museum online at www.telluridemuseum.org.
Early Withdrawl
During Telluride’s mining heyday,
the town’s fortune and notoriety
attracted all sorts. Robert
Leroy Parker, Tom McCarty
and Matt Warner (and some
say a fourth) were particularly
intent on cashing in on the
town’s growing prosperity when
on June 24, 1889, the gang
“withdrew” close to $24,000
from the San Miguel Valley
Bank. The robbery was the first
of many led by Parker, who
later became famous as Butch
Cassidy. Contrary to popular film
legend, the Sundance Kid didn’t
participate in this heist.
22 Telluride & Mountain Village Visitor Guide summer/fall 2009 Make reservations or get information online at www.VisitTelluride.com
BOTH IMAGES COURTESY TELLURIDE HISTORICAL SOCIETY