Ouray County, Colorado
| Ouray County, Colorado | |
|---|---|
Ouray County Courthouse
|
|
 Location in the U.S. state of Colorado |
|
 Colorado's location in the U.S. |
|
| Founded | January 18, 1877 |
| Named for | Chief Ouray |
| Seat | Ouray |
| Largest city | Ouray |
| Area | |
| • Total | 542 sq mi (1,404 km2) |
| • Land | 542 sq mi (1,404 km2) |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (2 km2), 0.1% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2015) | 4,691 |
| • Density | 8.2/sq mi (3/km²) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Time zone | Mountain: UTC-7/-6 |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes: Switzerland of America | |
Ouray County /ˈjʊəreɪ/ is one of the 64 counties of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 4,436. The county seat is Ouray. Because of its rugged mountain topography, Ouray County is also known as the Switzerland of America.
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. Four days later on 2 March 1883, the General Assembly changed its mind and changed the name of Uncompaghre County back to Ouray County.
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. The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan counties. The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike.
...
Wikipedia