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Town Hall and Volunteer Fire Dept, Telluride, CO

**Telluride Historic District** - National Register of Historic Places Ref # 66000256, date listed 10/15/1966

 

Rt. 145

 

Telluride, CO (San Miguel County)

 

The Telluride National Historic Landmark (www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalhistoriclandmarks/list-of-nh...) District is nationally significant for its founding as a new settlement on America's western frontier; for its importance as a precious metal mining district; and for its architecture which, as a whole, represents a 19th century mining frontier "boom town."

 

The Telluride NHL district's period of national significance is 1878-1913. Telluride's inception in 1878 was a direct result of silver discoveries made in the area in 1875. With the arrival of the railroad in 1890, the town gained prominence as the center of a major mining district. The district's 305 contributing buildings include the New Sheridan Hotel, where William Jennings Bryan gave one of his "Cross of Gold" speeches. (pg 20)

 

In 1961 Telluride was declared a National Historic Landmark (NHL) District. At the time of designation Telluride was the only Colorado mining town which had operated as such since 1876, the year of Colorado's statehood. (1)

 

HISTORIC NAME: Telluride School/Town Hall

Originally a school and now town hall, this structure was built in 1883. The area's first school was begun in 1881 in the town of San Miguel. When the school became part of the Ouray County School District, the location was changed to Telluride, in a house owned by A. W. Taylor on the current site of St. Patrick’s Church. In 1883, San Miguel County School District No. 1 was fortified, a $3000 bond issue authorized, and with that money this one-room schoolhouse was built. The first class consisted of 53 students and one teacher. (pg 349) (1)

 

References (1) NRHP Nomination Form s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg...

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Uploaded on May 1, 2025
Taken on September 6, 2020