San Miguel County
County
The San Miguel County Courthouse
The San Miguel County Courthouse
Map of Colorado highlighting San Miguel County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Map of the United States highlighting Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°01′N 108°26′W / 38.01°N 108.43°W / 38.01; -108.43
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedMarch 2, 1883
Named forSan Miguel River
SeatTelluride
Largest townTelluride
Area
 • Total1,289 sq mi (3,340 km2)
 • Land1,287 sq mi (3,330 km2)
 • Water2.0 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total8,072
 • Density6.3/sq mi (2.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.sanmiguelcountyco.gov

San Miguel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,072.[1] The county seat is Telluride.[2] The county is named for the San Miguel River.

History

San Miguel County was given the Spanish language name for "Saint Michael" due to the nearby San Miguel River. On 27 February 1883, Ouray County was split to form San Miguel County. Originally the San Miguel County portion was to retain the name Ouray County with the new portion called Uncompahgre County.

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.[3] The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan counties.[4] The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike.

In 1875, the Smuggler gold vein was discovered near Telluride. The Smuggler-Union, Tomboy, and Liberty Bell mines combined produced over a hundred tons of gold by 1920, third in the state of Colorado.[5]: 51, 83 

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,289 square miles (3,340 km2), of which 1,287 square miles (3,330 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected areas

Trails and byways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18902,909—
19005,37984.9%
19104,700−12.6%
19205,28112.4%
19302,184−58.6%
19403,66467.8%
19502,693−26.5%
19602,9449.3%
19701,949−33.8%
19803,19263.8%
19903,65314.4%
20006,59480.5%
20107,35911.6%
20208,0729.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[11]


Politics

For most of the 20th century, San Miguel County was a national bellwether. It voted for the winner in every presidential election from 1912 to 1984. Since 1988, the county has become one of the most Democratic in Colorado and the nation, largely due to the presence of the Telluride Ski Resort and the influx of liberal-minded voters in the 1960s and 1970s. These trends have made San Miguel similar in vein to other heavily Democratic ski resort counties like Blaine County in Idaho, Teton County in Wyoming, and Pitkin County within Colorado. In the 2000 presidential election, San Miguel County was Green Party candidate Ralph Nader's best countywide performance in the country with 17.2% of the vote.

San Miguel County is situated in Colorado House of Representatives, House District 58. The Current Representative is Marc Catlin, who has represented the county since 2017.[12]

United States presidential election results for San Miguel County, Colorado[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 1,136 22.07% 3,924 76.24% 87 1.69%
2016 1,033 23.86% 2,975 68.72% 321 7.42%
2012 1,154 27.11% 2,992 70.30% 110 2.58%
2008 933 21.45% 3,349 76.99% 68 1.56%
2004 1,079 26.85% 2,876 71.56% 64 1.59%
2000 1,043 32.04% 1,598 49.09% 614 18.86%
1996 773 28.18% 1,535 55.96% 435 15.86%
1992 628 23.58% 1,380 51.82% 655 24.60%
1988 798 43.39% 961 52.26% 80 4.35%
1984 833 54.77% 654 43.00% 34 2.24%
1980 774 42.79% 651 35.99% 384 21.23%
1976 622 43.83% 674 47.50% 123 8.67%
1972 583 54.95% 426 40.15% 52 4.90%
1968 422 53.22% 311 39.22% 60 7.57%
1964 332 34.23% 636 65.57% 2 0.21%
1960 525 46.09% 612 53.73% 2 0.18%
1956 648 57.86% 469 41.88% 3 0.27%
1952 654 55.19% 524 44.22% 7 0.59%
1948 451 41.80% 613 56.81% 15 1.39%
1944 536 45.69% 630 53.71% 7 0.60%
1940 729 45.94% 851 53.62% 7 0.44%
1936 433 32.12% 860 63.80% 55 4.08%
1932 383 29.74% 862 66.93% 43 3.34%
1928 721 54.91% 554 42.19% 38 2.89%
1924 677 43.62% 567 36.53% 308 19.85%
1920 928 54.30% 688 40.26% 93 5.44%
1916 578 29.13% 1,325 66.78% 81 4.08%
1912 639 30.36% 1,029 48.88% 437 20.76%

Communities

Towns

Census-designated place

Unincorporated Communities

See also

References

  1. ^ a b United States Census Bureau. "San Miguel County, Colorado". Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Roughneck—The Life and Times of Big Bill Haywood, Peter Carlson, 1983, page 65.
  4. ^ The Corpse On Boomerang Road, Telluride's War On Labor 1899-1908, MaryJoy Martin, 2004, page 201.
  5. ^ Voynick, S.M., 1992, Colorado Gold, Missoula: Mountain Press Publishing Company, ISBN 0878424555
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  11. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  12. ^ "Marc Catlin | Colorado General Assembly". leg.colorado.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  13. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.

External links

38°01′N 108°26′W / 38.01°N 108.43°W / 38.01; -108.43

Places adjacent to San Miguel County, Colorado
Municipalities and communities of San Miguel County, Colorado, United States
State of Colorado
Authority control databases
Categories