Durango, Colorado

Modern Towns (30) Durango, Colorado History

Click on an image to get more details or a direct link.

View of Durango, Colorado ca. 1890

View of Durango from the city reservoir ca. 1890

View od Durango, Colorado ca. 1890

Parade on Main Street - Durango, Colorado

Parade on Main Street - Durango, Colorado ca. 1920

Durango Smelter

San Juan Flour Mill - Durango, Colorado

Cal Brown Durango Corral - Durango, Colorado ca. 1880s

Strater Hotel - Durango, Colorado

The Strater Hotel, built in 1888 by Henry Strater, is Durango's most impressive historic building. The smaller building on the left was also built by Strater in 1892, and was called the Columbian Hotel.

Stater Hotel - Durango, Colorado

Newman Block - Durango, Colorado

Built in 1892 by Senator Charles Newman, pioneer merchant, miner and legislator. He maintained his office here until his death in 1906.

Major Daniel L. Sheets, cattleman and member of Colorado’s second state legislature, operated the U.S. Land Office here from 1898 through 1910.

Descendants of these early settlers of the Animas Valley gathered here to honor them in the centennial year of Colorado statehood.

Text from a historical marker.

Historic Commercial Building - Durango

R.C. Schneider Building - Durango, Colorado

The Schneider building was built in 1889.

General Palmer Hotel - Durango

Historic Commercial Building - Durango

Historic Commercial Buildings - Durango

Historic Commercial Buildings - Durango

Historic Central Hotel - Durango, Colorado

The Central Hotel, located on Main and 10th street in downtown Durango, Colorado, was built in 1892. The three story hotel was built in the Italianate style and features a mansard fourth floor with prominent dormers.

A mural painted on the side of the building tells the story of how, in 1915, Jack Dempsey defeated Andy Malloy in a boxing match that took place within the hotel.

Historic Commercial Buildings - Durango

Historic Commercial Building - Durango

Historic Commercial Buildings - Durango

Historic Commercial Building - Durango

Historic Commercial Buildings - Durango

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Depot

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Durango, Colorado

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Durango, Colorado

D&SNG Museum - Durango, Colorado

The 12,000 square foot museum was created in 1998 utilizing 8 stalls of the ‘new’ 15-stall roundhouse built in 1989. Many families and old railroad workers have donated or provided artifacts that tell the history of railroading, especially from the D&RGW line.

Text from the D&SNG Museum website.

D&SNG Museum - Durango, Colorado

The 12,000 square foot museum was created in 1998 utilizing 8 stalls of the ‘new’ 15-stall roundhouse built in 1989. Many families and old railroad workers have donated or provided artifacts that tell the history of railroading, especially from the D&RGW line.

Text from the D&SNG Museum website.

Old Stone House - Durango

Durango, Colorado