Montrose, CO
Montrose is located in western Colorado on U.S. Hwy 50. It's located midway between Grand Junction to the north along US 50 and Silverton to the south along US 550. Montrose is the northern terminal of U.S. Hwy 550. The City was founded in May of 1882 and became an important regional shipping center with the arrival of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. It became an important agricultural center in 1909 with completion of the Gunnison Tunnel providing irrigation water to the Uncompahgre Valley. The town is a popular destination for outdoor recreation, located in close proximity to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the Ucompahgre Plateau, and the San Juan Mountains. For the less adventurous there is the Montrose Water Sports Park and Black Canyon Golf Course. The city has a botanic garden and three excellent cultural museums, and of course there are dozens of restaurants and taverns.
The Founding of Montrose
Visitor Center, City Council Chambers,
and Municipal Court
Visitor Center
(in old BPOE building)
City Hall
Montrose County Courthouse
Montrose Pavillion Event Center
U.S. Post Office
Montrose, CO 81401
Gunnison Tunnel Monument
Montrose, like many Colorado towns, has sculptures scattered along many of its streets
"Three Rooms"
by Mary Zimmerman
"Breakfast for Birds"
by Michael Short
Unknown
Historic Downtown
Montrose has scads of historic structures built in the late 19th to early 20th centuries,
though most have be repurposed. Many are on the National Register of Historic Places
including Montrose City Hall, Montrose County Courthouse, the Benevolent and
Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) lodge, and U.S. Post Office, all pictured in the previous section.
Others are the Masonic Temple, United Methodist Church, and Denver and Rio Grande Train Depot.
Montrose Fire House No.1 (1910)
Masonic Temple (1911)
United Methodist Church (1917)
Romanesque Revival Style
First Knights of Pythias, 317-321 E. Main, built between 1899 and 1900. This building originally housed a drugstore and a bank, with the Knights of Pythias occupying the hall upstairs. The Montrose Elks Lodge #1053, established in Montrose in 1906, used this building until 1927, when they built a new building.
Knights of Pythias Building
A.M. Harris Dry Goods (1886) (left)
J.F. Wilson Building (aka Missouri Building) (1899) (right)
A.M. Harris Dry Goods, 345 E. Main (1886).
This building was originally built for the Buddecke and Diehl freighting business.
The Masonic Lodge held its meetings in the upstairs of this building prior to construction
of the Masonic Lodge building in 1911.
J.F. Wilson building, 347 E. Main (1899).
J.F. Wilson's Outfitters was "without a doubt the largest and finest clothing and
gents furnishing house on the Western Slope".
Fox Theater (1929)
Moorish Exotic Revival Style
J.F. Warren Store (1915)
Montrose Botanic Gardens
The Montrose Botanic Gardens is a little gem of a park located on 3.5 acres of land
adjacent to the Montrose Pavillion Event Center. It is administered by the Montrose
Botanical Society and is open Thursday through Monday at no charge to the public.
There is a promenade into the gardens that features a variety of annuals, perennials,
and shrubs. There is an excellent xeriscape demonstration garden showcasing a variety
of dry-land plants and informative placards describing xeriscape techniques.
Entrance
Nice Landscaping
Cactus Garden
Flora along the promenade
Purple Dome Aster
Have no clue
Montrose County Historical Museum
The Montrose County Historical Museum is located on Rio Grande Ave practically in the heart of
downtown Montrose. It's housed in the original Denver & Rio Grande railroad depot. The museum
was founded in 1964 by the Montrose County Historical Society and its main focus is on early
pioneer life in Montrose County and Western Colorado. Exhibits at the museum include a homesteader's cabin,
horse-drawn farm equipment, and tons of artifacts from everyday life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Montrose County Historical Museum
in the old Denver & Rio Grande train depot (1912)
Vintage medical equipment
Antique electrical equipment
Tree eating a bicycle
Stagecoach
Homesteader's Cabin
Ute Indian Museum
The Ute Indian Museum was opened in 1956 on the former homestead of Ute Chief Ouray and
his wife, Chipeta. The museum has expanded several times, with the latest additon
in 2017. The museum celebrates the history and culture of the Nuche (the Ute People), both
past and present. The 3 contemporary Ute tribes, the Southern Utes, the Uintah and Ouray Reservation Utes,
and the Ute Mountain Utes are well represented. The museum includes interactive video displays, excellent exhibits,
a photo gallery, and a gift shop featuring all things Ute.
Entrance Sign
Ute Indian Museum
Museum Entrance
Museum Lobby
Indian Agency artifacts
Clothing Display
Museum of the Mountain West
The Museum of the Mountain West was founded by archaeologist Richard Fike in 1997
with the aim of educating folks about life in the American West during the late 1800s
and early 1900s. The museum contains some 500,000 artifacts that are uniquely displayed
throughout the (fictional) western town of Adobe Flats. The town contains a hotel and saloon,
church, schoolhouse, jail, homes, and other period businesses. Many of these are original
buildings that have been moved to the museum. You can stroll down a reconstructed "Main Street" along
which you will find a doctor's office, dentist's office, drug store, saloon, and cash store.
Entrance Sign
Stroll down Main Street
Stott Hotel and Clipper Saloon
Clipper Saloon
General Store
Apothecary and Patent Medicines
Montrose Farmers Market
I really like a good farmers market, and Montrose has one of the best. The
Montrose Farmers Market is held every Saturday May through October. It's
located downtown on the plaza between Main and South First streets. It features
a variety of locally grown produce and arts and crafts.
Farmers Market Today
Free Rides
Java Stop
I hope these folks don't mind
but this is a GREAT photo
Poultry in all its forms
Honey Crisp Apples
Bonus - Covered Bridge Ranch
Covered Bridge Ranch is a 300 acre family owned and operated ranch located in
the Uncompahgre Valley about 6 miles from downtown Montrose. The ranch operates
Colorado Conifers wholesale tree nursery and Christmas tree farm. The ranch holds
two special events each year, Pumpkins at the Covered Bridge and Christmas Trees
at the Covered Bridge. Pumpkins is a great time, especially for the kids, with
everything from the pumpkin patch, to farm animals, to a hay bale maze. But what I
really enjoy is Christmas Trees at the Covered Bridge. I try to make it every year
to select and cut my own Christmas tree. Then its over to the gift shop to check out
the Christmas ornaments and lots of unique craft items while sipping a cup of
excellent hot cider.
Covered Bridge at
Covered Bridge Ranch
Not sure if these guys lined up right
Gift Shop
Bonus - The Boardwalk Shops
The Boardwalk Shops are a collection of really funky stores located on U.S. Hwy 550
south of Montrose. Shops include Antiques & Junque, Rustic Arts, the Rusty Moose,
Le Emporium, and Seriously Whimsical Cottage. If you are looking for some really
UNIQUE stuff, this is the place to shop.
The Boardwalk Shops
Rustic Arts
Rusty Moose
WTF?!!
Le Emporium
Background information obtained from Montrose Visitor Center brochures,
Colorado.com, Atlas Obscura.com, and other online sources.
Use the form on the Home Page to submit comments, questions, or suggestions. TD Productions Copyright © 2020