Editing Custer County, Colorado (section)

==History==
{{Unreferenced section|date=September 2023}}
Custer County was created by the Colorado legislature on March 9, 1877, out of the southern half of [[Fremont County, Colorado|Fremont County]]. It was named in honor of Lt. Colonel [[George Armstrong Custer]], who had died the previous year. Originally set in [[Ula, Colorado|Ula]], the county seat moved to [[Rosita, Colorado|Rosita]] in 1878, and to [[Silver Cliff, Colorado|Silver Cliff]] in 1886 before settling in [[Westcliffe, Colorado|Westcliffe]] in 1928.

The county was the site of a [[silver]] rush during the 1870s. Thousands of men poured into the county during this time in the hunt for silver. Some of the notable mines include the Geyser Mine (on the north edge of the town of Silver Cliff), the Bassick Mine (near the ghost town of [[Querida, Colorado|Querida]]) and the Bull Domingo (north of Silver Cliff).

During the late 19th century a railroad line was connected through the Grape Creek Canyon but was permanently closed after a few disastrous floods. The old rail house has been turned into a historical landmark in the town of Westcliffe.

After the mines were exhausted, the population dropped considerably and was replaced by cattle ranchers. An extensive system of irrigation ditches was built throughout the valley. Ranching in the Wet Mountain Valley continues to this day.