Editing San Juan County, Colorado

{{short description|County in Colorado, United States}}
{{For|counties with a similar name|San Juan County (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county      = San Juan County
 | state              = Colorado
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1876
 | founded date     = January 31
 | seat wl           = Silverton
 | largest city wl   = Silverton
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 388
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 387
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 0.8
 | area percentage      = 0.2%
 | census yr            = 2020
 | pop                  = 705
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 802 {{gain}}
 | density_sq_mi        = auto
 | time zone          = Mountain
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = sanjuancounty.colorado.gov/
 | named for            = [[San Juan River (Colorado River tributary)|San Juan River]]
 | ex image             = SAN JUAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE, SILVERTON, COLORADO.jpg
 | ex image cap         = The San Juan County Courthouse in Silverton
 | district             = 3rd }}

'''San Juan County''' is a county located in the U.S. state of [[Colorado]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 705,<ref name="2020Census">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/sanjuancountycolorado/PST045219|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 5, 2021}}</ref> making it the [[County statistics of the United States#Population per state or territory|least populous county in Colorado]]. The [[county seat]] and the only [[Colorado municipalities|incorporated municipality]] in the county is [[Silverton, Colorado|Silverton]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The county name is the Spanish language name for "[[John the Apostle|Saint John]]", the name Spanish explorers gave to a river and the mountain range in the area. With a mean elevation of {{convert|11,240|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}}, San Juan County is the highest county in the United States and also has the two highest elevation houses in the United States; the ‘Bonnie Belle’ above Animas Forks at 11,900’ – 11,950’ elevation and an unnamed house above Picayune Gulch at 12,000’ elevation.

== History ==
Long before European settlement, the area was regularly explored by the [[Ancestral Puebloans|Anasazi]], and later the [[Ute people|Utes]], who hunted and lived in the San Juans during the summer.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Duane A.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56351338|title=A brief history of Silverton|date=2004|publisher=Western Reflections Pub|isbn=1-890437-95-6|edition=2nd|location=Montrose, Colo.|pages=102|oclc=56351338}}</ref> There is also speculation that Spanish explorers and fur traders ventured into the area in the 1600s and 1700s.<ref name=":1" />

Permanent settlement in the area surrounding present-day San Juan County began in 1860, near the end of the [[Pike's Peak Gold Rush|Colorado Gold Rush]]. These first settlers were a group of prospectors led by Charles Baker, who made their way into the San Juan Mountains searching for gold.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Twitty|first=Eric|date=March 1992|title=Historic Mining Resources of San Juan County, Colorado|url=https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2017/655.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210515023722/https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/media/document/2017/655.pdf |archive-date=May 15, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=May 24, 2021|website=National Register of Historic Places}}</ref>

After the [[Brunot Agreement]] with the Utes in 1873, which exchanged {{convert|4|e6acre|sqmi km2|abbr=unit|spell=in}} for the [[Southern Ute Indian Reservation]] and $25,000 per year, several mining camps were constructed.<ref name="Voynick">Voynick, S.M., 1992, Colorado Gold, Missoula: Mountain Press Publishing Company, {{ISBN|0878424555}}</ref> These would later become the communities of [[Howardsville, Colorado|Howardsville]], [[Eureka, Colorado|Eureka]], and [[Silverton, Colorado|Silverton]]. San Juan County was formed on January 31, 1876, from part of [[La Plata County, Colorado|La Plata County]].

The region boomed after George Howard and R. J. McNutt discovered the Sunnyside silver vein along Hurricane Peak, outside the mining camp of Eureka. Gold was then discovered in 1882, which helped the county weather the [[Panic of 1893]] far better than other mining communities, such as Aspen or [[Creede, Colorado|Creede]].<ref name=":0" /> The '''Sunnyside Mine''' would become one of Colorado's longest running and most productive mines.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Bunyak|first=Dawn|date=1997|title=Silverton Historic District (boundary increase).|url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/e0fb36cb-f366-4243-b472-95ef79a73ec1|access-date=May 24, 2021|website=National Register of Historic Places}}</ref>

Mining operators in the [[San Juan Mountains|San Juan mountain area]] of Colorado formed the [[Mine Owners' Association|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 [[Eight-hour day|the eight-hour day]], which [[Colorado Labor Wars#Eight-hour day issue|had been approved in a referendum by 72 percent of Colorado voters]].<ref>Roughneck—The Life and Times of Big Bill Haywood, Peter Carlson, 1983, page 65.</ref> The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in [[San Miguel County, Colorado|San Miguel]], [[Ouray County, Colorado|Ouray]], and San Juan Counties.<ref>The Corpse on Boomerang Road, Telluride's War on Labor 1899–1908, MaryJoy Martin, 2004, page 201.</ref> The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike.

The Sunnyside mine was shut down after the [[1929 stock market crash]], but was acquired by Standard Metals Corp. in 1959, and reopened, finding gold in 1973 with the Little Mary vein. The county's economy was dealt a devastating blow in 1992 when the mine and the corresponding Shenandoah-Dives mill, the last operating in the region, permanently closed.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Russek|first=Melanie|date=n.d.|title=Resiliency Plan for Silverton & San Juan County, Colorado|url=https://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/SJC-Resilency-Plan-2020-Final-002.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026034953/https://www.nado.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/SJC-Resilency-Plan-2020-Final-002.pdf |archive-date=October 26, 2020|url-status=live|access-date=May 24, 2021|website=National Association of Development Organizations.}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> The closure meant the end of jobs for over one third of the county's workforce.<ref name=":3" />

== Geography ==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|388|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|387|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.8|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> It is the fifth-smallest county in Colorado by area. The county is located in the heart of the [[San Juan Mountains]] of Colorado. Though it has the highest mean elevation of any county in the United States, at {{convert|11,240|ft|m}}, none of Colorado's [[List of Colorado fourteeners|53]] [[fourteener]]s (mountains at least 14,000 feet in elevation) are in San Juan County.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://cohp.org/records/mean_elevation/mean_elevations.html | title=Mean County Elevation Lists }}</ref>

=== Adjacent counties ===
* [[Ouray County, Colorado|Ouray County]] – north
* [[Hinsdale County, Colorado|Hinsdale County]] – east
* [[La Plata County, Colorado|La Plata County]] – south
* [[Montezuma County, Colorado|Montezuma County]] – southwest
* [[Dolores County, Colorado|Dolores County]] – west
* [[San Miguel County, Colorado|San Miguel County]] – northwest

=== Major highways ===
* [[File:US 550.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 550 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 550]]
[[File:16 21 2493 silverton co.jpg|300px|thumb|[[Silverton, Colorado|Silverton]] as seen from [[U.S. Route 550|US 550]]]]

=== National protected areas ===
* [[Durango-Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad National Historic District]]
* [[Rio Grande National Forest]]
* [[San Juan National Forest]]
* [[Shenandoah-Dives (Mayflower) Mill]]
* [[Silverton National Historic District]]
* [[Uncompahgre National Forest]]
* [[Weminuche Wilderness]]

=== Trails and byways ===
* [[Alpine Loop National Back Country Byway]]
* [[Colorado Trail]]
* [[Continental Divide National Scenic Trail]]
* [[San Juan Skyway National Scenic Byway]]

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1087
|1890= 1572
|1900= 2342
|1910= 3063
|1920= 1700
|1930= 1935
|1940= 1439
|1950= 1471
|1960= 849
|1970= 831
|1980= 833
|1990= 745
|2000= 558
|2010= 699
|2020= 705
|estyear=2023
|estimate=802
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 31, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/co190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 11, 2014}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="2020Census" />
}}

As of the census of 2000, there were 558 people, 269 households, and 157 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|person&nbsp;|person|spell=in}}. There were 632 housing units at an average density of {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.13% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.72% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.36% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.72% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.90% from two or more races. 7.35% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 269 households, out of which 23.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.90% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.30% were non-families. 36.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.63.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 20.10% under the age of 18, 4.30% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 40.50% from 45 to 64, and 7.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,764, and the median income for a family was $40,000. Males had a median income of $30,588 versus $19,545 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,584. About 13.50% of families and 20.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.40% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.

San Juan county is the only county outside [[Alaska]] where walking is the most common form of commute to work. As of 2013, 33% of residents walked to work, 18% drove alone, 19% carpooled, and 18% bicycled, though the small population size introduces considerable margins of error to these statistics.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://flowingdata.com/2015/01/20/how-americans-get-to-work/|title = Interactive: How Americans Get to Work|date = January 20, 2015|access-date = January 21, 2015|website = [[FlowingData]]}}</ref>

As of November 2006, the one and only local school had 53 students in grades K–12.

== Communities ==
=== Town ===
* [[Silverton, Colorado|Silverton]]

=== Unincorporated communities ===
* [[Howardsville, Colorado|Howardsville]]
* [[Middleton, Colorado|Middleton]]
* [[Needleton, Colorado|Needleton]]

== Former communities ==
* [[Animas Forks, Colorado|Animas Forks]] (restored ghost town)
* [[Eureka, Colorado|Eureka]] (ghost town)

== Politics ==
In the era of [[William Jennings Bryan]], San Juan County strongly favored the Democratic Party: no Republican managed to carry the county between 1892 and 1916, and it was even one of the few northern or western counties to vote for [[Alton B. Parker]] in 1904. It remained a Democratic-leaning county until the 1960s but then turned towards the Republican Party in subsequent decades. No Democratic presidential nominee won San Juan County between 1968 and 2000, although it was one of fifteen rural or remote counties to give a plurality to [[Ross Perot]] in 1992. Since [[John Kerry]] carried the county for his party for the first time in four decades at the 2004 election, San Juan County has voted Democratic at the last five Presidential elections. After 2016, the county shifted even more heavily Democratic than before, with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris each subsequently receiving the highest percentage of the vote for Democrats since the 1964 Democratic national landslide.

{{PresHead|place=San Juan County, Colorado|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=November 26, 2020}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|188|376|25|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|202|342|18|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|215|265|26|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|212|266|28|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|218|264|14|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|216|253|17|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|210|149|77|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|153|133|84|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1992|Independent|118|147|188|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|210|192|15|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|320|183|16|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|268|146|135|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|221|167|23|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|238|140|30|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|165|134|59|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|129|278|0|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|218|261|3|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|324|231|0|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|432|327|2|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|329|348|23|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|328|258|1|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|452|378|4|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|196|622|12|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|160|544|9|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|277|436|33|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|218|206|124|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|330|290|34|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|214|693|83|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|231|555|241|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|547|774|99|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|708|899|44|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|362|1,135|25|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|17|1,535|3|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|96|0|485|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|392|287|31|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1884|Republican|664|473|23|Colorado}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Republican|224|196|5|Colorado}}

==See also==
{{portal|Government|History|Mountains|United States|Colorado}}
*[[Bibliography of Colorado]]
*[[Geography of Colorado]]
*[[History of Colorado]]
**[[National Register of Historic Places listings in San Juan County, Colorado]]
*[[Index of Colorado-related articles]]
*[[List of Colorado-related lists]]
**[[List of counties in Colorado]]
*[[Outline of Colorado]]
{{clear}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|San Juan County, Colorado|<br/>San Juan County, Colorado}}
* {{Official website|https://sanjuancounty.colorado.gov/}}
* [http://silverton.co.us/planning Joint Town/County Planning Department]
* [http://www.silvertoncolorado.com/ Silverton Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102713/http://www.stanwyck.com/cogenweb/cocounties.html Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck]
* [http://www.coloradohistory.org/ Colorado Historical Society]
{{clear}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = San Juan County, Colorado
|North     = [[Ouray County, Colorado|Ouray County]]
|Northeast = 
|East      = [[Hinsdale County, Colorado|Hinsdale County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[La Plata County, Colorado|La Plata County]]
|Southwest = [[Montezuma County, Colorado|Montezuma County]]
|West      = [[Dolores County, Colorado|Dolores County]]
|Northwest = [[San Miguel County, Colorado|San Miguel County]]
}}

{{San Juan County, Colorado}}
{{Colorado}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|37.77|-107.67|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CO_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:San Juan County, Colorado| ]]
[[Category:Colorado counties]]
[[Category:1876 establishments in Colorado Territory]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1876]]