Born of a fiery and molten past, the unique geologic and environmental features of Colorado’s northeastern San Juans have driven and continue to drive the sometimes calm and sometimes flourishing history of remote Hinsdale County. Where Native Americans once found rich, summer hunting grounds, the heralded discovery of precious metals in the mid-1800s quickly replaced Ute hunters with prospectors, miners, merchants and pioneer families who rushed westward during the frontier expansion of the United States.

At the turn of the century, the mining boom went bust and Hinsdale County, with its surviving town of Lake City, settled into a slower, yet still ruggedly demanding way of life. By the 1950s, however, Hinsdale and Lake City were rediscovered, once again for the natural attractions and bounty that had lured the area’s earliest visitors and inhabitants.

With its mission of preservation and education, the Hinsdale County Historical Society continually collects artifacts and historical materials relevant to the area, with dedicated volunteers involved in the development of unique interpretive exhibits and living-history presentations. Whether you choose to navigate the pages of this website or tour the Hinsdale County Museum in person, please enjoy the stories of the natural bounty, challenging geology, and hardy people that define this special place and, with each passing day, make its history.