SPOTLIGHT ON SAGUACHE
Pronounced: Sah WATCH
Elevation: 7,707
Population: 578
Percentage Hispanic population: 34.4 (national rate: 12.5)
Percentage population 65 and over: 17.5 (national rate: 12.4)
Percentage over age 5 who speak a language other than English at home: 20.9 (national rate: 17.9)
Percentage of individuals below poverty level: 18.7 (national rate: 12.4)
County: Saguache County seat – the county was originally formed from parts of Costilla and Lake counties in 1866. A different spelling is used for the Sawatch mountain range, located in Gunnison, Chaffee and Saguache counties.
Established: 1867
Name: From the Ute word meaning “water at the blue earth,” which referred to bluish stones or earth near springs at the upper crossing of the Saguache River.
Brief history: Shortly after the county was formed, John Lawrence and others founded the town. The early economy was based on a flour mill, ranching, lumber and agriculture, which supplied food to mining camps in the Arkansas Valley and the San Juan Mountains. When a railroad line circumvented the town about 15 miles to the east, the economy began to decline.
Interesting fact: An adobe school building was constructed in 1874 and the adjoining jail was built in 1908. The buildings have served as the Saguache County Museum since 1959.
The jail, which was used for 50 years, at one time housed Alfred Packer in a private cell. Packer was convicted of cannibalism after it became known that he was the sole survivor among several prospectors stranded for the winter in the mountains.
Historic buildings: Listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Saguache Flour Mill, just west of town, and the Saguache school and jail buildings.
Listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties are the buildings on the national register, as well as the county courthouse, the elementary school and St. Agnes Mission Church.
Sources: Saguache County; Saguache Public Library; “Colorado Place Names” by William Bright; “1001 Colorado Place Names” by Maxine Benson; USGS; U.S. Census Bureau 2000; Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation; National Register of Historic Places; Colorado state archives
REGIONAL NOTES
DURANGO
2-day bike ride benefits MS center
The Colorado Trail Jamboree, a two-day, 79- mile, 12,000-foot-elevation-gain mountain bike ride and benefit for the Jimmy Heuga Center, takes off at 6 a.m. Saturday from Molas Pass.
The center provides support for people with multiple sclerosis and their families. During the ride, support vehicles will meet riders at the first-day destination, Hotel Draw, with camping gear and refreshments.
The next day the riders head south into the La Plata Mountains, over challenging Kennebec Pass and down to the Junction Creek trailhead outside Durango.
Carver Brewing Co. will host a 6:30 p.m. Sunday post-ride party. Each rider must raise a minimum of $100 in pledges or donations, which will fund scholarships to the Jimmy Heuga Center’s “Can Do” program. For more information, call 970-799-3219 or e-mail ianaltman@hotmail.com.
DENVER POST STAFF REPORTS
