Mining Heritage Center & 1902 County Jail

The San Juan County Historical Society (SJCHS) was established in 1964 as a Non-profit 501(c)(3) Colorado Corporation for preserving the history of San Juan County, Colorado.

Our mining heritage has been the heart of San Juan County's development. Many service industries were instrumental in the success of the mining industry including the railroad for transportation of the ores, Otto Mears toll road system, the mining of precious metals (from numerous mines, the mills and smelters, boarding houses) and the support towns that followed the big strikes, which provided employment, supplies, housing, cultural opportunities, and entertainment.