Custer County: by Irene Francis

Custer County was the summer hunting grounds for the Ute Indians until the 1800’s when trappers and miners moved into the beautiful Wet Mountain Valley. Originally part of Fremont County until 1877 when it became independent. The county could have been named after Zebulan Pike who explored the area in 1806 or the 1852 Surveyor J.W. Gunnison or maybe the famous Indian Scout, Kit Carson. However, the name Custer was chosen for General George A. Custer who died in 1876 as his cavalry unit went down in defeat at the Battle of the Little Big Horn in Montana.

The land of Custer County comprises parts of the San Isabel & Rio Grande Forests, including the spectacular Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Range. Population began to arrive in 1869 with mining beginning in Rosita. The English families moved to the north as a German Colony from Chicago settled in the south to establish a town and farming section. The same year a wagon road was constructed to Canon City.

The German Colony of 65 families were seeking land in the west, to begin a new life. In moving to the valley they established the town of Colfax, named after the Vice President of the U.S. Because of many hardships suffered the first year this Utopian colony of 1871 failed. However, most of the stouthearted people moved to other parts of the county working in ranching, mining, and as city merchants. Many of the family names can still be found today in the current community roster.

The discovery of gold and silver in the region created the towns of Rosita, Querida and Silver Cliff. In 1880 the population of Silver Cliff soared making it Colorado’s third largest city at that time. In 1881 General Wm Palmer brought the narrow gauge D&RG RR to the area, one mile to the west of Silver Cliff, and sold land to create the town of Westcliffe.

Prosperity blessed Custer County through the silver boom and into the era of the standard gauge RR. When the price of silver fell and the Great Depression and Dust Bowl hit the country the railroad removed its tracks and the valley lay quiet save for the activity of ranching.

The years of the 1950’s & 1960’s brought a new stir in the valley as Real Estate was sold and Recreation developed. The "Movie Makers" found the area perfect for such movies as "Cat Ballou" and "Comes A Horseman". Today the white-capped Sangre de Cristo’s to the West tower over the ranches on the valley floor. To the East in the Wet Mountain Range numerous homes are being built as newcomers to the area relocate to seek a new life style in a quite place.

The people of Custer County are looking forward to preserving this unique place of beauty in the Colorado Rockies.