A Brief History of Del Norte, Colorado Established in 1871 | Incorporated in 1872

According to the Rio Grande County Museum (located at 580 Oak Street, in Del Norte, CO) ...the history of the Del Norte area goes back way beyond the late 1800’s. While Del Norte as a town was established in 1871 ...and officially incorporated on December 14, in 1872, the story of the area is far older. Native Americans (The First People) actually called this land theirs for centuries... the story is a very interesting one. Click here to visit the Rio Grande County Museum Website > > > (to read the full story) ...and to find out more about Del Norte Historical Tours.

Some interesting facts about Del Norte include...
     •   The discovery of gold in the Summit District in 1870
     •   Del Norte was called the “Gateway to the San Juans” as an outfitting point for the mines
     •   Del Norte was a booming mining and ranching center
     •   Del Norte was on the short list to become the capital of Colorado (before Denver was chosen)
     •   Del Norte was once home to one of the largest observatories in the nation
     •   One of Colorado’s oldest hotels, the Windsor is in Del Norte
     •   The Rio Grande River runs through Del Norte
     •   The Del Norte area is know for its tremendous outdoor adventures (boasting beginner to advanced hiking trails)
     •   It’s named for the Rio Grande del Norte, “grand river of the north”
     •   The elevation is 7,884 feet