Archeological studies have dated theUte people's appearance in theUncompahgre region of Colorado as early as 1150 A.D. Possibilities exist that they are descendants of an earlier people living in the area as far back as 1500 B.C.[3] They were a nomadic people moving about the Western Slope of Colorado in the various parts of the year.[4] In the early to mid-1600s theSpaniards ofNew Mexico introduced the horse which changed their patterns of hunting taking them across the divide to the eastern slopes and into conflict with thePlains Indians which soon became their bitter enemies.[5]
The first recorded expedition of Western Colorado wilderness was led by DonJuan Rivera in 1765. In 1776, two Spanish priests, FathersEscalante and Domínguez, led a party into the area aroundMontrose andPaonia.[6]
The 1830s brought the mountainmen into the area to trap beaver. An old cabin located onCochetopa Creek discovered by Sidney Jocknick was most likely built between 1830 and 1840 and a crude fort was discovered on a tributary ofTomichi Creek bore signs of a conflict.[7]
In 1858, gold was discovered near Denver bringing the white man across the divide into the western slope in search of the precious metal. In 1859 a party settled on Texas Gulch in Union Park.[9]
In 1861, theTerritory of Colorado was organized. The territorial governor was madeex officio Superintentant of Indian Affairs. A conference on October 1, 1863, established a boundary line for a reservation.[11] This treaty averted a possible dangerous situation by giving the Utes some cattle and sheep, a blacksmith and 20,000 dollars a year in goods and provisions. The government failed to fulfill any these obligations straining the relations further.[12] The treaty of 1868 recognized Chief Ouray as the sole spokesman for seven tribes of the Ute People. He held this power over his people through diplomacy and understanding.[13]
The Los Pinos Agency was developed through the Treaties of 1868 and 1873. The first agent was 2nd Lieutenant Calvin T. Speer. In 1871, a cow camp was started near the present site of Gunnison with James P. Kelley in charge. In this year, Jabez Nelson Trask, a Harvard grad, relieved Speer as agent upon orders from GovernorEdward M. McCook.[14] In 1872 Trask was replaced by Charles Adams.
In 1875, orders from Washington to move the agency to the Uncompahgre Valley were completed in November.[15]
In 1876, Colorado entered the Union andGunnison County was formed. 1879 was a year of expansion due to the miners, speculators and adventurers seeking wealth. The cattle industry was established by 1880. The short growing season was not conducive to farming and the ranchers had to level fields and construct irrigation ditches to water the fields for hay.
As of the census[24] of 2000, there were 13,956 people, 5,649 households, and 2,965 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 4 people per square mile (1.5 people/km2). There were 9,135 housing units at an average density of 3 units per square mile (1.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.08%White, 0.49%Black orAfrican American, 0.70%Native American, 0.54%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 1.44% fromother races, and 1.72% from two or more races. 5.02% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 5,649 households, out of which 24.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.20% were married couples living together, 5.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.50% were non-families. 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the county, the age demographic is distributed, with 17.90% under the age of 18, 21.10% from 18 to 24, 32.90% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 6.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 118.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 120.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,916, and the median income for a family was $51,950. Males had a median income of $30,885 versus $25,000 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $21,407. About 6.00% of families and 15.00% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 9.40% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.
The total population for Gunnison County in the year 2010 was 15,324. There were 8,306 males and 7,018 females. The median age was 35.7 years old. Of the races, 14,152 were white, 92.4 percent; 1,255 were Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 8.2 percent; 510 claimed other race, 3.3 percent; 208 were American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4 percent; 100 were Asian, 0.7 percent.
Total households were 6,516, 100.0 percent; Family households (families) 3,454, 53.0 percent, ("Family households" were based on a householder and one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. Same-sex married couples were not included.)
Occupied housing units consisted of 6,516 units, being 100.0 percent, with 3,900 or 59.9 percent being owner-occupied housing units; 2,616 or 40.1 percent being renters.
There were estimated 9,155 employed persons and 459 unemployed. 4,601 people drove to work alone and 1,027 car-pooled; 1,297 people walked to work and 1,052 took other means. Management, business, science, and arts occupations included 2,895 persons; Service occupations included 1,828 persons; Sales and office occupations included 2,192 persons; Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations included 1,635 persons; Production, transportation, and material moving occupations included 605 persons. 6,635 people were private wage and salary workers; 1,865 people were government workers; 655 people were self-employed and 49,356 dollars was the median household income and 67,333 dollars was the mean household income.
Notably, Gunnison County is home toWestern Colorado University, located in the city of Gunnison. WCU is a public four-year university with an enrollment of roughly 3,500 students in the 2022-2023 academic year.[25]
For most of the 20th century, except 1964, Gunnison County was a Republican stronghold. Despite the nationwide swing against him, this was one of the few counties that swung towardsGerald Ford in 1976. However, beginning in the late 1980s, it began trending more Democratic, asBill Clinton won the county both times in 1992 and 1996. The county gave a 43.2% plurality toGeorge W. Bush in the 2000 election, and has voted for the Democratic candidate in every election since. In 2020, Joe Biden won a higher percentage of the vote than any Democrat since 1936.
United States presidential election results for Gunnison County, Colorado[26]
^"Find a County". National Association of Counties. RetrievedJune 7, 2011.
^Wormington, H. M., and Robert H. Lister.Archaeological Investigations on the Uncompahgre Plateau in West Central Colorado. Proceedings No. 2, Denver Museum of Natural History (Denver, Colorado, March 1956), p.124.
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