Ridgway, Colorado | |
|---|---|
 Approaching Ridgway on Highway 62 | |
| Nickname(s): Gateway to the San Juans, The Town That Refused to Die | |
 Location of Ridgway in Ouray County, Colorado. | |
| Coordinates: 38°09′32″N 107°45′02″W / 38.15889°N 107.75056°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| County[1] | Ouray County |
| Incorporated (town) | April 2, 1891[2] |
| Named for | Robert M. Ridgway |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home rule municipality[1] |
| • Mayor | John I. Clark[citation needed] |
| • Town Manager | Preston Neill[citation needed] |
| • State Representative | Marc Catlin[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 1.85 sq mi (4.79 km2) |
| • Land | 1.85 sq mi (4.79 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,962 ft (2,122 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,183 |
| • Density | 640/sq mi (250/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code[7] | 81432 |
| Area code | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-64200 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412551[5] |
| Website | townofridgway |
The Town of Ridgway is the home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Ouray County, Colorado, United States. The town is a former railroad stop on the Uncompahgre River in the northern San Juan Mountains. The town population was 1,183 at the 2020 census.[6]
Steep forested mountains and cliffs surround Ridgway on the south, east, and northeast. The Uncompahgre River runs through the town and flows into the Ridgway State Park and Reservoir, to the north. Dallas Creek also flows from the south-west and forms a confluence with the Uncompahgre before entering the reservoir. There is a notable wildlife presence — mountain lions, badgers, deer, elk, bears, coyotes, wild turkey, and bald eagles are indigenous to the area. The region's bald eagles nest in the cottonwoods along the river and are a common sight in the late fall.
Ridgway and the surrounding area have featured prominently in pop culture. Most notably the area is the setting of John Wayne's western movie True Grit, and others including How the West Was Won and Tribute to a Bad Man. Ridgway has the only stoplight in Ouray County, at the intersection of Highways 550 and 62.[8]
- ^ a b "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
- ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
- ^ "State Representative". State of Colorado. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Ridgway, Colorado
- ^ a b United States Census Bureau. "Ridgway town; Colorado". Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on December 14, 2006. Retrieved December 24, 2007.
- ^ Source Ridgway Estate