Otto Mears, a Russian immigrant, was the driving force of the transportation development(roads through the mountains) connecting mining towns in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in the 1880's and 90's. Roads built by Mears between Silverton, Lake City, Ouray and Telluride eased the development of the hundreds of mining businesses in the San Juan range of the Rocky Mountains. This great achievement was completed in areas ranging from nine thousand to thirteen thousand feet. In all, Mears developed over 450 miles of roads. In 1887,realizing that a better transportation system was needed in the giant mountains, Mears developed a "narrow gauge" system of railroads connecting the above towns and mining areas along the way. Mears was known throughout the United States for his engineering feats even though he was was uneducated. His prosperous business deals made him a millionaire at one time. Mears was also in the US Calvary and his troop was under the command of Kit Carson. He also was well known in Colorado politics as a state legislator. Though Mears has a head stone in the Hillside Cemetery in Silverton, his body was creamated and his ashes were spread over Engineer Pass outside Silverton, Colorado.∼Known as the "Pathfinder of the San Juans".
Otto Mears was orphaned in Russia at a young age. He came to America to live with family, but more or less fended for himself from age ten on.
Having volunteered for the army during the Civil War he was discharged near Las Cruces, New Mexico. He soon settled in Saguache, Colorado where he became a wheat farmer.
Unable to get his wheat to the booming markets around the mining town of Leadville, because of the difficulty of transportation, he began to improve the roads himself when he realized a better route to wealth.
He sought, and was granted permission, to charge tolls for others to use his road, and thus began a career that opened and connected mining and farming towns all over southwest Colorado.
Altogether Mears created over two hundred miles of toll roads for wagons and stagecoaches, and then laid many more miles of railroad tracks. His interests also included the ownership of mines, mills, telegraph lines, stores and hotels.
He has been honored as one of Colorado's pioneers with a stained glass likeness in the rotunda of Colorado's State Capitol Building.
He eventually retired to Pasadena, California where he died at age 91. Per his request he was cremated and his ashes were spread over Engineer Mountain, near Ouray, Colorado. A monument to him stands along Route 550 "The Million Dollar Highway" Between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.
Otto Mears was orphaned in Russia at a young age. He came to America to live with family, but more or less fended for himself from age ten on.
Having volunteered for the army during the Civil War he was discharged near Las Cruces, New Mexico. He soon settled in Saguache, Colorado where he became a wheat farmer.
Unable to get his wheat to the booming markets around the mining town of Leadville, because of the difficulty of transportation, he began to improve the roads himself when he realized a better route to wealth.
He sought, and was granted permission, to charge tolls for others to use his road, and thus began a career that opened and connected mining and farming towns all over southwest Colorado.
Altogether Mears created over two hundred miles of toll roads for wagons and stagecoaches, and then laid many more miles of railroad tracks. His interests also included the ownership of mines, mills, telegraph lines, stores and hotels.
He has been honored as one of Colorado's pioneers with a stained glass likeness in the rotunda of Colorado's State Capitol Building.
He eventually retired to Pasadena, California where he died at age 91. Per his request he was cremated and his ashes were spread over Engineer Mountain, near Ouray, Colorado. A monument to him stands along Route 550 "The Million Dollar Highway" Between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.
Otto Mears, a Russian immigrant, was the driving force of the transportation development(roads through the mountains) connecting mining towns in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in the 1880's and 90's. Roads built by Mears between Silverton, Lake City, Ouray and Telluride eased the development of the hundreds of mining businesses in the San Juan range of the Rocky Mountains. This great achievement was completed in areas ranging from nine thousand to thirteen thousand feet. In all, Mears developed over 450 miles of roads. In 1887,realizing that a better transportation system was needed in the giant mountains, Mears developed a "narrow gauge" system of railroads connecting the above towns and mining areas along the way. Mears was known throughout the United States for his engineering feats even though he was was uneducated. His prosperous business deals made him a millionaire at one time. Mears was also in the US Calvary and his troop was under the command of Kit Carson. He also was well known in Colorado politics as a state legislator. Though Mears has a head stone in the Hillside Cemetery in Silverton, his body was creamated and his ashes were spread over Engineer Pass outside Silverton, Colorado.∼Known as the "Pathfinder of the San Juans".
Otto Mears was orphaned in Russia at a young age. He came to America to live with family, but more or less fended for himself from age ten on.
Having volunteered for the army during the Civil War he was discharged near Las Cruces, New Mexico. He soon settled in Saguache, Colorado where he became a wheat farmer.
Unable to get his wheat to the booming markets around the mining town of Leadville, because of the difficulty of transportation, he began to improve the roads himself when he realized a better route to wealth.
He sought, and was granted permission, to charge tolls for others to use his road, and thus began a career that opened and connected mining and farming towns all over southwest Colorado.
Altogether Mears created over two hundred miles of toll roads for wagons and stagecoaches, and then laid many more miles of railroad tracks. His interests also included the ownership of mines, mills, telegraph lines, stores and hotels.
He has been honored as one of Colorado's pioneers with a stained glass likeness in the rotunda of Colorado's State Capitol Building.
He eventually retired to Pasadena, California where he died at age 91. Per his request he was cremated and his ashes were spread over Engineer Mountain, near Ouray, Colorado. A monument to him stands along Route 550 "The Million Dollar Highway" Between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.
Otto Mears was orphaned in Russia at a young age. He came to America to live with family, but more or less fended for himself from age ten on.
Having volunteered for the army during the Civil War he was discharged near Las Cruces, New Mexico. He soon settled in Saguache, Colorado where he became a wheat farmer.
Unable to get his wheat to the booming markets around the mining town of Leadville, because of the difficulty of transportation, he began to improve the roads himself when he realized a better route to wealth.
He sought, and was granted permission, to charge tolls for others to use his road, and thus began a career that opened and connected mining and farming towns all over southwest Colorado.
Altogether Mears created over two hundred miles of toll roads for wagons and stagecoaches, and then laid many more miles of railroad tracks. His interests also included the ownership of mines, mills, telegraph lines, stores and hotels.
He has been honored as one of Colorado's pioneers with a stained glass likeness in the rotunda of Colorado's State Capitol Building.
He eventually retired to Pasadena, California where he died at age 91. Per his request he was cremated and his ashes were spread over Engineer Mountain, near Ouray, Colorado. A monument to him stands along Route 550 "The Million Dollar Highway" Between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado.
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