Intro to Garfield County

Anglers float leisurely down the Roaring Fork River on a recent summer afternoon. Post Independent Photo/Kelley Cox Click to Enlarge

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The Ute Indians were the earliest known settlers of Garfield County. They knew the healing qualities of the hot springs in Glenwood Springs and considered them a sacred place.

Settled in the late 1800s, the town became famous for its hot springs pool and the Hotel Colorado, built by Walter Devereux, which opened its doors in 1893.

The area has had its share of colorful characters, including Doc Holliday, who died in Glenwood Springs and is believed to be buried in Glenwood’s Linwood Cemetery. Teddy Roosevelt came West on a hunting trip in 1905 and stayed at the Hotel Colorado.

In the early days, coal was the primary economic driving force in Garfield County, with deposits in New Castle, Spring Gulch, outside Carbondale and South Canyon near Glenwood Springs drawing thousands of immigrants to the area.

Energy resources continue to drive Garfield County’s economy. Oil shale played a big part in its growth in the 1970s, but never became commercially viable, leading to an economic bust in 1982.

Now in the early years of the 21st century, natural gas production in the western portion of the county has placed it as the second highest producer in the state and has helped propel Colorado to the sixth-ranking producer in the country.

Oil shale is once again on the national radar. The Bureau of Land Management has leased 160-acre research, development and demonstration plots in the northwestern reaches of the county to Chevron USA, EGL Resources, Inc., and Shell Frontier Oil & Gas, Inc. The developers have the option to expand the leases to 4,960 acres if their technology proves commercially feasible.

Garfield County is also home to the White River National Forest and Sunlight Mountain Resort, which draw thousands of users each year. Both contribute to a county economy that also depends on tourism and outdoor recreation.

Garfield County Info
General Information
945-1377

County Commissioners
945-5004

Trési Houpt
384-3665 (office)
928-9104 (home)
379-4479 (cell)
John Martin
945-7056 (home)
309-2362 (cell)
Larry McCown
625-4229 (home)
379-1405 (cell)

County Administrator
Ed Green
945-5000

Clerk and Recorder
Jean Alberico
945-2377 ext. 1820

Courts
945-5075

Road and Bridge
625-8601

Sheriff
Lou Vallario
945-0453

Assessor
John Gorman
945-9134

Treasurer
Georgia Chamberlain
945-6382

Human Services
945-9191
625-5282

District Attorney
Martin Beeson
945-8635