Otto Mears was a successful business man in southwestern Colorado in the late 1800's. His vision pioneering spirit & engineering expertise linked southwestern Colorado to the outside world, first with toll roads & then narrow gauge rail across the San Juan Mountains.
In 1873 he also helped negotiate the Brunot Treaty with Chief Ouray, last of the great Ute Chief. He contributed to opening up mining in Silverton, Ouray, & Telluride & carried the first mail into Ouray in 1875. In 1882-83 Mears & Fred Walsen built the 12 miles of the Ouray & Red Mountain Toll Road between Ouray & Red Mountain. That wagon road later became known as the "Million Dollar Highway".
Road Builder
The Ouray & Red Mountain Toll Road through the area you are now visiting was the most difficult road building project Mears attempted. The dangerous passage through the Uncompahgre River Canyon was expensive & difficult to build, with the toll road costing nearly $10,000 per mile at the time. They had to lower men on ropes from the canyon rim to blast the quartzite walls with charges of dynamite.
By placing the toll booth at Bear Creek Falls above the Uncompahgre River Canyon floor Mears made it impossible to get around without paying a toll. Mears charged a $5.00 toll per wagon team & $1.00 for each head of livestock.
(The above view of the previous bridge at Bear Creek Falls is taken from a similar location as the historic photograph shown in the top-center view. The new bridge & overlook provides a safer & less hazardous route over the falls while allowing visitors to fully appreciate the skill & determination of past pathfinders & visionaries such as Otto Mears. The spectacular scenery of the route continues to draw visitors from all over the world).
Transportation Visionary
Mears foresaw the future of transportation from wagons to steam locomotives. Mears hired highly skilled & creative men to design & carry out the complicated engineering projects needed to construct routes through Colorado's mountain terrain. He foresaw the coming of the automobile & promoted improved-surface roads in Colorado. In 1891 Ouray County took over this section of roadway until 1917 when the new Colorado Highway Department was formed. The first graveled state auto road & bridge over Bear Creek Falls opened in 1922.
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