History Facts About Montrose Colorado You May Not Know

As I get older, I love the history of places, things, you name it. Montrose, Colorado has plenty of History, for a small town.

When was  Montrose established?

On May 2nd, 1882, named after Sir Walter Scott's novel A legend of Montrose by Oliver D. pappy Loutzenhizer and Joseph Selig. Now the Denver & Rio Grande railroad was built west toward Grand Junction and later reached Montrose in 1882. The town became an important regional shipping center.

 Did you know the early history near Montrose?

Prehistoric people lived in the vicinity who actually created rock art. at the Shavano Valley Rock Art site from as far back as 1,000 BC up until about 1881. Known as petroglyphs, recorded cultural events and were a means of artistic expression. There is a site listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. Due to the historical and delicate nature of the site, the petroglyphs may only be visited on a guided tour, which the Ute Indian Museum of Montrose offers. There are Shavano tours at the Ute Indian Museum located at 17253 Chipeta Road in Montrose too.

Another fun fact: American screenwriter and novelist Dalton Trumbo was born in Montrose. His scripted films include Roman Holiday, Spartacus, Exodus, and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

In 2022 Montrose was ranked in the top 25 of the nation's most dynamic micropolitan statistical areas. The city population has grown over the years to 20,291 as of the 2020 census. There is a lot more to learn about Montrose than meets the eye.