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<br />In the community. The popularIty of this narrow gauge railroad as a <br />widely known tourist attraction has caused Durango to be characterized as <br />the "Narrow Gauge Cllpltol of the World." <br /> <br />BACKGRQUNDINFORMATION <br /> <br />Recent population projections Indicate that continued growth of <br />tour-Is.. and recr"llatlon wIll causelln accelerated rate of growth In the <br />Ourangoarea. In the next 25-30 years, It Is expected that urban and <br />commercial development will continue to encroach upon agricultural and <br />flOOd plain IMds. Local governmental agencies and Interested citizens <br />are developing comprehonslve plans to guIde the community In the develop- <br />ment of the regIon. <br /> <br />SETTLEMENT <br /> <br />The fIrst permanent settlement of the Durango area began In 1873 <br />when Robert Dwyer wlnterod In a log cabIn on the bankS of Junction Creek. <br />By 1815, the AnImas Valley was dotted with farms as dIssatIsfied miners <br />from the Sllverton dIstrict began to take up farmIng. By 1880, 2-3,000 <br />people had settled In the area of present day Durango, known as Animas <br />CIty. In September of 1880, the Oenver and Rio Grande liestern Railroad <br />Company established a townsIte on the banks of the Animas RIver opposite <br />Lightner Creek. The first trains arrived in August of 1881 and the <br />nawly formed city attracted most of the Inhabitants of Anl..as City and <br />Par-rott CIty (then the La Plate County seat). <br /> <br />The availability of coal,water, and raIlroad transportation stlm u- <br />lated vigorous growth during the early yoars. The community became a <br />trading and manufacturing conter for the nearby mines, ranches, and farms. <br />Smelters, ..Ills, lumber yards, and flour mills provided employment for <br />the growing population. During the period of Intense mining activity <br />in theSilverton distrlct,Purangowas known as the "S",olterClty of <br />the 511 vel" San Juan." As gol d a~nd silver production declined, Ourango's <br />population boom ceased and, Isolated from major population centers and <br />trade routes, the crtygrew slowly. <br /> <br />Agriculture, retail trade, and the lumber Industry have continued <br />to play important roles In the eoonomy of the area. New factors affect- <br />Ing the economic base of the COt'I'W'nunlty Include Ft. LewIs College, tourism, <br />and the recreation Industry. Therallroad,whlchwaslnstrumentalln <br />foundIng the town In the 1680's, has again become a major economIc factor <br /> <br />THE STREAMS AND THEIR VALLEYS <br /> <br />The study area for this report comprises the flood plaIns and <br />ImmedIately adjacent areas along the Animas RIver and Lightner, Junction, <br />and Ory Gulch CreekS near Durango. The locations of the streams under <br />study lire shown on Plate 1. Pertinent data on streams In the study area <br />are shown In Table 1. <br /> <br />TABLE 1 <br /> <br />STREAMS UNDER STUDY <br /> <br /> ,",pproxll><ltu <br /> Approxl"",tu DrolnogoArM <br /> Len9t~ " lit Oownstruo", <br />Str&.>mN_ llmlhol Stud~ Stu""Ar.... U..,ltof ShdY <br /> F,...,..: Ut>stro"", to: "II..S sq...I. <br />Animo. River lo I'I>>to Road Son JuonNotlonaJ <br /> Bridge Fo....st Bcund~ry , '" <br />llghtnurC....ck Ml"",.Rlver wlldcatC....uk , " <br />JunctlonCruek Ani..... River S.n Juan lI.tlon.1 <br /> FOrtlstBoundary . " <br />Dry Gulch Cr""k J,,"ctlooCrMk Canyon Mout~ . <br /> <br />, <br /> <br />2 <br />