Pagosa is surrounded by the rich history of ancient Native Americans, Anasazi, and early Spanish and French pioneers and miners. The remarkable ruins of early Puebloan culture at Chimney Rock, Mesa Verde, and other regional centers reflect the thousands of years of civilized heritage in our area. Archaeological evidence at the Chimney Rock Indian ruins indicates a thriving community in and around the site until about 1125 AD.

Following the Anasazi were the Navajo, Ute, and Apache peoples who have lived and hunted in the area for centuries. Revered by Native Americans, the Pagosa Hot Springs were frequented by many of the tribes. Accounts from the early Anglo explorers describe well-worn trails from all directions converging on the springs, and depressions and sweat lodges, located around the seeps and cavities near the big spring.

This area was first claimed for Spain by the early Spanish explorers, after the Mexican revolution it was in the Territory of Northern Mexico. Upon conclusion of the war with Mexico in 1848, it became a possession of the United States and was part of the Utah Territory. Spanish explorers and missionaries, as well as the French, visited the area seeking gold and converts prior to 1848 when Mexico ceded the area to the United States.

Pagosa Springs was the center of a dispute between the Navajos and the Utes. For centuries, they fought each other over ownership, since both tribes used the springs. Small battles between the two tribes were commonplace, but failed to solve anything.

In 1866 the tribes decided to choose one man from each of their tribes. The two men were to have a one on one battle, and the tribe who's man survived would be the owners of the springs. The Utes won the fight and took ownership of the springs.

The medicinal effects of the water were studied by U.S. Army physicians in the 1860's and their reports concluded: "The waters of Pagosa are without doubt the most wonderful and beneficial in medicinal effects that have ever been discovered." As the news spread and the area became more inhabited by the Army, railroad crews, and settlers, the first bath house was erected in 1881.

The U.S. Government then established relations with the Indians and through a series of Treaties (1848, 1868, 1873, 1880), "bought" most of their land. In the Brunot Treaty of 1873, the Southern Ute Reservation was established in its present location, (now known to be blessed with untold riches from natural gas and oil) which included the southwestern part of what later became Archuleta County, formed from part of Conejos County in 1885.

The military made several expeditions into and through the area, one such expedition was by Lt. Col. E. H. Bergman to locate a suitable spot to construct Fort Plummer. However, prior to the fort's construction Col. William Henry Lewis, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and distinguished veteran of the Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass was killed in a battle on the Kansas frontier.

The fort was subsequently named in his honor, and Fort Lewis was established near the sacred Pagosa Hot Springs in 1878. Fort Lewis was moved to Hesperus, Colorado in 1881. On January 21, 1881 the military issued a general order to change the name of the temporary camp from Fort Lewis to Pagosa Springs. The Town of Pagosa Springs was platted and surveyed in 1883 and incorporated in 1891. It remains the only incorporated town in the county.

Hispanic settlers reached the area about the same time as Anglo settlers. They settled the southern part of the county along the rivers. Hispanic communities such as Trujillo, Juanita, Pagosa Junction, and Carracas were settled with the arrival of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad in 1881. According to the 1990 Census, the Hispanic population comprised about 23% of the total population.

As rail travel reached Pagosa in 1900, travelers came from far and wide to "take the waters". With the advent of the railroad running between Silverton, Durango, Chama and points east along the southern boundary of the county, the lumber industry flourished and became the dominant sector of the economy. The railroad also boosted ranching by providing a practical way to ship cattle and sheep to market. The growth of cattle and sheep ranching, as well as the development of the lumber industry, led to a booming economy in the 1890s and early 1900s. With the opening of Wolf Creek Pass on August 21, 1916 the entire San Juan Basin was opened to greater economic development and commerce.

The establishment of two large lumber mills, and many smaller ones, helped to bring the railroad to Pagosa Springs in 1900, facilitating travel and movement of trade and commerce. The lumber boom lasted almost into the 1920's, by which time the easily accessible timber had all been logged.

The number of travelers seeking healthful climates began to decline with the advent of new advances in medicine. Rail service to Pagosa ceased in 1936. Not until the 1950's did motels begin to be erected and the driving public once again began seeking the "healing waters".

The exploitation of natural resources (such as ranching, mineral production, lumber and recreational attractions) supported Archuleta County up to the mid-to-late 1970s. In 1970, manufacturing (primarily wood products) provided 30% of the county's total work income, then decreased rapidly. The decline of the timber industry in the late 1970s played a large role. The 1980s were a time of relative stability in terms of population and economy, reflecting the "flat" state and national economies.

Since that time, Archuleta County has been in transition from a traditional rural community to a more urban environment in which tourism is the number one industry. People moving to Archuleta County for quality of life issues drove population growth in the 1990s and still plays a prominent role today. The natural environment, and the amenities it provides, are behind much of the growth and have become the larger region's chief economic asset.