Ouray County Historical Museum
(St. Joseph's Miners' Hospital)

The Miners' Hospital opened its doors for business on August 27, 1887 under the auspices of the Sisters of Mercy. This stately old Italianate building was built with dressed native stone and bracketed roof overhangs. It has three floors and a partial basement with a dirt floor. There are 34 rooms in the building, 27 of which are now devoted to the history of Ouray County. The hospital was in existence for seventy-seven years, closing permanently in 1964. By 1971 the newly organized Ouray County Historical Society leased space for exhibits and in 1976 purchased the property in order to develop a museum. Here you can learn about the Tabeguache Ute Indians who roamed this area for centuries, mining, ranching, the railroads and other early transportation, minerals of the area, Ouray County's natural history, details about the hospital itself and much more. It is reported to be one of the haunted buildings in town.