Formed March 4, 1881 (33rd county)
Dolores County (2,326), Dove Creek (634)
The Modern facility was built in 1953. It is sited on Main and 4th streets. United States Highway 491 is two blocks south of the courthouse. There was another courthouse in Dove Creek dating from 1912. Rico was also the county seat with an 1892 courthouse there. C. Francis Pillsbury is the current courthouse architect. Dolores County was formed on March 4, 1881 from Ouray County as the 33rd county. Dolores County was named for the river which gets its name from the Spanish “Our Lady of Sorrows.” Dove Creek is named for a local stream and the preponderance of birds. The center of the county is 35.2 miles East of Dove Creek nearer Cahone.
Dolores County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, manager, coroner, and treasurer (executive). It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.) Two District Court Judges serve Dolores and Montezuma counties and a Trial Court Judge, clerk, and county attorney serve Dolores County (judicial.) The county is located in the southwest corner of the state on the border with Utah. Grand Junction, Colorado is north of the county. The Dolores River flows through the county. The county is surrounded clockwise by San Miguel, San Juan, and Montezuma counties and Utah.
The area of the county is 1076.9 square miles. The county is 42 out of 64 in the state. It ranks 58 out of 64 in population in the state. It has a density of 2.2 persons per square mile making it 54 out of 64 in the state. Dolores County has 39.8% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 491 crosses the southwest corner of the county north to south from Utah to Montezuma County. The county has a pick axe shape and a jagged eastern border following a mountain ridge. Dove Creek is in the extreme southwest corner of the county. Dove Creek is the county seat and the largest city. It is 27.3% of the county population. The county is pronounced DUH-LAR-ES.
Dove Creek
Rico
