San Juan

Formed February 17, 1880 (22^nd county)

San Juan County (14,510), Monticello (1,820), Blanding (3,388)                

The dark red brick Renaissance structure was erected in 1920.  The facility is on Main Street between 100 and 200 South streets.  United States Highway 191 is Main Street in the town.  Ashton and Nielson are the architects.  The building was enlarged in 1955 and an augmenting County Building was added in 1989.  The county was established on February 17, 1880 from parts of Kane, Iron, and Piute counties as the 22^nd county with Monticello as the only county seat.  The county is named for the San Juan River.  Monticello is named for the estate of United States President Jefferson. 

San Juan County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge and Two Juvenile Court Judges serve San Juan, Carbon, Emery, and Grand counties.  The county is in the southeast corner of the state.  Colorado is on its east, New Mexico is across the four corners point southeast, and Arizona is on its south.  The Colorado River forms the majority of its western border.  The county center is 41.2 miles South-Southwest of Monticello nearer White Mesa.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Grand County and Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona and Kane, Garfield, Wayne, and Emery counties. 

The area of the county is 7820 square miles.  It is 1 out of 29 in the state.  It ranks 17 out of 29 in population in the state.  It has a density of 1.9 persons per square mile making it 26 out of 29 in the state.  San Juan County has 37.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 163 originates in the county and heads south into Arizona.  United States Highway 191 enters from the north, Grand County, and exits to the south, Arizona.  United States Highway 491 comes from Colorado, east, and terminates.  The county looks like a snow blade.  Monticello is located in the northeast quarter of the county.  Blanding is in the eastern third of the county.  Monticello is the county seat and Blanding is the largest city.  Monticello is 12.5% of the county population while Blanding is 23.4% of the county population.