Show monticello becomes center of san juan county uranium boom monticello so named because ot of Us location on the slopes of the abajo range locally called the blue mountains is situated in the center of the vast uranium fields on the famous colorado plateau many of the richest and best known uranium mines are in san juan county not far from monticello for instance the famous ml MI V alda id a mine of the co is only 25 miles northeast of monticello the happy jack mine is about 60 miles son southwest thweat and just to mention a few more of the many producing mines in this area there are the ma maybe th the e blue lizard and the B bullseye se e with so many producing mines bear near and with the uranium processing mill ill already established in monticello 1 10 the town has taken on a new importance especially to the mining industry it has become a thriving bustling little city the ever increasing population has the town literally bursting out at the seams city fathers are confronted with all the problems that com commonly only beset a rapidly growing community community such as health ani and sanitation and adequate housing power er and water estimates of MW the present population run from 2200 to 2500 and new residents arriving daily find the motels full to overflowing it is hard io to believe that ju just st three short years ago monticello was just an average quiet country village with a stagnant population level of 0 only 1176 its streets eti were dusty and muddy its youth were offered few opportunities or attractions its faculties facilities for entertainment were poor its merchants unable to give give customers a choice as to price ce style or V quality in t the he merc merchandise tinalee offered with the economy geared only to ranching and cattle there seemed to be little opportunity for business an and d no industrial activity hw however ever new life and new money has been injected into the veins of monticello commerce with the discovery and the mining of uranium ore on the colorado plateau the one motel which was here in 1950 has since doubled in size then a second motel was built now two others are in the pro pm cess of construction with completion dates in early spring modern trailer homes have be come very popular in this locality between june and december 1954 four on r new trailer parks opened for business at present monticello has bag six trailer courts and all are enjoying a land office business building budding construction and its allied trades is progressing at a feverish pace part of the business building pem permits ats taken out during the last half of 1954 include a service station a tire capping recapping re building two motels a rooming house cleaner and laundry office building g warehouses garages and a newspaper plant in november 1954 buildings under actual construction st within the city limits to monticello proper is contained in about 70 square blocks but very shortly the city limits will have to be pushed out farther new business buildings have been erected on the highways east north and south of town while west of town just outside of the city limits a beautiful new residence addition is rapidly taking shape with ten homes already partially completed and more slated for construction it is estimated that the cost of the ten homes now being built will total approximately in the fall of 1954 a city zoning ordinance was passed so that its growth could be planned and guided into definite residential commercial and industrial areas also in november of 1954 the city pulled itself cut out of the mud so 10 to speak city streets not already paved were treated to a thick coat of blade black topping at a cost of DD during early 1954 exploration activity by the other government agencies and by private mining firms and individuals stood at an high on the colorado plateau and elsewhere in the united states leases on uranium bearing public lands are issued by the grand junction operations office of after a U S mining engineer committee selects the most promising applicant |