Rio Grande Southern

Railroad Company

Denver, Colorado

The Rio Grande Southern Railroad Company - Stock certificate dated 1893.

This share certificate is signed by Otto Mears.

The Rio Grande Southern was a narrow gauge line that ran from Ridgeway to Durango.  Otto Mears, known as the "Pathfinder of the West", built the rail line to service the rich silver region around Telluride & Rico.  The line, though fairly short in distance, covered very rough terrain and heavy winter snows.  From Ridgeway, the line crossed over the Dallas Divide to Telluride, then turned south to Ophir and over Lizard Head Pass to Rico, Dolores and east to Durango.