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Chaffee County was formed in 1879 from Lake County. Chaffee was named for Jerome Chaffee, a U.S. Senator and local investor.  Early in its history the area experienced an influx of explorers, miners, railroad, farmers, and ranchers.  The influence of each has dwindled over the years but their mark has left their place in the history of the valley.  Originally the county seat was Buena Vista. After a contentious election in the early 1930s, the county seat was moved to Salida and the lovely courthouse in Buena Vista was converted into a school. The new courthouse was completed in Salida in 1932, while the old courthouse in Buena Vista is now houses the Chaffee County Historical Society Museum. The City Clerk has birth, marriage and death records, some from 1879. The land records from 1879 are with the Chaffee County offices. Chaffee County is located in central Colorado within the heart of the Rocky Mountains.  The Arkansas River runs north-south through the center of the county, which is surrounded by the Collegiate Peaks to the west, the Mosquito Range to the east and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains to the south.  The economy is based on tourism. River-rafting and flyfishing are quite popular. Monarch Ski Area lies along the western border with Gunnison County.