Howardsville is an unincorporated community in San Juan County, Colorado, United States, along the Animas River at the mouth of Cunningham Creek. Its elevation is 9,747 feet (2,971 m).Established and laid out by the Bullion City Company as Bullion City in 1874, it was renamed later in the year, either for Lieutenant Howard, a once-prominent local figure, or for George Howard, who once had a cabin in the area. It was the first county seat of San Juan County, holding that title until 1875.