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Superior, Colorado

Superior is a statutory town in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, with a small, uninhabited segment of land area extending into Jefferson County. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city was 13,094.

History
Superior's history is one of coal mining. The first mines in the area were developed in the late 19th century. Coal was discovered on the Hake family farm in 1864, and recollections of members of pioneer families in Superior, including the Hakes and Autreys, are preserved as part of the Maria Rogers Oral History Program at the Carnegie Library for Local History in Boulder, Colorado. The town was reportedly named after its superior quality of coal.

Mining was the major force in Superior's history until the Industrial Mine closed in 1945. Subsequently, many people moved out of the area and the Town evolved into a quiet ranching and farming community. Superior's population hovered around 250 until the late 1990s, when subdivisions were built in the town and the population rose dramatically to 9,011 by 2000.

Recent events
Marshall Fire

On December 30, 2021, the Marshall Fire, the most destructive fire in Colorado's history, destroyed over 1000 homes in Superior, the neighboring city of Louisville, and portions of unincorporated Boulder County. In Superior, approximately 378 homes (14% of the single-family homes in the town) were destroyed and 58 were damaged, 7 commercial properties were destroyed and 30 damaged, and there were 2 fatalities.

The fire started in Boulder County land to the west and was driven by 60 - 100 mph wind gusts across extremely dry grasses and fuels before reaching the town. It spread rapidly and unexpectedly, prompting the temporary evacuation of 13,000 people in Superior and 21,000 in Louisville.

According to the official investigation performed by the Boulder County Sheriff, the fire started from two separate sources of ignition. The first was a trash fire set six days earlier on land near the intersection of Marshall Road and State Highway 93 owned by Twelve Tribes. Its remaining embers were uncovered and reignited by high winds on the day of the fire. The second source was power lines on the western side of the Marshall Mesa trailhead owned by Excel. A line became unmoored from its supports and subsequent arcing caused sparks that ignited dry fuels on the ground. No criminal charges were filed. Vigorous recovery and rebuilding efforts are ongoing in 2024, supported in part by a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster declaration and numerous local government and nonprofit organizations.

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport

In 1960, the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport ("RMMA") was opened on the northern edge of Jefferson County. At the time, the population of Superior was approximately 175 citizens. Since the first flight from RMMA, the airport has continued to experience annual growth. As a result of a perceived national pilot shortage, numerous flight schools have established their base of operations at the airport. This has led to conflict between Superior and RMMA. As a result, the Town of Superior has filed a lawsuit against the airport.

Geography
Superior is located at 39.93111°N, -105.15917°W (39.93119, −105.159085), about 15 minutes from downtown Boulder, 30 minutes from downtown Denver, and 35 minutes from Denver International Airport, with easy access to extensive regional open space and trail systems. It is bordered by the city of Louisville to the northeast, the city of Broomfield to the east and south, Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge to the south, and Boulder County open space to the west. U.S. Highway 36, also known as the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, runs along the northeast boundary of the town, and Colorado Route 128A runs along the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau as of 2021, Superior has a total area of 3.972 sqmi, of which 3.933 sqmi is land and 0.039 sqmi is water.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Superior has Dry, Semi-arid, cold climate (BSk). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Plant Hardiness zone is 6a, with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -10 to -5 °F.

Amenities and Recreation
Superior has 788.2 acre of parks and open space, which is about 31% of its total land area. This includes owned natural space, natural space under conservation easements, and developed open space. Recreational trails (on-road, hard, and soft) extend for 29.75 mi. Recreational amenities include 13 playgrounds, 6 pickleball courts, 4 tennis courts, 3 multipurpose fields, 3 baseball/softball fields, 2 outdoor pools, 3 basketball courts, 2 sand volleyball courts, 1 dog park, 1 bike park, 1 skate park, and 1 disk golf course.

The Superior Community Center serves as a public venue for diverse uses.

Demographics
As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there were 13,146 people and 4,646 households in Superior. Additional demographic information is available from the US Census profile of Superior and US Census Quick Facts about Superior. Data here are from the 2020 census and 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates.

Age distribution estimates from 2022 showed 5.5% of the population under age 5, 27.4% under age 18, 6.62% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9.2% 65 or older. There were 108.2 +/- 9.0 males per female, and the median age was 36.9 years.

The racial makeup of the town, considering races alone or in combination with one or more other races, was 80.3% White, 19.4% Asian, 8.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 4.7% some other race, with less than 1% in any other category. A language other than English was spoken at home by 20.9% of the population.

Family and household characteristics included 67.8% married-couple families, 16.1% family households with a male householder and no spouse present, and 11.7% family households with a female householder and no spouse present. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.27. Housing characteristics estimates from the 2020 Census indicated the population density was 3,332 PD/sqmi. Of the 5,025 housing units, 61.5% were owner-occupied. The median value of owner-occupied housing units for 2016-2020 was $603,600. The median gross rent for the same period was $2,060.

Median income levels are high. The median income for a household in 2022 (in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars), according to 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, was $149,464 +/- $16,790, compared to $89,302 for Colorado. The median income for families was $173,563 +/- $20,834. The employment rate was 71.3%. About 2.2% of the population were living below the poverty line, and 5.0% were without health care coverage.

Educational levels are also high. Characteristics of residents 25 years and over in 2022 were that 97.8% were high school graduates or higher, 76.3% held a bachelor's degree or higher (which compares with 45.9% for Colorado), and 36.3% held a graduate or professional degree.

Businesses
Superior’s diverse businesses as of 2024 include many large retailers and a Tesla service center, in addition to national chain and independent retailers, restaurants, service providers, and offices. As of 2023, development was underway on a mixed-use retail/residential development called Downtown Superior. The Superior Chamber of Commerce supports businesses of all types.

Educational Institutions
Superior is part of the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) and is home to two public schools: Superior Elementary and Eldorado PK-8. The home public high school is Monarch High School in neighboring Louisville. The school district's open enrollment policy also allows students to attend any other BVSD public school as long as space is available. Nearby institutions of higher education include the University of Colorado at Boulder, Naropa University in Boulder, and Front Range Community College campuses in Longmont and Westminster.

In popular culture
Sections of the 1985 movie American Flyers were filmed in Superior.

Notable people

 * Marcelo Balboa – soccer star
 * Josh Sims – lacrosse player

Sister city
Broomfield has a sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:
 * 🇳🇵 Khandbari, Koshi Province, Nepal

title: Superior, Colorado


text:
Ward, Colorado

Ward is a home rule municipality in Boulder County, Colorado, United States. The population was 128 at the 2020 census. The town is a former mining settlement founded in 1860 in the wake of the discovery of gold at nearby Gold Hill. Once one of the richest towns in the state during the Colorado Gold Rush, it is located on a mountainside at the top of Left Hand Canyon, near the Peak to Peak Highway (State Highway 72) northwest of Boulder at an elevation of 9450 ft above sea level.

History

The town was named for Calvin Ward, who prospected a claim in 1860 on the site known as Miser's Dream. The town boomed the following year with the discovery by Cyrus W. Deardorff of the Columbia vein. Over the next several decades the population fluctuated, growing from several hundred to several thousand before declining once again. The mines in the area remained profitable for many decades, with one mine eventually producing over 2 e6ozt of silver. A post office with the name Ward District was established January 13, 1863; the name was changed to Ward, September 11, 1894. The city was incorporated in June 1896. The railroad reached the area in 1898, arriving over the Whiplash and Switzerland Trail, which climbed over 4,000 ft from Boulder over the course of 26 mi. In January 1900 over 50 buildings were destroyed by a devastating fire, although the profitability of the mines led to the immediate rebuilding of the town. The town was largely deserted by the 1920s, but the construction of the Peak-to-Peak Highway in the 1930s led to a revival of the town. During WWII the town's year-round population dropped to four people. Then, in the 1960s, the town's population jumped from between 10 and 20 year-round residents to well over 100 due to the town's interest to hippies.

The town has several businesses along its main street, including a restaurant, a coffee shop, an art gallery, and general store.

Geography
Ward is located at 40.07222°N, -105.51°W (40.072347, -105.510131).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.6 sqmi, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 150 people, 75 households, and 36 families residing in the town. The population density was 296.9 PD/sqmi. There were 82 housing units at an average density of 144.1 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 98.82% White, and 1.18% from two or more races.

There were 75 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2 and the average family size was 2.67.

The age of the town's populace was spread out, with 19.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 32% from 25 to 44, 35.3% from 45 to 64, and 8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 154.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 132.7 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the town was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $50,313. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,900. None of the population or families were below the poverty line.

Notable people

 * Hazel Schmoll, botanist

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Ward, Colorado


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Buena Vista, Colorado

Buena Vista is a Statutory Town located in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 2,855 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
The Arkansas River Valley and the area of what would become Buena Vista was first settled in 1864 by settlers drawn to the area by the plentiful water which made the land suitable for agriculture. By 1880, the county seat had moved from Granite to Buena Vista, but by 1928 Salida had a larger population so the county seat was moved once again. By 1894, Buena Vista had electricity, telephone service, street lights, parks, cemeteries, and schools. Travelers, speculators, and miners traveling up the Arkansas Valley towards Leadville made Buena Vista a popular stagecoach stop, and railroad depot following the 1890s. While certainly experiencing economic ups and downs, the valley's agricultural economy has made the area more resistant to the 'boom, bust' cycle of mining towns.

Buena Vista is located in central Colorado roughly midway between Salida and Leadville in the Upper Arkansas River Valley at an elevation of 7965 ft. The area between Buena Vista and Salida is often referred to as the Denver & Rio Grande, South Park & Pacific, and Colorado Midland railroads. Many of the existing buildings of Buena Vista date back to this era, and were built in the 1880s and 1890s.

The name "Buena Vista", Spanish for "Good View", can often be heard pronounced locally as. This Americanized pronunciation was specified by Alsina Dearheimer, who chose this name for the town, which was officially selected over other names (Cottonwood, Mahonville) on the occasion of the town's incorporation. Alternate pronunciations include the Spanish and simply. Many residents simply refer to the town as "BV."

Geography
Buena Vista is located in the Upper Arkansas River Valley.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 8.942 km2, all of it land.

Climate
Buena Vista has a Semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), with cold, dry winters and warm, somewhat wetter summers. Altitude and dryness cause the diurnal temperature variation to be high year-round.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,195 people, 978 households, and 622 families residing in the town. The population density was 638.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,124 housing units at an average density of 327.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.81% Caucasian, 0.09% African American, 0.64% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.73% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.74% of the population.

There were 978 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.6% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,800, and the median income for a family was $40,455. Males had a median income of $32,841 versus $25,486 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,920. About 9.4% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
U.S. Route 24 is an east–west highway running from Clarkston, Michigan, to its intersection with Interstate 70 near Minturn, Colorado. Its western terminus is located just 64 mi north of Buena Vista.

The short segment between US 50 at Poncha Springs and US 24 at Buena Vista was originally U.S. Route 650, designated in 1926. US 285 was commissioned in 1936 along its present extent from Sanderson, Texas, to Denver, mostly replacing state-numbered highways.

Chaffee County Road 306 leaves Buena Vista and travels west to the summit of Cottonwood Pass (elevation 12,126 ft. This road is closed during the snowy months, typically late October to April or May, but when open allows travelers a more direct route to Gunnison and Crested Butte than US 50 crossing Monarch Pass to the south of town.

Buena Vista is part of Colorado's Bustang network. It is on the Gunnison-Denver Outrider line.

Notable people

 * Christine Arguello (born 1955), federal judge
 * Trace Bundy, acoustic guitar player
 * Austin Carlile, vocalist, Of Mice and Men
 * Mason Finley, American shot putter and discus thrower
 * Matt Hemingway, American track and field athlete
 * Curtis Imrie, pack burro racer
 * Nate Solder, tackle, New York Giants

title: Buena Vista, Colorado


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Poncha Springs, Colorado

Poncha Springs is a statutory Town in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The population was 925 at the 2020 census.

History
The Ute people used the Poncha Springs area as camping grounds during the winter months on the eve of European settlement of the region. Juan Bautista de Anza led a military expedition over Poncha Pass in 1779, which is about 6 mi south of the present-day town. Following the Spanish exploration, French trappers and fur traders moved in. In 1855, Colonel Thomas T. Fauntleroy and the 1st Cavalry Regiment marched over Poncha Pass and engaged a group of Utes between present day Salida and Poncha Springs, during the Ute Wars.

Around 1860, prospectors began arriving, including Bob Hendricks and Nat Rich, who built the first cabin in town, which is still standing. Nat Rich's son, James, was the first white person born in Poncha Springs in 1867. That same year Poncha Springs was designated as an election precinct.

Indian agent John Burnett homesteaded with his wife, Minerva Maxwell Burnett, who was an early schoolteacher in Poncha Springs. In 1866, Burnett constructed a log building on his ranch to serve as an Indian trading post. The Hutchinson and McPherson families also homesteaded the area around the same time. John McPherson purchased Nat Rich's squatting rights from Joe Hutchinson and built a grocery store.

Poncha Springs began to grow in the 1870s, and was incorporated on December 8, 1880. The Poncha Springs Schoolhouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and now serves as town hall, was completed in 1883.

Hot springs
The European discovery of the Poncha hot springs is widely disputed. Some historians believe Lt. Zebulon Pike, after whom Pikes Peak is named, made the discovery in 1806. Others credit frontiersman Kit Carson, who passed through Poncha Springs in 1832. John Burnett, Henry Weber, and Paul Irvine built the first spring-fed bath in 1868 by digging a large pit, which they lined with logs to contain the water. The town flourished when the railroad passed through, and the springs became a popular attraction. Two hotels were constructed on the site, but both burned down. In 1904, a year after the last fire, the Holman family arrived to manage the springs. By then a hand-plastered rock pool, two cabins, two baths, and a sleeping room had been built.

The springs were operated by Donald Hartwich from 1927 to 1935, when the City of Salida had the W.P.A. pipe the water to the pool in Salida. The springs were capped with cement and have since become property of the City of Salida.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 7.0 km2, all of it land.

Transportation
Poncha Springs calls itself "Crossroads of the Rockies" due to the intersection of two main thoroughfares in the town. US 50 runs through the town east-west, while US 285 runs through north-south.

Poncha Springs is part of Colorado's Bustang bus network. It is on the Alamosa-Pueblo Outrider bus line.

Tesla operates a supercharger station in the town.

title: Poncha Springs, Colorado


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Salida, Colorado

Salida (Spanish:, "exit") is the statutory city that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The population was 5,666 at the 2020 census.

History
A post office has been in operation at Salida since 1881. Salida, meaning "exit" in Spanish, was named on account of its location near the point where the Arkansas River flows out of the valley and into Bighorn Sheep Canyon, upstream from the Royal Gorge.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.77 sqmi, and the Arkansas River, which runs through the town, is the major source of water for local agriculture.

The Sawatch Range runs north and south and is located roughly 10 mi west of Salida. The Mosquito Range parallels the Sawatch Range to the east, forming the Upper Arkansas Valley, and the southern terminus of the range, just east of Salida, is known locally as the Arkansas Hills. Methodist Mountain, which is a major feature on Salida's southern horizon, is the northernmost mountain in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. To the north of Salida is the Upper Arkansas Valley and the town of Buena Vista.

U.S. Route 50 runs along the southern edge of the city and leads east down the Arkansas River 58 mi to Cañon City; to the west it leads 4 mi to Poncha Springs and 63 mi over the Continental Divide to Gunnison. Canon City and Pueblo lie to the east.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification, Salida has a Cold semi-arid climate (BSk)

Education
The city is served by Salida Public Schools. There are two public high schools, Salida High School and Horizons Exploratory Academy; and three middle schools, Salida Middle School, Salida Montessori Charter School, and the Crest Academy. Colorado Mountain College has a campus in Salida, which opened in 2019.

Health care
Salida and Chaffee County are served by the Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center, located on the north side of Town on Rush Drive.

Transportation
Salida is part of Colorado's Bustang network. It is on both the Alamosa-Pueblo and the Gunnison-Denver Outrider lines.

Culture
The Salida Downtown Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. On March 30, 2012, downtown Salida was named one of two inaugural Certified Creative Districts in Colorado. Salida is also home to the Shavano Chapter of the Columbine Poets of Colorado, which is affiliated with the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). The group organizes workshops and festivals and offers poetry contests for both adults and students. On March 30, 2012, Colorado by Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the State's Office of Economic Development and International Trade, announced that the City of Salida's historic downtown was selected as one of only two inaugural “Certified Creative Districts” in Colorado.

Notable people

 * Sally Blane, actress
 * Louie Croft Boyd, Superintendent of Nurses, Rio Grande Hospital
 * Chris Guccione, Major League Baseball umpire
 * Kent Haruf, novelist
 * Ruth Hinshaw Spray, peace activist
 * Laura Evans

title: Salida, Colorado


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Cheyenne Wells, Colorado

Cheyenne Wells is the Statutory Town that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Cheyenne County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 758 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
The community was named for the fact Cheyenne Indians maintained water wells near the original town site.

Geography
Cheyenne Wells is located at 38.82111°N, -102.35361°W (38.821141, -102.353637).

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 2.770 km2, all of it land.

A small area about 10 miles southwest of Cheyenne Wells is antipodal, or globally opposite, to Île Saint-Paul, an island in the southern Indian Ocean.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,010 people, 417 households, and 261 families residing in the town. The population density was 974.3 PD/sqmi. There were 505 housing units at an average density of 487.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.19% White, 0.99% African American, 0.79% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 6.44% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.90% of the population.

There were 417 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,563, and the median income for a family was $45,132. Males had a median income of $32,941 versus $23,077 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,840. About 7.5% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Tumbleweed Midstream owns the Ladder Creek Helium Plant near Cheyenne Wells. It is only one of fourteen helium plants in the world.

Rail
The Union Pacific Railroad passes through Cheyenne Wells.

Highways
U.S. Highway 40 passes through the community and follows roughly parallel to the railway.

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Cheyenne Wells include:
 * Nellie M. Payne (1900-1990), agricultural chemist, entomologist

title: Cheyenne Wells, Colorado


text:
Kit Carson, Colorado

Kit Carson is a Statutory Town in Cheyenne County, Colorado, United States. The population was 255 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
The town was named in honor of frontiersman Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson.

Geography
Kit Carson is located at 38.76389°N, -102.79389°W (38.763999, -102.793843).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.6 sqmi, all land.

title: Kit Carson, Colorado


text:
Downieville-Lawson-Dumont, Colorado

Downieville-Lawson-Dumont is a census-designated place (CDP) comprising the unincorporated communities of Downieville, Lawson, and Dumont located in and governed by Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Dumont post office ZIP code 80436 (post office boxes) serves the area. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Downieville-Lawson-Dumont CDP was 527.

Geography
Downieville, Lawson, and Dumont are adjacent in Clear Creek Canyon alongside Interstate 70.

The Downieville-Lawson-Dumont CDP has an area of 2.068 km2, including 0.054 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Downieville-Lawson-Dumont CDP for the United States Census 2000.

title: Downieville-Lawson-Dumont, Colorado


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Empire, Colorado

The historic Town of Empire is a Statutory Town located in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 345 at the 2020 United States Census, a +22.34% increase since the 2010 United States Census. The town is a former mining settlement that flourished during the Colorado Silver Boom in the late 19th century. Empire is now a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.

It is located in the valley of Clear Creek west of Denver, on the north side of the valley. The town consists of several commercial establishments and residents. U.S. Highway 40 passes through the town as its ascends towards Berthoud Pass, putting the town on the direct route between Denver and Middle Park.

History
A post office called Empire City was established in 1861, and the name was changed to Empire in 1886. The town was named after New York, the "Empire State". Empire was incorporated in 1882.

Geography
Empire is located in north-central Clear Creek County at 39.76032°N, -105.68299°W.

West of the town of Empire is a group of high summits along the Continental Divide, including Mount Flora, Mount Eva, Parry Peak, James Peak, Colorado Mines Peak, and Mount Bancroft, named for Frederick J. Bancroft who was noted for his public health and historical work for the state.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 0.701 km2 including 0.006 km2 of water.

Climate
This climate type is dominated by the winter season, a long, bitterly cold period with short, clear days, relatively little precipitation mostly in the form of snow, and low humidity.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 355 people, 163 households, and 88 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,406.0 PD/sqmi. There were 179 housing units at an average density of 708.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 94.37% White, 3.10% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.66% of the population.

There were 163 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,159, and the median income for a family was $43,750. Males had a median income of $40,313 versus $29,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,417. About 10.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Points of interest

 * Peck House - Historic hotel and restaurant.
 * Hard Rock Cafe - Dating from 1934 and named for the hard rock miners that were its early customers, it predates and is not affiliated with the chain of restaurants that also call themselves the Hard Rock Cafe.

In fiction
Empire is the setting of Bonnie Nadzam's short story, titled "Empire" after the town.

title: Empire, Colorado


text:
Georgetown, Colorado

Georgetown is the territorial charter municipality that is the county seat of Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 1,118 at the 2020 United States Census. The former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains was established in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. The federally designated Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District comprises Georgetown, the neighboring town of Silver Plume, and the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park between the two towns. The Georgetown Post Office has the ZIP code 80444.

The town sits at an elevation of 8530 ft above sea level, nestled in the mountains near the upper end of the valley of Clear Creek in the mountains west of Denver along Interstate 70. Although population was only about 1,000 at the 2010 census, the town was a historic center of the mining industry in Colorado during the late 19th century, earning the nickname the "Silver Queen of Colorado". It has evolved into a lively historical summer tourist center today with many preserved structures from the heyday of the Colorado Silver Boom. The town stretches roughly north–south along Clear Creek, hemmed in by the mountains, with the historic downtown located at the southern (upper) end and modern development located at the northern (lower) end of town. Georgetown is now a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.

History

The area was first settled in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. George and David Griffith were members of a mining party which decided to separate from the others in the Central City and Idaho Springs areas. They found gold in Clear Creek (near the present day site of the Alpine Inn) and decided to settle in the area for the rest of the summer and fall. The Griffith Mining District incorporated in June 1860. Soon after the formation of the Griffith Mining District, several early residents joined to form the "Georgetown Company," claiming 640 acres for a town site. The town site would be overseen by the Girffith Mining District. The commercial district was tagged "Main Street," a name which would continue into the 20th century. The center of the nascent town was roughly in the area of the I-70 interchange, close to the present-day Rutherford stables.

Silver, the main product from the district, was not discovered until 1864. John Henry Bowman (1850–1900) came to Silver Plume, Colorado, in 1883, then moved to Georgetown, Colorado, in 1885. A machinist, he worked as foreman of the Miners Sampling Works. Later, he was superintendent of the American Sisters Mine, a company in which he owned stock. American Sisters Mine was a consolidation of Two Sisters Mine and Native American Mine, silver mines located on Columbia Mountain in upper Clear Creek County, Colorado. In 1891–1892, John Bowman and his wife, Lavinia Potts Bowman (1848–1901) built what later became known as the Bowman/White House in Georgetown (a historical site today). There they raised two daughters, Iorria and Mary Ellen ("Mellie"). In 1899, Iorria married J. E. Carnal and moved to Ohio.

For the most part, Mellie (1876–1969) stayed in the family home after she married John James ("J.J.") White (1870–1932) in 1901. She inherited half of her father's share in the American Sisters Mine and served on the Georgetown Library Association from 1911–1922.

Mellie's husband, John James White Sr., bought the remaining stock of what was now called the Two American Sisters Mine. He managed construction of a dam and power plant north of Georgetown, and built a new shaft house and mill at the mine site. White, an attorney, practiced law, served as the Police Judge (Mayor) of Georgetown from 1900–1902, and was President of the Georgetown school board. The Bowman-White House still remains, and is registered as a historical site in Georgetown, Colorado.

In the fall of 1867 discussions began about the formation of a town. On January 28, 1868, the Territorial Legislature passed a law incorporating the Town of Georgetown. A few months later it wrested the county seat from nearby Idaho Springs, which is a larger community today. The historic courthouse dates from this year. Georgetown is the only Colorado municipality that still operates under a charter from the Territory of Colorado which includes a Police Judge as Mayor and a Board of Selectmen instead of a Town Council. The building of the narrow gauge Colorado Central Railroad up the canyon from Golden in the 1870s further increased the central position of the town. Although most of the railroad was later removed, a portion remained between the town and Silver Plume and is operated today as a tourist railroad called the Georgetown Loop. The town experienced its greatest growth and prosperity during the Colorado silver boom of the 1880s when it rivaled Leadville to the west as the mining capital of Colorado. At one time, before the collapse of the silver boom in 1893, the town population exceeded 10,000, and a movement arose briefly among local citizens to move the state capital there from Denver.

The frontier gambler, Poker Alice, lived for a time in Georgetown and in several other Colorado communities where she was considered an expert player and dealer. Following the collapse of the Silver Boom, the town population dwindled. In the 1950s the town began to experience a small renaissance as an après-ski watering hole for the thousands of skiers who passed through the town on their way down from the mountains at the ski areas near Loveland Pass and Guanella Pass. Small craft shops began to set up businesses in the once decrepit 19th century storefronts. By the late 1960s, the establishment of a museum in one of the historic hotels had made the town a popular summer tourist destination where visitors could relive the experience of walking among structures from the mining boom. Furthermore, as the front range ski areas grow in popularity, the town makes for a good midway-stop for the returning skiers coming through I-70. More winter sports traffic comes from the nearby Otter Mountain, and in the winter the towns hotels house many skiers.

The made-for-TV movie The Christmas Gift, starring John Denver, was filmed in Georgetown in 1986. The film is about a widower and his daughter who go to Georgetown for vacation and business and find the true meaning of Christmas.

Other movies filmed at least partly in Georgetown include the made-for-TV movies "Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo, and "Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin Deep Scandal"; and the feature film "Switchback" with Danny Glover and Dennis Quaid; and at least one scene from "The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox", with Goldie Hawn and George Segal. In addition, it has been the site for the filming of various commercials, and some music videos, including part of John Tesh's "A Romantic Christmas."

The Sonic Bloom Music Festival takes place every June in Georgetown. It moved to Georgetown in 2011 and features premier electronic artists.

On February 19, 2020, Parker the Show Dog was sworn in as honorary mayor of Georgetown. Local Colorado celebrity Parker the Snow Dog, a Bernese mountain dog, received worldwide attention for becoming the new honorary mayor of Georgetown. Parker is the official mascot of Loveland Ski Area, an avid Broncos fan and philanthropist and Camp Therapy Dog for Rocky Mountain Easter Seals. Parker the Snow Dog was voted unanimously to be the Honorary Mayor of Georgetown, by the Town of Georgetown Selectmen on February 12, 2020. Parker's website is www.officialsnowdog.com

Key scenes from the 1978 Clint Eastwood movie Every Which Way but Loose were filmed in Georgetown.

Geography
Georgetown is located in the valley of Clear Creek. Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 6 run along the western edge of the town, with access from Exit 228. It is 45 mi east to Denver and 22 mi west across the Continental Divide to Silverthorne.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 2.845 km2 including 0.262 km2 of water.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Georgetown has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,088 people, 503 households, and 278 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,146.2 PD/sqmi. There were 670 housing units at an average density of 705.8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 95.96% White, 0.18% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 1.10% from other races, and 1.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.41% of the population.

There were 503 households, out of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.7% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $42,969, and the median income for a family was $53,333. Males had a median income of $35,952 versus $28,068 for females. The per capita income for the town was $25,180. About 3.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local publication

 * Historic Georgetown: Centennial Gazette 1868−1968

title: Georgetown, Colorado


text:
Silver Plume, Colorado

Silver Plume is a Statutory Town located in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. Silver Plume is a former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The federally designated Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District comprises Silver Plume, the neighboring town of Georgetown, and the Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park between the two towns.

The town population was 207 at the 2020 census. The Silver Plume Post Office has the ZIP code 80476.

Geography
Silver Plume is located in the valley of Clear Creek at 39.69583°N, -105.72611°W (39.695919, -105.726066). Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 6 pass through the town, with access from Exit 226. It is 20 mi west across the Continental Divide to Silverthorne and 46 mi east to Denver.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Silver Plume has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.6 km$2$), all of it land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Silver Plume has a subarctic climate, abbreviated "Dfc" on climate maps.

History
The town of Silver Plume has a very rich history. That history can be viewed by the general public either at the George Rowe Museum, which is in the original school house of the town, or by walking the 7:30 Mine Trail, which gives the individual a grand view of the Silver Plume valley and the town nestled at its base.

Many tales circulate about the town. One involves its naming. According to records and legends, Louis Dupuy, the owner of the Hotel De Paris, was also a newspaper editor for the town. When miners from Silver Plume brought him samples of the town's ore and asked him what they should name the small camp, he allegedly wrote a short poem on the spot:

Knights today are miners bold,

Who delve in deep mines' gloom,

To honor men who dig for gold,

For ladies whom their arms enfold,

We'll name the town Silver Plume!

Many other legends abound about the small "Living Ghost Town". One involves a much-beloved citizen from the mining days, Clifford Griffin. According to legend, Mr. Griffin came from the state of New York, where he was raised. Griffin became engaged in New York, but his fiancée tragically, and mysteriously, died the night before their wedding. Her death was contributed to unnameable "natural causes", and to escape the painful memories of his beloved, he moved to Colorado with his brother, who eventually became the owner of the 7:30 Mine (so named because their day shift started a generous hour later than the other mines, who started at 6:30 AM). Clifford became the manager of the 7:30, and was much loved by his miners for his kindness. According to local legend, every Christmas he bought all his miners a goose for their families, and every Fourth of July, he paid off every bar between Silver Plume and current-day Bakerville 4 mi to the west, so his miners could enjoy their holiday without spending their family's money. Not only did he take care of his miners, every evening he provided them with entertainment as well. Since he could not bear the daily sight of his men with their wives and families after his tragedy, he spent a great deal of time near the entrance to the 7:30, which sits about 1500 ft above the town of Silver Plume. Every evening he would sit near the edge of a nearby cliff and play his violin. Due to the incredible acoustics of the valley, the entire town could step outside and listen to his concerts. According to local legend, one evening, after a particularly beautiful recital, the residents heard a gunshot. Assuming the worst, the miners of the 7:30 raced up the trail to the entrance, and there they found Clifford Griffin, shot through the heart, in a grave he'd dug himself. A note in the nearby Manager's Office told the tale. It asked the residents of Silver Plume to leave him where he lay, because that's where he'd experienced the most happiness since his wife died. Not only did they follow his request, the town erected a 10-foot-tall Gunnison Granite monument in his honor, directly on top of his grave site. The monument can still be seen today, on the cliffs directly in front of the 7:30 Mine.

title: Silver Plume, Colorado


text:
St. Mary's, Colorado

St. Mary's is a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the St. Mary's CDP was 333 at the United States Census 2020. The St. Mary's Glacier Metropolitan District and the St. Mary's Glacier Water & Sanitation District provide services. The Idaho Springs post office (Zip Code 80452) serves the area.

Geography
The St. Mary's CDP has an area of 3.744 km2, including 0.018 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the St. Mary's CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Historic ski area

 * St. Mary's Glacier Ski Area

title: St. Mary's, Colorado


text:
Antonito, Colorado

Antonito (in Spanish Antoñito) is a Statutory Town located in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 647 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
Antonito began life as a sheep herding camp known as San Antonio Junction, referring to its proximity to the Conejos and San Antonio rivers. When the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad built its line south from Alamosa, the town was renamed Antonito and became an important town on the railroad line. The town was incorporated in 1889. There are currently no major industries located in Antonito, but the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has one terminus in Antonito and the other in Chama, New Mexico. The C&TS also has maintenance facilities and rail yard in the town.

In 2015, a Colorado State Highway project rebuilt the stretch of Highway 285 that runs through town. The new highway has helped beautify the downtown area and improve traffic flow.

The city has a number of unique buildings, including a historic Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad depot, one of only a few lava rock depots still existing in the United States. Currently in a state of disrepair, a grant to restore the building is in the works. Cano's Castle, a folk-art home constructed by a local resident, attracts attention from tourists and local residents alike. Just south of town, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Conejos County have jointly developed an outdoor shooting range with areas for rifle sighting as well as target practice ranges for various types of rifles and handguns. An indoor archery range and nearby hunting and fishing opportunities attract outdoor enthusiasts.

A library, tire repair shop and a new medical clinic have opened in recent years and Family Dollar recently built a store in Antonito. The South Conejos School District recently constructed a new South Conejos Jr. and Sr. High School in the town.

Several scenes from the prologue of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed in and around Antonito, including scenes depicting the Jones family home. This century-old structure is currently used as a bed and breakfast.

The town is known for its many murals, most of them painted by Fred Haberlein.

Antonito is the location of the oldest church building and congregation in Colorado, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, built in 1857.

Following the legalization of cannabis in Colorado, Antonito took advantage of its location along the New Mexico border (where cannabis was illegal until 2022) to become a destination for New Mexico residents seeking to legally purchase cannabis. The tax revenue resulted in a $295,000 annual increase to the city budget.

Geography
Antonito is located in the San Luis Valley near the southern border of Colorado along U.S. Highway 285. It is 28 mi north to Alamosa and 30 mi south to U.S. Route 64 at Tres Piedras, New Mexico.

At the 2020 United States Census, Antonito had a total area of 1.105 km2, all of it land.

Antonito is the southern terminus of the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad and the eastern terminus of the steam powered, narrow gauge Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which runs westwards to Osier, Colorado, and Chama, New Mexico.

Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 873 people, 357 households and 234 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,212.3 PD/sqmi. There were 396 housing units at an average density of 1,003.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 61.40% White, 0.11% African American, 3.55% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 31.96% from other races, and 2.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 90.26% of the population.

There were 357 households, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 20.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.09.

28.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.4 males.

The median household income was $19,205 and the median family income was $23,162. Males had a median income of $25,417 compared with $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,047. About 26.4% of families and 29.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.3% of those under age 18 and 22.5% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Carlos F. Lucero, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
 * Joe Mondragon, jazz musician

title: Antonito, Colorado


text:
La Jara, Colorado

La Jara is a statutory town in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The population was 730 at the 2020 United States Census.

Geography
La Jara is in the San Luis Valley region of Colorado. U.S. Route 285 passes through La Jara, leading north 14 mi to Alamosa and south 20 mi to the New Mexico border and beyond.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 km2, all land.

Notable people

 * Eppie Archuleta, master weaver and 1985 recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship
 * Morton Blackwell, conservative political activist, born in La Jara in 1939
 * Donald Valdez, former Colorado State Representative

title: La Jara, Colorado


text:
Manassa, Colorado

Founded in 1851, the Town of Manassa is a Statutory Town and is the most populous municipality in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The town's population was 947 at the 2020 United States Census.

Location
Manassa is a farming and ranching community located in eastern Conejos County, Colorado in the sprawling San Luis Valley in South-Central Colorado.

Manassa's elevation is 7683 ft above sea level. The land within Manassa city limits is entirely flat, with rolling hills nearby. Foothills and mountains (taller than 14000 ft) are farther in each direction, including the Sangre de Cristo Range to the east and the San Juan Mountains to the west.

The most prominent mountain in the area, Blanca Peak, is 37 miles to the northeast and towers over the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

The San Luis Valley contains six counties and portions of three others. It is an extensive high-elevation depositional basin of approximately 8,000 mi2 with an average elevation of 7,664 ft above sea level. The valley is a section of the Rio Grande Rift and is drained to the south by the Rio Grande, which rises in the San Juan Mountains to the west of the valley and flows south into New Mexico. The San Luis Valley has a cold desert climate but has substantial water resources from the Rio Grande and groundwater.

History
Migration patterns demonstrate how people from northern New Mexico settled the area around Manassa in the mid 19th century. Many early settlers were the descendants of colonists from the Spanish colonial period beginning in 1598 with Juan de Oñate's colonization of New Mexico. Today, approximately half of Manassa's residents are of Spanish and Mexican heritage. Most of the other citizens of Manassa are the descendants of the Mormon pioneers who founded Manassa in 1879, and named the town after Manasseh, a son of the Israelite Joseph. Manassa was located a short distance from two ranches purchased by the Mormons from Hispanos on the south side of the Conejos River, across from Los Cerritos, Colorado,

Railroad
The selection of the land for the colony was made on the assurance that the railroad would soon be built nearby. However, one year later the railroad bypassed the colony, and instead passed through Romeo, just 3 mi to the west.

The Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad (formerly the San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad) is a class III railroad operating in south-central Colorado. It runs on 154 miles of former Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad tracks on three lines radiating from Alamosa and interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad in Walsenburg. Much of the railroad is located in the San Luis Valley. In 2022, it was purchased by Stefan Soloviev.

Geography and climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.4 km2, all land.

Manassa experiences a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and warm, somewhat wetter summers.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,042 people, 362 households, and 280 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,110.9 PD/sqmi. There were 398 housing units at an average density of 424.3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 81.00% White, 0.48% African American, 1.63% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 13.24% from other races, and 3.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 48.75% of the population.

There were 362 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 13.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.4% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.7% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,092, and the median income for a family was $26,827. Males had a median income of $23,295 versus $16,029 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,576. About 23.2% of families and 28.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.8% of those under age 18 and 19.4% of those age 65 or over.

Streets

Manassa's wide streets, such as those typically found elsewhere in towns started by Mormons, are fashioned in a grid system. The town fits perfectly in a township and comprises close to one square mile, made up of eight blocks by eight blocks for a total of 64 city blocks. From east to west, the streets are numbered First through Ninth. From south to north, the streets are named South, Jack, Morgan, Smith, Main (aka State Highway 142), Berthelson, Peterson, Dotson, and North.

Manassa's mile-long Main Street is designated State Highway 142, connecting Romeo and U.S. Route 285 3 mi to the west, with the historic town of San Luis in Costilla County 29 mi to the east. The San Luis Hills are east of Manassa, on State Highway 142, between Manassa and San Luis.

Pioneer Days
The community-at-large, and generations from all over the San Luis Valley and beyond, celebrate Manassa Pioneer Days with a colorful parade known for its amazing floats goes down Main Street on two days. At the fairgrounds you can watch horse races, rodeo events, motorcross races, a very popular demolition derby, fireworks, live entertainment, barbecues, and a morning 5K run.

This is one of the best western heritage festivals around, and it includes a carnival with the Tilt-a-Whirl, bumper cars, ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, and other midway rides. Live musical entertainment, a hamburger stand, and vendor booths line Manassa's city park on Main Street during these busy days. The rocks on the nearby mountain with its painted letter M are doused with kerosene and the burning spectacle lights up the night sky for several hours.

The celebration features small-town fun and more than a century of tradition. Held annually for two days around July 24, this is one of the oldest festivals in the state, with the 144th annual celebration being held in 2023. The weekend-long affair is in honor of the arrival of Brigham Young and fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah's Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. The Mormon pioneers, as they were commonly known, left their settlement in Nauvoo, Illinois, and journeyed west seeking refuge from religious persecution.

Each year, attendance for Manassa Pioneer Days is estimated at close to 10,000 per day, with people coming from many parts of the country to visit family and friends and to enjoy the festivities.

Transportation
Travel connections to major cities are generally made at Colorado Springs, Denver, or Albuquerque.

With daily flights to Denver, the nearest commercial airport San Luis Valley Regional Airport is in Alamosa 24 mi to the north. Alamosa is the most populated municipality and the main trading center for the San Luis Valley.

Schools
Manassa students attend public schools in the North Conejos School District RE1-J. There is an elementary school in Manassa, but older students attend the district's middle school (Centauri Middle School) and high school (Centauri High School) about 10 mi north and west of Manassa, just south of the town of La Jara. The high school teams are the Falcons, and the school colors are red and white.

Higher education
Students from Manassa who don't want to travel far or wish to remain in the area, can get their higher education in nearby Alamosa. With a population of about 8,500, Alamosa is the home of Adams State University where students can earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of disciplines.

Alamosa is also home to a branch campus of Trinidad State College, a two-year community college, which offers a considerable selection of courses including Massage, Nursing, Welding, Auto and Diesel Mechanics and Law Enforcement Training.

Churches
There are two churches in Manassa: St. Therese of the Child Jesus Catholic Church, and a meetinghouse for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Hospitals
Conejos County Hospital is a critical access hospital in La Jara, Colorado, in Conejos County. The hospital has 17 beds and is a Level IV trauma center, serving Conejos and Costilla counties in the San Luis Valley. It is the only emergency service provider in the two counties in the 2,514 square mile area.

The hospital was established in 1963. It was originally started and staffed by Mennonites who continued running the hospital through the 1970s. The hospital completed a $6 million expansion in 2019, which included an upgrade to its emergency rooms.

The hospital is one of two hospitals (and several regional clinics) that make up San Luis Valley Health (SLV Health), a small hospital network founded in 2013. The other hospital in the network is the San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center in Alamosa.

Banks and financial institutions
The nearest bank is located in La Jara, Colorado, 10 miles away. The La Jara banking center is part of Community Banks of Colorado, a division of National Bank Holdings, NBH Bank, Member FDIC.

The Guadalupe Parish Credit Union, in Antonito, Colorado, serves parishioners and their family members from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Antonito, CO, St. Joseph's Parish in La Jara, CO, and Sangre de Cristo Parish in San Luis, CO.

Tourism
Manassa counts many nearby attractions, including the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, Colorado Gators Reptile Park, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad, Fort Garland Museum, UFO Watchtower, and the Stations of the Crosses site in nearby San Luis, Colorado, which is the oldest town in the State of Colorado.

Our Lady of Guadeloupe Catholic Church, the oldest church in Colorado, founded in 1858, 18 years before Colorado's statehood is located in nearby Conejos, about 10 mi southwest of Manassa, near the town of Antonito.

Notable people

 * Jack Dempsey (aka The Manassa Mauler). William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American professional heavyweight champion boxer The Jack Dempsey Museum honors the legacy and memory of the famous boxing champion.
 * Ken Salazar, Appointed by President Joe R. Biden to serve as United States Ambassador to Mexico, former Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior, former U.S. senator, Democrat, first elected 2004 for a six-year term. Former Attorney General for the State of Colorado.
 * John Salazar, served as Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015 and U.S. representative from Colorado's 3rd congressional district from 2005 to 2011. John Salazar is the brother of Ken Salazar.

Turquoise mine
Mantissa turquoise is mined east of Manassa. It is known for its blue-green to green color with a golden or brown, non-webbed matrix. The Manassa mine is still in production and owned by the King family, thus the alternate name sometimes used for this turquoise. This stone is a favorite of many; the beautiful green color is very striking, excellent when used in gold.

This site, originally mined by Ancestral Pueblo peoples, was rediscovered in 1890 by gold prospector I.P. King, and his descendants still work the claim. King's Manassa turquoise is best known for its brilliant greens and golden matrices, but blue and blue-green turquoise was found amid these deposits as well.

Federal lands
The Conejos River is a tributary of the Rio Grande, approximately 92.5 mi long, in south-central Colorado in the United States. It drains a scenic area of the eastern San Juan Mountains west of the San Luis Valley. Trout fishing is popular on the Conejos River.

The Rio Grande National Forest is a 1.86 million-acre (7,530 km2) U.S. National Forest located in southwestern Colorado. The forest encompasses the San Luis Valley, which is the world's largest agricultural alpine valley, as well as one of the world's largest high deserts located around mountains. The Rio Grande rises in the forest, and the Continental Divide runs along most of its western border. The forest lies in parts of nine counties. In descending order of land area within the forest they are Saguache, Mineral, Conejos, Rio Grande, Hinsdale, San Juan, Alamosa, Archuleta, and Custer counties. Forest headquarters are currently located in Monte Vista, Colorado, but plan to move to Del Norte. There are local ranger district offices in Del Norte, La Jara, and Saguache.

The San Luis Hills WSA are a group of small mountain ranges in Conejos and Costilla counties in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. The individual mountain ranges that make up the San Luis Hills include the Fairy Hills, the Brownie Hills, the Piñon Hills, and the South Piñon Hills. The San Luis Hills' highest point is Flat Top, elevation 9,206 ft.

The South San Juan Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the San Juan National Forest, east of Pagosa Springs, in southern Colorado. The area, which spans 158,790 acres, was designated a Wilderness Area and put into the National Wilderness Preservation System in 1980 by the United States Congress.

The Conejos, San Juan, and Blanco rivers all begin in the area.

The last known grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in the wilderness in 1979. Some believe that it is still home to a few grizzlies, but there is no sufficient evidence yet to prove this.

Media
The Valley Courier in Alamosa and The SLV Dweller "a website dedicated to all things San Luis Valley," are two media outlets covering events in and near Manassa.

Political representation

 * Colorado State House District 62: Matthew Martinez, D-Monte Vista
 * Colorado State Senate District 6: Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa
 * U. S. Representative District 3: Lauren Boebert, R-Rifle
 * United States Senators: John Hickenlooper (D), and Michael Bennet (D)

Government
Town Hall, 401 Main Street, PO Box 130, Manassa, Colorado 81141 (719) 843–5207

title: Manassa, Colorado


text:
Romeo, Colorado

Romeo is a Statutory Town in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The population was 302 at the 2020 census. A post office called Romeo was established in 1901. The community derives its name from the surname Romero.

Geography
Romeo is located in east-central Conejos County in the San Luis Valley region. U.S. Route 285 runs along the western border of the town, leading north 21 mi to Alamosa and south 12 mi to the New Mexico border and beyond. Colorado State Highway 142 is the town's Main Street, with its western terminus at U.S. 285 and leading east 3 mi to Manassa and 32 mi to San Luis.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 sqmi, all of it land.

title: Romeo, Colorado


text:
Sanford, Colorado

Sanford is a statutory town in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The population was 879 at the 2020 census.

A post office called Sanford has been in operation since 1888. The town was named after Silas Sanford Smith, a Mormon pioneer.

Geography
Sanford is located in northeastern Conejos County in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. The town of La Jara is 3 mi to the west by State Highway 136.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.8 km2, all of it land.

title: Sanford, Colorado


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Blanca, Colorado

Blanca is a Statutory Town located in Costilla County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 322 at the 2020 census. Blanca is located in the enormous San Luis Valley.

History
The town, named for Blanca Peak, was founded in August 1908 from a land lottery in the San Luis Valley of south central Colorado. It was incorporated in 1909.

In the mid-1990s Polish settlers set up shop at the Red Rocks General Store selling liquor, beer, polish sausages, and other eastern European goods. Blanca is the region's main supplier of bilberry syrup. Blanca is known for elk hunting and alpine trout fishing.

Geography
Blanca is located in the east of the San Luis Valley and northern Costilla County. The town lies along U.S. Route 160, 20 mi east of Alamosa and 52 mi west of Walsenburg.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had an area of 4.747 km2, all of it land.

The region has a cool, dry climate, with 107 frost-free days each year. Temperatures range from -30 °F to 85 °F. Annual rainfall is about 7 in.

In areas not irrigated, dunes carry sparse vegetation such as greasewood, rubber rabbitbrush, salt grass, sandhill muhly and sand dropseed. The dunes are intermingled with depressions and basins of historical playas. The Blanca Wetlands, an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, lies northwest of the town. The wetlands receive groundwater for irrigation from the Closed Basin Project, which delivers groundwater to the Rio Grande.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 391 people, 142 households, and 105 families in the town. The population density was 219.6 PD/sqmi. There were 183 housing units at an average density of 102.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 53.45% White, 0.77% African American, 1.28% Native American, 2.81% Asian, 39.64% from other races, and 2.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 67.01%.

There were 142 households, of which 35.2% had children under 1, 63.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were non-families. 21.1% of households were of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size 3.26.

In the town, the population was 27.9% under 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% 65 or older. The median age was 37. For every 100 females, there were 106.9 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 102.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,875, and the median income for a family $22,411. Males had a median income of $20,125 versus $15,833 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,200. About 19.5% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.1% of those under 18 and 11.3% of those 65 or over.

title: Blanca, Colorado


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Fort Garland, Colorado

Fort Garland is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Costilla County, Colorado, United States. The Fort Garland post office has the ZIP Code 81133. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Fort Garland CDP was 464.

History
Fort Garland was established by the US Army in June 1858 to protect settlers from the Utes in the San Luis Valley, which was then part of the New Mexico Territory. The fort was abandoned in 1883 following the confinement of the tribes to Indian reservation in Utah territory and Colorado. The Fort Garland Museum preserves some of the historic buildings from the fort.

Geography
Fort Garland is located at an elevation of 7936 ft in northern Costilla County. Fort Garland is at the crossroads of U.S. Route 160 and Colorado State Highway 159, which leads south towards Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The town of Blanca is 4 mi west on U.S. Route 160. Walsenburg is 47 mi to the east, across the Sangre de Cristo Range.

The Fort Garland CDP has an area of 0.973 km2, all land.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Fort Garland CDP for the United States Census 2000.

Modern amenities
Fort Garland is referred to as the "Gateway to the San Luis Valley", as it is the first town one encounters when traveling west having crossed over La Veta Pass in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Fort Garland is home to many artists, painters, crafters and internationally known musicians.

Fort Garland has a business district with two motels, several restaurants, the Old Fort Market grocery store, the Fort Garland Museum, two gas stations, two recreational marijuana shops, a car wash, hair salon, campgrounds, hardware store, liquor store, and multiple shops featuring collectibles and antiquities as well as a Wild West show.

The Annual Fort Garland Band Jam Music Festival features local and regional musicians, as well as nationally and internationally recognized musical talent. This summer event, usually held in mid-July, includes an open-air market, local food vendors offering up traditional and regional cuisine, a beer garden, and children's activities. The music offered covers numerous styles, from traditional Spanish guitar to R&B to rock and roll.

The Blanca/Fort Garland Community Center is open to residents and the public on daily, monthly or annual fees.

The Entrada Visitor's Center offers information on local and regional points of interest, such as the Great Sand Dunes, the Colorado 'Gator farm, UFO Watchtower and other activities located within the San Luis Valley.

title: Fort Garland, Colorado


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San Luis, Colorado

San Luis is a statutory town that is the county seat and the most populous town of Costilla County, Colorado, United States. Formerly known as San Luis de la Culebra, it is the oldest continuously occupied town in Colorado. The population was 598 at the 2020 census.

History
The Town of San Luis is centuries younger than the pueblos and villages of northern New Mexico because Hispanic settlers were wary of venturing north of the 37th parallel north for fear of Ute and Comanche raids. Armed traders traveled the Old Spanish Trail through the area in the early 19th century. In 1821, the Treaty of Córdoba recognized the independence of Mexico from the Spanish Empire. San Luis was in the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant awarded by the government of New Mexico to the Carlos Beaubien family in 1843. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo annexed northern Mexico to the United States in 1848, and the Compromise of 1850 created the U.S. Territory of New Mexico.

Hispanic settlers from the Taos Valley established several small villages along the Rio Culebra in the San Luis Valley and officially took possession of this portion of the Sangre de Cristo Land Grant on April 9, 1851. The settlers built a church in the central village of La Plaza Medio. They dedicated it on the Feast of Saint Louis, June 21, 1851, renaming the village San Luis de la Culebra in honor of the saint.

The United States Army established Fort Massachusetts in 1852 and Fort Garland in 1858 to provide protection for the settlers in the valley. The village of San Luis remained part of the Territory of New Mexico until 1861 when the Territory of Colorado was established. San Luis became the seat of Costilla County in 1863, and remains so to this day. Colonel Christopher "Kit" Carson, Commander of Fort Garland, negotiated a treaty with the Ute people in 1867. Colorado became a state in 1876 and the Town of San Luis was incorporated in 1885. Today, San Luis is the oldest continuously inhabited town in the State of Colorado.

A Pueblo Chieftain article dated June 8, 1872, describes the three stores of San Luis as kept by Fred Meyer & Co, Auguste Lacome and Mazers & Rich in addition to a blacksmith, butcher, beer saloon, carpenter and two hotels.

Today, the town is renowned for its Stations of the Cross ascending the local mesa. The town celebrates the Fiesta de Santiago y Santa Ana each July and the San Luis Manito Christmas celebration in December.

Geography
The town of San Luis lies in the San Luis Valley. Colorado State Highway 159 leads north 15 mi to Fort Garland and U.S. Route 160, and south 18 mi to the New Mexico border. Highway 142 leads west 31 mi to Manassa.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 km2, all of it land.

title: San Luis, Colorado


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Crowley, Colorado

The Town of Crowley is a Statutory Town in Crowley County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 166 at the 2020 United States Census.

Geography
Crowley is located in southern Crowley County at 38.19361°N, -103.85778°W (38.193614, -103.857802). Colorado State Highway 96 leads east 6 mi to Ordway, the county seat, and west 43 mi to Pueblo. Highway 207 leads south 6 mi to Manzanola and U.S. Route 50.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 0.584 km2, all of it land.

Notable people
Jonathan Almanzar (founder of Chick'nCone)

title: Crowley, Colorado


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Olney Springs, Colorado

Olney Springs is a Statutory Town in Crowley County, Colorado, United States. The population was 315 at the 2020 census.

Description
A post office called Olney Springs has been in operation since 1909. The town was named after one Mr. Olney, a railroad official.

Geography
Olney Springs is located in southwestern Crowley County at 38.16583°N, -103.94583°W (38.165844, -103.945723). Colorado State Highway 96 leads east 11 mi to Ordway, the county seat, and west 38 mi to Pueblo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 sqmi, all of it land.

Slightly west of the town is the Crowley County Correctional Facility, owned by the Corrections Corporation of America. It has 1,794 prisoners from various states. Built as a speculative venture in 1998, it had a massive riot in 1999 when operated by the now-defunct Community Services Corporation. The builder, Dominion Ventures, took over its management, and in January 2003 ownership and operation transferred to CCA. Another devastating riot took place on July 20, 2004, once again requiring massive intervention by local and state law enforcement and correctional personnel.

title: Olney Springs, Colorado


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Ordway, Colorado

Ordway is a Statutory Town in and the county seat of Crowley County, Colorado, United States, that is also the most populous community in the county. The population was 1,066 at the 2020 census.

History
A post office called Ordway has been in operation since 1890. The community was named after George N. Ordway, a Denver politician.

Geography
Ordway is located in south-central Crowley County at 38.21972°N, -103.75722°W (38.219633, -103.757264). State Highway 96 runs along the southern edge of the town, leading west 49 mi to Pueblo and east 60 mi to Eads. Highway 71 runs along the eastern edge of the town and leads south 11 mi to U.S. Route 50 near Rocky Ford and north 75 mi to Interstate 70 at Limon.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Ordway has a total area of 0.8 sqmi, all of it land.

title: Ordway, Colorado


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Sugar City, Colorado

Sugar City is a Statutory Town in Crowley County, Colorado, United States. The population was 259 at the 2020 census.

History
A post office called Sugar City has been in operation since 1900. The community was named for the fact it once was a sugar manufacturing center.

Geography
Sugar City is located in southeastern Crowley County at 38.23194°N, -103.66472°W (38.231866, -103.664851). Colorado State Highway 96 leads west 5 mi to Ordway, the county seat, and northeast 33 mi to Haswell.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Sugar City has a total area of 0.4 sqmi, all of it land.

History
Sugar City was named for its sugar beet factory, established in 1899. It was owned by the National Beet Sugar Company. During a drought in the 1950s the wastewater lagoons at the factory dried, producing a smell that overwhelmed the town. The factory closed in 1967.

title: Sugar City, Colorado


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Silver Cliff, Colorado

The Town of Silver Cliff is the Statutory Town that is the most populous municipality in Custer County, Colorado, United States. The population was 609 at the 2020 census, up from 587 in 2010.

History
Silver Cliff was formed in the late 1870s to house the miners of its namesake, the Silver Cliff mine, and other silver mines in the neighborhood, such as the Bull-Domingo. The town, incorporated in 1879, had 5,040 residents by the 1880 census, making it the third most populous town in Colorado, after Denver and Leadville.

Silver Cliff was the county seat from 1886 (when the town won the seat from Rosita) to 1928 (when the seat moved to nearby Westcliffe).

The Silver Cliff mine, also known as the Geyser mine, is on the hill immediately north of the town. Although a large operation that employed many residents of Silver Cliff, the mine was the unfortunate object of eastern stock manipulators. Shares in the Silver Cliff mine were promoted in 1879 by James R. Keene, a famous New York stock operator. The company went bankrupt within a few years, and was sold to the Julianna Mining Company, which was run by an even more unscrupulous stock promoter, Dr. Richard C. Flower of Boston. The Julianna company went bankrupt in 1888. The shareholders rescued the company and renamed it the Geyser Mining Company. Although Flower withdrew from the management, the Geyser Mining Company continued to be run by some of Flower's cronies, so it should not be a surprise that the mine never made a profit. At one time the Geyser mine was the deepest mine in Colorado.

Geography
Silver Cliff is located near the geographic center of Custer County. The town of Westcliffe is immediately adjacent to its west. The town is 54 mi west of Pueblo, via Colorado State Highway 96.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Silver Cliff has a total area of 40.1 km2, all of it land.

Dark skies
Silver Cliff and neighboring Westcliffe, Colorado are recognized as IDA International Dark Sky Communities by The International Dark-Sky Association. Gentle persuasion has resulted in residents and business in the towns and surrounding ranch land reducing the amount of light pollution.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 512 people, 217 households, and 141 families residing in the town. The population density was 32.8 PD/sqmi. There were 284 housing units at an average density of 18.2 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 95.51% White, 0.20% African American, 2.73% Native American, 0.59% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.95% of the population.

There were 217 households, out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $25,000, and the median income for a family was $32,917. Males had a median income of $26,389 versus $17,109 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,899. About 16.7% of families and 20.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.3% of those under age 18 and 15.3% of those age 65 or over.

Silver Cliff Cemetery
Just outside the town of Silver Cliff is Silver Cliff Cemetery, established in the early 1880s. It has been known for the mysterious lights that float around the cemetery at night.

title: Silver Cliff, Colorado


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Westcliffe, Colorado

Westcliffe is a statutory town that is the county seat of Custer County, Colorado, United States. At the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 435.

History
Westcliffe had its start in 1881 when the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad was extended to that point. In 1976, Sangre de Cristo Seminary was founded near Westcliffe, where it still operates.

Geography
Westcliffe is located west of the geographic center of Custer County in the Wet Mountain Valley, between the Wet Mountains to the east and the Sangre de Cristo Range to the west. The town of Silver Cliff is immediately to the east of Westcliffe.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.2 km2, all of it land.

Dark skies
Westcliffe, and neighboring Silver Cliff, Colorado, are recognized as IDA International Dark Sky Communities by The International Dark-Sky Association. Gentle persuasion has resulted in residents and business in the towns and surrounding ranch land reducing the amount of light pollution.

Locals have set up a free observatory in an old period building with a "roll-off" roof to open up the 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with computer-guided pointing and tracking to the skies overhead. Named the Smokey Jack Observatory, it was built in 2015.

Notable people

 * Gordon Clark (1902–1985), philosopher and theologian, buried near Westcliffe
 * Anne Kimbell (1932–2017), actress and founder of the Westcliffe Center for the Performing Arts
 * Adolph Treidler (1886–1981), artist, born in Westcliffe

title: Westcliffe, Colorado


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Cedaredge, Colorado

Cedaredge is a home rule municipality located in Delta County, Colorado, United States. It is a small, agricultural community with 2,279 residents as of 2020, producing beef cattle, elk, apples, and peaches. Cedaredge is also home to several of the 19 wineries in Delta County, produced from the region's few basic vineyards. Located beneath the southern slopes of the Grand Mesa in the Surface Creek Valley, Cedaredge has an elevated vantage point that affords southern views of the San Juan Mountains, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and the Coloradan communities of Delta, Olathe, and Montrose.

Early history
Up until 1880 much of central and western Colorado was inhabited by the Ute Indians. Under the Act of June 15, 1880, the Utes ceded a large portion of their land to the United States, including the Surface Creek Valley. On September 1, 1881, the last band of Utes made their exodus from western Colorado to the northeastern part of Utah under escort of troops from Fort Crawford. Settlers soon began arriving, building homesteads, barns, businesses, and ranches. Much of the land was carved up into cattle ranches, fruit orchards, and fields of alfalfa, and grass, but the most successful business is cattle ranching to the west of the town.

The town of Cedaredge was officially incorporated on March 25, 1907, by a few ranchers.

Cedaredge is on the Loewen database of possible sundown towns.

On July 2, 2004, a lightning strike caught a tree on fire, smoldering until the following day when hot dry winds fanned the flames into a large wildfire. Dubbed the McGruder fire, it consumed an area of approximately 3000 acre, of which 1467 acre was privately owned, the rest belonging to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the United States Forest Service. The Cedaredge volunteer fire department (VFD) and regional firefighting services worked to suppress the fire, containing it with fire lines by July 11 with no homes or lives being lost.

Cedaredge celebrated its centennial in 2007.

Geography
At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 5.078 km2, all of it land.

Climate
The climate in Cedaredge, like much of the Grand Valley and Uncompahgre Valley, consists of mild, snowy winters; summers are hot and dry with scattered afternoon thunderstorms occurring often but delivering a small amount of total precipitation. Summers see typical highs of 92 and lows of 60, winters can see highs in the 50s and lows of 11 °F.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,253 people, 894 households, and 554 families residing in the town. The population density was 898.9 PD/sqmi. There were 1,000 housing units at an average density of 484.9 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 96.01% White, 0.50% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.39% of the population.

There were 894 households, out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 31.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,381, and the median income for a family was $35,052. Males had a median income of $32,426 versus $21,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,059. About 10.0% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. The median gross rent was $796 a month (2011), estimated rent burden was 34.6%.

AppleFest
In 1978 the "Cedaredge Harvest Festival" officially changed its name to "AppleFest." AppleFest is an annual celebration of apples, arts, music, and food held the first weekend in October in Cedaredge, Colorado. It is attended by around 15,000 visitors each year and typically over 200 food, arts and crafts vendors. The event features a classic car show, antique tractor show, and motorcycle show.

Musical guests feature folk, gospel, blues, country, rock, bluegrass and others with local, regional and national artists.

Since 2000, the festival has also included a chili cooking competition fundraiser organized by the Cedaredge VFD.

AppleFest 2014 marked the 37th Anniversary of the event.

Pioneer Town

Pioneer Town is a museum and historical village open from Memorial Day weekend through the first weekend in October. The centerpieces of Pioneer Town are the octagonal Bar-I Silos, the last remaining structures of the Bar-I Ranch, a cattle ranch that was established in the early 1880s. The museum's replicas of early 20th-century town buildings include a western saloon, marshall's office, barber shop, bank, clothing store, jail, creamery, and a working blacksmith's shop. It also includes Chapel of the Cross, a prairie-style chapel housing one of the world's largest digital organs, the Doll and Toy House, a museum of historical dolls and toys, and the Sutherland Indian Museum, housing one of Colorado's largest arrowhead displays. The old Stolte Packing Shed also serves as a rental facility for local events and receptions the Antique and Classic Car Show during the town's AppleFest weekend celebration.

Cedaredge Golf Club
Opened in the Spring of 1988, as the Deer Creek Village Golf Club, Cedaredge Golf Club is a public golf course in Cedaredge, Colorado. The golf course was completed in April 1992 and is located on what was part of the Bar-I Cattle Ranch hayfields of the early 1900s. This 18-hole course has four tee boxes per hole. Cedaredge Golf Club includes a driving range, clubhouse, and grill.

Located in a protected valley at 6100 ft in elevation, the Cedaredge Golf Club course has natural cedars and winding creek beds.

Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway
The Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway scenic and historic byway was approved by the Colorado Department of Transportation in 1991. It runs North from Cedaredge along Highway 65, to the top of the Grand Mesa at more than 10000 ft. Grand Mesa visitors center has maps, books and other information about the area. The byway sneaks past Island Lake, one of more than 300 trout-filled lakes in Grand Mesa National Forest. On the north side of the Mesa are the towns of Mesa, Collbran, and Powderhorn Ski Resort. The byway continues along De Beque Canyon, with its colorful sandstone bluffs, and eventually meets Interstate 70 in the town of De Beque.

Education
Education in the early days of Surface Creek Valley consisted of several one-room school houses scattered across the rural countryside. In 1920 the new Consolidated Cedaredge High School was constructed and regular bussing began in the area.

Cedaredge High School
Completed in 1982, the current Cedaredge High School has an enrollment of approximately 250 students. Unusual for a school of its size, it contains a technology lab, geodesic greenhouse, and an integrated cafeteria/auditorium. The mascot for its athletic teams is the Bruin and it competes in 1A football, and basketball, and in division 3A for volleyball, wrestling, baseball, swimming, tennis, and track. The Cedaredge High School Bruin Marching Band has won seven state marching titles in class 1A (2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014) The band set the record in 2011 for the smallest band (23 members) to win a state championship in Colorado and broke that record in 2012 with 17 members.

The (boys') football team won second place in the state championships in 1993, with the final being held at Cedaredge High School. After the team had not been to the state play-offs since 2002 and the 2008 season resulted in a win of 4 out of 10 games (no draws), the team was considered to have been "down the past several years" even by local media; the Denver Post criticized as its primary weakness the "lack of playing as a team." The school managed to hire Rich Stubler, who coached for 22 years in the Canadian Football League including being head coach for the Toronto Argonauts for 10 games in 2008, as new head coach starting in the off-season of 2009; Stubler explained his choice of working for a small town high school with needing a break. The team finished the season with Stubler with 2 wins out of 10 games (no draws). They hired Brandon Milholland the next year (2010) and he would lead the team to a state championship in 2012.

Roger Ellison, a 17-year-old senior, disappeared from the basement of the former Cedaredge High School on February 10, 1981. He has been neither seen nor heard from since, and authorities believe he was killed by someone he knew shortly after he vanished.

Cedaredge Middle School
Cedaredge Middle School occupied the original building of the Cedaredge Consolidated High School from the early 1980s until the current home for Cedaredge Middle School was built in 2004. It is located between the High School and Deer Creek Village golf course at the foot of Cedar Mesa.

Cedaredge Elementary School
The original school was built in 1959 and also known as Cedaredge Hunsicker Elementary School. A new school was completed on the south side of the road in 2012, and the parts of the old school on the north side of the road now serve the Surface Creek Vision Program.

Surface Creek Vision Program
Founded in 2003, the Surface Creek branch of the Delta County Vision program is a synthesis of homeschooling and public schooling philosophies.

Cedaredge Public Library
The current home for the Cedaredge Public Library was built in the 1990s.

title: Cedaredge, Colorado


text:
Crawford, Colorado

The Town of Crawford is a Statutory Town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 403 at the 2020 United States Census. The surrounding mesas and valleys support a farming and ranching community.

History
Crawford was founded in 1882. The town was named for George A. Crawford, governor-elect of Kansas and a founder of Grand Junction, Colorado. A post office has been in operation at Crawford since 1883.

Pioneer Days
For 40 years during the second weekend in June, Crawford Country holds a town festival called Pioneer Days, starting with a parade and ending with a fireworks display over the reservoir at Crawford State Park.

The Pioneer Days' schedule usually includes a locally produced Melodrama starting on Thursday evening and followed by 2 shows on Saturday. Friday evening includes a benefit auction, baking contest, and Fire Auxiliary BBQ dinner at Town Hall. Saturday includes craft booths, throwing a horseshoe, and racing outhouses. The finale is the fireworks display on Saturday evening at Crawford State Park.

Geography
Crawford is located seventy highway miles southeast of Grand Junction.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 0.651 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 366 people, 147 households, and 104 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,409.8 PD/sqmi. There were 179 housing units at an average density of 689.5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 96.72% White, 1.64% from other races, and 1.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.19% of the population.

There were 147 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,281, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $37,917 versus $16,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,284. About 23.5% of families and 29.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.8% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

 * Joe Cocker (1944–2014), singer

title: Crawford, Colorado