text:
Fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis, also spelled fleur-de-lys (plural fleurs-de-lis or fleurs-de-lys), is a common heraldic charge in the shape of a lily (in French, fleur and lis mean flower and lily respectively). Most notably, the fleur-de-lis is depicted on the traditional coat of arms of France that was used from the High Middle Ages until the French Revolution in 1792, and then again in brief periods in the 19th century. This design still represents France and the House of Bourbon in the form of marshalling in the arms of Spain, Quebec and Canada, for example.

Other European nations have also employed the symbol. The fleur-de-lis became "at one and the same time, religious, political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic, and symbolic", especially in French heraldry. The Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph are among saints often depicted with a lily.

Some modern usage of the fleur-de-lis reflects "the continuing presence of heraldry in everyday life", often intentionally, but also when users are not aware that they are "prolonging the life of centuries-old insignia and emblems".

The fleur-de-lis is represented in Unicode at in the Miscellaneous Symbols block.

Etymology
Fleur-de-lis is the stylized depiction of the lily flower. The name itself derives from ancient Greek λείριον > Latin lilium > French lis.

The lily has always been the symbol of fertility and purity, and in Christianity it symbolizes the Immaculate Conception.

Origin

According to Pierre-Augustin Boissier de Sauvages, an 18th-century French naturalist and lexicographer:

"The old fleurs-de-lis, especially the ones found in our first kings' sceptres, have a lot less in common with ordinary lilies than the flowers called flambas [in Occitan], or irises, from which the name of our own fleur-de-lis may derive. What gives some colour of truth to this hypothesis that we already put forth, is the fact that the French or Franks, before entering Gaul itself, lived for a long time around the river named Lys in the Flanders. Nowadays, this river is still bordered with an exceptional number of irises —as many plants grow for centuries in the same places—: these irises have yellow flowers, which is not a typical feature of lilies but fleurs-de-lis. It was thus understandable that our kings, having to choose a symbolic image for what later became a coat of arms, set their minds on the iris, a flower that was common around their homes, and is also as beautiful as it was remarkable. They called it, in short, the fleur-de-lis, instead of the flower of the river of lis. This flower, or iris, looks like our fleur-de-lis not just because of its yellow colour but also because of its shape: of the six petals, or leaves, that it has, three of them are alternatively straight and meet at their tops. The other three on the opposite, bend down so that the middle one seems to make one with the stalk and only the two ones facing out from left and right can clearly be seen, which is again similar with our fleurs-de-lis, that is to say exclusively the one from the river Luts whose white petals bend down too when the flower blooms."

The heraldist François Velde is known to have expressed the same opinion: "However, a hypothesis ventured in the 17th c. sounds very plausible to me. One species of wild iris, the Iris pseudacorus, yellow flag in English, is yellow and grows in marshes (cf. the azure field, for water). Its name in German is Lieschblume (also gelbe Schwertlilie), but Liesch was also spelled Lies and Leys in the Middle Ages. It is easy to imagine that, in Northern France, the Lieschblume would have been called 'fleur-de-lis'. This would explain the name and the formal origin of the design, as a stylized yellow flag. There is a fanciful legend about Clovis which links the yellow flag explicitly with the French coat of arms."

Alternative derivations
Another (debated) hypothesis is that the symbol derives from the angon or sting, a typical Frankish throwing spear.

Ancient usages
It has consistently been used as a royal emblem, though different cultures have interpreted its meaning in varying ways. Gaulish coins show the first Western designs which look similar to modern fleurs-de-lis. In the East it was found on the gold helmet of a Scythian king uncovered at the Ak-Burun kurgan and conserved in Saint Petersburg's Hermitage Museum.

See also the very similar lily symbol on coins from the Achemenid and Ptolemaic province of Yehud (c. 350-200 BCE) and Hasmonean-ruled Judah (2nd and 1st century BCE).

Dynastic and related territorial heraldry
For the transition from religious to dynastic symbolism and the beginning of European heraldic use of the fleur-de-lis, see France section, chronologically followed by England through claims to the French crown.

List in alphabetical order by country:

Albania

In Albania, fleur-de-lis (Lulja e Zambakut) has been associated with the different Albanian noble families. This iconic symbol holds a rich historical significance and has adorned the emblems and crests of various noble houses, reflecting both cultural heritage and a sense of identity within the country. One notable household that has prominently featured this emblem is the Thopia family a ruling house in Medieval Albania during the Medieval Kingdom of Albania. A few other notable Albanian families that have distinctly featured the iconic fleur-de-lis in their heraldic coat of arms are the Durazzo family, Skuraj family, Muzaka family, Luccari family, Angeli family and many other Albanian noble families.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

The fleurs-de-lis was the symbol of the House of Kotromanić, a ruling house in medieval Bosnia during the medieval Kingdom of Bosnia, adopted by the first Bosnian king, Tvrtko I, in recognition of the Capetian House of Anjou support in assuming the throne of Bosnia. The coat of arms contained six fleurs-de-lis, where the flower itself is today often considered to be a representation of the autochthonous golden lily, Lilium bosniacum.

The emblem was revived in 1992 as a national symbol of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was part of the flag of Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1992 to 1998. The state insignia were changed in 1999. The former flag of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina contains a fleur-de-lis alongside the Croatian chequy. Fleurs also appear in the flags and arms of many cantons, municipalities, cities and towns. Today, it is a traditional symbol of the Bosniak people. It is still used as official insignia of the Bosniak Regiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Fleurs-de-lis today also appear in the flags and arms of many cantons, municipalities, cities and towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brazil
In Brazil, the arms and flag of the city of Joinville feature three fleurs-de-lis surmounted with a label of three points (for the House of Orléans), alluding to François d'Orléans, Prince of Joinville, son of King Louis-Philippe I of France, who married Princess Francisca of Brazil in 1843.

Byzantium (Roman Empire)
The fleur-de-lis pattern is clearly depicted in an illustration of emperor Nikephoros Phocas's welcome ceremony in Constantinople (963 AD) included in Synopsis Istorion (dated 1070s).

The fleur-de-lis pattern can also be found on Ionic capital of Panagia Skripo church (dated 870AD):

Canada
The Royal Banner of France or "Bourbon flag" symbolizing royal France, was the most commonly used flag in New France. The "Bourbon flag" has three gold fleur-de-lis on a dark blue field arranged two and one. The fleur-de-lys was also seen on New France's currency often referred to as "card money". The white Royal Banner of France was used by the military of New France and was seen on naval vessels and forts of New France. After the fall of New France to the British Empire the fleur-de-lys remained visible on churches and remained part of French cultural symbolism. There are many French-speaking Canadians for whom the fleur-de-lis remains a symbol of their French cultural identity. Québécois, Franco-Ontarians, Franco-Ténois and Franco-Albertans, feature the fleur-de-lis prominently on their flags.

The Fleur-de-lys, as a traditional Royal symbol in Canada, has been incorporated into many national symbols, provincial symbols and municipal symbols, The Canadian Red Ensign that served as the nautical flag and civil ensign for Canada from 1892 to 1965 and later as an informal flag of Canada before 1965 featured the traditional number of three golden fleur-de-lys on a blue background. The Arms of Canada throughout its variations has used fleur-de-lys, beginning in 1921 and subsequent various has featuring the blue "Bourbon Flag" in two locations within arms. The Canadian Royal cypher and the Arms of Canada feature St Edward's Crown that displays five cross pattée and four fleur-de-lys. The fleur-de-lis is featured on the flag of Quebec, known as the Fleurdelisé, as well as the flags of the cities of Montreal, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières.

Royal symbol: background, later legends
The fleur-de-lis symbolic origins with French monarchs may stem from the baptismal lily used in the crowning of King Clovis I (r. c. 481–509). The French monarchy may have adopted the fleur-de-lis for its royal coat of arms as a symbol of purity to commemorate the conversion of Clovis I, and a reminder of the fleur-de-lis ampulla that held the oil used to anoint the king. So, the fleur-de-lis stood as a symbol of the king's divinely approved right to rule. The thus "anointed" kings of France later maintained that their authority was directly from God. A legend enhances the mystique of royalty by informing us that a vial of oil—the Holy Ampulla—descended from Heaven to anoint and sanctify Clovis as King, descending directly on Clovis or perhaps brought by a dove to Saint Remigius. One version explains that an angel descended with the fleur-de-lis ampulla to anoint the king. Another story tells of Clovis putting a flower in his helmet just before his victory at the Battle of Vouillé. Through this propagandist connection to Clovis, the fleur-de-lis has been taken in retrospect to symbolize all the Christian Frankish kings, most notably Charlemagne.

The graphic evolution of crita to fleur-de-lis was accompanied by textual allegory. By the late 13th century, an allegorical poem by Guillaume de Nangis (d. 1300), written at Joyenval Abbey in Chambourcy, relates how the golden lilies on an azure ground were miraculously substituted for the crescents on Clovis' shield, a projection into the past of contemporary images of heraldry.

In the 14th-century French writers asserted that the monarchy of France, which developed from the Kingdom of the West Franks, could trace its heritage back to the divine gift of royal arms received by Clovis. This story has remained popular, even though modern scholarship has established that the fleur-de-lis was a religious symbol before it was a true heraldic symbol. Along with true lilies, it was associated with the Virgin Mary, and when the 12th-century Capetians, Louis VI and Louis VII, started to use the emblem, their purpose was of connecting their rulership with this symbol of saintliness and divine right.

First royal symbol; France Ancient
Louis VI (r. 1108–1137) and Louis VII (r. 1137–1180) of the House of Capet first started to use the emblem, on sceptres for example. Louis VII ordered the use of fleur-de-lis clothing in his son Philip's coronation in 1179, while the first visual evidence of clearly heraldic use dates from 1211: a seal showing the future Louis VIII and his shield strewn with the "flowers".

Until the late 14th century the French royal coat of arms was Azure semé-de-lis Or (a blue shield "sown" (semé) with a scattering of small golden fleurs-de-lis), the so-called France Ancient, but Charles V of France changed the design to a group of three in about 1376 (see next section for France Modern).

In the reign of King Louis IX (St. Louis) the three petals of the flower were said to represent faith, wisdom and chivalry, and to be a sign of divine favour bestowed on France. During the next century, the 14th, the tradition of Trinity symbolism was established in France, and then spread elsewhere.

English claims
In 1328, King Edward III of England inherited a claim to the crown of France, and in about 1340 he quartered France Ancient with the arms of Plantagenet, as "arms of pretence". After the kings of France adopted France Modern, the kings of England adopted the new design as quarterings from about 1411. The monarchs of England (and later of Great Britain) continued to quarter the French arms until 1801, when George III abandoned his formal claim to the French throne.

On 29 December 1429, King Charles VII ennobled the family of Joan of Arc, seen as a French hero in the ensueing Hundred Years' War, with an inheritable symbolic denomination. The Chamber of Accounts in France registered the family's designation to nobility on 20 January 1430. The grant permitted the family to change their surname to du Lys.

France Moderne (1376-1790s, etc.)
In about 1376, Charles V changed the design from the all-over scattering of flowers to a group of three, thus replacing what is known in heraldic terminology as the France Ancient, with the France Modern.

France moderne remained the French royal standard, and with a white background was the French national flag until the French Revolution, when it was replaced by the tricolor of modern-day France. The fleur-de-lis was restored to the French flag in 1814, but replaced once again after the revolution against Charles X of France in 1830.

After the end of the Second French Empire, Henri, comte de Chambord, was offered the throne as King of France, but he agreed only if France gave up the tricolor and brought back the white flag with fleurs-de-lis. Curiously the French tricolore with the royal crown and fleur-de-lys was possibly designed by the count in his younger years as a compromise His condition that his country needed to abandon the red and blue colors that it had adopted to symbolize the ideals of the French Revolution of 1789 was rejected and France became a republic.

Current use
It remains an enduring symbol of France which appears on French postage stamps, although it has never been adopted officially by any of the French republics, that unlike other republican nations, never officially adopted a coat of arms.

Although the origin of the fleur-de-lis is unclear, it has retained an association with French nobility and associated cities and regions. It is widely used in French city emblems as in the coat of arms of the city of Lille, Saint-Denis, Brest, Clermont-Ferrand, Boulogne-Billancourt, and Calais. Some cities that had been particularly faithful to the French Crown were awarded a heraldic augmentation of two or three fleurs-de-lis on the chief of their coat of arms; such cities include Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Reims, Le Havre, Angers, Le Mans, Aix-en-Provence, Tours, Limoges, Amiens, Orléans, Rouen, Argenteuil, Poitiers, Chartres, and Laon, among others. The fleur-de-lis was the symbol of Île-de-France, the core of the French kingdom. It has appeared on the coat-of-arms of other historical provinces of France including Burgundy, Anjou, Picardy, Berry, Orléanais, Bourbonnais, Maine, Touraine, Artois, Dauphiné, Saintonge, and the County of La Marche. Many of the current French departments use the symbol on their coats-of-arms to express this heritage.

The fleur-de-lis appears for instance on the coat-of-arms of Guadeloupe, an overseas département of France in the Caribbean, Saint Barthélemy, an overseas collectivity of France, and French Guiana. The overseas department of Réunion in the Indian Ocean uses the same feature. It appears on the coat of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius which was named in honour of King Louis XV. On the coat of arms of Saint Lucia it represents the French heritage of the country.

While the fleur-de-lis has appeared on countless European coats of arms and flags over the centuries, it is particularly associated with the French monarchy in a historical context and continues to appear in the arms of members of the Spanish branch of the French House of Bourbon, including the king of Spain, as well as that of the unrelated grand duke of Luxembourg.

Duby's interpretation
According to French historian Georges Duby, the three petals represent the three medieval social estates: the commoners, the nobility, and the clergy.

Italy and the pope
In Italy, the fleur de lis - called giglio bottonato (it) - is mainly known from the crest of the city of Florence. In the Florentine fleurs-de-lis the stamens are always posed between the petals. Originally argent (silver or white) on gules (red) background, the emblem became the standard of the imperial party in Florence (parte ghibellina), causing the town government, which maintained a staunch Guelph stance, being strongly opposed to the imperial pretensions on city states, to reverse the color pattern to the final gules lily on argent background. This heraldic charge is often known as the Florentine lily to distinguish it from the conventional (stamen-not-shown) design. As an emblem of the city, it is therefore found in icons of Zenobius, its first bishop, and associated with Florence's patron Saint John the Baptist in the Florentine fiorino. Several towns subjugated by Florence or founded within the territory of the Florentine Republic adopted a variation of the Florentine lily in their crests, often without the stamens.

In Italy, fleurs-de-lis have been used for some papal crowns and coats of arms, the Farnese Dukes of Parma, and by some doges of Venice.

Lithuania
The design of the arms of Jurbarkas is believed to originate from the arms of the Sapieha house, a Lithuanian noble family which was responsible for Jurbarkas receiving city rights and a coat of arms in 1611.

The three fleurs-de-lis design on the Jurbarkas coat of arms was abolished during the final years of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, but officially restored in 1993 after the independence of present-day Lithuania was re-established. Before restoration, several variant designs, such as using one over two fleurs-de-lis, had been restored and abolished. The original two over one version was briefly readopted in 1970 during the Soviet occupation, but abolished that same year.

Malta, Order of Malta

Three fleurs-de-lis appeared in the personal coat of arms of Grandmaster Alof de Wignacourt who ruled the Malta between 1601 and 1622. His nephew Adrien de Wignacourt, who was Grandmaster himself from 1690 to 1697, also had a similar coat of arms with three fleurs-de-lis.

The town of Santa Venera has three red fleurs-de-lis on its flag and coat of arms. These are derived from an arch which was part of the Wignacourt Aqueduct that had three sculpted fleurs-de-lis on top, as they were the heraldic symbols of Alof de Wignacourt, the Grand Master who financed its building. Another suburb which developed around the area became known as Fleur-de-Lys, and it also features a red fleur-de-lis on its flag and coat of arms.

Serbia

The fleur-de-lis was the symbol of the House of Nemanjic, a ruling Serbian Orthodox house in medieval Serbia during the medieval Principality of Serbia, Grand Principality of Serbia, Kingdom of Serbia and Serbian Empire, adopted by the Serbian king, Stefan I Nemanjić. The coat of arms contained two fleurs-de-lis. Today, the fleur-de-lis is, alongside the Serbian Cross, Serbian eagle and Serbian Flag, national symbols of the Serb people.

Fleurs also appear in the flags and arms of many municipalities.

United Kingdom
Fleurs-de-lis feature prominently in the Crown Jewels of England and Scotland. In English heraldry, they are used in many different ways, and can be the cadency mark of the sixth son. Additionally, it features in a large number of royal arms of the House of Plantagenet, from the 13th century onwards to the early Tudors (Elizabeth of York and the de la Pole family).

The tressure flory–counterflory (flowered border) has been a prominent part of the design of the Scottish royal arms and Royal Standard since James I of Scotland.

The treasured fleur-de-luce he claims To wreathe his shield, since royal James —Sir Walter Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel

In the United Kingdom, a fleur-de-lis has appeared in the official arms of the Norroy King of Arms for hundreds of years. A silver fleur-de-lis on a blue background is the arms of the Barons Digby.

In English and Canadian heraldry the fleur-de-lis is the cadence mark of a sixth son.

A fleur-de-lis can also be seen on the flag of Monmouthshire, Wales: Per pale azure and sable three fleurs-de-lys or.

It can also be found on the arms of the Scottish clan chiefs of both Carruthers; gules two engrailed chevrons between three fleur-d-lis or and the brouns/browns: gules a chevron between three fleur d-lis or.

United States
Fleurs-de-lis crossed the Atlantic along with Europeans going to the New World, especially with French settlers. Their presence on North American flags and coats of arms usually recalls the involvement of French settlers in New France of the town or region concerned, and in some cases the persisting presence there of a population descended from such settlers.

In the US, the fleur-de-lis symbols tend to be along or near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. These are areas of strong French colonial empire settlement. Some of the places that have it in their flag or seal are the cities of Baton Rouge, Detroit, Lafayette, Louisville, Mobile, New Orleans, Ocean Springs and St. Louis. On 9 July 2008, Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal signed a bill into law making the fleur-de-lis an official symbol of the state. Following Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005, the fleur-de-lis has been widely used in New Orleans and throughout Louisiana, as a symbol of grassroots support for New Orleans' recovery. The coat of arms of St. Augustine, Florida has a fleur-de-lis on the first quarter, due to its connection with Huguenots. Several counties have flags and seals based on pre-1801 British royal arms also includes fleur-de-lis symbols. They are King George County, Virginia and Prince George's County, Somerset County, Kent County, and Montgomery County in Maryland. It has also become the symbol for the identity of the Cajuns and Louisiana Creole people, and their French heritage.

Other countries, cities, families
Other countries include:
 * Spain, in recognition of rulers from the House of Bourbon.

 * Principality of Moldova

Coins minted in the Principality of Moldavia (today split between Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine) during the reign of Peter II of Moldavia (r. 1375–1391), carry the fleur-de-lis symbol.

 * Germany: Fugger family

As a dynastic emblem it has also been very widely used, not only by noble families but also, for example, by the Fuggers, a medieval banking family.

 * Other European cities

Among the numerous cities which use it as a symbol are some whose names echo the word lily, for example, Liljendal, Finland, and Lelystad, Netherlands. This is called canting arms in heraldic terminology. Other European examples of municipal coats-of-arms bearing the fleur-de-lis include Lincoln in England, Morcín in Spain, Wiesbaden and Darmstadt in Germany, the Swiss municipality of Schlieren, and Skierniewice in Poland. The Baltic cities of Jurbarkas (see above under Lithuania), Daugavpils in Latvia, and the municipality of Jõelähtme in Estonia also have one or more fleurs-de-lis on their coats-of-arms.

Military

Fleurs-de-lis are featured in the military heraldry of various nations.

In the British Army, the fleur-de-lis was the cap badge of the Manchester Regiment from 1922 until 1958, and also its successor, the King's Regiment up to its amalgamation in 2006. It commemorates the capture of French regimental colours by their predecessors, the 63rd Regiment of Foot, during the Invasion of Martinique in 1759.

It is also the formation sign of the 2nd (Independent) Armored Brigade of the Indian Army, known as the 7th Indian Cavalry Brigade in First World War, which received the emblem for its actions in France.

In the United States, the New Jersey Army National Guard unit 112th Field Artillery (Self Propelled)—part of the much larger 42nd Infantry Division Mechanized—has the fleur-de-lis in the upper left side of their distinctive unit insignia; the U.S. Army's 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 62nd Medical Brigade, 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; and the Corps of Cadets at Louisiana State University. The U.S. Air Force's Special Operations Weather beret flash also used a fleur-de-lis in its design, carried over from its Vietnam War-era commando weatherman beret flash.

It is also featured by the Israeli Intelligence Corps established in the 1970s, and the First World War Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine used the emblem with the coat of arms of Ukraine in conjunction with four golden fleurs-de-lis, along with the motto "Omnia, Vincit, Veritas".

Religion and art
In the Middle Ages, the symbols of lily and fleur-de-lis overlapped considerably in Christian religious art. The historian Michel Pastoureau says that until about 1300 they were found in depictions of Jesus, but gradually they took on Marian symbolism and were associated with the Song of Solomon's "lily among thorns" (lilium inter spinas), understood as a reference to Mary. Other scripture and religious literature in which the lily symbolizes purity and chastity also helped establish the flower as an iconographic attribute of the Virgin. It was also believed that the fleur-de-lis represented the Holy Trinity.

In medieval England, from the mid-12th century, a noblewoman's seal often showed the lady with a fleur-de-lis, drawing on the Marian connotations of "female virtue and spirituality". Images of Mary holding the flower first appeared in the 11th century on coins issued by cathedrals dedicated to her, and next on the seals of cathedral chapters, starting with Notre Dame de Paris in 1146. A standard portrayal was of Mary carrying the flower in her right hand, just as she is shown in that church's Virgin of Paris statue (with lily), and in the centre of the stained glass rose window (with fleur-de-lis sceptre) above its main entrance. The flowers may be "simple fleurons, sometimes garden lilies, sometimes genuine heraldic fleurs-de-lis". As attributes of the Madonna, they are often seen in pictures of the Annunciation, notably in those of Sandro Botticelli and Filippo Lippi. Lippi also uses both flowers in other related contexts: for instance, in his Madonna in the Forest.

The three petals of the heraldic design reflect a widespread association with the Holy Trinity, with the band on the bottom symbolizing Mary. The tradition says that without Mary no one can understand the Trinity since it was she who bore the Son. A tradition going back to 14th century France added onto the earlier belief that they also represented faith, wisdom and chivalry. Alternatively, the cord can be seen as representing the one divine substance (godhood) of the three persons, which binds them together.

"Flower of light" symbolism has sometimes been understood from the archaic variant fleur-de-luce (see Latin lux, luc- = 'light'), but the Oxford English Dictionary suggests this arose from the spelling, not from the etymology.

Education
The emblem appears in coats of arms and logos for universities (like Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis University in Spain, Rossall School in England {where it appears in the namesake Mitre Fleur De Lys boarding house}, University of Lincoln in England and University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and schools such as in Hilton College (South Africa), Adamson University and St. Paul's University in the Philippines. The Lady Knights of the University of Arkansas at Monticello have also adopted the fleur de lis as one of the symbols associated with their coat of arms. The flag of Lincolnshire, adopted in 2005, has a fleur-de-lis for the city of Lincoln. It is one of the symbols of the American sororities Kappa Kappa Gamma and Theta Phi Alpha, the American fraternities Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Mu, as well as the international co-ed service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. It is also used by the high school and college fraternity Scouts Royale Brotherhood of the Philippines.

Scouting

The fleur-de-lis is the main element in the logo of most Scouting organizations. The symbol was first used by Sir Robert Baden-Powell as an arm-badge for soldiers who qualified as scouts (reconnaissance specialists) in the 5th Dragoon Guards, which he commanded at the end of the 19th century; it was later used in cavalry regiments throughout the British Army until 1921. In 1907, Baden-Powell made brass fleur-de-lis badges for the boys attending his first experimental "Boy Scout" camp at Brownsea Island. In his seminal book Scouting for Boys, Baden-Powell referred to the motif as "the arrowhead which shows the North on a map or a compass" and continued; "It is the Badge of the Scout because it points in the right direction and upward... The three points remind you of the three points of the Scout Promise", being duty to God and country, helping others, and keeping the Scout Law. The World Scout Emblem of the World Organization of the Scout Movement has elements which are used by most national Scout organizations. The stars stand for truth and knowledge, the encircling rope for unity, and its reef knot or square knot, service.

Sports

The fleur-de-lis is used by a number of sports teams, especially when it echoes a local flag. This is true with the teams from Quebec (Nordiques (ex-NHL), Montreal Expos (ex-MLB) and CF Montréal (MLS)), the teams of New Orleans, Louisiana (Saints (NFL), Pelicans (NBA), and Zephyrs (PCL)), the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (NCAA Division I), the Serie A team Fiorentina, the Bundesliga side SV Darmstadt 98 (also known as Die Lilien – The Lilies), the Rugby league team Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, the NPSL team Detroit City FC.

Marc-André Fleury, a Canadian ice hockey goaltender, has a fleur-de-lis logo on his mask. The UFC Welterweight Champion from 2006 to 2013, Georges St-Pierre, has a tattoo of the fleur-de-lis on his right calf. The IT University of Copenhagen's soccer team ITU F.C. has it in their logo. France uses the symbol in the official emblem on the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The fleur-de-lis is also used by Welsh National Governing Bodies of Sport including Swim Wales and Welsh Athletics.

Architecture and design

Architects and designers use it alone and as a repeated motif in a wide range of contexts, from ironwork to bookbinding.

In building and architecture, the fleur-de-lis is often placed on top of iron fence posts, as a pointed defence against intruders. It may ornament any tip, point or post with a decorative flourish, for instance, on finials, the arms of a cross, or the point of a gable. The fleur-de-lis can be incorporated in friezes or cornices, although the distinctions between fleur-de-lis, fleuron, and other stylized flowers are not always clear, or can be used as a motif in an all-over tiled pattern, perhaps on a floor. It may appear in a building for heraldic reasons, as in some English churches where the design paid a compliment to a local lord who used the flower on his coat of arms. Elsewhere the effect seems purely visual, like the crenellations on the 14th-century Muslim Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan. It can also be seen on the doors of the 16th-century Hindu Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

Literature
During the reign of Elizabeth I of England, known as the Elizabethan era, it was a standard name for an iris, a usage which lasted for centuries, but occasionally refers to lilies or other flowers.

Video games
A heavily stylized fleur de lis symbol can be recognized as the symbol of the ICA in the Hitman series of video games.

The Pokémon villain Lysandre, whose debut game was Pokémon X and Y, is known in Japan as フラダリ Furadari meaning fleur-de-lis. Pokémon X and Y are inspired by France. Many locations and landmarks across Kalos have real-world inspirations, including Prism Tower (Eiffel Tower), the Lumiose Art Museum (the Louvre) and the stones outside Geosenge Town (Carnac stones).

French colonial empire
In the French colonial empire, the Code Noir, a slave code drafted by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, stipulated that enslaved people should be branded with the fleur-de-lis as punishment for a variety of crimes, including attempting to escape enslavement or theft. French officials in the colony of Isle de France (modern-day Mauritius), which adopted the Code Noir in 1685, punished slaves who attempted to escape or stole property by branding them with the fleur-de-lis. In the French colony of Louisiana, which adopted the Code Noir in 1724, slaves who attempted to escape and were recaptured would be branded on one shoulder with the fleur-de-lis along with having their ears cut off. If they attempted to escape a second time, they would be punished by being branded with the fleur-de-lis again and have their hamstrings cut. Capital punishment was used for those who attempted to escape a third time.

Louisiana's version of the Code Noir stated: "XXXII. The runaway slave, who shall continue to be so for one month from the day of his being denounced to the officers of justice, shall have his ears cut off, and shall be branded with the fleur-de-lis on the shoulder: and on a second offence of the same nature, persisted in during one month from the day of his being denounced, he shall be hamstrung, and be marked with the fleur-de-lis on the other shoulder. On the third offence, he shall suffer death."

Branding slaves with the fleur-de-lis was also a punishment used in the French colony of Saint-Domingue.

France
Being branded with the fleur-de-lis was also a punishment used in Metropolitan France. In his 1577 biography of French Protestant reformer John Calvin, Jérôme-Hermès Bolsec claimed that Calvin had committed sodomy in his hometown of Noyon in 1527, and he only at the last minute escaped the standard punishment of death by burning, instead being branded with a fleur-de-lis on his shoulder. Bolsec's claims are today viewed as libellous slander, but they offer a window into what seemed a plausible punishment in his time. Alexandre Dumas used the motive of branding thieves with the fleur-de-lis when he created the character of Milady de Winter in his 1844 novel The Three Musketeers. He set the branding episode in 1619 France.

title: Fleur-de-lis


text:
Pueblo County, Colorado

Pueblo County ( or ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 168,162. The county seat is Pueblo. The county was named for the historic city of Pueblo which took its name from the Spanish language word meaning "town" or "village". Pueblo County comprises the Pueblo, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2398 sqmi, of which 2386 sqmi is land and 12 sqmi (0.5%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * El Paso County - north
 * Lincoln County - northeast
 * Crowley County - east
 * Otero County - east
 * Las Animas County - south
 * Huerfano County - southwest
 * Custer County - west
 * Fremont County - northwest

Major highways

 * I-25 (CO).svg Interstate 25
 * US 50.svg U.S. Highway 50
 * US 85.svg U.S. Highway 85
 * Colorado 10.svg State Highway 10
 * Colorado 45.svg State Highway 45
 * Colorado 47.svg State Highway 47
 * Colorado 78.svg State Highway 78
 * Colorado 96.svg State Highway 96
 * Colorado 120.svg State Highway 120
 * Colorado 165.svg State Highway 165
 * Colorado 167.svg State Highway 167

National protected areas

 * San Isabel National Forest
 * Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Frontier Pathways National Scenic and Historic Byway
 * TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route
 * Western Express Bicycle Route

Demographics
As of the Census 2007 statistical update, there were 154,712 people, 59,956 households, and 40,084 families living in the county. The population density was 59 /mi2. There were 67,314 housing units at an average density of 25 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 79.47% White, 1.90% Black or African American, 1.59% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 12.93% from other races, and 3.38% from two or more races. 37.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 11.6% were of German, 8.8% Italian, 6.7% English, 6.6% American and 6.5% Irish ancestry.

There were 59,956 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.10% were married couples living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.60% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,283, and the median income for a family was $50,143. The per capita income for the county was $21,656. About 11.20% of families and 14.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government
The Board of Pueblo County Commissioners is elected by voters to represent three individual districts within Pueblo County. The board serves as the administrative and policy-setting authority for Pueblo County.

Pueblo County is part of Colorado's 3rd congressional district and is represented by U.S. House member Lauren Boebert.

At the state level the following representatives have boundaries that cover parts of Pueblo County: Nick Hinrichsen representing Senate District 3, Tisha Mauro House representing House District 46, Ty Winter representing District 47, Stephanie Luck representing District 60 and Matt Martinez representing District 62.

Law enforcement
The sheriff's office is responsible for law enforcement and fire protection for unincorporated area in the county. the department had 362 sworn members.

Politics
Pueblo County is historically a Democratic stronghold; however, in the 2016 presidential election, the county voted for Republican nominee Donald Trump. It was brought back into the Democratic fold in the years which followed, voting for Jared Polis in the 2018 gubernatorial election and giving Joe Biden a plurality in the 2020 presidential election, although Biden's margin of victory of 1.7 percent was much reduced from Barack Obama's 14 percent margin in 2012.

City

 * Pueblo

Towns

 * Boone
 * Rye

Census-designated places

 * Avondale
 * Beulah Valley
 * Blende
 * Colorado City
 * Pueblo West
 * Salt Creek
 * Vineland

Education
School districts serving the county include:
 * Pueblo School District 60
 * Pueblo County School District 70
 * Edison School District 54-JT
 * Fowler School District R-4J

Pueblo County has thirteen high schools.

Recreation

 * Rosemount Museum
 * Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center
 * Buell Children's Museum
 * El Pueblo History Museum
 * Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum
 * Steelworks Museum
 * Lake Pueblo State Park
 * Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center
 * Pueblo Zoo
 * Pueblo City Park Carousel
 * Arkansas River kayak course
 * Historic Arkansas Riverwalk
 * Union Avenue Historic Commercial District
 * Pueblo City-County Library District

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

title: Pueblo County, Colorado


text:
Prowers County, Colorado

Prowers County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 11,999. The county seat is Lamar. The county is named in honor of John Wesley Prowers, a leading pioneer in the lower Arkansas River valley region.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1644 sqmi, of which 1638 sqmi is land and 5.9 sqmi (0.4%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Kiowa County (north)
 * Greeley County, Kansas (northeast)
 * Hamilton County, Kansas (east)
 * Stanton County, Kansas (southeast/Central Time border)
 * Baca County (south)
 * Bent County (west)

Major highways

 * US 50.svg U.S. Highway 50
 * US 287.svg U.S. Highway 287
 * US 385.svg U.S. Highway 385
 * US 400.svg U.S. Highway 400
 * Colorado 89.svg State Highway 89
 * Colorado 196.svg State Highway 196

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway

Antipode
Prowers County is home of the Antipode of the Indian Ocean island of Île Amsterdam and that island's settlement, La Roche Godon, making it one of the few places in the continental United States with a non-oceanic antipode. The center of Ile Amsterdam is at 37.8332° S, 77.5505° E; the antipode, 37.8332° N and 102.4495° W is about 10 miles southeast of Lamar.

Demographics
At the 2010 census there were 12,551 people, 4,935 households, and 3,351 families living in the county. The population density was 7.6 /mi2. There were 5,942 housing units at an average density of 3.6 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 81.0% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 14.7% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 35.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 4,935 households 49.5% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 28.3% of households were one person and 11.5% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 27.1% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% 65 or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median household income was $33,969 and the median family income was $47,052. Males working full-time and year-round had a median income of $32,359 versus $28,727 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,429. About 18.7% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.8% of those under age 18 and 13.1% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Like all of the High Plains, Prowers County is majority Republican. It has not been carried by a Democratic presidential nominee since Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Education
Prowers County is served by four public school districts:

 * Granada School District No. RE-1
 * Lamar School District No. RE-2
 * Holly School District No. RE-3
 * Wiley School District

The county is also the home of Lamar Community College, which serves roughly 700 students annually.

Health care
Prowers Medical Center in Lamar, a critical access hospital with 25 beds and a level IV trauma center, serves the county.

City

 * Lamar

Towns

 * Granada
 * Hartman
 * Holly
 * Wiley

Unincorporated Community

 * Bristol
 * Carlton

Historic sites

 * Granada Relocation Center National Historic District
 * Santa Fe National Historic Trail
 * Amache National Historic Site
 * Lamar station

title: Prowers County, Colorado


text:
Pitkin County, Colorado

Pitkin County is a county in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,358. The county seat and largest city is Aspen. The county is named for Colorado Governor Frederick Walker Pitkin.

Pitkin County is included in the Glenwood Springs Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Edwards-Glenwood Springs Combined Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 973 sqmi, of which 971 sqmi is land and 2.5 sqmi (0.3%) is water. The county's highest point is Castle Peak, a fourteener with a height of 14265 ft. It is 20 mi south of Aspen on the Gunnison County border.

Adjacent counties

 * Eagle County – northeast
 * Lake County – east
 * Chaffee County – southeast
 * Gunnison County – south
 * Mesa County – west
 * Garfield County – northwest

Major highways

 * Colorado 82.svg State Highway 82
 * Colorado 133.svg State Highway 133

National protected areas

 * White River National Forest
 * Collegiate Peaks Wilderness
 * Holy Cross Wilderness
 * Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness
 * Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
 * West Elk Loop Scenic Byway

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 14,872 people, 6,807 households, and 3,185 families living in the county. The population density was 15 /mi2. There were 10,096 housing units at an average density of 10 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 94.33% White, 0.53% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.12% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.37% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. Of the population, 6.54% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,807 households, out of which 21.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.70% were married couples living together, 5.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 53.20% were non-families. Of all households, 35.80% were made up of individuals, and 3.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.77.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 16.70% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 38.30% from 25 to 44, 30.50% from 45 to 64, and 6.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 115.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $59,375, and the median income for a family was $75,048. Males had a median income of $40,672 versus $33,896 for females. The per capita income for the county was $40,811. About 3.00% of families and 6.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.40% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.

Life expectancy
According to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association, residents of Pitkin County had a 2014 life expectancy of 86.52 years, the second-longest in the nation. Both men and women live longer in Pitkin County than nearly every other county in the United States. The life expectancy at birth is 85.2 years for men and 88.0 years for women. Two contiguous counties, Summit and Eagle counties, rank first and third in the nation respectively in life expectancy.

Factors contributing to the high life expectancy in Pitkin County are "high education, high income, high access to medical care, the people are physically active, obesity is lower than anywhere else—so you're doing it right", said Ali Mokdad, one of the study's co-authors.

In June 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked the county with the nation's fourth-best life expectancy, at 93.4 years.

City

 * Aspen

Towns

 * Basalt
 * Snowmass Village

Census-designated places

 * Norrie
 * Redstone
 * Woody Creek

Other unincorporated communities

 * Ashcroft
 * Buttermilk
 * Meredith
 * Snowmass

Politics
Pitkin County favored the Republican nominee in the 1884 and 1888 presidential elections, but in 1892 supported the Populist nominee, James B. Weaver, when Democratic nominee Grover Cleveland wasn't on the ballot in Colorado. Pitkin County favored the Democratic nominees from 1896 to 1916, voting for them in every election in that period, and being one of the few Western counties to support Alton B. Parker in 1904. From 1920, Pitkin County followed national trends until being narrowly carried by losing candidate Thomas E. Dewey in 1944. Pitkin was largely Republican-leaning until the growing ski resort community drew its residents to the liberal George McGovern – rejected by a majority of the electorates of all but 129 other counties – in 1972. Like many ski destination counties, since 1988 Pitkin has turned heavily Democratic. The last Republican to carry the county was Ronald Reagan in 1984. George H. W. Bush was the last Republican to gain even a third of Pitkin County's vote since then.

In this modern era, Pitkin has also frequently been one of the leading counties for third-party candidates, being the fourth-best county in the nation for Eugene McCarthy in 1976 and the third-best for John B. Anderson in 1980.

title: Pitkin County, Colorado


text:
Phillips County, Colorado

Phillips County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,530. The county seat is Holyoke. The county was named in honor of R.O. Phillips, a secretary of the Lincoln Land Company, who organized several towns in Colorado.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 688 sqmi, of which 688 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (0.02%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Sedgwick County—north
 * Perkins County, Nebraska—northeast
 * Chase County, Nebraska—east
 * Yuma County—south
 * Logan County—west

Major highways

 * US 6.svg U.S. Highway 6
 * US 385.svg U.S. Highway 385
 * Colorado 23.svg State Highway 23
 * Colorado 59.svg State Highway 59

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 4,480 people, 1,781 households, and 1,239 families living in the county. The population density was 6 /mi2. There were 2,014 housing units at an average density of 3 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 93.04% White, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.71% from other races, and 1.34% from two or more races. 11.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 1,781 households 32.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.20% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. Of all households 27.50% were one person and 14.30% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.01.

The age distribution was 26.90% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 19.40% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.50 males.

The median household income was $32,177 and the median family income was $38,144. Males had a median income of $30,095 versus $18,682 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,394. About 8.80% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Phillips County has historically had a Republican majority. It has not been carried by a Democratic presidential nominee since Jimmy Carter in 1976. Michael Dukakis has been the only Democrat since to receive over one-third of the county's ballots during a major drought in 1988.

City

 * Holyoke

Towns

 * Haxtun
 * Paoli

Census-designated place

 * Amherst

title: Phillips County, Colorado


text:
Lewiston

Lewiston may refer to:

United States

 * Lewiston, Alabama
 * Lewiston, California
 * Lewiston, Georgia
 * Lewiston, Idaho
 * Lewiston, Idaho metropolitan area
 * Lewiston, Indiana
 * Lewiston, Maine
 * Lewiston, Maine metropolitan area
 * 2023 Lewiston shootings, a spree shooting in Lewiston
 * Lewiston, Michigan
 * Lewiston, Minnesota
 * Lewiston, Dakota County, Minnesota, an extinct town
 * Lewiston, Nebraska
 * Lewiston (town), New York
 * Lewiston (village), New York, a village within the town
 * Lewiston, North Carolina
 * Lewiston, Utah
 * Lewiston, Vermont
 * Lewiston, Virginia
 * Lewiston, Wisconsin, a town
 * Lewiston (community), Wisconsin, an unincorporated community

Elsewhere

 * Lewiston, Highland, Scotland
 * Lewiston, South Australia

Surname

 * David Lewiston (1929–2017), British collector of traditional music
 * Dennis Lewiston (1934–2014), American cinematographer
 * Harry Lewiston (1900–1965), American showman

title: Lewiston


text:
Talk:Irgun

Train bombings
There doesn't seem any doubt that the Feb 29 train bombing was done by Lehi, as it appears in standard lists of their operations as well as fairly reliable sources. The Mar 31 bombing is harder to be sure about. Actually it is hard to find outside the contemporary newspaper reports at all. The only mention I could find just now was in Henry Gurney's diary: "31.3.48 ; Benyamina–Zichron Ya’aqov Passenger train No. 2 blown up. Two coaches completely destroyed and three badly damaged. Twenty-five passengers killed, and 60 injured". No mention of whodunnit. Zerotalk

Propaganda
There seems to be little discussion on the propaganda that Irgun used. I would like to add a "Propaganda" section between the "Integration" and "Criticism" sections. My edits will be derived from letters and propaganda pieces that the organization sent out, which can be found in the book "Psychological Warfare and Propaganda: Irgun Documentation."

title: Talk:Irgun


text:
Park County, Colorado

Park County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,390. The county seat is Fairplay. The county was named after the large geographic region known as South Park, which was named by early fur traders and trappers in the area.

Park County is included in the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. A majority of the county lies within the boundaries of the South Park National Heritage Area.

The geographic center of the State of Colorado is located in Park County.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2211 sqmi, of which 2194 sqmi is land and 17 sqmi (0.8%) is water.

The headwaters of the South Platte River are in Park County.

Adjacent counties

 * Clear Creek County - north
 * Jefferson County - northeast
 * Teller County - east
 * Fremont County - southeast
 * Chaffee County - southwest
 * Lake County - west
 * Summit County - northwest

Major highways

 * US 24.svg U.S. Highway 24
 * US 285.svg U.S. Highway 285
 * Colorado 9.svg State Highway 9

National protected areas

 * Buffalo Peaks Wilderness
 * Lost Creek Wilderness
 * Pike National Forest
 * San Isabel National Forest

State protected areas

 * Eleven Mile State Park
 * Spinney Mountain State Park
 * Staunton State Park

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Colorado Trail
 * Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
 * Great Parks Bicycle Route
 * Guanella Pass Scenic Byway
 * TransAmerica Trail Bicycle Route

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, Park County was 87.8% White, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Native American, 1.1% Black or African American, 1.0% Asian, and 2.8% two or more races.

There were 7,688 houses, and only 3.6% of the population is below the age of 5.

According to the census of 2000, there were 14,523 people, 5,894 households, and 4,220 families living in the county. The population density was 7 /mi2. There were 10,697 housing units at an average density of 5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.07% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. 4.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,894 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.20% 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 2.86.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.50% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 30.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,899, and the median income for a family was $57,025. Males had a median income of $41,480 versus $27,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,019. About 3.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.60% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Park County is consistently Republican. It has not voted for the Democratic nominee for president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Towns

 * Alma
 * Fairplay

Census-designated place

 * Guffey
 * Hartsel

Other unincorporated communities

 * Bailey
 * Como
 * Grant
 * Jefferson
 * Lake George
 * Shawnee
 * Tarryall

Ghost towns

 * Antero Junction
 * Buckskin Joe (Also known as Laurette or Lauret)
 * Garo
 * Tarryall
 * Trump

In popular culture
In the long-running animated television series South Park, the eponymous fictional town is situated in an unspecified part of the county.

Notable people

 * Gottlieb Fluhmann (Gottlieb Fluhmann disappeared in 1892 and his remains were found in a secluded cave in Park County in 1944. The cause of his death remains unknown).
 * Samuel Hartsel
 * John J. Hoover
 * Sheldon Jackson

title: Park County, Colorado


text:
Ouray County, Colorado

Ouray County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,874. The county seat is Ouray. Because of its rugged mountain topography, Ouray County is also known as the "Switzerland of America".

History
Ouray County was formed out of San Juan County on January 18, 1877, the first county designated by the newly formed Colorado State Legislature. It was named for Chief Ouray, a distinguished Ute Indian chief. Ouray was designated county seat on March 8, 1877. On February 19, 1881, Dolores County was formed out of Ouray County.

On February 27, 1883, Ouray County was split into San Miguel County and what is currently Ouray County. The portion that became San Miguel County almost retained the name Ouray County when the Colorado General Assembly initially renamed Ouray County as Uncompaghre County. Four days later on March 2, 1883, the General Assembly changed its mind and changed the name of Uncompaghre County back to Ouray County.

The Ouray County Courthouse was constructed in Ouray in 1888 and is located on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mining operators in the San Juan mountain area of Colorado formed the San Juan District Mining Association (SJDMA) in 1903, as a direct result of a Western Federation of Miners proposal to the Telluride Mining Association for the eight-hour day, which had been approved in a referendum by 72 percent of Colorado voters. The new association consolidated the power of thirty-six mining properties in San Miguel, Ouray, and San Juan counties. The SJDMA refused to consider any reduction in hours or increase in wages, helping to provoke a bitter strike.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 542 sqmi, of which 542 sqmi is land and 0.6 sqmi (0.1%) is water. The highest mountain in Ouray County is Mount Sneffels at 14,150 feet above sea level. Many high peaks of more than 13,300 feet also exist. Other prominent features in Ouray County include Log Hill Mesa and Pleasant Valley.

Adjacent counties

 * Montrose County - north
 * Gunnison County - northeast
 * Hinsdale County - southeast
 * San Juan County - south
 * San Miguel County - southwest

Major highways

 * US 550.svg U.S. Highway 550
 * Colorado 62.svg State Highway 62

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,742 people, 1,576 households, and 1,123 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 /mi2. There were 2,146 housing units at an average density of 4 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.34% White, 0.08% Black or African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. 4.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,576 households, out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.50% 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 2.77.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.50% under the age of 18, 4.10% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 34.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 102.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,019, and the median income for a family was $49,776. Males had a median income of $35,141 versus $26,176 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,335. About 6.00% of families and 7.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.00% of those under age 18 and 2.90% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
In the first three elections that it participated in, from 1880 until 1888, Ouray County voted for Republican presidential candidates before voting for Populist James B. Weaver in 1892 and then voting for Democratic presidential candidates from 1896 to 1908. Then, from 1912 until 1944, Ouray County was a swing county that voted for the winner of each election from Woodrow Wilson's 1912 victory to Franklin Roosevelt's 1940 victory, however broke that streak when it voted for Thomas Dewey in 1944. Between 1944 and 2004, it transformed into a Republican stronghold, with Lyndon B. Johnson being the only Democrat to win the county in his 1964 landslide, with Republicans frequently getting 50-60% of the vote, even reaching more than 70% in Richard Nixon's and Ronald Reagan's 49 state landslides in 1972 and 1984. In fact, Nixon and Reagan are the only candidates in history to receive 70% of the vote in the county, and Reagan remains the last candidate in history to receive 70% of the votes there, and the second to last to receive over 60%, the last being George H. W. Bush in 1988. However, starting with Barack Obama's victory in 2008, Ouray County has transformed into a Democratic powerhouse, with Joe Biden winning it by almost 20 points in 2020. At 58.8%, Biden's vote share is the highest of any candidate since George H.W. Bush's 63.9% in 1988.

Ouray County is situated in Colorado House of Representatives, House District 58. The current representative is Marc Catlin, who has represented the county since 2022.

Recreation

Ouray County, named Switzerland of America, is home to many parks and hiking trails. The Ridgway State Park is located due north of Ridgway on the Ridgway Reservoir and includes a marina and camping facilities as well as an extensive trail system. Within and surrounding the county are the Uncompahgre National Forest, Mount Sneffels Wilderness, and the Uncompahgre Wilderness. Leading through the county is the Bear Creek National Recreation Trail. Well known for its view of the San Juan Mountains and Cimarron Range, scenic highways such as the Alpine Loop National Scenic Back Country Byway and San Juan Skyway National Scenic Byway exist. The Great Parks Bicycle Route and Western Express Bicycle Route also go through Ouray County.

The Elks Lodge of Ouray County is only one of a very few surviving American locations for a bowling alley facility - a more famous one being Milwaukee, Wisconsin's Holler House - that uses exclusively human-operated pinsetting units to set the tenpins for bowling on its pair of vintage wood bowling lanes.

Communities

Ouray County has two home rule municipalities, and seven unincorporated communities. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined three of these as census-designated places (CDP). The home rule municipalities are the city of Ouray and town of Ridgway, also the most populous settlements in the county. Loghill Village is the next largest development. Along with Loghill, Portland and Colona serve as census-designated places within Ouray County. The other unincorporated communities within the county are Camp Bird, Dallas, Thistledown, and Eldredge. All the communities, with the exception of Ridgway and Ouray, serve as primarily residential communities, though Loghill Village maintains a small tourism sector.

Colona, Eldredge, and Dallas are located in the northern reaches of the county along U.S. Highway 550, though Eldredge and Dallas are located within the valleys of the San Juan Mountains while Colona is in the short stretch of the Uncompahgre Valley within Ouray County. Portland is placed down valley of Ouray, though still south of Ridgway. Camp Bird and Thistledown are communities placed southwest of Ouray on Camp Bird Road. From north to south the communities are Colona, Eldredge, Dallas, Ridgway, Ouray, and then southwest along Camp Bird Road to Thistledown and Camp Bird. The historic towns of Sneffels and Ironton are located further west from Camp Bird and south of Ouray, respectively. Populations listed below are from the 2010 United States census data.

Historic towns

 * Dallas
 * Guston
 * Ironton
 * Red Mountain Town
 * Sneffels

title: Ouray County, Colorado


text:
Otero County, Colorado

Otero County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,690. The county seat is La Junta. The county was named for Miguel Antonio Otero, one of the founders of the town of La Junta and a member of a prominent Hispanic family.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1270 sqmi, of which 1262 sqmi is land and 7.7 sqmi (0.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Crowley County - north
 * Kiowa County - northeast
 * Bent County - east
 * Las Animas County - south
 * Pueblo County - west

Major highways

 * US 50.svg U.S. Highway 50
 * US 350.svg U.S. Highway 350
 * Colorado 10.svg State Highway 10
 * Colorado 71.svg State Highway 71
 * Colorado 109.svg State Highway 109
 * Colorado 167.svg State Highway 167
 * Colorado 207.svg State Highway 207
 * Colorado 266.svg State Highway 266

National protected areas

 * Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
 * Comanche National Grassland
 * Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 20,311 people, 7,920 households, and 5,472 families living in the county. The population density was 16 /mi2. There were 8,813 housing units at an average density of 7 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 79.02% White, 0.76% Black or African American, 1.43% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 15.06% from other races, and 2.96% from two or more races. 37.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 7,920 households 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 12.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.80% of households were one person and 12.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 24.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males.

The median household income was $29,738 and the median family income was $35,906. Males had a median income of $26,996 versus $21,001 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,113. About 14.20% of families and 18.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.90% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Otero is a strongly Republican county, although less so than the counties of the Colorado High Plains. It was last won for the Democratic Party by Bill Clinton in 1996. Before that, Otero tended to be a Republican-leaning county at the Presidential level, although it did vote for Wilson twice, FDR in 1932 and 1936, Truman in 1948 and Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

Cities

 * La Junta
 * Rocky Ford

Towns

 * Cheraw
 * Fowler
 * Manzanola
 * Swink

Census-designated places

 * La Junta Gardens
 * North La Junta

title: Otero County, Colorado


text:
Morgan County, Colorado

Morgan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 29,111. The county seat is Fort Morgan. The county was named after old Fort Morgan, which in turn was named in honor of Colonel Christopher A. Morgan.

Morgan County comprises the Fort Morgan, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1294 sqmi, of which 1280 sqmi is land and 13 sqmi (1.0%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Logan County - northeast
 * Washington County - east, southeast
 * Adams County - southwest
 * Weld County - north, west

Major highways

 * I-76 (CO).svg Interstate 76
 * US 6.svg U.S. Highway 6
 * US 34.svg U.S. Highway 34
 * Colorado 39.svg State Highway 39
 * Colorado 52.svg State Highway 52
 * Colorado 71.svg State Highway 71
 * Colorado 144.svg State Highway 144
 * Colorado 144.svg State Highway 144

State protected area

 * Jackson Lake State Park

Trails and byways

 * American Discovery Trail
 * Pawnee Pioneer Trails
 * South Platte Trail

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 27,171 people, 9,539 households, and 6,973 families living in the county. The population density was 21 /mi2. There were 10,410 housing units at an average density of 8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 79.65% White, 0.33% Black or African American, 0.81% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 16.37% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. 31.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 19,539 households 37.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.70% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.90% were non-families. 23.00% of households were one person and 10.90% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 30.40% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 100.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males.

The median household income was $34,568 and the median family income was $39,102. Males had a median income of $27,361 versus $21,524 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,492. About 8.50% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.30% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities

 * Brush
 * Fort Morgan

Towns

 * Hillrose
 * Log Lane Village
 * Wiggins

Census-designated places

 * Blue Sky
 * Jackson Lake
 * Morgan Heights
 * Orchard
 * Saddle Ridge
 * Snyder
 * Trail Side
 * Weldona

Other unincorporated communities

 * Goodrich
 * Hoyt

Politics
Morgan County has long been one of the Republican Party's major strongholds in Colorado. It was one of only three Colorado counties (the others being El Paso County and Larimer County) to vote for the re-election of Herbert Hoover in 1932, and the only Democrat to obtain an absolute majority in the county since 1920 has been Lyndon Johnson in 1964 – although Roosevelt did win a plurality in 1936.

In other statewide elections, the county also leans strongly Republican, although it was carried by Democrat Roy Romer in 1990 – when he carried all but four counties statewide – by Dick Lamm in 1982 and by Constitution Party candidate Tom Tancredo in 2010.

title: Morgan County, Colorado


text:
Montrose County, Colorado

Montrose County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,679. The county seat is Montrose, for which the county is named.

Montrose County comprises the Montrose, CO, Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2243 sqmi, of which 2241 sqmi is land and 1.9 sqmi (0.08%) is water.

Adjacent counties

 * Mesa County - north
 * Delta County - northeast
 * Gunnison County - east
 * Ouray County - southeast
 * San Miguel County - south
 * San Juan County, Utah - west

Major highways

 * US 50.svg U.S. Highway 50
 * US 550.svg U.S. Highway 550
 * Colorado 90.svg State Highway 90
 * Colorado 92.svg State Highway 92
 * Colorado 141.svg State Highway 141
 * Colorado 145.svg State Highway 145
 * Colorado 348.svg State Highway 348

National protected areas

 * Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
 * Black Canyon of the Gunnison Wilderness
 * Curecanti National Recreation Area (part)
 * Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area (part)
 * Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area (part)
 * Gunnison Gorge Wilderness
 * Gunnison National Forest (part)
 * Manti-La Sal National Forest (part)
 * Old Spanish National Historic Trail
 * Uncompahgre National Forest (part)

River

 * Dolores River (part)
 * Uncompahgre River (part)
 * San Miguel River (part)
 * Gunnison River (part)

Trails and byways

 * Great Parks Bicycle Route
 * Unaweep/Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway
 * West Elk Loop Scenic Byway
 * Western Express Bicycle Route

Historical site

 * Hanging Flume
 * Uravan, Colorado

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 41,276 people, 16,484 households, and 11,461 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 /mi2. There were 18,250 housing units at an average density of 8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 86.70% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 1.10% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 8.70% from other races, and 2.40% from two or more races. 19.70% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 16,484 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.97.

The county population was spread out, with 24.70% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 22.50% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 17.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

Also from the census of 2010, the median income for a household in the county was $46,058, and the median income for a family was $52,152. Males had a median income of $41,301 versus $31,659 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,413. About 7.30% of families and 10.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Montrose is a staunch Republican county. It has not been won by a Democratic presidential nominee since Lyndon Johnson‘s 1964 landslide – indeed since then, no Democrat has managed forty percent of the county's vote. The county has leaned Republican ever since 1920; although before this, it did tend to vote Democratic between 1896 and 1916 except during the landslide loss of Alton B. Parker in 1904.

In other offices, Montrose also is strongly Republican. The last Democratic Senatorial candidate it backed was Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who later shifted to the Republican Party, in the 1992 election. Montrose County did back Constitution Party nominee Tom Tancredo in the 2010 gubernatorial election, and Bill Ritter did win 46 percent in 2006, but Roy Romer in 1990 remains the last Democratic candidate for governor to win Montrose County.

Montrose County is situated in Colorado House of Representatives, House District 58. The Current Representative is Marc Catlin, who has carried the county in all four of his terms.

Culture

 * Ute Indian Museum

City

 * Montrose

Towns

 * Naturita
 * Nucla
 * Olathe

Census-designated place

 * Redvale

Other unincorporated places

 * Bedrock
 * Cimarron
 * Coventry
 * Maher
 * Mountain View
 * Oak Grove
 * Paradox
 * Pea Green Corner
 * Piñon
 * Uravan

title: Montrose County, Colorado


text:
DirectDraw

DirectDraw (ddraw.dll) is an API that used to be a part of Microsoft's DirectX API. DirectDraw is used to accelerate rendering of 2D graphics in applications. DirectDraw also allows applications to run fullscreen or embedded in a window such as most other MS Windows applications. DirectDraw uses hardware acceleration if it is available on the client's computer. DirectDraw allows direct access to video memory, hardware overlays, hardware blitters, and page flipping. Its video memory manager can manipulate video memory with ease, taking full advantage of the blitting and color decompression capabilities of different types of display adapters.

DirectDraw is a 2D API. That is, it contains commands for 2D rendering and does not support 3D hardware acceleration. A programmer could use DirectDraw to draw 3D graphics, but the rendering would be slow compared to an API such as Direct3D which does support 3D hardware acceleration.

DirectDraw was introduced for Windows Mobile in Windows Mobile 5.0, replacing the graphics component of GAPI, which was then deprecated.

With the release of DirectX version 8.0, DirectDraw was merged into a new package called DirectX Graphics, which extended Direct3D with a few DirectDraw API additions. DirectDraw can still be used by programmers, but they must use older DirectX interfaces (DirectX 7 and below).

In June 2010, DirectDraw was removed from the DirectX SDK package, but in 2012, the DirectX SDK was merged into the Windows Platform SDK, and DirectDraw was included once again.

Replacement
There has been a deterioration of Windows compatibility with old games that rely upon DirectDraw, with Command & Conquer, Warcraft 2, and Theme Hospital among those affected. In newer Windows versions, some games will refuse to run under a 32-bit bit depth (Dangerous Waters for example), others showing a black screen or glitching when switched out. Re-implementation of DirectDraw has been observed to fix these compatibility problems. Commonly used replacements include:
 * WineD3D from Wine, which translates into OpenGL.
 * cnc-ddraw and ts-ddraw from CnCNet, a Command & Conquer multiplayer network. Translates into GDI, OpenGL (with GLSL support), or Direct3D 9.
 * DDrawCompat, a wrapper for the vanilla ddraw that corrects problematic calls. ddwrapper is an earlier, unrelated wrapper that does the same thing.

title: DirectDraw


text:
Montezuma County, Colorado

Montezuma County is a county located in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 25,849. The county seat is Cortez.

Montezuma County contains many archaeologically significant Amerindian structures, which notably can be found in Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Yucca House National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument. Montezuma County is also home to most of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation, home of the Weeminuche Band of the Ute Nation, known as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, with its headquarters at Towaoc.

History
Montezuma County has been settled since approximately AD 600, and had an estimated population of approximately 100,000, four times its current population, in the 12th century. However, a series of events caused virtually all permanent settlements to be abandoned between 1200 and 1300, and the area was contested between nomadic Ute and Navajo bands until resettlement occurred in the 1870s. Montezuma County was created out of the western portion of La Plata County by the Colorado Legislature in April 1889. It was named in honor of Moctezuma II, who reigned as emperor of the Aztec Empire in Mexico during its decline at the hands of the Spanish invasion. The building ruins in Mesa Verde National Park were thought to be of Aztec origin at the time.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2040 sqmi, of which 2030 sqmi is land and 11 sqmi (0.5%) is water.

A large county, roughly 1/3 of its area is tribal land, 1/3 is federal land (administered by the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management), and 1/3 private or state/county land. It is also varied topographically, ranging in elevation from about 6000 ft to more than 13200 ft, and from high Colorado Plateau desert to alpine tundra. The county has the second largest reservoir in Colorado, McPhee Reservoir, many other large reservoirs, and hundreds of private lakes and ponds. Much of the county is irrigated cropland, and it produces fruit, large numbers of cattle and sheep, and beans. It is served by U.S. Highways 160 and 491 (formerly US 666), and by Cortez Municipal Airport. It has no rail service, although both Mancos and Dolores were established as railroad towns in the 1890s.

Adjacent counties

 * Dolores County - north
 * San Juan County - northeast
 * La Plata County - east
 * San Juan County, New Mexico - south - New Mexico portion of Four Corners.
 * Apache County, Arizona - southwest - Arizona portion of Four Corners.
 * San Juan County, Utah - west - Utah portion of Four Corners.

Montezuma County is the only county in the United States to border three counties with the same name in three different states (San Juan County in Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah). The "border" with San Juan County, Colorado, is, however, only a point of zero length.

Major highways

 * US 160.svg U.S. Highway 160
 * US 491.svg U.S. Highway 491 (former US 666)
 * Colorado 41.svg State Highway 41
 * Colorado 145.svg State Highway 145
 * Colorado 184.svg State Highway 184

National protected areas

 * Calico National Recreation Trail
 * Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (part)
 * Highline Loop National Recreation Trail
 * Hovenweep National Monument (part)
 * Lowry Ruin National Historic Landmark, now part of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
 * Mesa Verde National Park
 * Mesa Verde Wilderness
 * Old Spanish National Historic Trail
 * Petroglyph Point National Recreation Trail
 * San Juan National Forest
 * Yucca House National Monument

State protected area

 * Mancos State Park

Other protected area

 * McPhee Reservoir

Trails and byways

 * Great Parks Bicycle Route
 * San Juan Skyway
 * Trail of the Ancients
 * Western Express Bicycle Route

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 23,830 people, 9,201 households, and 6,514 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 /mi2. There were 10,497 housing units at an average density of 5 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 81.72% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 11.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. 9.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,201 households, out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,083, and the median income for a family was $38,071. Males had a median income of $30,666 versus $21,181 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,003. About 13.10% of families and 16.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.20% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

City

 * Cortez

Towns

 * Dolores
 * Mancos

Census-designated places

 * Lewis
 * Towaoc

Other unincorporated places

 * Arriola
 * Pleasant View
 * Yellow Jacket

Politics
In its early history Montezuma County favored the Democratic Party. It was one of the few counties in the West to be won by Alton B. Parker in 1904, and along with neighboring La Plata County was one of only two Colorado counties to give a plurality to John W. Davis in the three-way 1924 election. However, since the 1940s Montezuma has been a strongly Republican county: no Democrat since 1968 has won over forty percent of the county's vote in a Presidential election. Recently (July 28, 2020), the county government has openly endorsed viewpoints described as far-right by posting web links under a "News" banner on the official county web page. These links have since been removed after community members objected to partisan positions on the county website.

In gubernatorial elections, Montezuma County is also Republican-leaning: in 2010 it was along with neighboring Dolores County one of only two counties to give a plurality to Dan Maes. The last Democratic gubernatorial nominee to win Montezuma County was Roy Romer in 1990 when he carried all but four counties statewide. The last Democratic senatorial candidate to carry Montezuma County was Ben “Nighthorse” Campbell – later to switch to the Republican Party – in 1992.

Montezuma County is split between two house districts for the Colorado House of Representatives, House District 58 & House District 59. Prior to the redistricting, which took affect in the November 2022 election, Montezuma County was solely in House District 58. The Current Representative for House District 58 is Marc Catlin, who has carried the county in all four of his terms.

title: Montezuma County, Colorado