text:
Hugo, Colorado

Hugo is a statutory town in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 787 at the 2020 census.

History
In about 1859 the town was developed as a cattle ranching community to supply miners with provisions. The town was also used as a local stage coach stop.

There are two stories as to how the town obtained its name. One version says the town was named by the Kansas Pacific Railroad builders after pioneer stage agent (Overland company), Hugo Richards. Richards later moved to Prescott, Arizona where he became town banker and businessman. Another story says the town was named for Richard Hugo who was a local settler. The town was founded in 1870, and incorporated in 1909.

In July 2016, the water supply for the town of Hugo was purportedly contaminated by THC, the main psychoactive component in cannabis. Subsequent testing found no THC in the water supply, and authorities believe the initial tests were false positives.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all of which is land. Hugo's elevation is 5,039 ft.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hugo has a cold semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Arts and culture
Hugo has the Eastern Trails Museum and Cultural Arts Center, the historic Hugo Kansas-Pacific/Union Pacific Roundhouse, the Union Pacific Train Depot Town Museum, and the historic Hedlund Museum House, the vintage swimming pool of which are all located in Hugo.

Hugo's public library is located in the Hugo municipal building.

Parks and recreation
Hugo's municipal public park (Hines Park) features a vintage swimming pool which was constructed as a Works Project Administration facility in the 1930s and is designated as a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places. There is also a picnic area, playgrounds, a volleyball court as well as a basketball court. The municipal building has a racquetball court on its grounds. The Coulson Nature Trail is a 2.5-mile wildlife and nature hiking trail on the outskirts of town. Kinney Lake State Wildlife Area is 14 miles south of Hugo, and features a 10-acre lake for fishing and recreation as well as camping and hunting of deer, antelope, rabbit, coyote, waterfowl during the licensed season.

Education
Hugo is served by the Genoa-Hugo School District No. C-113 and includes Genoa-Hugo Elementary School, Genoa-Hugo Middle School and Genoa-Hugo High School.

Media
The Eastern Colorado Plainsman is the weekly newspaper serving Hugo and the surrounding communities. There is an FM radio station licensed for Hugo.

Notable people

 * Carl "Bev" Bledsoe - The longest serving Speaker of the Colorado State House of Representatives was a rancher from Hugo. Bledsoe, a Republican, was first elected to the state legislature in 1972 and served as Speaker from 1981 to 1991.

title: Hugo, Colorado


text:
Limon, Colorado

Limon is a statutory town that is the most populous municipality in Lincoln County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,043 at the 2020 United States Census. Limon lies at the intersection of Interstate 70, U.S. Highways 24, 40, 287, and Colorado Highway 71. The Limon Correctional Facility is part of the Colorado Department of Corrections system and is a major employer in the area with employment of roughly 350.

Limon is the western terminus of the Kyle Railroad and it is here the regional interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad. Trains previously stopped at Limon Railroad Depot.

History
Railroads were the major factor for Limon's original founding and location. The Kansas Pacific Railroad made its way across the plains from southern Kansas following the Smoky Hill Trail in 1870. In 1888, the Chicago, Rock Island, and Pacific Railroad (now the Kyle Railroad) made its way west to east from Colorado Springs, entering Lincoln County and intersecting the Kansas Pacific (now Union Pacific) at the present day location of Limon. This union of the two railroads was the earliest founding of the "Hub City".

Porter lynching
Limon was the site of a lynching on November 16, 1900. Preston Porter Jr, a sixteen-year-old African-American male, had confessed under duress to the murder of eleven-year-old Louise Frost who was Caucasian. Porter was apparently being held some 90 miles away in Denver, but was sent back to Limon by request of unspecified people and against the wishes of Sheriff Freeman. When the train carrying Porter stopped in Limon, sixteen men selected from a mob of 300 "marked by calmness and determination" took Porter from Freeman's custody despite the sheriff's protestations "in the name of law." Originally it was announced that Porter would be hanged but many in the crowd including R. W. Frost, the girl's father, objected "that such a death would be too easy." The method was left to Frost who decided upon burning at the stake. Frost also refused to allow mutilation of Porter's body before burning. While waiting for his execution, Porter sat next to a bonfire reading the Gospel of Luke from the Bible. Porter was chained to an iron railroad rail set in the ground on the exact spot where the murder had taken place and burned to death, the match to start the fire being set by the girl's father. Lynchings of this type were apparently rare, as reporters on the scene wrote: "The general sentiment expressed approves the execution of the negro, but deprecates the method adopted."

1990 tornado
On June 6, 1990, an F3 tornado touched down near Matheson (about 16 miles west of Limon), tearing roughly east-northeast through fields. Minutes later, the then rain-wrapped tornado arrived, devastating the city. The storm injured 14 people, but remarkably no one was killed. Most of Limon's business district had been laid to ruins in just moments.

Governor Roy Romer declared Limon a disaster area the next day.

Limon successfully rebuilt its business district adding streetscaping, a new Town Hall, relocating a medical clinic and Limon Memorial Library, creating Hub City Senior Center and a new fire station. Downtown Limon is now a thriving center of the community demonstrating the strength of this rural community.

Limon Schools
Limon Schools has a new K-12 facility that opened in the fall of 2015. The $22.5 million project built two stories of new classrooms that accommodate up to 600 students.

Limon Elementary School is a public coed school with 240 students in grades K-5. According to state standards, 82% of students at this school are considered proficient in math or reading.

Limon Junior-Senior High School has 233 students in grades 6-12. According to state standards, 77% of students at this school are considered proficient in reading. Graduation rate is 90%.

Morgan Community College
Morgan Community College: Limon Center serves Arickaree, Flagler, Genoa-Hugo, Karval, Kit Carson, Limon, and Woodlin high schools. It currently offers A.A., A.S., A.A.S. & A.G.S. degrees; Transfer courses; Nursing pre-requisites; Agriculture & Business Management; GED preparation & testing; Specialty classes for teacher re-licensure; EMS training; and Computer classes.

Limon Child Development Center
Limon Child Development Center (Limon Head Start) offers a full-day, full-year preschool program for children ages 3–5. There are various funding programs available for children including Head Start, Colorado Preschool Program (CPP), CCCAP through the Lincoln County Department of Human Services, and private pay tuition.

Geography
Limon is located at 39.26389°N, -103.69222°W at an elevation of 5377 ft. Although entirely in Lincoln County, Limon is located immediately east of the Elbert County line. It lies on the north side of Big Sandy Creek, a tributary of the Arkansas River, on the eastern edge of the Colorado Piedmont region of the Great Plains, and is near the eastern end of the Palmer Divide. Located in east-central Colorado at the junction of Interstate 70, U.S. Highway 287, U.S. Highway 40, U.S. Highway 24, and State Highway 71, Limon is far from any major city or town, being 72 mi northeast of Colorado Springs, 83 mi southeast of Denver, and 486 mi west of Kansas City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.9 sqmi, all land.

Climate
Limon has a semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) with cold, dry winters and warm, mildly wetter summers. Due to its location on the eastern plains, the town is often subject to severe, sometimes violent thunderstorms throughout the summer. Large hail, damaging winds, heavy rain, and tornadoes are common in the summer months. The high temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F an average of 32.3 days a year and reaches or exceeds 100 °F an average of 0.8 days a year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point 32 °F an average of 195.9 days a year. Typically, the first fall freeze occurs by the fourth week of September, and the last spring freeze occurs by the third week of May. In a typical year, Limon receives 14.97 in of precipitation, and there are 81.3 days of measurable precipitation. The hottest temperature recorded in Limon was 104 °F on July 20, 2005; the coldest temperature recorded was −28 °F on February 14, 2021.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 1,880 people, 828 households, and 476 families residing in the town. The population density was 989.5 PD/sqmi. There were 963 housing units at an average density of 506.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 93.2% White, 0.9% American Indian, 0.8% African American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.8% from some other race, and 1.5% from two or more races. 9.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 828 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males age 18 and over.

As of 2009, the median income for a household in the town was $40,903, and the median income for a family was $46,061. Males had a median income of $49,097 versus $31,615 for females. The per capita income for the town was $22,442. About 16.6% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.5% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Print
The Limon Leader is the city's weekly newspaper, published by Hoffman Publications, LLC and has a circulation of about 3,200 copies.

Radio
The following radio stations are licensed to or broadcast from Limon:

AM

FM

Television
Limon is in the Denver television market.

Highways
Limon is connected by Interstate 70 east to Kansas and west to Denver. The Ports-to-Plains Corridor, including US 40/287 south and Colorado Highway 71 to the north, connects to Texas and South Dakota.

Colorado State Highway 71 connects south from Limon to Pueblo. U.S. Route 24 is a direct passage southwest from Limon to Colorado Springs.

Railroads
Limon is served by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Kyle Railroad, a short-line railroad owned by Genesee & Wyoming, Inc. The Kyle Railroad runs from North Central Kansas into Eastern Colorado with Limon as the western terminus where it interchanges with the Union Pacific Railroad.

Aviation
The Town of Limon is 83 mi from Denver International Airport, the largest airport in the state. Colorado Springs Airport is located about 74 mi from Limon.

Limon Municipal Airport is a public use airport located at the eastern edge of town. The two-runway airport encompasses approximately 397 acre and is owned and operated by the town government. The general aviation airport utilized by a range of aircraft ranging from single-engine aircraft up to small sized multi-engine business jets.

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

title: Limon, Colorado


text:
Atwood, Colorado

Atwood is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Logan County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Atwood post office has the ZIP Code 80722. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Atwood CDP was 138.

History
The Atwood post office has been in operation since 1885. The community was named after John Atwood, a Unitarian minister.

Geography
Atwood is located in southwestern Logan County. U.S. Route 6 passes through the community, leading northeast 7 mi to Sterling, the county seat, and southwest 6 mi to Merino. Colorado State Highway 63 leads south from Atwood 3 mi to Exit 115 on Interstate 76 and 27 mi to Akron.

The Atwood CDP has an area of 2.678 km2, all land.

Climate
This climate type occurs mostly on the outsides of the true deserts, in low-latitude semi-arid steppe regions. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "BSk". (Tropical and Subtropical Steppe Climate).

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

title: Atwood, Colorado


text:
Crook, Colorado

The Town of Crook is a Statutory Town in Logan County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 133 at the 2020 United States Census. Crook is a part of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Toponymy
The town was named for General George Crook, officer during the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Crook has frequently been noted on lists of unusual place names.

Geography
Crook is located at 40.85861°N, -102.80111°W (40.858586, -102.801195).

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 0.349 km2, all of it land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Crook has a cold semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 128 people, 57 households, and 38 families residing in the town. The population density was 991.5 PD/sqmi. There were 80 housing units at an average density of 619.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 100.00% White. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.91% of the population.

There were 57 households, out of which 17.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.2% were married couples living together, 1.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.82.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 18.0% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 31.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $35,833. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $26,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,127. There were no families and 3.7% of the population living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 10.3% of those over 64.

title: Crook, Colorado


text:
Fleming, Colorado

The Town of Fleming is a statutory town in Logan County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 428 at the 2020 United States Census. Fleming is a part of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Fleming was named for Henry Bascom Fleming, a railroad official.

Geography
Fleming is located at 40.68278°N, -102.84°W (40.682874, -102.839871).

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 1.267 km2, all of it land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Fleming has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 426 people, 169 households, and 115 families residing in the town. The population density was 822.9 PD/sqmi. There were 198 housing units at an average density of 382.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.71% White, 2.35% African American, 0.23% Native American, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.35% of the population.

There were 169 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% 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 3.14.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,484, and the median income for a family was $31,818. Males had a median income of $25,417 versus $14,063 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,113. About 6.4% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.0% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Fleming, Colorado


text:
Iliff, Colorado

The Town of Iliff is a Statutory Town located in Logan County, Colorado, United States. The population was 246 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
The town was named for John Wesley Iliff, a cattleman who owned a ranch near the town site.

The people of Iliff have proven to be a resilient folk, surviving a blizzard in 1949 and a flood in 1968. Iliff resides on the fertile banks of the South Platte River. The South Platte has been a cornerstone to the community.

The first building constructed was a Post Office and Real Estate Office in 1870. On January 6, 1885, the city was surveyed and on May 4 of that year, a school district was organized. By 1887 a grocery store and lumber yard were in business. The Iliff Bank was established in 1907. By 1915 there was a Baptist Church and a John Deere Implement Dealership added to the town. The Farmer’s Alfalfa Milling Company started in 1918. There were also two doctors, Daniels and Houff, who owned a drug store. In 1920 the Glory Park Theater opened. In 1923 a town Marshall was hired and an old rail boxcar was used as a jail. In 1928 the Catholic Church was built.

The growth declined during the depression, and again during World War II. In 1957 there were eleven businesses that slowly diminished with more people willing to drive 12 miles to Sterling, CO and the opening of Interstate 76, which took all but local travelers off of state highway 138.

Geography
Iliff is located at 40.75891°N, -103.06584°W.

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

title: Iliff, Colorado


text:
Merino, Colorado

The Town of Merino is a Statutory Town in Logan County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 281 at the 2020 United States Census.

The town was named for the merino sheep which grazed there.

Geography
Merino is located at 40.48444°N, -103.35361°W (40.484418, -103.353691).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.152 sqmi, all of it land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Merino has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Notable People
Radio and television host Ralph Edwards was born in Merino. Ralph Edwards Avenue was named in his memory.

title: Merino, Colorado


text:
Padroni, Colorado

Padroni is an unincorporated town, a census-designated place (CDP), and a post office located in and governed by Logan County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Padroni post office has the ZIP Code 80745. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Padroni CDP was 75.

History
Padroni was named for George and Tom Padroni, early settlers.

Geography
Padroni is located just northwest of the center of Logan County. It is on County Route 43, 11 mi north of Sterling, the county seat, and 16 mi southwest of Peetz.

The Padroni CDP has an area of 2.101 km2, all land.

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

title: Padroni, Colorado


text:
Peetz, Colorado

Peetz is a Statutory Town in Logan County, Colorado, United States. The population was 213 at the 2020 census.

History
The community was named after Peter Peetz, an early settler.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.19 sqmi, all of it land.

Peetz is located on the Peetz Plateau.

Economy
Peetz's commerce mainly is focused on farming. In the town of Peetz, there is one restaurant/bar, the Hot Spot, a grain elevator and service station (Peetz Co-op), a telephone and internet provider (Peetz Telephone Company), and a laundromat.

Education
Peetz is home to the RE-5 School District and Peetz K-12 School.

Transportation
There are no forms of public transportation in Peetz, but a BNSF Railway line runs past the town. Peetz lies next to Colorado State Highway 113.

title: Peetz, Colorado


text:
Sterling, Colorado

Sterling is a home rule municipality and the county seat and most populous municipality of Logan County, Colorado, United States. Sterling is the principal city of the Sterling, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city population was 13,735 at the 2020 census.

Sterling is the largest city in the Eastern Plains region of Colorado and the site of the domed Logan County Courthouse, built in 1909.

History
A post office called Sterling has been in operation since 1874. The community was named for Sterling, Illinois, the native home of a railroad official.

Geography
Sterling is 128 mi northeast of Denver, and is located on Interstate 76, on the 'eastern plains' of northeastern Colorado.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.43 sqmi, all land.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Sterling has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics
As of the 2020 census, there were 13,753 people, 4,604 households, and 2,790 families living in the city. The population density was 1,653.1 PD/sqmi. There were 5,171 housing units at an average density of 752.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 90.75% Caucasian American, 0.75% African American, 0.79% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 5.60% from other races, and 1.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.20% of the population.

There were 4,604 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $27,337, and the median income for a family was $39,103. Males had a median income of $27,921 versus $20,508 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,287.

Economy

Major employers in Sterling include Northeastern Junior College, the RE-1 Valley School system, and the Sterling Correctional Facility.

Sterling is the major shopping hub for most of northeastern Colorado and hosts big box retailers, as well as many local stores located primarily on Main Street. Six different banks have branches in Sterling and there are local AM and FM radio stations as well as a local television station, and a long-established regional newspaper, the Sterling Journal-Advocate and South Platte Sentinel.

Government
The Colorado Department of Corrections operates the Sterling Correctional Facility in Sterling.

Education
Sterling is the home of Northeastern Junior College, a residential two-year college in Colorado.

Sterling is also the location of the RE-1 Valley School District.

Transportation
Crosson Field serves as Sterling's airport, but there are no scheduled flights available from there. The closest airport served by scheduled flights is Denver International Airport, located 121 mi away.

Sterling is also served by railroads, although only freight carriers serve the town. The main rail operator is Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), but other operators, like Union Pacific, serve Sterling as well. The closest Amtrak station is located in Fort Morgan, about 47 mi away.

Intercity bus service is offered by Burlington Trailways and Express Arrow with service to Denver, as well as number of cities in Nebraska including North Platte, Kearney, and Omaha. Sterling is also part of Colorado's Bustang network, as the eastern terminus of the Sterling–Denver and Sterling–Greeley routes, which operate two days per week and three days per week respectively.

Highways

 * I-76.svg Interstate 76 connects Sterling to Denver (128 mi southwest) and northeast to Interstate 80, in Big Springs, Nebraska, along the South Platte River.
 * Business Loop 76.svg Business Loop 76 starts on the intersection of Interstate 76 and US 6, going through East Chestnut Street, North and South 4th Street, South Division Avenue, returning to US 6, connecting Sterling to Atwood and Merino.
 * US 6.svg US 6 runs east–west linking Provincetown, Massachusetts with Bishop, California, via Nevada, Colorado, Illinois and 8 other states.
 * US 138.svg US 138 Runs parallel to Interstate 76, connecting Sterling to US 30, north of Big Springs, Nebraska.
 * Colorado 14.svg State Highway 14 connects Sterling to Fort Collins located 102 mi to the west.

Health care
Sterling is a regional center for health care as well and is the home of the Sterling Regional Medical Center.

Radio

 * KSRX (97.5 FM), Branded as Bob FM, plays "80's, 90's... and whatever!"

title: Sterling, Colorado


text:
Clifton, Colorado

Clifton is a census-designated place (CDP) and post office in and governed by Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Clifton post office has the ZIP Code 81520. As of the 2020 census, the population of the Clifton CDP was 20,413.

History
The Clifton Post Office has been in operation since 1900. The community was named for cliffs near the town site.

Geography
Clifton is in central Mesa County, bordered to the west by the city of Grand Junction and to the northwest by unincorporated Fruitvale. The Colorado River forms the southern edge of the community. U.S. Route 6 passes through the center of Clifton, leading west 6 mi to the center of Grand Junction and east the same distance to Palisade. Interstate 70 passes along the northern edge of Clifton, with access from Exit 37 (I-70 Business). Colorado State Highway 141 leads south from US 6, 5 mi to U.S. Route 50. The Clifton CDP has an area of 6.1 sqmi, of which 0.07 sqmi, or 1.20%, are water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Clifton CDP for the 1980 United States Census.

title: Clifton, Colorado


text:
Collbran, Colorado

Collbran is a statutory town located in Mesa County, Colorado, United States. The town's population was 369 at the 2020 Census. Collbran is a part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Description
The town is located east of Grand Junction along Plateau Creek, at the upper (eastern) end of the small cattle ranching valley around the creek known as the Plateau Valley. The largest community in the valley, it serves a civic and economic center for the surrounding area, which is dependent not only ranching, but on pass-through tourism during the summer and autumn months. In the latter capacity, the town acts somewhat as a gateway to nearby Vega State Park and other recreational sites along the northeast side of the Grand Mesa via the Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway.

Geography
The 2020 United States census recorded the town as having a total area of 1.446 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the 2000 Census, there were 388 people, 145 households, and 100 families residing in the town. The population density was 777.1 PD/sqmi. There were 161 housing units at an average density of 322.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.20% White, 0.26% Native American, 0.77% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.12% of the population.

There were 145 households, out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.6% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $36,016. Males had a median income of $28,438 versus $27,917 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,080. About 5.9% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Climate
The Köppen climate classification subtype for this climate is "Dfb" (Warm Summer Continental Climate).

title: Collbran, Colorado


text:
De Beque, Colorado

De Beque is a statutory town located in Mesa County, Colorado. The population was 493 at the time of the 2020 census. De Beque is a part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town consists of a small grid, including a historic downtown featuring a town hall, a tavern, and several commercial businesses in historic structures. The surrounding streets include houses, several churches, and a school.

History
The town is located in a region historically occupied by the Ute people. White settlers arrived in the region in 1880.

The town is named after Dr. W.A.E. de Beque who explored the area with several companions in 1884 while looking for a suitable location for a ranch.

The town was historically a location where wild horses, prevalent in the surrounding lands, were rounded up and sold. The history of the town is commemorated with a mustang statue near the town hall. In August 2001, the Town Board of Trustees designated De Beque as the only Wild Horse Sanctuary City in the West. The town now undertakes projects in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, as well as private organizations, to protect the remaining wild horses in the area. There are no burros in western Colorado. Such measures include the construction of a public corral for the care of injured and sick mustangs awaiting adoption.

On April 1, 2014, De Beque became the first incorporated town in Mesa County to approve the retail sale of recreational marijuana.

Geography
The town sits along the north side of the Colorado River upstream from De Beque Canyon in a small ranching valley approximately 25 mi northeast and upstream from Grand Junction. It is located across the river from Interstate 70, on a small hill overlooking the river. The southwest edge of the Roan Cliffs overlook the town from the northeast. Much of the surrounding area in the mountains is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. Mount Logan can be seen from town, five miles to the north.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 7.196 km2 including 0.133 km2 of water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 451 people, 167 households, and 130 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,411.7 PD/sqmi. There were 188 housing units at an average density of 588.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.45% White, 0.67% Native American, 0.89% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.

There were 167 households, out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,632, and the median income for a family was $31,042. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,181. About 6.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Wild Horse Days
The town has hosted "Wild Horse Day" every August since 2000. The festival includes a rodeo and parade.

The festival was originally begun to promote awareness to the wild horse population and raise funds for a corral and rodeo grounds.

title: De Beque, Colorado


text:
Fruita, Colorado

Fruita is a home rule municipality located in western Mesa County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 13,395 at the 2020 United States Census. Fruita is a part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies within the Grand Valley. The geography is identified by the bordering Colorado River (historically known as the Grand River) on the southern edge of the town, the Uncompahgre Plateau known for its pinyon-juniper landscape, and the Book Cliffs range on the northern edge of the Grand Valley. Originally home to the Ute people, farmers settled the town after founder William Pabor in 1884. Ten years later, Fruita was incorporated.

Fruita started out as a fruit-producing region. Today it is well known for its outdoor sports such as mountain biking, hiking, disc golfing and rafting, its proximity to the Colorado National Monument, and its annual festivals, such as Mike the Headless Chicken. Fruita has been the winner of the Governor's Smart Growth and Development Award for four consecutive years. The city motto is "Honor the Past, Envision the Future".

History
Fruita has had steady population growth for over a century, with descendants of many of the original pioneers still living in the area. The first permanent homesteaders in the Fruita area were possibly Mr. and Mrs. Albert Lapham who settled in late 1882. They resided in a pre-existing cabin with a dirt floor and a blanket door. They were followed by other settlers, nearly all of whom were farmers of one sort or another. The present town was established on May 1, 1884, by William E. Pabor, when he formed the Fruita Town and Land Company. In 1886, for the cost of $500 a farmer could buy five acres, 200 fruit trees and water. Pabor recognized the great promise of the Grand Valley and penned a 300-page volume, Colorado as an Agricultural State, in which he spoke of the fruit-growing potential of this area. Having worked with the Horace Greeley Union Colony, he founded the town in a similar way, including the provision that no liquor be sold or manufactured in the town. This provision lasted until it was voted out in the late 1970s.

The original town site was planned for 80 acre with a park in the middle. The first water reached the town from the Colorado River in 1907. By 1909, the town center was linked with electricity. In the 1930s, Fruita participated in several government projects, including the Grand Valley Resettlement Project (later Western Slope Farms). Settled in groups of two or three families per area, 34 families were relocated by 1937. Later, the Rural Electrification Project brought electricity to around 800 or 900 farms. Fruita also had a Civilian Conservation Corps, several Works Progress Administration projects including the town library (now the Chamber of Commerce), a federal loan for the new central school (now the Civic Center) and the construction of the Rim Rock Drive to the top of the Colorado National Monument, elevation 8000 ft. Today, the historic activities of Fruita are supported by the efforts of the Fruita Historic Preservation Board and the Lower Valley Heritage Chapter.

From approximately 1900 to 1930, Fruita was a sundown town. Cowboy Charlie Glass was prohibited by law from being buried in the town cemetery, but he was still interred there.

On April 6, 2010, Fruita became the first city in the world to enact a marijuana tax.

Paleontology
In 1900, paleontologist Elmer Riggs and crew, from the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, found the first known Brachiosaurus altithorax at a location later called "Riggs Hill," located off what is now State Highway 340 in Grand Junction. Led there by communications with Dr. S.M. Bradbury of Grand Puns, Riggs had heard that ranchers had been collecting fossils around the area for 20 years. In 1901, Riggs and crew found nearly two thirds of a Brontosaurus skeleton on the northeast side of Dinosaur Hill, in Fruita. This is still considered to be one of the finest specimens known. Later, other sauropod bones were also found, which eventually led to the landmark's name. The animals were from the late Jurassic Age (150 million years ago) and within the 600 ft Morrison Formation.

Fossils of the Fruitadens (a heterodontosaurid dinosaur), one of the world's smallest known plant-eating dinosaur, were first found in the Fruita Paleontological Area (within the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area) off Kings View Road in the 1970s and 1980s. The name means "Fruita tooth". There is a replica on display at the Dinosaur Journey Museum. The museum is a part of the Museum of Western Colorado and has information on local paleontology and geology.

Also found here and named after the town is the Mesozoic mammal Fruitafossor ("Fruita digger"), discovered 2005. It was a small animal at less than 10 grams body mass, and had a lifestyle similar to modern-day armadillos but was not related to them, but rather close to the ancestor of all therian mammals. Thus, this important find proves that the first "modern" mammals lived in the Jurassic already.

The region is within the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway and includes two other nearby dinosaur-related sites: Mygatt-Moore Quarry and Trail Through Time off Interstate 70 exit 2.

Properties
The stone cottage building located at 432 East Aspen Avenue was built in 1938 by the Works Progress Administration. Originally built as the Fruita Museum in order to house geological displays, it has served as the home of the Fruita Times, the town library (1948–1996), and is currently in use by the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce. Owned by the City of Fruita, it has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1996.

The two-and-a-half-story, Queen Anne Style stone house at 798 North Mesa Street was built in 1908 by builder A.B. Mahany and first owner Harry Alvah Phillips. It is known locally as the Phillips House and currently run as the Stonehaven Bed and Breakfast. It is bordered by mature cottonwoods, agricultural land, and the Elmwood Cemetery. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The two-story Neoclassical building located on 325 East Aspen Avenue was built in 1912 with an addition added in 1936. It was built by the Works Progress Administration as the Central Grade School. In 1993, city and state funds enabled a major renovation, placing it on the State Register of Historic Properties. It currently is the home to the Fruita Civic Center.

Geography
Fruita is located 4514 ft above sea level in the high desert climate zone on the Colorado Plateau. Surrounding the city limits is the Colorado River, the Colorado National Monument and the Book Cliffs range which extends west into the state of Utah north of Interstate 70.

At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 21.193 km2 including 0.754 km2 of water.

Distance from Fruita to: Grand Junction-15 mi, Utah-17 mi, Montrose-73 mi, Glenwood Springs-99 mi, Denver-255 mi, Salt Lake City-265 mi.

Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification Fruita has a cold semi-arid climate, being a dry continental climate. Seasonal differences between the hot summers and cold winters are drastic. Even so, winter days average well above freezing due to solar warming during daytime. The coldest and hottest months of the year are January and July respectively. The annual average precipitation is 9.89 inch. Due to the low precipitation, in spite of winter average lows of about 15 F, the average year sees just three inches of snow on the ground at the accumulation maximum. The average annual number of growing days is 145 days. The average annual temperature is around 52 F. Fruita experiences an average of 300 days of sunshine per year.

Demographics
As of the census of 2020, there were 13,395 people living in the city.

As of the 2020 census, the racial makeup of the city was 87.7% White, 1.30% African American, 2.30% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 8.20% from other races, and 5.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.4% of the population.

At the 2020 census there were 4,892 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them. The median value of owner occupied housing units was $259,300. The median rent at the time of the census was $1280. 87.7% lived in the same house 1 year ago.

The median income for a household in the city at the 2020 census was $64,029. About 7.8% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line. 63.0% of the population are in the civilian labor force.

Education
Fruita is a part of the Mesa County School District No. 51. The city has 6 public schools: Fruita Monument High School, Fruita 8/9 School, Fruita Middle School, Shelledy Elementary School (public), Rim Rock Elementary School (public) and Monument Ridge Elementary School (public).

Colorado Mesa University, founded in 1925, is the closest public higher education institution. It is located in the heart of Grand Junction and supports 13 departments and over 400 instructors. Colorado Mesa University Tech provides higher education instruction for academic transfer programs and career technical programs with nine month certificate programs, two year associate degree programs, as well as other courses for career upgrade.

Recreation
The Fruita Community Center has stood as a hub of recreational, cultural, and social activities since 2011. Located at 324 N Coulson Street, this facility serves as a focal point for the community, offering a wide range of amenities and programs for residents and visitors alike. The indoor pool features lap lanes, a leisure pool, a spa, a drop slide, a climbing wall, and a diving board. It is available for both exercise and relaxation year-round. Equipped with modern cardio and strength training equipment, the fitness center caters to individuals of all fitness levels. Certified trainers are available to assist with personalized workout plans and you can even join a class. The facility includes a gymnasium for basketball, volleyball, and other indoor sports and activities. It's a versatile facility for both organized sports leagues and casual pick-up games. Various meeting and multipurpose rooms are available for community gatherings, workshops, and events. This includes various meeting rooms, the public library, the Senior Center, a pool party room, and an indoor playground. These spaces can be reserved for both public and private use. Beyond its physical offerings, the Fruita Community Center plays a vital role in fostering a sense of togetherness within the community. It serves as a venue for local clubs, groups, and community organizations to gather and collaborate. Its inclusive atmosphere promotes social connections, wellness, and the overall quality of life for Fruita's residents.

Biking
The area surrounding Fruita is renowned for its mountain, road, and gravel biking trails. The most notable mountain biking areas include the North Fruita Desert/18 Road trail system (Chutes and Ladders, Zippety-do-da, Edge Loop, Joe's Ridge, Prime Cut, Kessel Run, and others) and the Kokopelli Trailhead region (Mary's Loop, Horsethief Bench, Lion's Loop, Moore Fun, Rustler's Loop, Steve's Loop, Troy Built, and others). Kokopelli Trail is a 142 mi continuous single and double track trail connecting the nearby town of Loma to Moab, Utah. Road biking is also a favorite sport in the high desert climate of Fruita. Many ride the 46 mi loop along the Colorado National Monument overlooking the Grand Valley. The Fruita Farms/Highline Lake Loop is also popular, stretching from the town to the lake and back. Gravel biking has more recently gained traction in the area. The Fruita and Palisade Gravel Adventure Field Guide is a free booklet that details the best trails and the history of them, along with maps. There are multiple bike shops where people can buy new bikes or parts as well as get repairs. Colorado Backcountry Biker, Over the Edge Sports, Pedaling Innovations, and Canfield Bikes are all conveniently within city limits for all biking needs.

Birding
Many common and rare birds can be seen here, including ash-throated and gray flycatchers, bald eagles, blue herons, pinyon jays, and peregrine falcons, as well as some rare breeds such as red-throated loon and red-necked grebe. The best birding locations are the Colorado River, Colorado National Monument and Highline Lake State Park. The Grand Valley Audubon and the Colorado Birding Society are good sources of local information on birding. See also List of birds of Colorado.

Water Sports
Rafting, kayaking, boating, and canoeing: The Colorado River, located just a short drive away, offers various sections suitable for different skill levels. You can embark on thrilling whitewater adventures or opt for a more leisurely float through scenic canyons.

Stand-Up Paddle boarding: There are multiple opportunities for paddle boarding, including the James M. Robb State Park, Imondi Wake Zone (which also offers wakeboarding and a water obstacle course), Snooks Bottom Open Space, Highline Lake, and calmer spots in the Colorado River.

Swimming: For indoor swimming, the Fruita Community Center offers a swimming pool and hot tub. There are also plenty of places to swim outdoors such as Highline Lake, James M. Robb State Park, and more.

Exploring Waterfalls: The area around Fruita features some stunning waterfalls, like Connected Lakes, No Throughfare Canyon, Big Dominguez Canyon, and Rifle Falls, which are worth visiting. These natural wonders are often surrounded by lush vegetation and provide a refreshing escape from the heat.

Golf
Adobe Creek National Golf Course, located at 876 18 1/2 Road, offers three nine-hole courses nestled along Adobe Creek and the Colorado River. There are four golf courses available in Grand Junction.

Hiking and horseback riding
There are hiking and horseback riding trails of variable lengths available in nearby McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area including Devil's Canyon, Pollock Bench, Black Ridge Canyons Wilderness (Knowles Canyon, Mee Canyon, Moore Canyon, Rattlesnake Canyon), Colorado National Monument (Canyon Rim Trail, Coke Ovens Trail, Liberty Cap Trail, Monument Canyon Trail, Otto's Trail, Serpent's Trail, Window Rock Trail), Dinosaur Hill, Highline Lake State Park, and Rabbit Valley.

Hunting and Fishing
Big Game Hunting: Fruita and its surrounding areas are known for their excellent big game hunting. Hunters flock to the region in pursuit of deer and elk. The vast public lands, including the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forests, offer ample acreage for both rifle and archery hunting. The hunting season typically starts in the fall, and hunters are required to obtain the appropriate licenses and follow state regulations.

Small Game and Upland Bird Hunting: Fruita and the western slope of Colorado also offer opportunities for small game and upland bird hunting. This includes hunting for species like rabbits, squirrels, grouse, and pheasants. The local terrain, including sagebrush flats and piñon-juniper woodlands, provides suitable habitats for these game animals.

Waterfowl Hunting: The Colorado River and nearby wetlands attract waterfowl hunters in search of ducks and geese. The region's diverse waterways and marshy areas provide ideal habitats for waterfowl, and hunters can access public lands or private hunting clubs to pursue this activity.

Trout Fishing: The rivers, streams, and lakes in and around Fruita offer some of the best trout fishing in Colorado. The Colorado River itself is home to a variety of trout species, including rainbow, brown, and cutthroat trout. Additionally, high mountain lakes in nearby areas provide opportunities for pristine alpine trout fishing.

Warm Water Fishing: In addition to trout, the region's lakes and reservoirs support a variety of warm water fish species, including bass, catfish, crappie, and sunfish. Local fishing spots like Highline Lake State Park and Mack Mesa Lake are popular destinations for warm water anglers.

Fly Fishing: Fruita and the surrounding region are a haven for fly anglers. The crystal-clear streams and rivers provide an excellent environment for fly fishing enthusiasts looking to test their skills against wary trout. Local fly shops can provide guidance on the best flies and techniques for the season

Ice Fishing: In the winter months, when lakes freeze over, ice fishing becomes a popular activity. Anglers can drill holes in the ice and fish for a variety of species, including trout and perch.

Parks
Town parks in Fruita include Circle Park at the junction of Mesa Street and Aspen Avenue, Comstock Park at 725 Galena Circle, Heritage Park at 210 I-70 Frontage Road, Little Salt Wash at 1135 18 Road, Raptor Skate Park at 273 North Cherry, Reed Park at 250 South Elm, Roberson Park at 280 West Roberson Drive, Triangle Park at 103 South Coulson Street, and Veteran's Memorial Park at 342 Hwy 340. The James M. Robb Colorado River State Park encompasses 890 acres located on State Highway 340.

The Colorado National Monument is almost 20500 acre of semi-arid wilderness, rising more than 2000 ft above the city of Fruita. Native wildlife such as eagles, bighorn sheep, and mule deer can be seen in the area.

The Riverfront Trail system follows the Colorado River through Mesa County through cottonwood groves, wetlands, and marshes. It is home to over 200 different species of birds, three endangered species of fish, and an abundance of small animals. The trail project is still in progress and plans to connect Fruita to Palisade via a paved recreation trail. The project is a collaboration of several cities, Mesa County, and state agencies and overseen by the Colorado Riverfront Commission.

Rodeo
Rimrock Rodeo takes place from June through August every Tuesday evening through the summer. A series of events showcase riders: there is a "Mutton Busting" event and the Professional Rodeo Riders "Grand Entry" event.

Running
Fruita runners take part in town races such as the July PteRANodon Ptrot, the February Sweet Heart Run, and the annual Rim Rock marathon held in November atop the Colorado National Monument. Trail running is also popular and takes place on any of the hiking trails. The Desert RATS Trail Running Festival includes 5, 10, 25, and 50 mi trail races in April, as well as the Desert RATS multi-day supported trail race along the Kokopelli's Trail from Loma to Moab.

Arts and culture
Fruita's art scene has become increasingly popular as the city has aimed to recognize artists. The 2023 Fruita Fall Festival theme was “Paint the Town” and focused on local art heavily with a mural contest, art contest, and the annual art walk. The HeART of Fruita is another program. In 2023, the Fruita Arts and Culture Board began to ask artists to submit applications for sculptures that will be up around the city for a year before the next applications open. Orbit Art Space, FARM, and Lithic Bookstore and Gallery provide spaces for local artists to show off and sell their work. Community art can also be seen in the Fruita Civic Center, where photos by locals are hung in the lobby and replaced monthly. Major music events of the region include the Summer Thursday night concerts, the Riverfront Concert Series, various artists at local venues, and Country Jam in the nearby town of Mack. Shows also take place during the annual Fat Tire Festival and the Fruita Fall Festival. The Mesa County Public Library - Fruita Branch is housed in the Fruita Community Center at 324 North Coulson Street. Nearly 7,000 ft2, the facility includes a reading room with fireplace, program room and meeting rooms. The Grand Junction Sentinel, and the Grand Junction Free Press serve the current events needs of the region. There are several active civic groups, including the Fruita Lions Club, Fruita Masons, and Fruita Rotary Club, as well as the non-profit Fruita Thrift shop that has been supporting the town's activities for over 50 years. The city was involved with the 2000 independent horror movie "Machine Head"

Fat Tire
Single-track mountain biking enthusiasts and friends have been celebrating the hundreds of miles of mountain bike trails around the area of Fruita and western Colorado at this festival since 1996. The three days include races, live music, a beer garden and parties. It is held every year at the end of April.

Mike the Headless Chicken
Fruita is known for Mike the Headless Chicken, a chicken who lived for 18 months after his head was cut off. Lloyd Olsen, the remover of Mike's head, continued to give him food and water with an eye dropper. He grew to be almost 8 lb. Mike went on to tour the country as a side show. A festival in his honor is held each May in Fruita.

Fall
Voted "Best of the West" by the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel's readership in 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2009, the Fruita Fall Festival started in 1914 as a harvest festival for the local fruit production industry and has evolved to a major event. It includes three days of events with music, carnival rides, a parade, a bed race, a baking and canning contest, a youth pet and talent show, two stages of music, and arts and crafts vendors. The event is celebrated on the last full weekend in September.

Air
The nearest commercial airport is Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) in Grand Junction 19 mi east. Allegiant Airlines, American Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines (flying as United Express) provide direct service to Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. Charter companies Colorado Flight Center and Denver Air Connection providing connections to nearby regional destinations.

Bus
Fruita is on Route 8 of the Grand Valley Transit, the operating regional bus transportation system. The bus connects Fruita stops with the Mesa Mall on U.S. Highway 6 and 50 at the 24 1/2 Road.

Highways
Fruita lies off exit 19 of Interstate 70, along U.S. Highway 6 and 50 and at the western end of State Highway 340. The State Highway 139 connects 5 mi west with the northern city of Rangely and Dinosaur National Monument.

Rail
The nearest passenger train station is 11 mi southeast at the Grand Junction Amtrak station. This station is served by the California Zephyr train. It was originally built by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. The mainline, now used by the Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, runs east–west along the city which serves industrial rail use.

Notable people

 * Pat Ament (born 1946) – climber, author
 * Maggie Baird (born 1959) – actress, screenwriter, singer-songwriter, mother of singer Billie Eilish
 * George Elder (1921–2022) – Major League Baseball player
 * John Otto (1870–1952) – trailblazer and first superintendent of the Colorado National Monument
 * Elmer Riggs (1869–1963) – paleontologist from the Chicago Field Museum

title: Fruita, Colorado


text:
Fruitvale, Colorado

Fruitvale is a census-designated place (CDP) in and governed by Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,271 at the 2020 census, up from 7,675 in 2010. The Grand Junction post office (Zip Code 81504) serves Fruitvale postal addresses.

Geography
Fruitvale is in central Mesa County, bordered to the west by the city of Grand Junction and to the east and south by unincorporated Clifton. Interstate 70 forms the northern edge of the Fruitvale CDP, and U.S. Route 6 forms the southern edge. The CDP has an area of 2.9 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Fruitvale CDP for the 1990 United States Census.

title: Fruitvale, Colorado


text:
Grand Junction, Colorado

Grand Junction is a home rule municipality that is the seat of government and largest city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction's population was 65,560 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the most populous city in western Colorado and the 17th most populous Colorado municipality overall.

Grand Junction is a city along Interstate 70, being the economic and cultural center of Colorado's Western Slope, as well as the largest community between Denver and Salt Lake City. The city is also a college town, home to Colorado Mesa University. Grand Junction is in “The Grand Valley", which is a large Colorado River valley that runs for over 30 miles east to west and also includes the towns of Palisade, Clifton, Fruita, and Loma.

Description
Grand Junction is 247 mi west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. The city has a council–manager form of government. It is a major commercial and transportation hub within the large area between the Green River and the Continental Divide, and the largest city in Colorado outside of the Front Range Corridor.

The city is along the Colorado River, at its confluence with the Gunnison River, which comes in from the south. "Grand" refers to the historical Grand River, renamed the Upper Colorado River in 1921. "Junction" refers to the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. Grand Junction has been nicknamed "River City". It is near the midpoint of a 30 mi arcing valley, known as the Grand Valley; since the late 19th century it has been a major fruit-growing region. The valley was long occupied by the Ute people and earlier indigenous cultures. It was not settled by European-American farmers until the 1880s. Since the late 20th century, several wineries have been established in the area.

The Colorado National Monument, a unique series of canyons and mesas, overlooks the city on the west. Most of the area is surrounded by federal public lands managed by the US Bureau of Land Management. Interstate 70 connects the city eastward to Glenwood Springs and Denver and westward to Green River, Utah; Salt Lake City is reached to the west via Interstate 70 and U.S Route 6; and Las Vegas (via Interstate 70 and Interstate 15).

History
In September 1881, the former Ute Indian Territory was abolished and the Utes were forced into a reservation so that the U.S. government could open the area to settlers. Clinton County, Pennsylvania-born George Addison Crawford (1827–91) soon purchased a plot of land. On July 22, 1882, he incorporated the town of Grand Junction and planted Colorado's first vineyard near Palisade, Colorado, causing the area to become known as the Colorado Wine Country. Grand Junction also has a storied past with gunfighters, miners, and early settlers of the American Southwest.

The narrow gauge Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reached Grand Junction from the southeast, from Pueblo via Gunnison in 1882, followed in 1890 by the standard gauge Rio Grande Junction Railway from the northeast, from New Castle (jointly owned by the D&RG and the Colorado Midland). These greatly contributed to the expansion and settlement of the area.

Geography
At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 103.799 km2 (40.077 sq mi) including 1.147 km2 (.443 sq mi) of water.

Climate
Grand Junction has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk). It sits in a large area of high desert lands in Western Colorado. Winters are cold and dry, with a January mean temperature of 27.4 °F. Due to its location west of the Rockies, Grand Junction does not receive as much influence from the Chinook winds as locations in Colorado east of the Front Range, yet it does receive protection from the Arctic air masses that can settle to the east of the Rockies. This is illustrated by the fact that from December to February, highs reach 50 °F only 18 days. Lows drop to 0 °F or below on 2.9 nights per year. Snowfall is low compared to much of the rest of the state, averaging 17.6 in per season; only once in the entire period of record dating to 1893, has observed 10 in in a calendar day, though the median is 6.3 in, and moreover, snow cover is intermittent. Snow is greatest in December and January. Spring warming is gradual but quickens when nearing June; the average last freeze date is April 25. Summer is hot and dry, with a July mean temperature of 78.2 °F. Grand Junction averages 68 days a year with temperatures at 90 °F or above, and an average 8 days attaining 100 °F or more. Autumn cooling is rapid, with the average first freeze date being October 11. The area receives little precipitation year-round, averaging 9.05 in, with no real seasonal spike. Sunshine hours are abundant, even in winter, and total just over 3,200 hours per year, or 73% of the possible total.

Demographics
Grand Junction is the principal city of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census of 2000, there were 41,986 people, 17,865 households, and 10,540 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,362.6 PD/sqmi. There were 18,784 housing units at an average density of 609.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 91.78% White, 0.60% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.81% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 10.86% of the population.

There were 17,865 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. Of all households 33.2% were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had one living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city, 21.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.9% was from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The population figures are for Grand Junction only; the city abuts smaller towns and unincorporated county areas which contribute to area commerce.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,152, and the median income for a family was $43,851. Males had a median income of $31,685 versus $22,804 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,692. About 7.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economic history
From the time settlers arrived in the 1880s until the 1960s, three of the main economic activities in the region were farming, fruit growing, and cattle raising. Fruit orchards, particularly between Grand Junction and Palisade to the east, remain important to the region's reputation and economy to the present day. Fruits most often grown are peaches, pears, apricots, plums, cherries, and, particularly since the 1980s, grapes for wine. In this semi-arid environment, these orchards thrive from a combination of abundant sunshine and irrigation from a system of canals that divert water from the Colorado River.

Attempts were made to establish sugar beet farming and beet sugar production. The Grand Valley Sugar Company established a campaign in 1893, sending three train carloads to the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company. Several tariffs and subsidies to domestic sugar were established in the 1890s, which led to uncertainty in the market. After the 1897 Dingley Act, the company was revived in 1898 and rallied to build a sugar factory. They failed to fundraise to build the plant. At the same time, Charles N. Cox was able to organize an effort to establish a factory in 1898 as well. John F. Campion and others including James Joseph Brown, Eben Smith, Charles E. Mitchell, George Trimble, James R. McKinnie, and Charles Boettcher invested, creating the Colorado Sugar Manufacturing Company in 1899 and contracting E. H. Dyer to build a factory. The failed to succeed, so they sold the plant to local investors, who were able to make it a success. The Campion-Boettcher group then created the Great Western Sugar Company.

Retail sales have been important to the economy for decades (e.g., gasoline, and hunting- and fishing-related sales), and uranium mining-related activities have also been significant. Grand Junction was home to the Climax Uranium Mill, a now decommissioned mill that provided uranium ore to the US Atomic Energy Commission.

Education and healthcare have been important to the economy of the area, especially since the 1950s, with the rise of Colorado Mesa University and St. Mary's Hospital as leading employers in these fields.

Vast oil shale reserves were known to exist near Parachute, Colorado in the Piceance Basin. The oil embargoes of the 1970s and high gas prices resulted in major financial interest in the region. Exxon purchased rights and used Grand Junction as its seat of operations. The city and the surrounding Grand Valley became prosperous in the 1970s and early 1980s largely because of the effects of oil shale development. The United States, western Colorado in particular, has the largest-known concentration of oil shale in the world (according to the Bureau of Land Management) and holds an estimated 800 gigabarrels of recoverable oil, enough to meet U.S. demand for oil at current levels for 110 years. Known as the "Rock That Burns", the shale can be mined and processed to produce oil. In the past it was significantly more expensive than conventional oil. Sustained prices above $95 per barrel, however, may make extraction economically attractive in the coming years (see Oil shale economics). ExxonMobil pulled out of the region because of lower oil prices, which led to economic hardship in the region.

The economic bust, known as "Black Sunday" (May 2, 1982) to the locals, started with a phone call from the president of Exxon to Governor Richard Douglas Lamm, stating that Exxon would cut its losses while retaining mining rights to the (then and currently) uneconomic oil. The economic bust was felt statewide, as Exxon had invested more than US$5 billion in the state. Colorado historian Tom Noel observed, "I think that was a definite turning point, and it was a reminder that we were a boom-and-bust state ... There were parallels to the silver crash of 1893."

By 2008, the economy of Grand Junction appeared to be more diverse and stable than it had been in previous decades. Major contributors to the economy were health care, tourism, agriculture, livestock, and energy mining (gas and oil). Major energy companies had once again invested large amounts of money due to increases in oil and natural gas prices (such as in the years 2005–2008). However, a major drop (in the summer of 2008) of market natural gas prices led to reduced gas well drilling and related capital expenditures in the area, significantly slowing the Grand Junction economy in 2009. Reports given in 2009 suggested that Grand Junction had once again been hard-hit economically, with one report by April 2010 listing the area as having had the largest percentage drop in employment of any "small city" in the entire United States.

By 2008, Grand Junction was being discovered by the "nation's elite business and leisure travelers" as a destination for private jet travel, with nearby Powderhorn Resort and other ski resorts a major attraction.

Top employers
According to the city's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers are:

Sports
Grand Junction's Colorado National Monument was home to a stage in the Coors Classic bicycle race known as "The Tour of the Moon" due to the Monument's unique landscape.

Since 1958, the JUCO World Series has been played at Suplizio Field. The city also has a professional Minor League Baseball team, the Grand Junction Jackalopes, who play in the Pioneer Baseball League.

Both Suplizio Field and Stocker Stadium also host Colorado Mesa University as well as School District 51 sporting events.

Parks and recreation
The Grand Junction area has developed as a mountain biking destination, with many bikers coming from the Front Range of Colorado, the Salt Lake City area, and as far away as California to enjoy the area's abundant single-track trails. Two prominent trails are the Tabeguache and Kokopelli trails, the latter running from near Loma to Moab, Utah. Fruita, Colorado, with its 18-Road trail system, is within 10 miles of the city and has become a major mountain biking destination.

K–12
The Mesa Valley School District No. 51 provides comprehensive K–12 public education to the Grand Junction area. School District 51 operates five high schools:

 * Fruita Monument High School
 * Grand Junction High School
 * Central High School
 * Palisade High School
 * R-5 High School

In addition, the district operates numerous middle, elementary, and other types of schools, including East Middle School, Redlands Middle School, and West Middle School. District 51 partners with Colorado Mesa University Tech (CMU Tech) to operate a vocational school, owned and operated by Colorado Mesa University. CMU Tech was formerly named Western Colorado Community College.

Colleges and universities
Colorado Mesa University, a public, four-year, liberal arts college, serves as the primary provider of higher education on the Western Slope from its campus in central Grand Junction. This campus has an average enrollment of just under 10,000 students and offers a variety of degrees, including a Masters in Business Administration, Educational Leadership, and ESOL. The university also operates Colorado Mesa University Tech, a community college offering associates degrees and professional certificates. Also located in Grand Junction is IntelliTec College, a private for-profit technical college offering professional certificates.

Radio
The Grand Junction radio market includes all of Mesa County, Colorado. Six AM radio stations and more than 25 FM stations are licensed to broadcast from the city.

Newspapers
Grand Junction is serviced by one local newspaper, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. The Grand Junction area also receives newspaper influence from sources in the greater Denver front range area.

Television
Grand Junction has ABC, NBC, and CBS television station affiliates under the call signs of KJCT-TV (Channel 8), KKCO-TV (Channel 11), and KREX-TV (Channel 5), respectively. Also, Grand Junction has a Fox (Channel 4) affiliate station under the call sign of KFQX that receives news from the Denver FOX affiliate, KDVR (Channel 31) at 9 pm. KLML (Channel 20) broadcasts Cozi TV programming. KRMJ (Channel 18) is the local PBS affiliate, part of the statewide Rocky Mountain PBS network.

Transportation

Grand Junction Regional Airport (formerly Walker Field Airport) serves as the major airport in the area. The airport is located in north Grand Junction on Horizon Drive. As of 2011, two-way flights to Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Houston were available.

Railroad Freight service is provided by Union Pacific, with BNSF trackage rights. Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Grand Junction Station, operating its California Zephyr daily on the UP trackage in both directions between Chicago and Emeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco.

Bustang, Colorado's state-run bus system, provides intercity bus service to the city. There are two bus lines that include Grand Junction. The West line connects to Denver, while the Outrider line connects to Durango. Both of these have multiple stops between the final destinations, and the West line has options to transfer to alternative lines.

Grand Valley Transit (GVT) is a regional transit system serving the Grand Valley. It operates 11 bus routes in the area as well as a "dial-a-ride" service.

The city also offers a shared micromobility program that was launched in May 2023. The city has allowed the companies Bird and Lime to rent out the e-scooters via their respective mobile apps.

Major highways

 * [[Image:I-70.svg|25px]] Interstate 70 runs from Interstate 15 in Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland, connecting Grand Junction to Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Columbus. Via Interstate 15, it connects Grand Junction with Las Vegas, Nevada, and southern California.
 * [[Image:US 6.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 6 serves 14 states, running east–west from Provincetown, Massachusetts, to Bishop, California. In Colorado, it generally runs parallel to Interstate 76 and Interstate 70.
 * [[Image:US 50.svg|25px]] U.S. Highway 50 crosses 12 states, linking Ocean City, Maryland, with Sacramento, California. In Colorado, U.S. 50 connects Grand Junction with Montrose, Gunnison, and Pueblo, and to the west, it travels into the state of Utah.
 * [[Image:Colorado 340.svg|25px]] SH 340 runs east–west, starting at First Street in downtown Grand Junction, traversing the Redlands and ending at 'U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 50 in Fruita.

Notable people

 * Owen Aspinall, former governor of American Samoa
 * Sabré Cook, racing driver
 * Ross Davis, racing driver
 * Charles L. Fletcher, architect and interior designer
 * Ben Garland, NFL player
 * Chuck Hull, inventor
 * Vance Johnson, former NFL wide receiver
 * Aryn Kyle, author
 * Kathryn Mientka, pianist, director of the Western Slope Chamber Music Series
 * Tyme Mientka, cellist, director of the Western Slope Chamber Music Series
 * Annabelle Craft Moss, aviator who received Congressional Gold Medal; served in World War II with Women Airforce Service Pilots
 * Bill Musgrave, former NFL player and coach
 * Rick Schroder, actor and film director
 * Michael Strobl, U.S. Marine, subject of a 2009 film, Taking Chance
 * Dalton Trumbo, screenwriter
 * Walter Walker, political leader and publisher

Sister city
Grand Junction has a sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:
 * 🇸🇻 El Espino (Jucuarán), Usulután Department, El Salvador

title: Grand Junction, Colorado


text:
Orchard Mesa, Colorado

Orchard Mesa is a census-designated place (CDP) in and governed by Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Orchard Mesa CDP was 6,688 at the 2020 census. The Grand Junction post office (ZIP Code 81503) serves the area.

Geography
Orchard Mesa is in central Mesa County, on the southeast side of the city of Grand Junction, the county seat. It is bordered to the north by the Colorado River and to the southwest by the Gunnison River, its tributary. U.S. Route 50 passes through the community, leading northwest into Grand Junction and southeast 37 mi to Delta. The Orchard Mesa CDP has an area of 3.8 sqmi, of which 0.09 sqmi, or 2.40%, are water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Orchard Mesa CDP for the 1960 United States Census.

title: Orchard Mesa, Colorado


text:
Palisade, Colorado

Palisade is a statutory town in Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,565 at the 2020 census, down from 2,692 in 2010.

The community was named for the cliffs near the town site. Palisade is known for its peach orchards and wine vineyards. The climate, a 182-day growing season, and an average 78 percent of sunshine makes Palisade "The Peach Capital of Colorado".

Geography
Palisade lies on the north side of the Colorado River, 11 mi east of Grand Junction, the county seat. U.S. Route 6 passes through the town as 8th Street, while Interstate 70 runs along the northern border of the town at the foot of the cliffs to the north, with access to the town from Exit 42.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 sqmi, of which 0.006 sqmi, or 0.50%, are water.

Climate
Palisade's climate is relatively mild by Colorado standards. The town sees 14 in of snow each year and 10 in of precipitation on average. Palisade falls within the USDA hardiness zone 7.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,579 people, 1,051 households, and 689 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,399.5 PD/sqmi. There were 1,117 housing units at an average density of 1,039.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 93.91% White, 0.19% African American, 1.05% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.27% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 2.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.24% of the population.

There were 1,051 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,739, and the median income for a family was $31,797. Males had a median income of $28,231 versus $21,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,539. About 11.0% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Palisade has one high school, Palisade High School. It also has one elementary school, Taylor Elementary. Mount Garfield Middle School is located on the border of Clifton and Palisade.

Notable people

 * Clair Finch, Wisconsin state legislator and lawyer, was born in Palisade.
 * Rena Mary Taylor, state legislator

title: Palisade, Colorado


text:
Redlands, Colorado

Redlands is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Redlands CDP was 9,061 at the 2020 census. The Grand Junction post office (ZIP Code 81507) serves the area.

Geography
Redlands is in central Mesa County, lying on the southwest side of the Colorado River between the city of Grand Junction to the east and the city of Fruita to the northwest.

The Redlands CDP has an area of 13.4 sqmi, including 0.54 sqmi of water (4.0% of the CDP area).

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Redlands CDP for the 1990 United States Census.

title: Redlands, Colorado


text:
Creede, Colorado

Creede is a statutory town and the county seat of Mineral County, Colorado, United States. It is the most populous community and the only incorporated municipality within the county. The town population was 257 at the 2020 United States census.

History
Travelers to this area appeared in the early 19th century. Tom Boggs, a brother-in-law of Kit Carson, farmed at Wagon Wheel Gap in the summer of 1840. The first silver discovery was made at the Alpha mine in 1869, but the silver could not be extracted at a profit from the complex ores. Ranchers and homesteaders moved in when stagecoach stations (linking the mining operations over the Divide with the east) were built in the 1870s, but the great "Boom Days" started with the discovery of rich minerals in Willow Creek Canyon in 1889.

In the 19th century, Creede was the last silver boom town in Colorado. It leapt from a population of 600 in 1889 to more than 10,000 in December 1891. The Creede mines operated continuously from 1890 until 1985, and were served by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad.

The original townsite of Creede was located on East Willow Creek just above its junction with West Willow Creek. Below Creede were Stringtown, Jimtown, and Amethyst. The Willow Creek site was soon renamed Creede after Nicholas C. Creede who discovered the Holy Moses Mine. Soon the entire town area from East Willow to Amethyst was called Creede.

While Creede was booming, the capital city of Denver, Colorado was experiencing a reform movement against gambling clubs and saloons. Numerous owners of gambling houses in Denver relocated to Creede's business district. One of these was confidence man Jefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith. Soapy became the uncrowned king of Creede's criminal underworld, and opened the Orleans Club. Other famous people in Creede were Robert Ford (the man who killed outlaw Jesse James), Bat Masterson, and William Sidney "Cap" Light (the first deputy sheriff in Creede, and brother-in-law of Soapy Smith). On June 5, 1892, a fire destroyed most of the business district. Three days later, on June 8, Ed O'Kelley walked into Robert Ford's makeshift tent-saloon and shot him dead. The town of Creede was incorporated on June 13, 1892. The anti-gambling movement in Denver had ceased, and the Denver businessmen moved back to their former areas of operation.

Creede's boom lasted until 1893, when the Silver Panic hit the silver mining towns in Colorado. The price of silver plummeted, and most of the silver mines were closed. Creede never became a ghost town, although the boom was over and its population declined. After 1900, Creede stayed alive by relying increasingly on lead and zinc in the ores. Total production through 1966 was 58 e6ozt of silver, 150 e3ozt of gold, 112 thousand metric tons of lead, 34 thousand metric tons of zinc, and 2 million metric tons of copper.

Geography

Creede is located near the headwaters of the Rio Grande, which flows through the San Juan Mountains and the San Luis Valley on its way to New Mexico, Texas, and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico.

The river has played a critical role in the development of farming and ranching in the Valley. The Rio Grande and its tributary trout streams provide excellent opportunities for fly fishermen and its unspoiled headwaters in the Weminuche Wilderness are a favorite for hikers.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 2.460 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 377 people, 181 households, and 106 families residing in the town. The population density was 622.4 PD/sqmi. There were 275 housing units at an average density of 454.0 /mi2. The racial makeup of the town was 96.82% White, 1.33% Native American, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.

There were 181 households, out of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% 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 2.70.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.1% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,893, and the median income for a family was $34,125. Males had a median income of $27,250 versus $17,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,801. About 12.2% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

The Creede Fork, also known as the World's Largest Fork, is a 40-foot aluminum sculpture and roadside attraction in Creede built in 2012. It is the largest fork in the United States, beating out the 35-foot-long (35 ft) fork in Missouri that previously held the record. Created by artists Chev and Ted Yund, the fork is made of aluminum and weighs over 600 lb. In January 2018, it was named by The Daily Meal as the weirdest tourist attraction in Colorado.

The fork was commissioned by Keith Siddel as a birthday present for his wife, Denise Dutwiler. Siddel hired two local artists, Chev and Ted Yund, to create the structure. The fork was designed specifically to out-measure the Giant Fork in Springfield, Missouri, which previously held the record of being the longest fork in the United States at a length of 35 feet.

The Creede Repertory Theatre was founded in 1966. Its annual production schedule includes 7-10 plays, as well as musical events and concerts. In addition to these performances, the theatre offers a program for the development of new works, as well as educational programming. In 2019, a play developed as part of CRT's new play program received Colorado Theatre Guild Henry Awards for both Best New Play and Best Scenic Design.

In popular culture
Poet and journalist Cy Warman wrote two poems about Creede, Creede and The Rise and Fall of Creede.

title: Creede, Colorado


text:
Craig, Colorado

Craig is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Moffat County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 9,060 at the 2020 United States Census. Craig is the principal city of the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Founded by William H. Tucker, Craig was incorporated as a city on July 15, 1908. The town was named for one of the town's financial backers, Reverend William Bayard Craig.

Craig became the county seat when Moffat County was created out of the western portion of Routt County on February 27, 1911. In the same area as Craig, at the confluence of the Yampa River (then known as the Bear River) and Fortification Creek, were previous towns known as Yampa (as early as 1885) and Windsor (as early as 1878). In 1878, the area consisted of a number of ranches and at least two businesses: Himley's Ferry (which allowed crossing of the Yampa River) and Peck's Store (a one-room trading post).

In the 1970s and early 1980s, the largest power generation plant in Colorado and several coal mines were constructed near Craig.

Geography
At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 13.138 km2, all of which was land.

Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification, Craig has a humid continental climate (Dfb). Summer days are hot with cool nights and very high diurnal temperature variation, while winters are cold and snowy with lows near zero.

The record high temperature is 101 °F, which occurred first on July 9, 2021, July 10, 2021, and most recently July 17, 2023, while the record low is -51 °F, which occurred on February 6, 1989.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,189 people, 3,525 households, and 2,432 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,886.6 PD/sqmi. There were 3,851 housing units at an average density of 790.6 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 92.56% White, 0.30% African American, 0.96% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.84% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.80% of the population.

There were 3,525 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,091, and the median income for a family was $45,504. Males had a median income of $38,038 versus $21,806 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,140. About 6.9% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
Craig was the terminus of the never-finished Denver and Salt Lake Railway. While the tracks still exist to Craig, the effort to finish this line was abandoned, and the tracks to Craig became a spur route.

U.S. 40 is the primary east–west highway serving Craig, while Colorado State Highway 13 runs south to Interstate 70 and north to the Wyoming border, where it becomes Wyoming State Highway 789 which connects with Interstate 80.

Craig-Moffat Airport serves as the local airfield. Scheduled passenger jet airline service is available at the Yampa Valley Airport, located near the town of Hayden, 15 miles east of Craig.

Steamboat Transit Service (SST) provides three daily departures in the morning in summer and three in winter from Craig that travel through Hayden, Milner and Steamboat II before arriving in Steamboat Springs, CO.

Colorado's Bustang Service also provides transportation to the Front Range of Colorado.

Hunting
Craig is, according to the local chamber of commerce, "Elk Hunting Capital of the World".

Notable people

 * Edwin C. Johnson (January 1, 1884 – May 30, 1970) was an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as both governor of and U.S. senator from the state of Colorado.
 * Jennifer LeRoy (b. January 7, 1974) is an American model and actress. She was chosen as Playboy's Playmate of the Month in February 1993.
 * Chance Phelps (July 14, 1984 – April 9, 2004) was a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who became known when Lt. Col. Michael Strobl escorted his remains from Iraq. Lt. Col. Strobl recorded his account of the escort in "Taking Chance", an article which was later made into a full-length movie by HBO under the same title.
 * Dennis Preece (March 4, 1940 - April 25, 1997) was a Hall of Fame wrestling coach who attended the local high school in Craig, Colorado graduating in 1958.
 * Angus Ellis Taylor (October 13, 1911 – April 6, 1999) was a Mathematician and Chancellor of UC Santa Cruz.

title: Craig, Colorado


text:
Dinosaur, Colorado

Dinosaur is a statutory town in Moffat County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 243, down from 339 at the 2010 census.

Dinosaur is a part of the Craig, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

The town of Dinosaur was originally known as "Baxter Springs", owned by Art and Fanny Baxter. It was renamed "Artesia" for its valued water supply when a town was platted to accommodate the oil boom in the 1940s. The current name was adopted in 1966, to capitalize on the town's proximity to Dinosaur National Monument. The Dinosaur National Monument headquarters is located just east of the town on U.S. Highway 40.

Geography
Dinosaur is located in the southwest corner of Moffat County at 40.24167°N, -109.00861°W (40.241560, -109.008747). The Utah border is 2 mi to the west. US-40 runs along the northern border of the town, leading east 87 mi to Craig, the county seat, and west 33 mi to Vernal, Utah. Colorado State Highway 64 has its northern terminus in Dinosaur and leads southeast 18 mi to Rangely. The entrance and headquarters of Dinosaur National Monument are 2 mi east on US-40, with the main body of the park 19 mi to the north via Harpers Corner Road.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town of Dinosaur had a total area of 2.408 km2, all of it land.

Many streets in the town are named after dinosaurs, including Cletisaurus Circle, Tyrannosaurus Trail, and Antrodemus Alley.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 320 people, 124 households, and 88 families residing in the town. The population density was 400.9 PD/sqmi. There were 156 housing units at an average density of 196.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 98.43% White, 0.31% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.76% of the population.

There were 124 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.0% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,250, and the median income for a family was $31,250. Males had a median income of $43,500 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,904. About 18.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
In addition to tourism related to the Dinosaur National Monument, cannabis dispensaries have been a significant part of Dinosaur's economy since the late 2010s. Because recreational cannabis is legal in Colorado but illegal in bordering Utah, Dinosaur's cannabis dispensaries serve Utah residents driving across the state line to purchase the drug legally.

In popular culture

 * In a 2022 television commercial for GoDaddy, an online retailer's staff celebrate after receiving an order from Dinosaur.

title: Dinosaur, Colorado