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Walden, Colorado

Walden is the Statutory Town that is the county seat, the most populous community, and the only incorporated municipality in Jackson County, Colorado, United States. It is situated in the center of a large open valley called North Park. People from Walden and the surrounding area refer to themselves as "North Parkers". The town population was 606 at the 2020 census. The town sits at an elevation of 8099 ft. It was established in 1889 and was incorporated December 2, 1890. Mark A. Walden, an early postmaster, gave the community his name.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 sqmi, all of it land. The town has declared itself the Moose viewing capital of Colorado.

Climate
Due to its elevation, Walden has a semi-arid climate (BSk), closely bordering on a subalpine climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc). The hottest temperature recorded in Walden was 94 °F on July 6, 1989, August 1, 2000 and July 15, 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded was -48 °F on January 12, 1963, February 2, 2011 and January 6, 2017.

Transportation

 * State Highway 14
 * State Highway 125

OATS (Older Americans Transport Service) provides seniors with transportation to Laramie, Wyoming or Steamboat Springs, CO and to Denver International Airport.

title: Walden, Colorado


text:
Applewood, Colorado

Applewood is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Applewood CDP was 7,833 at the 2020 United States Census. The Golden post office (Zip code 80401) serves the area.

Geography
Applewood is 10 mi west of downtown Denver. It is bordered to the north by Fairmount, to the northeast by Wheat Ridge, to the southeast by Lakewood, and to the southwest by West Pleasant View. South Table Mountain borders Applewood to the west.

The Applewood CDP has an area of 11.619 km2 including 1.092 km2 of water.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Applewood CDP for the 1970 United States Census.

Education
Applewood is served by the Jefferson County School District R-1.

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

title: Applewood, Colorado


text:
Aspen Park, Colorado

Aspen Park is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Aspen Park CDP was 810 at the United States Census 2020. The Aspen Park Metropolitan District provides services. The Conifer post office (ZIP Code 80433) serves the area.

Geography
Aspen Park is located in southern Jefferson County. U.S. Route 285 passes through the community, leading northeast 25 mi to Englewood and southwest 55 mi to Fairplay. Downtown Denver is 30 mi northeast of Aspen Park. The community sits at the headwaters of South Turkey Creek, and the western edge of the CDP follows the course of North Turkey Creek. The two creeks are part of the South Platte River watershed.

The Aspen Park CDP has an area of 6.455 km2, including 0.017 km2 of water.

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

Education
Aspen Park is served by the Jefferson County Public Schools.

title: Aspen Park, Colorado


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Edgewater, Colorado

The City of Edgewater is a home rule municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 5,005 at the 2020 United States Census. Edgewater is surrounded by Denver to the east, Lakewood to the south and west, and Wheat Ridge to the north. The city is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.

History
Edgewater was named for its lakefront location at Sloan's Lake. The town was incorporated in 1901.

Geography
At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 1.799 km2, all of it land. Sloan's Lake, a lake that once extended into Edgewater, now lies entirely within the city limits of Denver just to the east of Edgewater.

Climate
Edgewater features a Semi-arid climate, with low annual precipitation. Due to Edgewater bordering the city and county of Denver, the climates are almost exactly the same, with only a few differences. Annual snowfall is generally a bit less in Edgewater, and the high temperatures are also a few degrees warmer, due to the fact that Denver temperatures are recorded at the Denver International Airport, which is actually east of the Denver metro area.

Summers are hot and dry, while winters can vary from cool to cold, with snowfall not uncommon in winter months. However, snowfall is short lived in arid and sunny climates, usually melting in a day or sometimes before nightfall. Normal summer highs range from the upper 80s (°F) to the mid 90s, with upper 90 °F days very common, and even a few days over 100 °F as well. Normal winter highs range from the mid 40s to the mid 50s, with upper 50 °F and lower 60 °F days very common as well. Sunshine is abundant throughout the year, averaging over 300 days of sun per year.

Demographics
As of the April 2010 census, there were 5,170 people, 2,698 households, and 1,329 families in the city. The population density was 7,630.4 /mi2. There were 2,424 housing units at an average density of 3,396.9 /sqmi. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 39.5% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $42,072, and the median income for a family was $42,815. The per capita income for the city was $22,696. About 17.5% of families and 23.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

The racial breakdown according to the April 2010 census:
 * White 50.7%
 * African American 2.7%
 * Asian American 1.3%
 * Hispanic or Latino 44.7%
 * Other Race 0.3%
 * An estimated 7.4% of the population were of two or more races.

Approximately 10.7% of the population that reside in Edgewater are not United States citizens. 14.3% of the population are foreign born United States citizens. The median house or condo value in 2009 was $199,114 and the median rent in 2009 was $702. An estimated 26.9% of the population over age 5 speak only Spanish at home. An estimated 48.9% of the housing are rentals, while 51.1% are owner occupied housing.

Public services
The Edgewater Police Department is organized into three divisions with an authorized strength of fifteen officers and four civilian employees, with three part-time civilian employees working for the department and municipal court. The police dept. uses the Jefferson County Combined Communications Center as their dispatch and 911 center.

In November 2012, voters in Edgewater voted to disband the fire department and join the neighboring Wheat Ridge Fire Protection District.

Edgewater contracts out for emergency medical services with Pridemark Paramedic Services who respond from dynamic posts outside of the city limits.

Schools in Edgewater are Edgewater Elementary, Lumberg Elementary, and Jefferson High School.

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Edgewater include:
 * Nell Brinkley (1886-1944), illustrator
 * Roy H. McVicker (1924-1973), U.S. Representative from Colorado
 * Alan J. Pfeuffer, federal public defender, Edgewater police chief
 * Johnnie Seale (1938- ), baseball pitcher

title: Edgewater, Colorado


text:
Evergreen, Colorado

Evergreen is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, U.S. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Evergreen post office has the ZIP Codes 80439 and 80437 (for post office boxes). At the 2020 census, the population of the Evergreen CDP was 9,307. The Evergreen Metropolitan District provides services.

History
The Evergreen post office has been in operation since 1876. The community was named for evergreen trees surrounding the town. The Colorado Blue Spruce Monument is located in the town, in honor of the Colorado state tree.

Geography
Evergreen sits at an elevation of 7220 ft in the Rocky Mountains, 19 miles west of Denver, Colorado.

The Evergreen CDP has an area of 30.056 km2, including 0.213 km2 of water, most of which being the Evergreen Reservoir.

Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Evergreen has an humid continental, with mild summers and wet all year, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Evergreen CDP for the 1970 United States Census.

Law and government
Since Evergreen is an unincorporated area, services usually provided by a city's government are provided by multiple agencies. The county maintains the roads (less State Highway 74), oversees planning and zoning, provides primary and secondary education through its school district and provides law enforcement through its sheriff's office. Evergreen Fire/Rescue provides fire protection and emergency medical response service. Water and sewer services operate under the administration of the Evergreen Metropolitan District.

Transportation
The two major roads in Evergreen are State Highway 74 and County Highway 73. Highway 74 runs south from Interstate 70 through Bergen Park and northern Evergreen to downtown, then turns east and follows Bear Creek Canyon to its end at State Highway 8 near Red Rocks Park. Highway 73 runs south from downtown Evergreen to connect with U.S. Highway 285 in Conifer.

Bus service in Evergreen is offered by Denver Regional Transportation District. TheRide regional routes E and Z run to downtown Denver and there is call-n-Ride curb-to-curb transportation service in town.

Sites of interest
Evergreen Lake, a popular recreation area, was created by damming Bear Creek in 1927. It sits above downtown Evergreen, which includes a mix of historic buildings and local businesses.

In the winter, ice skating is offered at Evergreen Lake. The skating season usually runs from mid-to-late December (approximately Christmas) to late March depending upon ice thickness and weather. Evergreen Lake is the venue of the annual Skate the Lake celebration that takes place on New Year's Eve and the Evergreen Pond Hockey Championship which usually takes place in the first weekend of January.

Registered Historic Places in Evergreen include:
 * Bergen Park
 * Dedisse Park
 * Evergreen Conference District
 * Everhardt Ranch
 * Fillius Park
 * Hiwan Homestead
 * Humphrey House
 * O'Fallon Park
 * Pence Park

Major parks
Evergreen is surrounded by thousands of acres of land in the Denver Mountain Parks and Jefferson County Open Space park systems. The Denver Mountain Parks in the area are Bergen Park, Corwina Park, Dedisse Park, Dillon Park, Fillius Park, O'Fallon Park and Pence Park in Indian Hills. The Jefferson County Open Space Parks are Alderfer/Three Sisters, Elk Meadow, Lair o' the Bear, and Mount Falcon Park in Indian Hills. Hiwan Golf Club, a country club located just east of Bergen Park, is Evergreen's only country club. Popular both in the summer and the winter, Evergreen Lake and its "Lake House" are recreational focal points for the region.

Education
Evergreen is served by the Jefferson County Public Schools. Schools in the Evergreen CDP include:
 * Bergen Valley Elementary School and Wilmot Elementary School
 * Evergreen Middle School
 * Evergreen High School
 * Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen

Some other areas with Evergreen addresses to the south fall into the area for Conifer High School. Most students in the Evergreen area go to Evergreen Middle School. There are four elementary schools in the Evergreen area; Bergen Meadow, Bergen Valley, Wilmot, and Marshdale Elementary.

Residents with Evergreen addresses west of the Clear Creek County line are served by Clear Creek Schools with students attending King-Murphy Elementary, Clear Creek Middle School, and Clear Creek High School.

Private schools in Evergreen include Evergreen Academy, Evergreen Country Day School, Grace Christian School, and Montessori School Of Evergreen.

Charter schools in Evergreen include Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen. It serves students K–8th grade.

Open Enrollment - Jefferson Country school district is an open enrollment district. As long as there is sufficient space you can enroll your child in any Jefferson County school.

Notable residents

 * Jeffrey Ashby, astronaut graduated from Evergreen High School in 1972
 * Berkley Breathed, cartoonist, author, director, and screenwriter
 * Jasmine Cresswell, romance novelist
 * Diane Mott Davidson, author
 * Nate Dern, author and comedian
 * Joanne Greenberg, author
 * Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medal figure skater
 * Gary Hart, U.S. senator and diplomat
 * John Hinckley, Jr., shot President Ronald Reagan, lived in Evergreen
 * Noah Hoffman, Olympic cross country skier
 * Kevin Kouzmanoff, MLB player grew up in Evergreen and graduated from Evergreen High School in 1999
 * Willie Nelson, singer and songwriter owned a 44-acre ranch in Evergreen for several years
 * Trey Parker, South Park co-creator graduated from Evergreen High School in 1988
 * Jake Roper, Internet personality
 * Peter Scanavino, actor
 * Phillip Yancey, American author who writes primarily about spiritual issues
 * Jake Norton, Accomplished high-altitude mountaineer and guide, UN Ambassador, photographer, filmmaker, and author

title: Evergreen, Colorado


text:
Genesee, Colorado

Genesee is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Genesee CDP was 3,610 at the United States Census 2020. The Golden post office (Zip code 80401) serves the area.

Geography
Genesse is located in the foothills of the Front Range.

The Genesee CDP has an area of 17.257 km2, including 0.015 km2 of water.

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

Attractions

 * Genesee Park, in the Denver Mountain Parks system.

Education
Genesee is served by the Jefferson County Public Schools.

title: Genesee, Colorado


text:
Indian Hills, Colorado

Indian Hills is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Indian Hills post office has the ZIP code 80454. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Indian Hills CDP was 1,474.

History
John D. Parmalee (1813–1885) came to Colorado in 1860 and settled in Mount Vernon. In 1866, he was granted a charter for a toll road between Morrison and Bradford Junction (Conifer); the Denver and Turkey Creek Toll Road opened in 1870. Parmalee also operated sawmills and shingle mills in the area. He was later commissioned to build a road from Turkey Creek to Bergen Park, along what is known as Parmalee Gulch.

In 1885, Parmalee sold his interest in the toll road to Benjamin F. Eden (1848–1932), who became tollgate keeper from 1877 to 1883. In 1886, Eden sold the road to Jefferson County. Eden bought properties in the northern end of Parmalee Gulch, which became known as Eden Park. In time he acquired more than 1000 acre, attracting the interest of developers. With the Panic of 1893 and crash in silver prices, the development foundered and Eden recovered the property. He continued to farm the area, raising cattle, horses, hay, and potatoes.

George W. Olinger, son of mortuary founders John and Emma Olinger, became interested in the area in 1918, and purchased the Eden property in 1921. Olinger planned a development to be called "Indian Hills," and built a golf course on part of Eden's land. The first filing was recorded at Jefferson County in June 1923, making Indian Hills the community's official name. Filings were named to recall the association with original inhabitants: Arrowhead Park, Ute & Cherokee Village, and Shawnee Village. "Eden Park" became the fifth filing of Olinger's development, and was platted in 1926. Models of summer cabins were built of logs, and small lots were sold to Denver residents seeking summer homes in the mountains.

Geography
Indian Hills extends along the Parmalee Gulch and Myers Gulch Roads between State Highway 74 at Kittredge, Colorado, and U.S. Highway 285 at Turkey Creek.

The Indian Hills CDP has an area of 14.060 km2, including 0.009 km2 of water.

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

Education
Indian Hills is served by the Jefferson County Public Schools. Schools serving Indian Hills include:
 * Parmalee Elementary School
 * West Jefferson Middle School
 * Conifer High School

Humorous sign
The sign at the Indian Hills Community Center features a changing display of humorous wordplays, and has its own Facebook page.

title: Indian Hills, Colorado


text:
Ken Caryl, Colorado

Ken Caryl, commonly known as Ken Caryl Ranch, is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of the Ken Caryl CDP was 33,811 at the 2020 census. The Ken Caryl Ranch Metropolitan District and the Ken Caryl Ranch Water District provide services. The Littleton post office (Zip code 80127) serves the area.

History
Ken Caryl's history begins with Denver Major Robert B. Bradford's purchase of the property in 1859. He soon built the Bradford/Perley House, as well as a toll road ($1.50 per wagon) to aid travelers moving west from Denver in 1859. The combination of the Bradford/Perley House Inn and the toll road heading towards the mining camps proved fairly lucrative for Bradford. The construction of a competing road up Turkey Creek Canyon in 1867 (known as Highway 285 in the modern day) that replaced Bradford’s more difficult route ultimately doomed his enterprise. After his death in 1876, his widow eventually relinquished the property in 1881. Owners came and went for a period of almost 20 years.

During the ranch's heyday, a number of well-known Colorado natives frequented Ken Caryl, including the notorious Civil War butcher John Chivington. Another regular was Ute chief Colorow. Although Colorow and other Utes in the area were removed after the Meeker Massacre of 1879, he did leave a legacy. Present day Colorow Elementary school was named for him, and a rock formation in the area that was apparently one of his favorite lairs continues to be known as “Colorow's Cave".

In 1895, Ken Caryl was transformed into a stable working farm when James Adam Perley purchased the house. Finding success as a dairy farmer, he and his family lived there comfortably until they sold the property to John Shaffer in 1914. After renaming and giving the ranch its current name after his sons Kent and Carroll, Shaffer soon built the Manor House and diversified into beef ranching. Shaffer, who was also the owner of the Rocky Mountain News at this time, would also purchase the Bradford/Perley House in 1926 to add to his property. Although he ran a profitable ranch for several decades, he was crushed during the Great Depression and eventually forfeited the property to the banks.

The next owner, a businessman named William Allen, subsequently bought the ranch in 1937. Although an executive in the burgeoning steel industry, he also decided to keep and breed cattle on the ranch, which remained profitable until his estate sold it to the Johns-Manville Corporation in 1971. This corporation then shaped the valley into its modern-day form by building a large corporate campus (meant to be their headquarters) as well as a housing community (originally for employees). The headquarter building became the modern Lockheed Martin building when it was sold to Martin Marietta Astronautics Group in 1987, and the plans for the housing community quickly evolved into present-day Ken Caryl Valley’s neighborhoods, whose homes were mostly completed by 1997. The community also was sure to maintain an emphasis on the natural and untouched aspect of the valley, and around 6,000 acres throughout the valley and its neighborhoods have since been dedicated to open space as part of the Jefferson County Open Space.

The Manor House remains restored to original glory and has served food and housed weddings on and off for the past decade or so. It can still be easily accessed and seen in the valley today.

The Bradford/Perley house was ravaged by a fire in 1967, leaving only a frame standing, and was added to the Colorado Preservation Inc. “Most Endangered Sites in Colorado” list in 2002. Fortunately, multiple efforts resulted in it being preserved as ruin in 2006, and subsequently Colorado Preservation Inc. moved the Bradford/Perley House to the “saved” list. It remains a stone frame protected by chain link fencing to this day and can be found easily in the North part of the valley, right next to the Bradford Pool.

Ken Caryl Ranch/Valley also has prominent geologic features, with the oldest rocks, along the bottom of the hillside rising into the foothills west of the Manor House, dating to around 600 million years ago. Following this further west, one can see the biggest mountain in the immediate foothills west of the Manor House, Tincup Mountain (Beacon Hill can also be seen- the shoulder on the south side of Tincup). The hogback (the ridge/rift running along the east side of the valley, opposite of the Foothills, that helps form the valley) is an interesting geologic phenomenon as well, formed from sedimentary layers being pushed upwards around 70 million years ago.

Geography
The Ken Caryl CDP has an area of 25.546 km2, including 0.079 km2 of water.

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

Business
Lockheed Martin and its predecessor, Martin Marietta, operate a facility located in the southern part of Ken Caryl Valley.

Government
The United States Postal Service operates the Columbine Hills Post Office in Ken Caryl CDP.

Education
Ken Caryl is served by the Jefferson County Public Schools. Zoned schools for the CDP include:
 * Elementary schools: Bradford K8, Colorow, Coronado, Mortenson, Shaffer, Stony Creek, and Ute Meadows
 * Middle schools: Deer Creek, Falcon Bluffs, and Summit Ridge
 * Chatfield High School and Dakota Ridge High School

In popular culture
In the South Park episode Trapped in the Closet, a reference is made to FunPlex, an amusement center in Ken Caryl, though it has been renamed multiple times since then; first Fat City, then Mr. Biggs, and finally the current name, Fun City. Fun City closed in the summer of 2015, and the building was subsequently demolished.

title: Ken Caryl, Colorado


text:
Kittredge, Colorado

Kittredge is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Kittredge post office has the ZIP code 80457. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Kittredge CDP was 1,308.

History
The Kittredge Post Office has been in operation since 1923. C. M. Kittredge, an early postmaster, gave the community his name.

Geography
Kittredge is located in the valley of Bear Creek. Colorado State Highway 74 leads east down Bear Creek Canyon 8 mi to Morrison and southwest (upstream) 2 mi to Evergreen.

The Kittredge CDP has an area of 4.881 km2, including 0.0012 km2 of water.

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

Education
Kittredge is served by the Jefferson County Public Schools.

Notable residents
Kittredge is the home of former U.S. Senator and U.S. Presidential aspirant Gary Hart.

title: Kittredge, Colorado


text:
Lakeside, Colorado

The Town of Lakeside is a Statutory Town in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 16 at the 2020 United States Census, making Lakeside the least populous municipality in the State of Colorado. Lakeside is immediately west of the City and County of Denver, the most populous municipality in the state. The Denver Post Office (ZIP Code 80212) serves Lakeside.

The town's namesake lake is Lake Rhoda, which covers 20% of its total area. A year after its incorporation on November 12, 1907, the Lakeside Amusement Park, nicknamed "White City", opened on the eastern shores. Both town and park were founded by a syndicate led by prominent Denver brewer Adolph Zang, who endeavored to build the resort just across the county line from Denver, and incorporated to move beyond the reach of Denver liquor laws. A shopping mall, Lakeside Center, was built in 1956 on the southern shore, but fell into financial troubles due to lack of business around the turn of the century and was converted into a Walmart and strip mall circa 2010. The amusement park, shopping area, and lake occupy almost all of the tiny municipality. Residences are limited to a handful of houses in the southeast corner of the town occupied by employees of the amusement park.

Geography
Lakeside is located at 39.78333°N, -105.05694°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 sqmi, of which, 0.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.1 sqmi of it (20.83%) is water.

title: Lakeside, Colorado


text:
Morrison, Colorado

Morrison is a home rule municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 396 at the 2020 census.

History
This small foothills settlement is named after George Morrison (April 16, 1822 – June 11, 1895), a builder and businessman who left a mark not only on the town that now bears his name, but on the history of the area. A stonemason who immigrated from Canada to the Mt. Vernon area in 1859, he helped found the town of Mt. Vernon and built the Mt. Vernon House, seat of the territorial government under Robert Steele, and an important stop for travelers on the Mt. Vernon Toll Road from Denver to the goldfields of the Rocky Mountains. He became a U.S. citizen on May 22, 1862. George Morrison later moved south to Bear Creek, where he founded the Morrison Stone, Lime, and Town Co., and in 1874 platted the town that became known as Morrison, or briefly as Mt. Morrison. With Gov. John Evans, he was instrumental in bringing the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad to Morrison in 1874.

As a quarryman, Morrison developed the building stone and other industrial stone (lime, gypsum) of the Morrison/Mt. Vernon area, bringing fame to the region for its high-quality dimension stone. Two of the three stone buildings he built in Morrison, as well as the Mt. Vernon House further north, are still standing; all three surviving buildings are recognized historic sites (National Register of Historic Places, 1976). Before its demolition in 1982, the original Evergreen Hotel, built by George Morrison in 1874, served as the first home of Sacred Heart College (now Regis University), and later as the Mt. Morrison Casino, where John Brisben Walker entertained many of the dignitaries he brought to the foothills as part of his promotional enterprises. The Morrison Schoolhouse he built served the town's educational needs from its construction in 1875 until 1955, and stands today as a private residence. The Cliff House, built as the Morrison family home in 1873, now provides guest lodging.

These landmarks represent a distinctive style of construction and are enduring monuments to George Morrison's contributions to Jefferson County's history. Stone for these structures was quarried in his "red sandstone quarry" at the end of the Dakota Hogback near Morrison. Building stone was also shipped to Denver, where it now comprises parts of the Brown Palace Hotel, Union Station, and "many of Denver's early day mansions".

Mount Morrison behind Red Rocks Park is also named after George Morrison. In the late 1800s, an important regional geologic layer of Late Jurassic age, the Morrison Formation, was named after the town of Morrison, and is today famous as the first discovery site of three 150-million-year-old dinosaurs, Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and the Colorado state fossil, Stegosaurus. The Morrison Formation covers parts of thirteen western states and has yielded much of our understanding of the extinct animals that lived in the West so long ago.

Dinosaur discoveries
In 1877, the holotypic remains of the dinosaurs Stegosaurus armatus and Apatosaurus ajax were discovered near Morrison by Arthur Lakes. The majority of these fossils were shipped to Othniel Charles Marsh at Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History in New Haven, Connecticut. These finds from the Morrison area figured in the 19th century "Bone Wars" between rival paleontologists Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope.

In 1896, the Late Jurassic section of sedimentary rock excavated by Lakes was formally named the Morrison Formation for the town near the prominent outcrops where it was described (Eldridge, 1896). In 1944, a type locality was designated at the roadcut along the north side of W. Alameda Parkway, 2 mi north of Morrison, in SE/4 sec. 23, T. 4 S., R. 70 W. (Waldschmidt and LeRoy, 1944).

The Morrison Natural History Museum houses and displays some fossils found by Lakes, and museum staff have begun reworking Lakes' original digs at Quarry 10. In 2006, the MNHM reported rare adult Stegosaurus tracks from the Morrison area. A year later the first hatchling Stegosaurus tracks were reported. These fossils are on display at the museum.

Cretaceous-age dinosaur tracks and one of Lakes' historic dig sites can still be viewed on what is now known as Dinosaur Ridge east of Morrison.

Also located near Morrison is a significant archaeological site; known as the LoDaisKa site, it was inhabited for approximately 7,500 years.

20th century
The Town of Morrison was officially incorporated following a unanimous election on January 9, 1906. Sixty-nine votes were cast. On February 13, 1906, a second election gave the newly created town a board of trustees. The first mayor was Thomas Cowan Morrison, son of the town's founder. The original trustees were Dr. Frank L. Luce, Charles Pike, Jacob Schneider, J.W. McLean, Peter O. Nelson, and Lawrence E. "Lee" LaGrow. Most of those names are well recognized as pioneers in Morrison's history. The new board held its first meeting on February 14, 1906.

Morrison's first ordinances were passed in February and March 1906, as the original board began the process of managing the town's affairs. The first set a fiscal year beginning March 1, directed the clerk to certify valuation and the board to levy taxes based thereon, and directed the town treasurer to collect funds from the county treasurer.

Pete Morrison, grandson of the town's founder and son of the first mayor, achieved fame during the early 1900s as a cowboy star in silent film, and ultimately had his own studio, Lariat Productions, in Hollywood.

In 1976, the Morrison Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography
Morrison is located at 39.65167°N, -105.19028°W (39.651764, -105.190344). According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.2 sqmi, all of it land. Morrison is southwest of Denver and is located on State Highway 470 and Morrison Road.

The Morrison postal ZIP code (80465) extends west up Turkey Creek Canyon and south of the town. It thus applies to an area covering approximately 5,000 addresses. Because the Morrison Post Office serves this large area beyond the town boundaries proper, many events and people connected with "Morrison" are actually in unincorporated portions of Jefferson County.

Government
The local government features a mayor, town manager and a board of trustees.

The town is infamous as a speed trap. Press reports indicate that about half the town's $2.6 million budget comes from traffic fines. More than 90% of police activity is issuing speeding tickets.

Notable people

 * Adolph Coors III, CEO of Coors Brewing Company
 * Margaret Feinberg, Christian writer
 * Pete Morrison, silent film actor
 * Ricky Rahne, Penn State football offensive coordinator
 * Patrick Park, folk singer
 * Trey Parker, co-creator of South Park
 * Jim Suttle, former mayor of Omaha, Nebraska
 * Robert Hall Tinker, former mayor of Rockford, Illinois
 * Michael Cain, Finance Manager

title: Morrison, Colorado


text:
Mountain View, Colorado

The Town of Mountain View is a home rule municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Mountain View is situated west of, and adjacent to, the city and county of Denver. As of the 2020 census, the population of Mountain View was 541. The Denver Post Office (ZIP Code 80212) serves Mountain View.

History
Mountain View was incorporated in 1904 on the land occupied by the Berkeley Annex subdivision established in 1888, which itself was part of the Berkeley Farm founded by John Brisben Walker in 1879.

The town grew to approximately 500 residents living in 272 houses by 2008, with approximately 20 businesses in operation, but occupying a total of only 12 square blocks "sandwiched between Wheat Ridge and Denver."

By 2009, several businesses had closed down, sales taxes declined, and city workers were paid late on three occasions over two months. The town council added a US$162 fee to sewer bills in order to maintain basic services. The Colorado state government stepped in to pay for getting the city's financial records in order. The town wrote a letter to its residents saying, "'Our town is in serious trouble and we need your help!' [offering] three options: Get some more businesses into town, unincorporate and be absorbed into Jefferson County or let a neighboring community annex the town."

Geography
Mountain View is located on the eastern edge of Jefferson County at 39.77556°N, -105.05611°W (39.775692, −105.056122). It is bordered to the north by Lakeside, to the west and south by Wheat Ridge, and to the east by Denver.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Mountain View has a total area of 0.24 sqkm, covering 12 square blocks, all of it land.

Economy
As of 2024, Mountain View relies primarily on tax revenue from the three dispensaries within the 12 square blocks of town. In 2023, The Colorado Department of Revenue reported that Jefferson County, which includes the Town of Mountain View, did over $5.3 million in retail marijuana sales, and reported $837,027 in the state share of retail marijuana sales tax. Mountain View's Mayor, Emilie Mitcham, said the following about the 2023 town budget: "We’re lucky to have healthy sales tax revenue, with roughly half of our sales tax income coming from the three dispensaries in town, and the other half from the remaining businesses. Even after necessary salary increases, as well as substantial increases in health insurance spending (we cover 100 percent of the premiums for employees and their dependents), our financial situation is strong. We spend less than we bring in, each year. Fiscally, we are well protected in the event of any unexpected downturn or calamity."

With its land area of only 12 square blocks, Mountain View previously had a tiny retail sales tax base from which to raise revenue and relied primarily on traffic tickets to pay its police and municipal employees.

The town called an emergency meeting on March 2, 2009, to get input on its future. The town sent a letter to all residents stating that it faced a growing debt crisis, with a budget shortfall between six and eight thousand dollars a month. The letter stated that its police officers had been paid late three times in the last two months, 40 percent of the town's businesses had closed, and that it had petitioned the Attorney General of Colorado to use DEA seizure money to pay police department salaries, which was declined in May 2009.

The letter proposed imposing additional fees for police services and even streetlights, noting in its last sentence that being annexed into a neighboring community was one possible outcome of the fiscal crisis.

Community Events
In 2022, after Mayor Emilie Mitcham was elected into office, she issued a Mayor's letter stating the following about community events in Mountain View: "You may have noticed that we’re having more town events these days. The events are designed to create community and encourage neighbors to get to know each other. But there are other benefits as well. They are really good opportunities to interact with your police officers and your elected officials. They create many low-key, entertaining ways to build relationships, thereby making it easier to stay engaged in the business of your town."

Since then, a variety of community events have been hosted in Mountain View: - National Night Out - Annual Town Picnic - Annual Spring Fling - Outdoor Movie Night - Santa Visit and Toy Drive

The 2023 Annual Town Picnic was a carnival-style party, complete with delicious food by Grammy’s Goodies, rides and games by Airbound (including among others, a zipline, ax throwing and a mechanical bull), henna artist Stephanie Block, and much more.

Police Department History & Ticketing
The Town of Mountain View and Mountain View Police Department held their National Night Out on August 1, 2023, at the Town Hall. Neighbors came out to meet with police officers, enjoy hot dogs and play games even in the wet weather. National Night Out is an annual community event that promotes police and community partnerships. https://5280fire.com/2023-incidents/national-night-out-2023-mountain-view/ joins together residents, law enforcement agencies, community groups, businesses, and local officials to build lasting relationships and reduce crime.

In 2023, Mountain View's Town Council announced the appointment of Police Chief Michael Nesbitt, effective Aug. 21. He has been with the town since 2018 and prior to being appointed, served as the Town’s Interim Chief for four months. Previous to his work in Mountain View, he served in Edgewater, Red Rocks Community College and Northglenn.

In 2014, The Mountain View Police Department was criticized for its overuse of issuing citations for menial traffic violations. Officers have frequently issued tickets for such violations as cracked windshields or objects such as air fresheners hanging from rearview mirrors. In 2013, the department issued more citations than the cities of Denver, Aurora, and Boulder, combined. Nearly half of the town's revenue comes from court fees and citations, according to its 2014 budget. A typical "obstructed view" citation alone can run someone $80, which includes a $30 surcharge. It is alleged that the excessive enforcement of these laws is motivated to raise revenues for the police department, a force with only nine full-time or part-time officers.

In 2014, the Mountain View Police Department was mentioned in a "Best of the Worst" piece on Reason TV, pointing out that Mountain View police fund their own jobs in part by over-ticketing out-of-town motorists for obstructed view citations.

Mountain View PD was again featured in a 2015 interview with 9NEWS KUSA reporter Jeremy Jojola following an investigation by 9NEWS of all 270 Colorado municipalities with respect to budgets and police ticketing of motorists. In 2014, Mountain View brought in 53 percent of total town revenue from police tickets. Mountain View issues tickets for the primary enforcement of a seat-belt violations in addition to the "obstructed view" violations previously mentioned.

title: Mountain View, Colorado


text:
Wheat Ridge, Colorado

The City of Wheat Ridge is a home rule municipality located in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. Wheat Ridge is located immediately west of Denver and is a part of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Wheat Ridge Municipal Center is approximately 5 mi west-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. The city had a population of 32,398 as of the 2020 Census.

History
Although Wheat Ridge is a relatively young incorporated city, it has a history based on agriculture and the community's location along regional travel routes. It grew from a popular rest stop for travelers during the Gold Rush of the late 1850s to an agricultural and suburban community known as the “Carnation City” in the mid 1900s. As the residential areas of unincorporated Jefferson County grew to provide housing to the Denver workforce during the 1950s, the major transportation corridors extending from Denver developed with commercial services. During that era, the formation of numerous utility and fire protection districts provided these unincorporated areas with urban services. Eventually, due to the increasing annexation pressure from nearby municipalities, Wheat Ridge incorporated in 1969.

Geography
Wheat Ridge is located at the junction of Interstate 70 and Colorado State Highway 391 in central Colorado, the city is immediately west of Denver and 66 mi north-northwest of Colorado Springs.

Wheat Ridge is located in the Colorado Piedmont on the western edge of the Great Plains just east of the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Clear Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River, flows east then northeast through the city. Lena Gulch, a tributary of Clear Creek, flows northeast through the southwest part of the city.

There are several small lakes and reservoirs in Wheat Ridge. Crown Hill Lake, Kestrel Pond, and North Henry Lee Reservoir are located in the south-central part of the city. West Lake, Tabor Lake, and Prospect Lake are located along Clear Creek in the west-central part of the city.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.55 sqmi of which 9.30 sqmi is land and 0.25 sqmi of it (2.6%) is water.

As a suburb of Denver, Wheat Ridge is part of both the greater Denver metropolitan area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. It borders other communities on all sides including: Arvada to the north; Lakeside, Mountain View, and Denver to the east; Edgewater to the southeast; Lakewood to the south; Applewood to the southwest; and Fairmount to the northwest.

Climate
The climate is described as Humid Continental by the Köppen Climate System, abbreviated as Dfb.

Demographics
As of the 2010 census, there were 30,166 people, 13,976 households, and 7,489 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,243.7 PD/sqmi. There were 14,868 housing units at an average density of 1,598.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 85.6% White, 1.6% Asian, 1.2% African American, 1.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 6.9% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 20.9% of the population.

There were 13,976 households, out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.4% were non-families. 38.4% 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 2.12, and the average family size was 2.81.

The distribution of the population by age was 18.7% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.7 years. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,014, and the median income for a family was $59,275. Males had a median income of $45,655 versus $36,741 for females. The city's per capita income was $28,372. About 8.7% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
As of 2013, 65.2% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. 0.2% was in the armed forces, and 65.0% was in the civilian labor force with 58.7% employed and 6.3% unemployed. The occupational composition of the employed civilian labor force was: 37.3% in management, business, science, and arts; 26.2% in sales and office occupations; 18.5% in service occupations; 10.6% in production, transportation, and material moving; 7.4% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (21.4%); professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (12.3%); retail trade (12.1%).

The cost of living in Wheat Ridge is above average; compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for the community is 108.5. As of 2013, the median home value in the city was $237,500, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,556 for housing units with a mortgage and $406 for those without, and the median gross rent was $820.

Agriculture
Until the 1960s, the city's identity was primarily defined by mid to large-scale agricultural production. Orchards and crop fields were the predominant use with pockets of homes and businesses located amongst the agrarian landscape. Glimpses into the city's agricultural past can still be found, however Wheat Ridge has experienced substantial population growth and development over the last 40 years and is largely built out with a combination of residential, commercial, and office uses.

Recent zoning changes have allowed for urban agriculture to see a resurgence in all parts of the city. City regulations allow homeowners to engage in a range of urban agricultural activities, including growing and selling produce and keeping animals such as bees and chickens. City Council adopted Ordinance 1491 in May 2011 which supports urban agriculture in Wheat Ridge. This ordinance updated the city's regulations so that community gardens (under the category of “urban gardens”), farmers’ markets, and produce stands are now allowed in any zone district.

'''A summary of the three uses permitted in each zone district may be found below. '''
 * Urban Gardens – an urban garden is defined as an area of land formally managed, organized, and maintained by an individual or group of individuals to grow and harvest food crops or non-food ornamental crops, such as flowers. Common examples of urban gardens include: • Community gardens, where plots of land are leased for a minimal cost and crops are usually consumed or donated • Market gardens, where crops are sold for profit • Community supported agriculture (CSA), where crops are sold or donated for shareholder consumption Urban gardens are allowed in all zone districts, including residential.
 * Farmers’ Markets – farmers' markets are allowed in any zone district, except in residential zone districts on properties where the primary use is a single- or two-family home. Farmers’ markets require a business license, which you may apply for through the city's Sales Tax Division.
 * Produce Stands - a produce stand is a temporary structure where agricultural products such as raw vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, plants, nuts, honey, and eggs are sold. Value-added agricultural products which are made from raw agricultural products such as jams and jellies may also be sold from produce stands. Produce stands require a business license, which you may apply for through the city's Sales Tax Division. Produce stands on residential properties must also follow the rules for home occupations.

Community development
Wheat Ridge has seen a resurgence in community development efforts focused on improving the social connections between community members as well as improving the built environment in the city to better facilitate these connections.

Wheat Ridge Envision Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan
Following direction from the City Council, the City embarked on a Comprehensive Plan Update that began in the fall of 2008. The City hired a consultant, Clarion Associates, with the expertise in comprehensive plan development to assist the City in updating the plan. In addition, the City formed a Citizens Advisory Committee to provide advice and feedback to the Planning Commission and City Council on the development of the Plan. On October 12, 2009, City Council approved a resolution, Resolution 52–2009, adopting the Envision Wheat Ridge Comprehensive Plan.

Points of interest
Wheat Ridge is home to the James H. Baugh House, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. The Baugh House is an 1860 hand-hewn log cabin encased in a circa 1904 frame farmhouse, and is one of several historic structures in the Wheat Ridge Historic Park. The Wheat Ridge Historical Society, in cooperation with the Colorado Historical Society and the City of Wheat Ridge, restored the house, which was designated on August 14, 2012.

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Wheat Ridge include actor and singer Dean Reed, Jolly Rancher founders Bill and Dorothy Harmsen, and U.S. Olympic cyclist Linda Brenneman.

title: Wheat Ridge, Colorado


text:
Eads, Colorado

Eads is the Statutory Town that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Kiowa County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 672 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
Eads has been the seat of Kiowa County since 1901. Eads was established in 1887 as a railroad town and was named after James Buchanan Eads, a structural engineer with the Missouri Pacific Railroad, who designed and built the Eads Bridge over the Mississippi River at St. Louis in 1874 and went on to design and build the system of levees on the Mississippi Delta which made the river navigable by ocean-going vessels. In the town, there are many historic houses and buildings that are still in use to this day; on Maine Street, there are many places to visit to learn more about the town's history. Since 2007, there is an annual event where the local businesses of Eads are supported called the Maine street bash; it includes many activities and live performances.

The original name of Eads was Dayton.

Geography
Eads is located at 38.48056°N, -102.78083°W (38.480465, −102.780763). At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 1.237 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 747 people, 320 households, and 193 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,579.7 PD/sqmi. There were 389 housing units at an average density of 822.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 95.85% White, 0.67% African American, 0.80% Native American, 1.47% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.95% of the population.

There were 320 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 35.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,024, and the median income for a family was $35,625. Males had a median income of $29,375 versus $19,792 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,944. About 7.0% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.8% of those under age 18 and 13.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
During the 2006–2007 school year, the Eads school district had a total of 165 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade. Eads High School had 65 students during the 2006–2007 school year. Partially because of its small size, Eads High School was the first high school in the state of Colorado to provide notebook computers for each of its students and to move to a computer-based curriculum.

Health care
Weisbrod Memorial County Hospital serves Eads and Kiowa County.

title: Eads, Colorado


text:
Haswell, Colorado

Haswell is a Statutory Town located in Kiowa County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 71 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
Haswell was established in 1905 or 1908, having grown up around one of the section houses built along the Missouri Pacific Railroad in eastern Colorado that were named after prominent men in alphabetical order from the Kansas State line to the west toward Pueblo, by Helen, daughter of railroad magnate Jay Gould, at the time of the railroad line's construction in 1888. It was incorporated in 1920.

Geography
Haswell is located in western Kiowa County at 38.45167°N, -103.16306°W (38.451774, -103.163116). Colorado State Highway 96 passes through the town, leading east 22 mi to Eads, the county seat, and southwest 38 mi to Ordway.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 2.079 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 84 people, 31 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density was 99.8 PD/sqmi. There were 41 housing units at an average density of 48.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 90.48% White, 2.38% African American, 5.95% Native American, and 1.19% from two or more races.

There were 31 households, out of which 41.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 16.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 127.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 124.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,938, and the median income for a family was $32,500. Males had a median income of $31,875 versus $9,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,638. There were 25.0% of families and 27.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including 34.6% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Notable facilities
Haswell is believed to have the United States' smallest jail. It is approximately 12 by (exterior dimensions), which makes it several feet smaller in each dimension than that of Randsburg, California's jail.

The Paul Plishner Radio Astronomy and Space Sciences Center is located 5 mi south of Haswell in a remote, radio-quiet area. The center includes a 60 ft parabolic dish antenna used for radio astronomy research.

Naming of Intel Microchip
In 2013, the Intel corporation announced that it was naming its newest processor microarchitecture Haswell, after the town.

title: Haswell, Colorado


text:
Sheridan Lake, Colorado

Sheridan Lake is a Statutory Town located in Kiowa County, Colorado, United States. The population was 55 at the 2020 census.

A post office called "Sheridan Lake" has been in operation since 1887. The community was named after Phil Sheridan, a pioneer hunter.

Geography
Sheridan Lake is located in eastern Kiowa County at 38.46833°N, -102.29306°W (38.468274, -102.293155). U.S. Route 385 passes through the town, leading north 27 mi to Cheyenne Wells and south 28 mi to Granada. Colorado State Highway 96 is the town's Main Street and leads west 28 mi to Eads, the Kiowa county seat, and east 13 mi to the Kansas border.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.82 km2, all of it recorded as land. The town is situated just to the north of the site of the small lake for which it was named. Recent aerial photos appear to indicate that the lake is mostly dried-up, with only an alkali lake bed remaining.

title: Sheridan Lake, Colorado


text:
Bethune, Colorado

Bethune is a Statutory Town located in Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 183 at the 2020 United States Census. It is located along U.S. Highway 24 that is north of an exit on Interstate 70.

Geography
Bethune is located at 39.30444°N, -102.42333°W (39.304471, -102.423362).

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 0.420 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
According to the most recent Census Bureau demographics available, released in December 2018, Bethune has a population of 227, making it the 5th largest town or city in population out of 10 total in the area. The city with the highest population in the area is Burlington, with a population of 5,468. Burlington is the county seat of Kit Carson County.

From the census of 2000, there were 225 people, 74 households, and 58 families residing in Bethune. The population density was 1,476.8 PD/sqmi. There were 81 housing units at an average density of 531.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 73.78% White, 0.89% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 23.56% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 31.11% of the population.

There were 74 households, out of which 48.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.50.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 35.6% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,958, and the median income for a family was $30,833. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $16,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,994. About 21.9% of families and 27.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.8% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Bethune include:
 * Denver Pyle (1920-1997), actor

title: Bethune, Colorado


text:
Burlington, Colorado

Burlington is a home rule municipality and the county seat and most populous community of Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 3,172 at the 2020 United States Census.

History
Burlington was originally laid out one mile west of its present location in 1887 by a man named Lowell in anticipation of the arrival of the railroad. In addition to having the location wrong, Lowell also did not have title to the land. When the railroad did arrive, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, it built its depot at the present site of Burlington and those who had built in Old Burlington moved their buildings to the new townsite. Trains began running in 1888. "The Settlement", about 12 miles northwest of Burlington, was settled by German immigrants from Russia, many from Hoffnungstal, South Russia, who, in addition to their homesteads, built Congregational and Lutheran churches.

Burlington, CO is on the Loewen database of possible sundown towns.

Geography
Burlington is located on the High Plains in eastern Colorado.

At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 5.575 km2, all of it land.

The easternmost interchange in Colorado on Interstate 70 is located at Burlington, 12 mi west of the Kansas state line.

Climate
Burlington has a typical High Plains cool semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers punctuated by occasional heavy thunderstorm rains, and cold, very dry winters. Snowfall is occasionally heavy, with an average annual amount of 33.7 in – but mostly the winter weather is very dry and extremely variable in temperatures. More than 33 afternoons (over a third) each winter can be expected to reach or exceed 50 F, but 4.9 mornings each year will drop to or under 0 F and 24.3 afternoons do not top freezing.

Demographics
As of the census of 2010, there were 4,191 people, 1,478 households, and ? families residing in the city. The population density was 1,995.7 PD/sqmi. There were 1,478 housing units at an average density of 703.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 84.3% White, 6.2% African American, 1.2% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 8.5% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.5% of the population.

There were 1,287 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 121.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,854, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $19,018 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,054. About 12.2% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Burlington is a home rule municipality.

Education
Burlington Public Schools are part of the Burlington Public School District RE-6J. The district has one elementary school, one middle school and one high school. Burlington also has several private schools.

Burlington Elementary School, Burlington Middle School and Burlington High School are located in Burlington.

Print
Burlington has a weekly newspaper, The Burlington Record. A run of 3 years, 1910–1912, of the Kit Carson County Record is archived in the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection.

Radio
The following radio stations are licensed to Burlington:

AM

FM

National Historic Landmark

 * Kit Carson County Carousel (National Historic Landmark)

Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Burlington include:
 * Robert P. Kerr (1892–1960), film director, actor, screenwriter
 * Mike Lounge (1946–2011), engineer, astronaut
 * Beau McCoy (1980- ), Nebraska state legislator
 * Susan Phillips (1949- ), Missouri state legislator

title: Burlington, Colorado


text:
Flagler, Colorado

Flagler is a Statutory Town in western Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 567 at the 2020 United States Census. Flagler is near Exit 395 on I-70.

History
The town was established in 1888 as a small settlement near the then-new Rock Island Railroad. The area has had several names, and prior to the settlement of the town, the location had been home to a combined general store and post office, owned by W.H. Lavington, and named Bowser in memory of the owner's favorite dog who had died. When the town was founded, the town was named Malowe after Rock Island Railroad attorney M. A. Lowe. The town was later renamed after Henry Flagler, railroad builder and oil man, at the request of his daughter who liked the area.

The town was officially incorporated in 1916.

Geography
Flagler is located at 39.29417°N, -103.06583°W (39.294031, -103.065832).

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 3.547 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 612 people, 271 households, and 171 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,123.3 PD/sqmi. There were 319 housing units at an average density of 585.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 96.57% White, 2.29% Native American, 0.33% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.10% of the population.

There were 271 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.9% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,523, and the median income for a family was $43,542. Males had a median income of $29,821 versus $19,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,770. About 4.3% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The economy of Flagler and the surrounding area is composed largely of agriculture, specifically wheat and corn production. Flagler is also the self-proclaimed "Birdseed Capital of World," with a Wagner's Wild Bird Seed plant listed as the town's top private employer. Flagler is home to a Loaf 'N Jug convenience store, The Witt's Family (clothing and shoe) Store, Stone Communications (previously Lyle's TV & Radio), a small hotel, a small movie house, a local supermarket, The I-70 (1950's) Diner, and numerous churches. The Flagler area is also home to the Mullen pedal steel guitar factory on County Road MM, about 30 miles N.E. of the town.

The Town of Flagler is offering free land for business or industry.

School
Arriba-Flagler Consolidated School District #20 educates local children in grades preschool through 12th, as well as children from nearby Arriba, Colorado. The school's mascot is the panther, and students compete in sports such as Six-man football, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and track. Flagler's archrival is the Stratton Eagles, which Flagler beat to end what was, at the time, the longest winning streak in Colorado high school football history. Flagler Senior High School is represented by the colors orange and black, and is consistently one of the top-performing schools in the state academically.

Notable events
Flagler is the site of a tragic air show accident that occurred on September 15, 1951. A Timm N2T Tutor performing for Fall Festival Day lost control and impacted the show's spectators, killing twenty people.

Notable residents

 * Boxer Irish Bob Murphy was born in Flagler
 * Author Hal Borland moved to Flagler at the age 15 when his father became publisher of one of the local newspapers, and attended high school in Flagler

title: Flagler, Colorado


text:
Seibert, Colorado

Seibert is a statutory town in Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 172 at the 2020 census.

History
A post office called Seibert has been in operation since 1888. The community was named after Henry Seibert, a railroad agent.

Geography
Seibert is located at 39.29944°N, -102.87028°W (39.299456, -102.870204).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 sqmi, all of it land.

title: Seibert, Colorado


text:
Stratton, Colorado

Stratton is a statutory town in Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 656 at the 2020 census. Stratton was named in honor of the gold miner and philanthropist Winfield Scott Stratton.

Geography
Stratton is located at 39.30306°N, -102.60417°W (39.302976, -102.604272).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 sqmi, all of it land.

Education
The community is served by Stratton Senior High School.

Transportation

 * Interstate 70
 * U.S. Highway 24

title: Stratton, Colorado


text:
Vona, Colorado

Vona is a statutory town in Kit Carson County, Colorado, United States. The population was 95 at the 2020 census.

History
Vona was named after Vona, the niece of an attorney from Burlington by the name of Pearl S. King.

Geography
Vona is located at 39.3027°N, -102.74411°W.

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

Transportation
Interstate 70 passes just south of Vona. The Vona exit from I-70 is exit 412. U.S. Highway 24 runs just north of the interstate, from Seibert through Vona, Stratton and Bethune to Burlington.

title: Vona, Colorado


text:
Bayfield, Colorado

Bayfield is a Statutory Town located in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 2,838 at the 2020 United States Census, a +21.65% increase since the 2010 United States Census. Bayfield is part of the Durango, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History
The town derives its name from W.A. Bay, founder.

On January 19, 1988, Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286 crashed in Bayfield, killing nine of the 17 people aboard.

Geography
Bayfield is located along U.S. Highway 160.

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 4.264 km2, all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,549 people, 567 households, and 409 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,433.3 PD/sqmi. There were 597 housing units at an average density of 552.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 91.67% White, 0.19% African American, 2.13% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 3.36% from other races, and 2.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.46% of the population.

There were 567 households, out of which 43.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $39,336, and the median income for a family was $46,583. Males had a median income of $34,464 versus $22,027 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,324. About 2.9% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

title: Bayfield, Colorado


text:
Durango, Colorado

Durango is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 19,071 at the 2020 United States Census. Durango is the home of Fort Lewis College.

History
The town was organized from September 1880 to April 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG, later known as the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad) as part of their efforts to reach Silverton, Colorado, and service the San Juan mining district, the goal of their "San Juan Extension" built from Alamosa Colorado. The D&RG chose a site in the Animas Valley close to the Animas River near what's now the Downtown Durango Historic Business District for its railroad facilities following a brief and most likely perfunctory negotiation with the other establishment in the area known as Animas City, two miles to the north. The city was named by ex-Colorado Governor Alexander C. Hunt, a friend of D&RG President William Jackson Palmer, after Durango, Mexico, based on his favorable impression of that city resulting from a scouting trip undertaken on behalf of Palmer.

Palmer among other D&RG associates such as William Bell started a subsidiary company known as the Durango Trust to sell land and plan a Main Street, 2nd, and 3rd Avenue, and so on to organize the town, taking inspiration from how Palmer founded the city of Colorado Springs. Sales from the Durango Trust skyrocketed by the completion of the D&RG's Silverton Branch, and by 1885, Durango's business district had seven hotels and restaurants, eleven saloons, dancehalls and stores, two bakeries and blacksmith shops, and a variety of other businesses, also boosting the town of Silverton's population to 2,000 at the time.

The D&RG(W) and the Rio Grande Southern Railroad were vital resources to many places including Durango before the major introduction of the automobile, helping transport goods such as produce and mineral traffic in and out of the Southwestern Colorado area, and along with other businesses such as the Durango Smelter, immensely supporting the town's economy. However, the Great Depression and aftermath of World War II hurt the area's railroad industry. The Rio Grande Southern lost its contract to transport mail in 1951, and soon thereafter suspended operations. The D&RGW also ended their San Juan Express passenger service from Durango to Alamosa. However, the natural scenery along their Silverton Branch had been recognized as a major tourist attraction. In turn, the D&RGW introduced the major tourism industry into the Durango area, transporting visitors up to Silverton and back and attracting Hollywood into La Plata County for a time. Once the D&RGW ended up losing its freight traffic in 1968, the tracks from Durango east to Chama, New Mexico, and south to Farmington, New Mexico were removed, but the Silverton Branch remained in operation until 1981 when it was sold and became the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

There are significant archaeological sites surrounding the Durango area featured on the State and National historical registers, including:
 * Mesa Verde National Park, a World Heritage site
 * Chimney Rock National Monument, the most northeastern known outpost of the Ancestral Puebloans
 * Durango Rock Shelters Archeology Site, a Basketmaker and Pueblo culture site
 * Spring Creek Archeological District, a Basketmaker and Pueblo site
 * Talus Village, a Basketmaker site

Geography
At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 44.296 km2 including 6.203 km2 of water.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Durango has a mediterranean-influenced humid continental climate (Dsa / Dsb).

Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 13,922 people, 5,492 households, and 2,603 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,052.4 PD/sqmi. There were 5,819 housing units at an average density of 857.8 /mi2. The racial makeup of the city was 86.8% White, 0.5% African American, 5.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 10.3% of the population.

There were 5,492 households, out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a single female householder, and 52.6% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city, 16.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 26.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $34,892, and the median income for a family was $50,814. Males had a median income of $31,812 versus $25,022 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,352. 17.2% of the population and 7.3% of families were living below the poverty line. 11.2% of those younger than 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Main Avenue

Main Avenue is a Nationally Registered Historic District that cuts through downtown Durango and is home to galleries, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and other businesses. Two notable and historic hotels, the General Palmer and the Strater, lie at the south end of the avenue, near the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot. With its combination of historic architecture, entertainment, and shopping, Main Avenue has historically comprised the center of Durango and is a popular year-round tourist destination.

Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Durango is known worldwide for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a heritage railroad that operates what was the Denver & Rio Grande Western's Branchline to the historic mining town of Silverton, Colorado, also still notably using historic D&RGW Steam Locomotives and other historic rail equipment.

Snowdown Festival
Durango is home to Snowdown, an annual midwinter event popular for its Parade of Lights and other events. The event lasts 5 days, with competitions and costumes.

Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival
The annual Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival features noted musicians from around the country. It is held in the Strater Hotel, a historic Victorian hotel in Durango.

Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
Founded in 1972, the Iron Horse is a 61-mile bicycle road race held annually in Durango. Every year cyclists from around the world come together and race the Durango Narrow Gauge Train on its journey from Durango to Silverton.

Media
Durango has a number of media outlets, which include The Durango Herald, 99x Durango, The Point, KDGO, XRock 105.3, KDUR 91.9/93.9, Four Corners Broadcasting (KIQX 101.3, KRSJ 100.5, KKDC 93.3, and KKDC AM 930) and many others.

Transportation
Durango is served by U.S. Highway 160 (the Old Spanish Trail), running east–west, and U.S. Highway 550, running north–south. Part of U.S. 550 offers high-speed access (primarily a 4-lane, divided highway) to Albuquerque, New Mexico. North of Durango, 550 is nicknamed the Million Dollar Highway, and is part of the scenic San Juan Skyway.

Durango is served by Durango–La Plata County Airport (IATA code: DRO), a major regional airport for southwestern Colorado, located near Ignacio, Colorado. The airport is serviced year-round by regional carriers Mesa Airlines (American Eagle), SkyWest Airlines (American Eagle and United Express), Republic Airways (United Express), and Envoy Air (American Eagle).

As of 2014, regional connecting hubs to DRO include Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Denver International Airport (DEN).

Durango Transit provides several loop bus routes in the community, including Fort Lewis College. Normal hours of operation are weekdays from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Ignacio Road Runner provides bus service to the nearby towns of Ignacio, Colorado and Bayfield, Colorado, with four trips daily on weekdays and one on Saturdays. Both services share the Durango Transit Center as a hub.

Greyhound Lines formerly served Durango, but after budget cuts, the service was discontinued. Since 2014, Road Runner Transit (a service of Southern Ute Community Action Programs) has restored daily bus service between Grand Junction and Durango. Since 2018, Road Runner's service has been incorporated into the larger mantle of the state-run program Bustang.

Colleges

 * Fort Lewis College is on a 350 foot mesa overlooking downtown Durango and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. As of 2014, 4,028 students were enrolled at FLC. FLC is a public four-year liberal arts college.
 * Southwest Colorado Community College, a branch of Pueblo Community College, is in the Durango Highschool building on North Main Avenue.

Notable people

 * Paco Ahlgren, writer
 * Ross Anderson, professional speed skier
 * Steve Carlton, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
 * Ann Cummins, novelist and short story writer
 * Robert E. DeNier (1921–2010), member of the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate
 * James Garesche Ord, United States Army Major General
 * Missy Giove, cyclist
 * Howard Grotts, cyclist
 * Greg Herbold, cyclist
 * Sarah Hirshland (born 1975), chief executive officer of the United States Olympic Committee
 * Sepp Kuss, cyclist
 * Ned Overend, cyclist
 * Bob Roll, retired pro cyclist
 * Stuart Roosa, NASA astronaut
 * Johnnie Seale, MLB pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
 * Quinn Simmons, cyclist
 * Ed Stasium, record producer
 * Tom Tully, actor, Oscar nominee
 * Shan Wells, sculptor and illustrator
 * Todd Wells, cyclist

Sister cities

 * 🇲🇽 Durango, Mexico
 * 🇪🇸 Durango, Spain

References in television and film
The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad began to advertise the La Plata County Area to Hollywood beginning in the mid-1930s, kick starting Durango's future in film appearances.
 * Parts of the 1948 film Colorado Territory were filmed in the Durango area including the Railroad Depot and the D&RGW's railroad line south to Farmington, New Mexico.
 * The 1950 Film A Ticket to Tomahawk was shot primarily in the La Plata County area involving the D&RGW's Silverton Branch (later to become the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad), filmed north of Durango, Silverton, Colorado, on the current site of Fort Lewis College, as well as a shot of a Rio Grande Southern Railroad Trestle located west of Durango near Wild Cat Canyon. This was one of Marilyn Monroe's first onscreen appearances as well.
 * Much of the 1952 film Denver and Rio Grande was shot on whats now the D&RGW's Silverton Branch, retelling the story of the D&RG's battle for rights into the Royal Gorge, against the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
 * Much of the 1953 western movie The Naked Spur starring James Stewart was shot in Durango.
 * Several parts of the 1955 western film Run for Cover starring James Cagney, were filmed just north of Durango in and around the upper Hermosa Valley area. Includes shots of the D&RGW Silverton Branch as well.
 * Portions of the 1957 western Night Passage starring a returning James Stewart, as well as Audie Murphy and Brandon deWilde were filmed near Durango and on the D&RGW's Silverton Branch.
 * Parts of the 1969 film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were filmed north of town along the Animas River, as well as scenes of the D&RGW Railroad on the Silverton branch, and southeast of Durango near Florida, as well as other locations on the D&RGW narrow gauge system.
 * The 1978 Roger Corman film Avalanche, starring Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow, was filmed mainly at Durango Mountain Resort and at the Lodge at Tamarron in north Durango.
 * The television series Cannon, episode "Sky Above, Death Below" was filmed in and around Durango, Purgatory Resort, and Chimney Rock.
 * Part of the 1991 film City Slickers was shot in Durango.
 * The 1999 movie Durango Kids describes a time tunnel in the old mines outside of Durango.
 * Parts of the 1993 film Cliffhanger were shot in Durango.
 * The 2024 documentary Hacking at Leaves features the local maker space called "Maker Lab".

title: Durango, Colorado


text:
Ignacio, Colorado

The Town of Ignacio (Ute language: Piinuu) is a Statutory Town in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The population was 852 at the 2020 United States Census. It is the headquarters of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.273 sqmi, all of it land.

title: Ignacio, Colorado


text:
Leadville North, Colorado

Leadville North is a census-designated place (CDP) in and governed by Lake County, Colorado, United States. The population of the Leadville North CDP was 1,892 at the United States Census 2020. The Leadville post office (Zip Code 80461) serves the area.

Geography
Leadville North is bordered to the south by the City of Leadville, the county seat.

U.S. Route 24 forms the eastern edge of the community. The highway leads north 31 mi over the Continental Divide to Interstate 70 (I-70) at Minturn, and it runs south through Leadville 35 mi to Buena Vista. Colorado State Highway 91 has its southern terminus in Leadville North and leads north-northeast 22 mi to I-70 at Copper Mountain.

The Leadville North CDP has an area of 6.343 km2, all land.

Demographics
The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Leadville North CDP for the 1970 United States Census.

title: Leadville North, Colorado


text:
Berthoud, Colorado

Berthoud is a statutory town located in Larimer and Weld counties, Colorado, United States. The town population was 10,332 at the 2020 United States Census with 10,071 residing in Larimer County and 261 residing in Weld County. Berthoud is situated north of the Little Thompson River, 21 mi south of Fort Collins and 43 mi north of Denver in the Front Range Urban Corridor.

History
White settlers first came to the present-day Berthoud area in the early 1860s, following the Colorado Gold Rush. Many settlers filed homestead claims, but most bellied up and left the valley to hardier souls who ranched and farmed the arid prairie that straddled the river bottom.

In 1872, a miner-turned-rancher from Central City, Colorado, Lewis Cross, staked the first homestead claim where the Colorado Central Railroad planned to cross Little Thompson creek. When the tracks were laid through the valley in 1877 a depot, section house, and water tank were installed at this strategic site. The tiny settlement known as Little Thompson was renamed Berthoud in honor of Edward L. Berthoud, who had surveyed the rail route through the valley.

Over the next few years the settlement grew to include a handful of homes, a blacksmith shop, a mercantile store, a small grain elevator, and a log cabin that served as school and church for the community.

In the early 1880s, the Colorado Central Railroad recognized that Berthoud's location on the river bottom caused their steam-powered locomotives to labor excessively to ascend the grade out of the valley. At their urging, during the winter of 1883–84, several buildings of the town were loaded on wheels and pulled by teams of draft animals to the town's present-day location on the bluff one mile (1.6 km) north of the river.

Agriculture in the Berthoud area flourished. Farmers diverted water from the Little and Big Thompson Rivers into a network of reservoirs and ditches that allowed the arid uplands to be irrigated. Harvests of alfalfa, sugar beets, wheat, corn, and barley were sold on the open market or used to fatten pens of sheep and cattle. The town grew as merchants and shopkeepers set up businesses to serve farmers and ranchers from the nearby countryside.

In 1886, the Welch Addition doubled the size of the Berthoud as town boundaries extended south beyond present-day Mountain Avenue for the first time. A year later a hose company was hastily formed to protect the town from fire after the Davis & Hartford Mercantile store burned to the ground. In 1888 a town board was elected and within a short time they hired a marshal to keep the peace and light the street lamps. By the early 1900s, Berthoud sported a business district on Third Street and Massachusetts and Mountain Avenues.

In the 1920s Mountain Avenue became part of a paved state highway system which would become U.S. Highway 287 connecting the larger towns of northern Colorado. In 2007, Highway 287 was rerouted to the north and west of Berthoud, bypassing downtown Berthoud and eliminating Mountain Avenue from the highway route.

In October 1941, Berthoud opened the sugar beet harvest. In the area surrounding Berthoud beets were harvested to be processed in Loveland, Colorado, to the north. According to the Berthoud historical society, "Berthoud growers delivered beets to several rural dumping stations where the beets were loaded into boxcars and hauled to sugar factories in nearby Loveland and Longmont." This industry relied both on WWII German Prisoners of War as well as migrant farm workers from Mexico.

On June 25, 2019, Berthoud became the only municipality in Colorado to ban the sale of puppy mill dogs.

Geography
At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 33.844 km2 including 0.347 km2 of water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 census, there were 10,332 people, and 3,983 households in Berthoud. The population density was 798.9 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 90.9% White, 0.0% African American, 1.1% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 12.2% of the population.

22.3% of the population were under 18, and 7.0% were under 5. People over 65 made up 13.8% of the population. The gender makeup of the town was 50.8% female and 49.2% male.

The median household income was $95,872, and the per capita income was $45,051. People under the poverty line made up 2.9% of the population.

2010 census
According to the 2010 census, there were 5,105 people and 1,999 households residing in the town.

The population density was 446.7 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 93.1% White, 0.2% African American, 0.9% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 2.1% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.6% of the population.

There were 1,999 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% 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 3.07.

The town's population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $70,292. Males had a median income of $43,676 versus $29,861 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,111. About 4.4% of the population were below the poverty line.

Arts and culture
Berthoud is surrounded largely by farmland, and is nicknamed the "Garden Spot of Colorado".

Annual events include:
 * Berthoud Day
 * Oktoberfest
 * Arbor Day Celebration
 * Berthoud Sunfest, featuring a quilt show and art market
 * Berthoud Open Golf Tournament
 * Berthoud Snowfest, featuring a sculpting competition

Museums include:
 * Little Thompson Valley Pioneer Museum, featuring Bimson Blacksmith Shop, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
 * McCarty-Fickel Home, featuring a medical office from the 1930s.

Parks and recreation
Berthoud has many parks, which include a bike park & pump track, skate park, baseball fields, soccer fields, outdoor basketball courts, sand volleyball courts, and pickleball courts. Berthoud Recreation Center contains an aquatic center. Arboretum coming soon. A public access golf experience is needed to complement the costly private club in town- TPC Colorado. A dog park should be considered.

Government
Berthoud is a statutory town with a mayor-council form of government. The Board of Trustees includes all at-large elected positions serving for four-year terms and is made up of the mayor and six trustees. The board is charged with setting policy, passing the budget and creating the overall vision for the town of Berthoud.

The mayor has the same voting rights as all other trustees and is responsible for presiding over town board meetings. This position is recognized as the town government leader for all ceremonial purposes. The Board of Trustees elects, by majority vote, a mayor pro tem, who is expected to perform responsibilities of the mayor when the mayor is absent or unable to perform their duties.

The Board of Trustees meets regularly on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month and may schedule additional special meetings as needed. All meetings are open to the public and subject to Colorado Open Meeting Laws.

The current mayor is William Karspeck (term expires in April 2024), the current town administrator is Chris Kirk.

Education
Students from the area attend the four public schools which are part of the Thompson School District: two elementary schools (Berthoud Elementary and Ivy Stockwell), a centrally located middle school (Turner Middle School), and a high school (Berthoud High School).

Police department
The Town of Berthoud contracts with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office for law enforcement services. The contract provides one sergeant and five deputies to provide patrol services for the town with support from all other divisions of the Sheriff's Office. Two deputies are assigned as school resource officers.

Transportation
Berthoud Area Transportation Service (BATS) is the main transit system in Berthoud and provides door-to-door service rides within Berthoud, as well as trips to Loveland and Longmont. BATS is open to the public and is operated through the town. The service receives funding from the town of Berthoud, the Larimer County Office on Aging and the city of Fort Collins.

FLEX is a regional bus route that serves the communities of Fort Collins, Loveland, Berthoud, Longmont, and Boulder. This service is operated by Transfort and is made possible through regional partnerships.

Notable people

 * Clint Barmes - American former professional baseball second baseman and shortstop
 * Tyler Carron - American ice sled hockey player
 * Nikko Landeros - American ice sled hockey player and skier
 * Eric Conn - American biochemist
 * Rennie Davis - American anti-war activist

title: Berthoud, Colorado


text:
Campion, Colorado

Campion is an unincorporated community located in southeastern Larimer County, Colorado, United States. A former census-designated place (CDP), the population was 1,832 at the United States Census 2000.

Etymology
Campion was named for John F. Campion, a railroad official.

Geography
Campion is located between Loveland and Berthoud along U.S. Route 287.

title: Campion, Colorado