Our Communities

Learn more about the eight counties of Southeast Colorado

Baca County

General Overview

Baca County was created by the Colorado legislature on April 16, 1889, out of the eastern portions of Las Animas County. It is named in honor of pioneer and Colorado territorial legislator Felipe Baca. Baca County is located in the southeastern corner of Colorado, bordered by New Mexico and Oklahoma on the south and Kansas on the east. It is located within the physiographic province of the Great Plains, and ranges from 3,500 to 5,280 feet above sea level. The climate is semi-arid, with an average annual precipitation of about 12 inches in the northwest corner to about 17 inches in the southeastern corner. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,555 square miles, of which 2,554 square miles is land and 1 square mile is water.

Baca County is rural, with a population of roughly 3,682 residents. Compared with Front Range communities, land, labor and cost of living are low, with labor having a strong work ethic. Baca County is the fourth most populous county in the Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development’s five county region and is the second least densely populated, with 1.5 persons per square mile in 2010 census.

Demographics

The county has a Hispanic population of 9%, with close to 5.8% speaking a language other than English. The caucasian population is 95.7%, and American Indian population is 1.4%. Much of the county’s population is aging, due to the fact that many residents have lived here their entire lives, while much of the younger generation has left the area to pursue careers. A total of 25.2% of the county’s residents are age 65 or older. As for educational attainment levels, 86.4% of residents over age 25 have graduated from high school and 17.4% possess a bachelor’s degree or higher. The low cost of living in Baca County makes it possible for many residents to own their own homes. The county has a homeownership rate of 73.8%.

Economy

Baca County is a farming and ranching community. The County’s labor force is approximately 2,237 residents. The median income for a household in the county is about $39,497. The per capita income for the county is $22,436. About 14% of the population live below the poverty line.

Education

Baca County is comprised of six communities: Campo, Pritchett, Springfield, Two Buttes, Vilas and Walsh. There are five school districts in the county. These districts have found ways to provide opportunities for youth to participate in sports and academic competitions by collaborating with each other. The schools offer online high school and college courses so that Baca County students can compete at the same level of students at larger high schools. In the past three years, two Baca County students were awarded Daniels Scholarships.

Health Services

Southeast Colorado Hospital District is a 23-bed Critical Access Hospital providing acute, 24-hour emergency and skilled care and swing beds that is located in Springfield. Specialty clinics in cardiology, orthopedics, podiatry, pulmonology, skin care, surgery and urology are offered at least once a month. The hospital also provides laboratory and X-ray services, pain management, respiratory care and therapy. Springfield has a 40-bed long term care unit with an attached 16-bed secure Alzheimer’s unit.

Walsh Healthcare Center, located in Walsh, is a 30-bed long-term care facility. There is also a 20-bed Assisted Living Unit, Maplewood Homes. Emergency services are located throughout the county.

Recreation

The county has several areas to offer for hunting and or recreation. For hunting, you can visit, North Canyon in Campo, Sand Creek South and State Line, located west of Campo, or Pat/Whitby Canyon, west of Springfield. There are also several State Wildlife areas: Burchfield, east of Walsh; Turk’s Pond (dove hunting and fishing), located northeast of Vilas; and Buttes Reservoir (hiking, camping, rock climbing, hunting, fishing and wildlife observation).

Baca County Non-Profit Organizations

Special Districts

Southeast Colorado Hospital
Walsh District Hospital

Bent County

General Overview

Bent County is named for William Bent, who established three trading posts in the area in the 1800s. Today, county businesses trade in products and services with markets across the country. The City of Las Animas is the county seat, and the county’s only incorporated municipality. The communities of Hasty and McClave, although not incorporated, have strong community centers and identities.

Bent County comprises 1,512 square miles and is situated 70 miles south and east of Pueblo. The Arkansas and Purgatoire rivers meet just south of the City of Las Animas. The Arkansas River traverses through the county from west to east. Beautiful canyons have been carved out of the rock along the Purgatoire. The Arkansas flows into John Martin Reservoir, one of the premier destinations in the United States for birdwatching, with a record of more than 400 species sighted. John Martin State Park is also a popular spot for fishing, boating, hiking and camping. Blue Lake is located on the north end of the county.

Demographics

The 2013 estimated population of Bent County is 5,688, a decrease of 811, or 12.5%, since 2010. Fifty-nine percent of current residents are Caucasian and 31% are Hispanic. For the population over age 25, 78% have graduated high school but only 8.9% have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. The homeownership rate from 2010 – 2012 is 62.9%. The 2012 per capita income in Bent County was $15,259, or approximately 49% of the Statewide Per Capita Income. Thirty percent of the population lives under the poverty rate. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau).

Economy

The main economic sector in Bent County is agriculture, with high-volume exports. The largest employers in the county are the Bent County Correctional Facility (a private correctional facility), Mountain Prairie (an enclosed swine facility) and the Bent County Healthcare Center (comprised of an assisted living facility, a nursing home, an out-patient physical therapy site and a child daycare center).

Another economic driver in the County is the Twin Buttes Wind Power Project, with 50 turbines providing enough electricity to provide power to 22,000 homes. The project has brought specialized operations, support and maintenance jobs to the region.

The community has worked hard to recover from the closure in 2012 of the Fort Lyon Correctional Facility, one of its largest employers. The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless opened a Supportive Residential Community for the Homeless in September of 2013, and in cooperation with Bent County is building its programs and services. Learn more here.

There are 177 miles of highways in the county, including U.S. Highway 50, and State Highways 194 and 101. The Colorado Department of Transportation reports the traffic volume on Highway 50 through the City of Las Animas is 5,800 daily average and 11.6% are trucks. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway runs east and west across the entire county, and also runs south from the main line allowing transport of goods by rail to Amarillo, Texas. Approximately 32 trains per day run through the county.

Education

Two school districts serve the county. The Las Animas RE-1 School District is home to 465 K-12 students and 52 students in pre-school. The McClave School District serves the eastern portion of Bent County and currently has 266 students, Pre-K-12.

Health Services

There are two medical clinics located in Las Animas: Valley-Wide Health Systems and Las Animas Family Practice. Valley-Wide Health Systems delivers primary and oral health care services in rural areas with unmet needs, with a primary objective to serve uninsured, underinsured, and low-income populations. Southeast Health Group (formerly Southeast Mental Health) offers mental health services at the Valley-Wide office in Las Animas, and has very recently expanded its services to include primary care.

Bent County HealthCare Center has many client-centered services that serve over 6,000 people each year. These services include: skilled nursing, long-term, and memory care for up to 56 elders a day; an in-house childcare center for up to 50 children a day ages six weeks through age twelve; an assisted living complex for up to 16 elders a day; inpatient and outpatient skilled rehabilitation speech, occupational, and physical therapy averaging 50 patients each month; and a community fitness center with over 200 members. The HealthCare Center is vital to this rural community. In addition, it is a licensed training facility for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and a clinical training site for Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, and Early Childhood Education students.

Recreation

The Santa Fe Trail crosses Bent County, and the county is also home of several historic sites including Boggsville, the first non-military settlement in Southeast Colorado. In recent years, the community restored one of its historic downtown buildings and established the John W. Rawlings Heritage Center, a premier southeast Colorado museum. The Bent County Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in Colorado that is still functioning in its original capacity. Bent County is also attractive to hunters who hunt water fowl, deer, prong horn, elk and dove. There is also a well maintained 9-hole golf course in Las Animas. The Bent County/Las Animas Community Center offers recreational opportunities to all ages.

Nonprofits Serving Bent County

Bent County Art Guild
Bent County Development Foundation
Bent-Las Animas Community Center
Hasty/McClave Fire and Ambulance
Las Animas Bent County Chamber of Commerce
Las Animas Bent County Fire Protection District
Las Animas Helping Hands
Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County
Supporters of Colorado Preservation

Crowley County

General Overview

Before 1876, Crowley County was under the control of the Cheyenne Indians. Because of the mild climate, the area was used for winter encampments. When the State of Colorado was accepted into the Union in 1876, the area was known as Bent County. In 1889, the western section of Bent County broke away and became known as Otero County. Crowley County formed its own county government and was incorporated on August 5, 1911. The county is named after John H. Crowley, a senator from Otero County to the state legislature at the time of the split. Crowley County’s 802 square miles offers 11 square miles of water, rolling prairies, wooded glades, farm fields and ranchlands. The Arkansas River provides the southern boundary line, as well as wildlife and beauty.

In the late 1880s, numerous irrigation projects happened throughout the state. Crowley County was the home to one of the more ambitious projects. In 1888, construction began on an 85-mile canal, known as the Twin Lakes Reservoir and Canal Company. The canal would eventually irrigate over 50,000 acres of land. During this period, the railroad expanded into Crowley County. Olney Springs, Crowley, Ordway and Sugar City became incorporated towns and each flourished alongside the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

By the early 1900s, Crowley County was one of the state’s prime agricultural area with acres of apple, cherry and plum orchards. Before the age of refrigeration and highways, the county was home to canning factories and icehouses for shipping cantaloupes across the country by rail. The National Sugar Company built a sugar factory in Sugar City and processed beets for several decades.

The lure of prime new farm ground and opportunity attracted many immigrant groups. Large numbers of german farmers familiar with the beet industry were attracted to the area. Japanese and Hispanic laborers were recruited to work in the fields and orchards and bought farms and raised families. During this entire period, the ranching industry north of the canal flourished on an inexhaustible supply of grass for cattle. The years surrounding the First World War were boom times for Crowley County. The war destroyed agriculture in much of Europe, and resulted in relatively high commodity prices for most agricultural goods. Business prospered, the population grew, schools were built and the future looked bright.

World War II also brought another wave of newcomers to Crowley County. War paranoia caused suspicion to fall on Japanese-Americans living in California. They were forced to relocate away from the coast. Many of these Japanese-Americans stayed with relatives and friends who lived in Crowley County. There is a plaque at the Town of Crowley Heritage Center honoring Crowley County for providing a home to displaced Japanese-Americans during the war.

The years following World War II brought many changes to Crowley County. The nation’s vegetable production concentrated in frost-free southern California and Florida. With the introduction of sugar from Hawaii and Cuba, domestic sugar production faced serious competition. Protracted drought struck the area in the 1950s and many farmers relocated to Kansas and Nebraska.

For many years, overtures were made by municipal interests to purchase the water rights owned by the farmers under the Colorado Canal. In the 1960s, a substantial portion of the trans-mountain water from the Twin Lakes system was sold to the cities of Pueblo, Colorado Springs, and Aurora. As farming continued to suffer set-backs, the growing Front Range cities increased their ownership in the canal company. By the 1990s, there was only a few thousand acres still in irrigated production. Civic leaders realized that with the decline in agriculture something else would have to replace it in the county’s economy. They successfully lobbied the state legislature and won approval for the construction of a 900-bed medium security correctional facility. In 1997, a privately owned 1,000 bed correctional facility received local approval. Many county residents now work in these facilities and others make Crowley County their home, appreciating the rural lifestyle.

In 1993, the Crowley County Heritage Society was successful in having the 1914 Crowley grade school placed on the State Historical property list, the only building with that distinction in Crowley County. Today the building functions as a community center, the Town of Crowley’s town hall and a wonderful local museum. The museum houses artifacts from the County history: archives from the Twin Lakes Reservoir Company, abstracts from numerous farms and copies of the County’s newspaper, The Ordway New Era.

Crowley County is served by an excellent transportation system. It is located on Highway 96, which is within one hour of I-25, the major north-south artery on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. A connection to I-70 in Limon provides access to points east and west. The county is immediately adjacent to U.S. Highway 50 and within a one-hour drive west of the Ports to Plains Trade Route corridor in Eads. Connections at Pueblo and La Junta also make the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe railroad system available. Commercial air service is available at the Pueblo Municipal Airport, only 45 minutes to the west. The closest airport with national connections is located in Colorado Springs.

Demographics

Crowley County is located on the high plains of Southern Colorado and consists of four towns: Sugar City, Ordway, Crowley and Olney Springs. Crowley County’s 802 square miles offers rolling prairies, wooded glades, farm fields and ranchlands. Ordway, the County seat, lies about 50 miles east of Pueblo at the intersection of U.S. Highway 96 and Colorado 71. Crowley County is bordered on the south by the Arkansas River and Otero County, on the east by Kiowa County, on the North by Lincoln County, and on the west by Pueblo County.

Crowley County’s population is about 6,246 and includes farmers, ranchers and other hard-working people, of whom 169 live in Crowley; 353 in Olney Springs; 249 in Sugar City; 1,115 in Ordway and 4,360 in unincorporated areas of the county. Approximately 2,600 male individuals are housed within the county’s two prisons. Crowley County’s demographics include 24% of residents who are of Hispanic origin.

A varied ethnic population lends to the County’s open-minded attitude toward cultural blending. Time has not distorted the values or ethics of those who live here. Twenty-six percent of the population is 18 years or younger and 18.6% is 65 or older. Of those who are 25 years or older, 77.5% have graduated high school, and 11.9% who are 25 years or older hold a Bachelor’s degree or higher. Due to a low cost of living, 72.5% of county residents own their own home. The low cost of living and peaceful lifestyle make Crowley County a secret haven among Colorado’s Front Range communities.

The county experiences a favorable climate year-round. Average annual rainfall is 11.2 inches; average annual snowfall is 21.46 inches; the mean January temperature is 25.5 degrees; and the mean July temperature: 74.7 degrees. In addition, we boast sunshine 300 days per year.

Crowley County, like many rural counties throughout the area, offers a truly outstanding work force. The area has virtually no history of labor disputes. The local work force has a reputation for loyalty, hard work, and low turnover. The area also offers a labor force that is relatively inexpensive. This is emphatically not a matter of “cheap, unskilled labor.” Rather, it is a reflection of relatively low cost of living and the strong desire of local people to stay in the area. The work ethic and dedication are as strong now as when the settlers started tilling the land in the late 19th Century.

Economy

The county lies in a fertile farming and ranching region. It’s economy can be understood as an agricultural industry moving toward a mixed service economy. Predominate employers consist of governmental, educational and agricultural services. The average median disposable income is $27,297, while the average income per capita is $17,532. The unemployment rate within the county is about 10%, however very few local businesses laid off employees throughout the recent recession. Another asset to the area’s economy is the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility, a state medium-security prison that opened in 1987. This facility hires over 300 employees and houses 1,007 inmates. The newest addition is the Crowley County Correctional Facility, a private medium security prison that opened in 1999, employs 265 people.

Education

Crowley County is served by an award-winning education system. A prominent local historical resource is the 1918 Crowley County High School, which is the second oldest school building in the state that is still in use. The Crowley County RE-1J system provides a complete K-12 educational system. The school system has an excellent record of accomplishment and experiences a 97.8% graduation rate. Moreover, the system has a very respectable 60-75% of its graduates who go on to higher education. The K-12 system is supported by an outstanding system of junior colleges, including Otero Junior College, located at La Junta. It offers a full two-year curriculum in a variety of fields. Additionally, the junior college has participated in setting up customized training programs to meet the needs of industry. The newest addition to the area is the Combined Community Library, which was built in 2003 and located next to Ward Middle School.

Health Services

Crowley County contracts with the Otero County Health Department for health, environmental and nursing services. Health services include Crowley County Ambulance, the Centennial Family Health Center, and Crowley County Nursing Center. The Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center, which is the hospital of choice, is located in La Junta. It provides a range of services, 24-hour emergency care, Intensive Care, OB/GYN services, laboratory and diagnostic imaging and serves most of the Valley’s needs.

Recreation

Recreation is a very important part of the life of the county, which maintains two expansive lakes, Lake Henry and Lake Meredith, and two reservoirs that accommodate fishing, water skiing and other water sports. Bird watching and hunting are popular pastimes in Crowley County. Game includes pheasant, quail, doves, ducks, geese, deer, and antelope. Riding horses and rodeos are other popular activities. A favorite hobby of county residents is looking for Indian artifacts. Arrowheads and food preparation items are the most numerous items found. Many bicycle enthusiasts visit the county during cross-country tours.

Crowley County spectators love to support their school activities and sports programs. With an abundance of neighbors who care, church and community groups are very active in local community affairs. The local 4-H program has an outstanding support group centered around the youth in town and in the county. Proof of their support can be seen in their annual Crowley County Days celebration. The week-long event encompasses the 4-H county fair and ends on Saturday with the parade and huge barbecue held in Conestoga Park in Ordway. It is not unusual to have close to 3,000 people in the park for the barbeque, which is sponsored by local volunteer firefighters. The event is held the last full week of July and holds a tradition of ninety plus years. The county offers a vast variety of attractions and events including the Crowley Heritage Center & Museum, Pronghorn Birding Trail, Rabbit Run Motocross, Prairie Horizons/Transamerica, Bicycle Trails, Fourth of July Celebration and Oktoberfest.

Nonprofits in Crowley County

Huerfano County

General Overview

Huerfano County is located along the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains of southeastern Colorado. The county encompasses 1,578 square miles located that are located in a tributary drainage south of the Arkansas River. Because the county straddles two major physiographic provinces, the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, it includes a wide variety of landforms, vegetation patterns and climatic conditions. Elevations in the county range from a low of 5,280 ft. where the Cucharas River exits the county, to the Blanca Peak summit at 14,345 feet.

Often referred to as the “Crossroads of Southern Colorado”, Huerfano County is bisected from north to south by Interstate 25 and east to west by U.S. Highway 160 and Colorado Highway 10. Huerfano County is comprised of four uniquely individual communities. Walsenburg is the county seat and is the largest city, with more than 3,200 residents. The other towns are Badito, Calumet, Cuchara, Farisita, Gardner, La Veta, and Navajo Ranch. Park, forest and wilderness areas include: Greenhorn Mountain Wilderness, Lathrop State Park, San Isabel National Forest, and the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness.

The central downtown of Walsenburg is alive with antique and gift shops, including two new museum shops at the Museum of Friends and the Paleontology Museum. It boasts numerous restaurants, the historic Fox Theater, the Mining Museum and the new Sisu Art annex. The Walsenburg downtown revitalization committee purchased land in the center of downtown. With the help and advice of the University Of Colorado School Of Architecture, they are designing plans with community input to develop a pocket park that will also serve as a community center and seasonal farmers market. Walsenburg is home to Colorado’s first state park, the immensely popular Lathrop State Park and year round fishing lake. Next to the park is a municipal Golf course and restaurant. A new trade school next to the hospital offers certificates in food service, building trades and welding. There is also a municipal water park that is designed for children and tourists.

Walsenburg is proud of three on-going projects:

1. The U.S.D.A. financed Northlands Reclamation and Sewer Project to expand the city commerce/tax base.
2. The 15-mile Cuchara River Walk, designed by a Walsenburg-native landscape architect, Electra Fowler, which will feature a trail from Walsenburg to La Veta.
3. The building of the Chae Organics beauty products headquarters across the highway from Lathrop State Park.

In 2014, Walsenburg will commemorate the 100th Ludlow Massacre anniversary with programs at the Spanish Peaks Library, the Mining Museum and a collaborative exhibition with the Bessemer Museum of Pueblo at the Museum of Friends. The Spanish Peaks Library District recently completed renovations of its first floor and now offers year-round community educational resources at a state of the art facility. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade awarded $50,000 to Cuchara Mountain Resort through a Rural Economic Development Initiative to help reinstate the ski resort. There are many invaluable volunteer organizations in Walsenburg, including: Dorca’s Circle, the local food bank, the LDS Mormon Elder volunteers and the Sangre de Cristo Volunteers for Change.

The town of La Veta, located 15 miles west of Walsenburg, is home to a thriving art community. It has numerous art galleries, the La Veta School of Arts, and a theater with live performances. In the summer, the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad brings passengers from Alamosa through the San Luis Valley, past Mount Blanca, up and over La Veta Pass and into the Town of La Veta. The town hosts an annual “Art in the Park” celebration that features southwestern artisans. In late fall, the annual “October Fest” closes off Main Street and fills it with three blocks of booths that sell local food, art and crafts. La Veta also features the historic Francisco Fort Museum, the world class Grandote Peaks Golf Club and numerous historic lodgings.

The town of Cuchara, located ten miles south of La Veta, is nestled in the mountains. Its restaurants and shops offer a cool respite from the summer heat. It is located at the base of the hiking trail to the summit of the West Peak of the twin Spanish Peaks Mountains. Cuchara is also host to a popular summer weekend celebration of art and music.

The ranching town of Gardner, located 25 miles northwest of Walsenburg, offers two churches, a few stores and a post office. It hosts two main summer events: 1) a chuck wagon community meal featuring a local rodeo, and 2) Hippy Days, a three day celebration of music and art including an outdoor fair of 20 booths featuring local food and crafts and two stages for performing musicians. Gardner is also home to a lively artist community called “Libre.” At its height, Libre was comprised of five counter culture artist communes and three Buddhist retreats that drew people from across the U.S.

Huerfano County is dominated by the Spanish Peaks, two twin mountains jutting out into the plains. The Native Americans considered the peaks sacred and called them the Wahatoyas, which translated to “breasts of the earth”, because the life-giving summer rain clouds formed above them in the afternoons. The Spanish Peaks are geographically unique in North America because they are independent of any mountain range and are surrounded by a “wagon wheel” of radiating volcanic dikes that branch out from the base of the Peaks like spokes of a wheel. Volcanic activity is uniquely evident throughout the county. Goemmer’s Butte is a striking volcanic plug that rises from meadows just north of the Peaks. Huerfano Butte is a lone volcanic plug on the prairie that served as an important early landmark and lookout for Spanish, French and Mexican traders, trappers and explorers.

Native Americans felt the area around the twin peaks was neutral territory, a crossroads for tribes moving north or south, or for following migrating herds. Utes, Comanche and Apache all crisscrossed the land, and the Navajo considered this to be one of the four corners of their world. Legend has it that much of the fabulous Aztec gold was dug out of the Spanish Peaks, and this legend was what drove the Spanish Conquistadors north looking for it. This area was the wild northern frontier of New Spain and then Mexico. The early Spanish explorers named the volcanic landmark, and thus the area, “El Huerfano,” which translates to “the orphan”. FranFort-Wagon

Explorers were followed by trappers. Agriculture and stock-raising began in earnest after the Mexican government approved the Vigil and Saint Vrain land grant. In 1861, Huerfano County became one of Colorado’s 17 original counties, and its boundaries stretched from the New Mexico line to the Arkansas River and from the Sangre de Cristo mountains to the Kansas state line. The current boundaries of the county were established in 1867.

Early settlers kept warm by using an indigenous fuel that eventually became the county’s economic base. Coal became “King” with the introduction of the first mine in 1876. Walsenburg became the Ellis Island of the Rockies with immigrants from around the world. Italian, Greek, Slavic, Polish, Mexican, Japanese, and Irish immigrants arrived to dig out these precious “black diamonds”. However, it was hardly the United Nations during the turbulent coalfield wars from 1913 to 1914. Private militias, the Colorado National Guard, and finally the U.S. Army worked to subdue striking miners. The famed union organizer Mother Jones was imprisoned in the Huerfano County Courthouse. Another organizer for the United Mine Workers of America, Louis Tikas, was shot in the back at age 28. These events began with the Ludlow Massacre, which set off two years of one of the most violent periods in American history.

Demographics

In 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau showed that Huerfano County has 6,519 residents. The population is 35% Hispanic/61% Non-Hispanic, 50% male/50% female and the median age is 41.7 years. Residents younger than five years comprise 4.1% of the population, younger than 18 comprise 16.2%, and 65 or older comprise 27.4%. Huerfano County is first in Colorado in residents 65 and older. It is fourth in Colorado in number of residents below the poverty line. Eighty–two percent of residents have a high school diploma; 25% have a college degree. The K-12 educational system has been derailed by federal and state cuts and can only provide Monday through Thursday programming. The per-capita income is $22,167. Residents live in 3,096 housing units, with 5,096 available for occupancy.

Economy

Huerfano County’s historic economic drivers were agriculture and coal mining. Currently, the major employers are the taxing entities within the county. A private prison that served as the largest private employer lost its contract, resulting in the loss of 180 jobs. These jobs represented about 12% of the county’s private sector. New economic development projects include the establishment of the Chae Organics factory and two recently developed wind farms near Walsenburg.

The potential for economic recovery lies on three possible developments. Wind is the most likely new industry. The federal push for renewable energy sources, along with increasing demand and the construction of new power line, from the Comanche power plant in Pueblo to the San Luis Valley, are all positive developments. Wind turbines generally provide local governments $4,000 to $5,000 per turbine per year in tax revenue. Coal bed methane and natural gas deposits are another resource which may boost the local economy. The major drawback of coal bed methane extraction is the potential adverse effects on the ground and surface water supplies. The potential impact to water wells could be disastrous; however, the revenue from mineral extraction to the local governments could be tremendous. Colorado counties such as Garfield and Rio Blanco have seen revenues from gas extraction double or triple their budgets in just one year. The county has a dormant ski area that, if redeveloped, could have a significant positive impact by creating long-term jobs. A group of local residents are working to develop the ski area as a year-round resort with a hotel and conference center. A work force of 120 – 180 employees would be required. These development projects can bring life to the Huerfano County economy.

The workforce in Huerfano County has a major impact on the types of business and industry that can be recruited. The level of educational attainment is significantly lower than the state and national averages. The percentage of college graduates is also lower and the median age is significantly higher. There is a need to better prepare a ready workforce with necessary skills.

Huerfano County is attracting some business and economic growth with its scenic qualities. The mountains and slower pace has led to an influx of retirees and second homeowners. The Cuchara area increases from a winter population of just over 150 to as many as 3,500 during the summer. Walsenburg attracts many artists because of low priced real estate and a conducive lifestyle for art making. The potential for developing rural subdivisions from large ranches is high as the agricultural economy has become more difficult. Currently the economy in Huerfano County is less than optimal for this potential to be realized.

Health Services

Huerfano County is home to the Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center. It is operated by the Huerfano County Hospital District, a Colorado Special District, and is directed by a five member, county-elected Board of Directors. The creation of Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center is a great example of collaboration and cooperation. It includes the Spanish Peaks Hospital, Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home – Walsenburg, Spanish Peaks Family Clinic, and the Women’s and Outreach Center. The campus also includes a dialysis center that is operated by an international provider.

The Spanish Peaks Hospital is licensed as a Critical Access Hospital with 25 acute care beds. It operates a 24-hour level IV trauma emergency care center. The hospital offers a variety of medical services to patients and visitors of Huerfano County and surrounding areas, including diagnostic imaging, a full-service clinical laboratory, cardiopulmonary and neurological diagnosis and therapy, physical, occupational, and speech therapy, surgical services, and a variety of outpatient specialty clinics. The facility also offers Voice Care(TM) Personal Response Systems. Recently, offices opened in La Veta for non-acute care and to service the elderly within the community.

The Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Walsenburg is operated under a contract between the District and the State of Colorado. It is a 120-bed long-term care facility for our country’s veterans and their spouses. The Women’s and Outreach Center provides women’s health services, including the Colorado Women’s Cancer Control Initiative, family planning, and programs for new mothers. It is also the headquarters for the facility’s outreach and community health initiatives. Recently, the Las Animas and Huerfano County District Health Departments joined forces to create the “2014 – 2018 Public Health Improvement Plan.” One of the findings suggests enhanced focus over the next five years to address substance abuse and obesity.

Nonprofit Organizations

El Fandango Folk Dances of Mexico & the World
Francisco Center for the Performing Arts
Francisco Fort Museum
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Gardner Community Corporation
Huerfano Community Corporation
Huerfano County 4-H
Huerfano County Chamber of Commerce
Huerfano County Economic Development
Huerfano County Hospital District
Huerfano County Parks & Rec. Assoc.
Huerfano County Tourism Board
Huerfano County Volunteer Fire District
Huerfano County Youth & Arts Assoc.
Huerfano County Youth Services
Huerfano/Las Animas Area Council of Governments
Huerfano/Las Animas Counties Board of Realtors
Huerfano Youth & Arts Foundation/Fox Theatre
Journey Home
La Clinica
La Plaza de los Leones Association
La Veta Chamber of Commerce
La Veta Regional Library District
La Veta Rotary
La Veta School of the Arts
Mountain Creek Home Health
Mountain Spirit Christian Church
Museum of Friends
P.E.O. Chapter BZ
Sisters of Color United for Education
South Central Council of Governments
Southern Colorado Recovery
Spanish Peaks Alliance for the Arts
Spanish Peaks Arts Council
Spanish Peaks Community Foundation
Spanish Peaks Hospital Foundation
Spanish Peaks International Celtic Music Festival
Spanish Peaks Library District
Teen Court of Huerfano County
Territorial Daughters
Two Peaks Fitness
Upon the Rock
Walsenburg Downtown Revitalization Committee
Walsenburg Mining Museum

Kiowa County

General Overview

Kiowa County is a long, narrow county. It is 23 miles wide at the Kansas-Colorado border and extends west for 80 miles. It is 17 miles wide at its border with Crowley County and spans a total of 1,738 square miles. The Victoria and Southern Railroad (originally the Missouri Pacific Railroad) runs west through the county from Kansas towards Pueblo. Colorado Highway 96 follows the rail line through the county. U.S. Highway 287 (Ports to Plains Corridor) crosses Kiowa County headed north from Lamar to Kit Carson.

Kiowa County was first settled by Native American tribes, most significantly the Arapaho, Cheyenne and Kiowas. Trappers and traders following the Santa Fe Trail and the Arkansas River came north to the lakes in Kiowa County and followed the creeks that flowed into them. One of the most important events in American History, the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803, doubled the size of the United States. Included in this purchase was most of the Eastern half of Colorado, including Kiowa County. At that time, Native American’s roamed the plains and big cattle and sheep ranches were prevalent on grassland that was free for the taking. Cattle ranchers came north from Mexico and Texas and crossed the Arkansas River to establish huge cattle ranches on the lush buffalo grass prairies in Kiowa County.

The Homestead Act of 1863 brought additional settlers to develop the agricultural potential of Kiowa County. Current agriculture raises beef cattle, sheep, goats and swine. Crops of wheat, millet, grain sorghum, sunflowers and corn are grown, especially in the middle and eastern end of the county where the soil is more likely to be sandy loam (rather than the adobe clay often found in the county’s western end). Kiowa County has fossil fuel deposits and several oil and gas wells currently operate, while others are on stand-by. It also has several ideal sites for wind farm development, with most interest being shown in the stiff winds at the eastern end of the county.
In the 1880s, the Missouri Pacific Railroad came west from St. Louis, Missouri to Pueblo, Colorado, and the towns in Kiowa County were established along its lines. The towns remaining today are as follows:

ARLINGTON is located at the western end of Kiowa County and was once a prosperous community. Little remains of it now but a post office and a few residences.
EADS, named after an engineer, was established in 1887 during the construction of the railroad. Eads is located in the approximate center of the county and has been the county seat since 1901.
CHIVINGTON, named after Colonel John M. Chivington, was once the real town of Kiowa County. In 1864 volunteer troops of Colonel Chivington, a former minister, engaged in a bloody battle with the Indians camped along Sand Creek. This famous battle is known as the “Sand Creek Massacre”.
HASWELL, whose name is believed to have been chosen because the community has-a-well, was originally platted in 1908. Having the “Nation’s Smallest Jail” gives Haswell a distinction no other U.S. city can claim.
BRANDON was established in the latter part of 1887. In its early days, Brandon was quite a little town. It was the main trading spot for that area. But the depression and the Dust Bowl era of the “Dirty Thirties” took their toll on this community as well as the others in the county.
SHERIDAN LAKE was a thriving community even before the railroad was constructed. The town was named from a local body of water. The lake had gotten its name from the fact that General Phillip Sheridan of Civil War fame, camped on its shores when hunting buffalo.
TOWNER is the first town located in Kiowa County on the east end lying just two miles from the Colorado-Kansas state line. Local Historians believe the settlement was started as a camp for a railroad construction crew in 1887.

Demographics

Per 2013 estimates, 1,423 persons resided in Kiowa County, a 1.8% increase from 2010. Persons age 65 and older comprised 22.4% of the population, with 6.3% of the population under age five. Most residents are non-Hispanic white (97%) while the rest are Hispanic, American Indian, Black or Asian. Only 5% of families speak a language other than English in the home. Of those residents 25 years of age or older, 90.8% have graduated from high school and 23% have a bachelor’s degree or higher. The homeownership rate is 72.2%. The median value of owner-occupied housing units (2008-2012) was $76,100. The 2012 per capita income was $21,960, while the median household income from 2008 – 2012 was $41,739.

Economy, Education and Health Services

Agricultural production and natural resource development are the foundation of the Kiowa County economy. Many of the county’s cattle ranches and family farms are operated by fourth or fifth generation members of the original family settlers. The county’s many private businesses sell food, medicines and cosmetics, supplies for vehicles and farm machinery, hardware, gasoline, diesel and propane. There are several grain elevators and companies that do agricultural and household spraying. Kiowa County National Bank in Eads has been a major resource in the county since 1887. The Kiowa County Press has published a newspaper since 1901. Southeast Colorado Power Association provides electricity, and the Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Company and Fairpoint Communications provides telephone service.

Community service providers such as schools, health and social services, assisted living and county departments are major employers. As of 2010, the Kiowa County Hospital District employed 80 workers, and includes a Critical Access Hospital and Emergency Room, Nursing Home, Rural Health Clinic, Ambulance Service and Home Health Care Program. The county’s two K-12 schools are also major employers. Re-1 provides 65 positions and Re-2 provides 22 positions. Kiowa County department employees and elected officials equal 60 positions.

Tourism and Recreation

In September 2010, the Kiowa County Fair and Rodeo celebrated its 100th year. Other attractions in the county include the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site near Chivington, Woelk’s Park and Museum in Sheridan Lake, the Kiowa County Museum in Eads, the Nation’s Smallest Jail in Haswell and the Artists of the Plains Gallery of Shops in Eads. Ride your bicycle through Kiowa County on the Trans American Centennial Bike Trail (referred to as Prairie Horizons Trail through Kiowa County) which follows Colorado Highway 96. The Great Plains and Adobe Reservoirs are great locations for fishing, boating, water skiing, and bird watching. The Hi-Plains Snow Goose Festival in February is an annual event that is sponsored jointly by Kiowa and Prowers counties. The mid-summer Maine Street Bash in Eads is a fundraising affair sponsored by the Crow Luther Cultural Events Center. The newly developed Kiowa Creek Natural Area, at the south town limits of Eads, is an on-going project of the Kiowa County Economic Development foundation. This area boasts an ideal location for any nature lover with a well-stocked fishing pond, a hiking trail and a historic barn for interpretive displays.

Nonprofit Organizations

Las Animas County

General Overview

Las Animas County sits at the southernmost border of Colorado and New Mexico. The county ushers in guests from the south, as the place “Where Colorado Beauty Begins” and sends Colorado visitors on their way south with a wave and a gracious “Come see us again!” Home to over 16,000 people, Las Animas County boasts the title of being the largest county in the state with 4,772 square miles.

Nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, halfway between Santa Fe and Denver on the I-25 corridor, Trinidad, the county seat, retains its Old West character and the vitality of its pioneering days. Trinidad’s history begins with the Purgatoire River, which attracted native peoples as they hunted the wild game that watered there. Spanish explorers named the river “El Rio de Las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio,” which translated to “The River of Lost Souls in Purgatory.” Transient French fur trappers and traders called it the Purgatoire, and although that spelling remains, locals use the English pronunciation. From 1821-1880, the river was essential to Santa Fe Trail teamsters on arduous journeys between Missouri and New Mexico. Pulling wagons laden with merchandise, their beasts of burden drank deeply from the meandering waterway. New Mexican Felipe Baca camped near the river while hauling wagonloads of flour to the Cherry Creek mining camp. Seeing the potential of the river and prairie before him, Baca staked out 400 acres before a steady stream of settlers followed the Trail, founding this new community where business soon thrived.

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, constructed parallel to the river and almost literally in the tracks of the Santa Fe Trail, soon rumbled through town and contributed to the development of Trinidad, making it a hub for ranching, mercantile, manufacturing and coal mining. The community is steeped with legend and folklore. Tales are told of many well-known national figures on both sides of the law. Trinidad was home to Bat Masterson, who was once the town Marshall, and Kit Carson. The latter is forever depicted in a Trinidad park bearing his name on what is widely considered one of the finest equestrian statues in North America. The county’s colorful past can be traced back by petroglyphs, dinosaur tracks and artifacts from Native American communities, which continue to be unearthed.

Other historical Trinidad facts include: consideration for the capitol seat prior to Denver; erecting the first junior college, the first state nursing home, one of the first and oldest synagogues in the state; and establishing the first School District.

Deserted mining camps that date back to the 1800s dot the county and highlight the “Coal as King” era, and along with the Ludlow Memorial National Historic Monument, present the indelible history of the former economic backbone of the county. In 1913-1914, Trinidad garnered national attention as Mother Jones and John Lawson rallied coal miners to strike in demand of fair labor practices. John D. Rockefeller and other mine owners sent in armed guards. Tensions erupted in April 1914, at the Ludlow tent colony north of Trinidad, where striking miners and their families lived. The Ludlow massacre changed American labor laws forever. Today, you can experience this and other eras from Trinidad’s history by visiting its many museums, historic sites and historic downtown district, or by driving along the county’s two scenic and historic byways. Visitors will find gracious parks among winding brick streets and broad avenues along with a wealth of historic architecture by prominent architects such as Isaac Hamilton Rapp, who developed the Santa Fe style.

In 2013, Trinidad’s El Corazon de Trinidad historic district became a certified creative district by Colorado Creative Industries, a division of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. This designation will broaden the community’s reputation as an arts and cultural destination along the I25 corridor. The creative district designation not only promotes the arts, but is an economic driver for the downtown area and the entire community. “These 2013 certified creative districts are great examples of how the arts create exciting places for people to visit and live,” said Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper. “These districts not only increase quality of life, they also help with economic vitality of the area and attract people from all over Colorado and the country.”

Demographics

Las Animas County features a variety of living possibilities, ranging from deluxe country homes on established ranch subdivisions, to older Victorian homes on tree-lined boulevards, to simple efficiency apartments. There are approximately 300,000 acres of new subdivisions, 60 new developments and several ongoing construction projects. Homeownerships rates are 70.7% (2008 – 2012). The median value of owner-occupied housing units is $143,200. Per Capita Personal Income in the county was estimated at $21,941 per year in 2012, with a civilian labor force of about 9,000. The county has an abundant pool of experienced workers, many with backgrounds in mining, maintenance, electrical systems and other skills. Eighteen percent of persons live below poverty level.

The 2013 population estimate was 14,446, showing a slight decline in recent years. Twenty percent of the population is under 18 years old, and about 20% of the population is age 65 and older. While 91.8% percent of the population is reported as white, 42.5% also report Hispanic or Latino descent. Thirteen percent of households speak a language other than English at home. High school graduation rates are high (83%), but the percentage of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher is only 17.1%.

Economy

Las Animas county has a healthy, varied commercial climate, with ranching, farming, transportation, a growing art community and tourism being among the leading enterprises. The Trinidad-Las Animas County Economic Development owns and operates an industrial park, which is under expansion, and currently provides 215 acres of development space. The local economy is struggling, but has often experienced the booms and busts of industry such as coal-bed methane gas production. Las Animas county residents enjoyed an economic upturn, with an employment rate higher than the state average due to the natural gas industry, but is now on the downslide. The county’s largest employers include Pioneer Natural Resources, Trinidad State Junior College, the city and county, the Trinidad School District, the hospital, and smaller industries such as Danielson Designs. The county is fast learning to join forces – city and county, Chamber of Commerce, Tourism, Economic Development, Trinidad Community Foundation and other nonprofits have found that by sharing knowledge and building consensus, the community is able to obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources.

Education

Education for the county’s youth can be fulfilled in any of its six school districts: Hoehne, Aguilar, Trinidad, Primero, Branson and Kim. There is also the opportunity to seek a faith based-education at Holy Trinity Academy. Each school provides a comprehensive quality of education regardless of where they attend classes. Trinidad State Junior College annually produces graduates with skills that will fulfill recently identified shortages of electrical lineman. Graduates from its EPIC program can now seek employment in the field of Energy Production and Industrial Construction. With close to 50 other programs to choose from, TSJC gives students a head start on a meaningful career.

Health Services

Mt. San Rafael Hospital, a 25-bed critical access hospital, just welcomed two more physicians to its quality-staffed facility. It boasts a Level IV trauma designation, providing evaluation, stabilization, diagnosis, treatment or transfer, and includes outpatient services such as pathology, x-ray, CAT scan, MRI, echocardiogram, nuclear medicine, mammography, ultrasound, bone density screenings and various services in the cardiopulmonary therapy department. The hospital clinic offers family practice, internal medicine and pediatrics, and currently has five family practice physicians, one internal medicine physician, one pediatrician, and one nurse practitioner. The hospital partners with other local health resources such as Trinidad Inn Nursing Home and Mt. Carmel Health, Wellness and Community Center to bring a full continuum of health services to the community.

In addition to these services, the county has a thriving community of private practitioners, including dentists, chiropractors, physical therapists, optometrists and other specialists. For its elderly residents who require assisted living services, The Legacy at Trinidad, Helping Hands and South Central Council of Governments offer care services such as living quarters, transportation and adult day care.

Recreation

Whether you travel to the area by way of Interstate 25, US Highway 160 or US Highway 350 to the east, by Amtrak, or land at the county’s Perry Stokes Airport, Las Animas County offers the best of Colorado recreation, both on the plains to its east and the mountains to its west. One of Trinidad’s many attractions is Fisher’s Peak, the most distinctive landmark in the area. Naturally formed by lava overflows, it rises 9,600 feet. Another dramatic image is Simpson’s Rest, named after famous explorer George Simpson, who is buried at the top of the sandstone bluff.

The mountains themselves offer climbing, hiking and camping. The 2,000 acre Trinidad Lake State Park offers nine miles of hiking trails and campgrounds, as well as waterskiing, sail boarding and jet skiing. Nestled in the foothills lies Monument Lake Park, which offers a restaurant, cabins, and a campground, and North Lake where fishing and boating are the highlight. Other recreational amenities include senior and youth organizations and an aquatics center that is the newest addition to a recreational facility with a regulation-size gymnasium, and four baseball/softball fields. It offers winter and summer sports programs for all ages. A nationally recognized award-winning golf course and skate park round out the summertime recreational opportunities.

Each year, the Trinidad and Las Animas County Chamber of Commerce hosts the Santa Fe Trail Festival during the second weekend of June. This downtown celebration features music, food, arts and crafts, dancing and attractions for kids. The now widely recognized Trinidaddio Blues Fest, celebrated each August in Central Park, offers plenty of blues music, food, drinks and other events to those who travel from across the nation to attend this event. The Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre offers a professional troupe who put on a variety of plays for the public to enjoy each summer.

Year-round, several museums, including the Trinidad History Museum, the Louden-Henritze Archeology Museum and the A.R. Mitchell Memorial Museum & Gallery offer glimpses into the county’s past. An ever-growing number of galleries present the works of over 100 local artists who find serenity in painting, photography, and other arts and crafts.

Nonprofit Organizations

Otero County

General Overview

Otero County is named for Miguel Antonio Otero, a lawyer, congressional delegate and entrepreneur who was one of the founders of the city of La Junta, which today is the County Seat. It was first settled by Native American tribes, French trappers, Spanish missionaries and early Mexican homesteaders. Otero County served for many years as a frontier trade hub and was home to Bent’s Old Fort, a premiere frontier trading post in the 1800s. The county boasts having a portion of the Old Santa Fe Trail traveling through it. Well over a century after Bent’s Old Fort and the Santa Fe Trail were thriving pieces of the Old West, the county remains one of the southeast region’s centers of commerce, but with a wink and a nod to its history. Today, Bent’s Old Fort has been painstakingly re-created into a replica of the old adobe trading post. A visit to the fort allows visitors to step back in time to explore 19th century life along the Santa Fe Trail.

Located about 160 miles from Denver and 50 miles from the nearest metropolitan area of Pueblo, Otero County is 1,262 square miles, with U.S. Highway 50 and the Arkansas River spanning the entire length of the county from east to west. Otero County is rural, with a population of roughly 19,000. The county, and especially the city of Rocky Ford, are rich in agricultural history and are famously known for prize-winning cantaloupe and watermelon crops, including several varieties that were developed locally and bare the Rocky Ford name. However, in recent years, the county has become a nucleus of new energy development with a concentration on bio-fuel related enterprises, including harnessing wind and solar power and using agricultural waste to generate energy. The enterprising leaders of the county have an eye toward the future as they develop economic strategies to take Otero County into the next decade.

Demographics

The demographic nature of Otero County is largely driven by its history. The county has a Hispanic population of over 40%, with 18% speaking a language other than English. Much of the county’s population is aging, due in large part to the fact that many residents have lived here their entire lives, while much of the younger generation has left the area to pursue careers. A total of 18.6% of the county’s residents are age 65 or older. As for educational attainment levels, 82.3% of residents over age 25 have graduated from high school and 15.2% possess a bachelor’s degree or higher. A low cost of living in Otero County makes it possible for many residents to own their own homes. The county has a homeownership rate of 63.1%.

Economy

The economy of Otero County has largely been driven by agriculture. In addition to traditional farming and ranching, the industry includes farm equipment manufacturing, research into best practices for growing crops and stock sales. In fact, Otero County’s Winter Livestock and the La Junta Livestock Commission combined make up the second largest market for feeder cattle and calves in the country behind Oklahoma City. In recent years, non-agricultural types of industry have also re-located to the area, bringing a locker manufacturing plant, railroad bolt manufacturer, water purifier manufacturer and others. The county is home to a 3,500-acre industrial park that includes room for new businesses and access to a municipal airport.

The recession that affected the nation has also touched Otero County, but not to the extremes that many parts of the country have seen. In fact, Otero County’s low cost of living, low sales and use tax structure and low cost of commercial real estate make it an ideal location to live and work. In addition, the county has a large, available workforce. A subtle shift and diversification of our economic base has resulted in a strong economy and bright outlook. Economic development efforts focus on business and industries that want a “small town flavor” without urban sprawl. Telecommunications and light industry have been welcome additions to the local economy, and their stability and employment needs offer the county’s children opportunities that were not available a few years ago.

The county’s labor force is 8,454, with a current employment rate of approximately 88%. The average per capita income is $18,416, compared to $31,039 for Colorado as a whole. The biggest industries in Otero County, after agriculture, are retail, healthcare and manufacturing (with approximately 700 employees). The largest employers in the county include the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center (383), Lewis Bolt and Nut (250), Otero Junior College (211), East Otero (La Junta) School District (166), Otero County (166), Inspiration Field (120) and DeBourgh Manufacturing (82).

Education

Otero County is home to six communities: Fowler, Manzanola, Rocky Ford, Swink, La Junta and Cheraw. Each of these communities operates its own school district, making for some long-standing but good-natured rivalries among local sports teams. Even with these rivalries, the districts have found ways to share some services and even provide opportunities for youth to compete in sports at other schools, if their home district doesn’t offer a specific sport.

The county also offers residents a higher education option through Otero Junior College, a fully accredited two-year college that has been designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, with a full 30% of its students being of Hispanic descent. This designation has allowed OJC to apply for and receive several HSI-specific grants designed to build the college’s capacity and better provide services to area residents. In addition to its two-year degree program, OJC provides opportunities for residents to earn vocational certificates and works with area employers to provide training programs that are most in demand. At the present time, these include auto mechanics, cosmetology, agri-business management, computer systems technology, early childhood education, law enforcement, nursing assistant, real estate, emergency medical services, massage therapy, practical nursing and small business management.

Health Services

Because Otero County has a population that is aging, quality healthcare is a major issue. The county is home to the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center (AVRMC), which is accredited by The Joint Commission, recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards. The hospital provides a range of services, including 24-hour emergency care, diagnostic imaging, Intensive Care, laboratory, OB/GYN services, outpatient rehabilitation, pain management, respiratory care, a sleep lab and women’s imaging.

In addition to the hospital, AVRMC operates a nursing home located on the Medical Center’s campus. The county is also home to several other nursing homes, a hospice, assisted living facilities and an award-winning mental health facility. Unfortunately, the county is experiencing an ongoing shortage of physicians, especially specialty doctors. However, several specialists from outside the region do have arrangements with AVRMC to hold hours locally each month so that residents may receive necessary healthcare at home rather than traveling.

Otero Junior College is working to assist with the shortage of healthcare providers by offering a nationally-accredited nursing program. To fill the need for more nurses, the college has developed two innovative programs: an evening and weekend nursing training program that allows students to take classes in off hours so they may continue to work during the day; and a mobile nursing simulation lab that is the first of its kind in the nation and allows students with opportunities to receive more of their training in simulated scenarios, which alleviates pressure from the hospital and other clinical sites.

Recreation

The county is home to a vast number of cultural and recreational resources, including the Koshare Indian Museum and its world-famous Koshare Indian Dancers, the Otero Museum, Fowler Historical Society and Museum, the Picketwire Center for Performing and Visual Arts, the Rocky Ford Museum, three golf courses, the Sk8Way Skateboard Park designed by Tony Hawk, several community parks, the Comanche National Grasslands and Vogel and Picketwire Canyons.

The county also offers a wealth of activities to keep its residents and visitors entertained. Among the premiere events hosted here each year are the Arkansas Valley Balloon Festival every November in Rocky Ford, the Arkansas Valley Fair in August (the oldest continuous county fair in the state), Early Settlers Day in September in La Junta, Swink Days every spring in the town of Swink, Missouri Day every summer in Fowler, the Kids Rodeo and Race Meet in August at the La Junta Industrial Park and La Junta’s Music at the Junction, an annual music festival held in August and showcasing top-name bands.

Nonprofit Organizations

American Concrete Institute Rocky Mountain Chapter
Arkansas Valley Community Center, Inc.
Arkansas Valley Community Concert Association
Arkansas Valley Exposition and Fair
Arkansas Valley Hospice
Arkansas Valley Network Association
Arkansas Valley Pregnancy Center, Inc.
Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center
Arkansas Valley Resource Center, Inc.
Bent’s Old Fort Historical Association
Blackburn Dennis Community Center
Central Colorado Education Trust
Colorado Boys Ranch Foundation
Colorado Mennonite Retirement Center
Community Hospital Building, Inc.
Council of Preventative and Supportive Services for the Aging
Erica Burney Foundation
Family Guidance Institute
Foundation for Rocky Ford Schools
Friends of the Rocky Ford Library
Inner-Mountain Family Resources, Inc.
Jonathan and Shari Fox Family Foundation
Koshare Indian Museum, Inc.
La Junta Childcare Services, Inc.
Manzanola First Response Unit
Mountain and Plains Rotary Youth Exchange
Newfarms
Otero County Landfill, Inc.
Otero Museum Foundation, Inc.
Otero Partners Incorporated
Picketwire Players
The Ray L. Parr Beneficial Fund, Inc.
Rocky Ford Housing Authority
Rocky Mountain Mennonite Relief Sale
Self Help Shop Limited
Southeast Colorado Regional Trauma and EMS Advisory Council, Inc.
Southeast Mental Health Services
Southeastern Colorado Institute of Natural History
Tri-County Family Care Center, Inc.
Tri-County Housing, Inc.
William Gorham Trust

Prowers County

General Overview

Founded in 1889, Prowers County was named after John Wesley Prowers, a leading pioneer, plainsman, cattleman and legislator of the lower Arkansas Valley. The local economy is agriculturally based and the county is rich in western traditions and historical sites. It offers many recreational activities and birding trails, excellent schools and renewable energy sources. The local amenities, museums, art galleries, annual festivals and cultural events help make Prowers a great place to visit and live. There are also opportunities for business expansion and relocation.

Prowers County is located on the Colorado-Kansas border, and serves as a crossroad for U.S. Highways 50, 287 and 385. The Ports-to-Plains Corridor, which utilizes Highway 287 on its final leg to Denver, is a primary corridor for transporting goods and services between Mexico and the United States. The towns of Bristol, Granada, Hartman, Holly, Lamar and Wiley are located in the county. Lamar serves as an industrial and retail center for Southeast Colorado.

Demographics

Prowers County covers approximately 1,600 square miles, averaging 7.7 persons per square mile. It is a diverse community with a Hispanic population of 36%. Twenty-five percent of Prowers County citizens speak a language other than English, 81% are high school graduates and 16% have obtained a bachelors or higher degree. The average per capita income is $18,305 compared to the state average of $31,039. Prowers County’s labor force is 6,860 with an employment rate of 96.3%.

Economy

Since its origin, Prowers County has been a farming and agriculture community. There are many farming support businesses such as equipment and machine supply stores and mills. In 2009, Colorado Mills was named one of 50 “Colorado Companies to Watch.” Other major industries in Prowers County include services, retail trade and government agencies. Wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy source in Prowers County, which is home to the Colorado Green Wind Power Project. It was built to help meet Colorado’s demand for clean, renewable energy. The Colorado Green Wind Power Project, located 23 miles south of Lamar, is the largest in the world. There are 108 wind turbines that stand 328 feet tall across 11,000 acres. Only 2% of the 11,000 acres of prairie are used for the wind farm. The rest are used for ranching and grazing purposes. The project generates local income, boosts the local tax base, attracts tourists and uses clean wind power to deliver electricity to Colorado consumers. Prowers County has five additional wind turbines generating power for Lamar Light and Power.

Education

Prowers County’s six communities have four school districts: Lamar School District RE-2, Holly School District RE-3, Granada School District RE-1 and Wiley School District RE-13 JT. The county is also home to Lamar Community College (LCC), which is dedicated to the educational needs of southeastern Colorado, including Prowers, Baca, Kiowa and Cheyenne counties. LCC is a comprehensive community college that offers unique programs, small class sizes, dedicated staff and personalized attention to help students 16 years of age or older to imagine themselves with new skills, a college degree or a fresh perspective. LCC assists individuals at their point of need, often with ESL and other developmental courses. From there, some students seek skills to enter the workforce or knowledge that prepares them to transfer to a four-year LCC Credit Lex Nichols university.

LCC is growing to serve its students and communities, adding new programs and certificate/degree options each year. The college is particularly known for its Agriculture/Equine, Nursing, Business/IT, and Cosmetology programs. It offers a selection of transfer degrees and career and technical education degrees and certificates. LCC is recognized for several signature programs, such as its horse training and management program, which is one of the nation’s most respected equine programs. LCC partners with HistoriCorps to offer the first-of-its kind field-based historic preservation school. Students can also seek a bachelor’s degree through LCC’s partnerships with several four-year colleges and universities. The college athletic teams are nicknamed the Runnin’ Lopes. Lamar hosts five NJCAA Division I sports (men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s Golf, women’s softball, and women’s volleyball), co-ed National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association team, and a club men’s soccer team. Both LCC’s men’s baseball and basketball teams have risen to prominence in the region in the last decade. Many community members enroll in LCC’s Fitness Center or physical education courses.

The college is part of the Colorado Community College System. In 2008, the college received a $2 million US Department of Higher Education Title III Strengthening Institutions grant to create three new programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to focus on Secondary Math and Science Education and Sports & Fitness Management; Construction Technology; and Renewable Energy Technology. See www.lamarcc.edu for more information.

Health Services

Prowers County offers several health care options: Prowers Medical Center, High Plains Community Health Clinic (Medical, Dental, and Veteran’s Assistance), Prowers County Public Health and Fresenius Medical Care (Dialysis Services). There are two nursing care centers located in Prowers County and one assisted living facility. Many specialists provide services to the community on a rotating schedule.

Recreation

The Big Timbers Museum is located one mile north of Lamar on U.S. Highway 50, and houses a vast collection of war memorabilia, war posters, pioneer treasures and antique fashions. One of the favorite collections is the 1928 Fleagle Bank Robbery display, which includes photographs, documents and artifacts from the robbery, the search for the gang and their trial and conviction in Prowers County. This case was the first where the FBI used fingerprints to obtain a criminal conviction and where an airplane was used during a crime investigation in Colorado.

Amache National Historic Landmark, also known as Camp Amache, is located 1.5 miles west of Granada on U.S. Highway 50. The camp is named after Amache Ochine, a Cheyenne Indian Chief’s daughter who married to John W. Prowers. It is the smallest of 10 Japanese-American internment camps created in 1942 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Over three years, the population peaked at 7,566 men, women and children. Although little remains of the camp, visitors can see the site, including signs posted near concrete foundations to show the locations of buildings such as the school, the post office, the silk screen shop and cemetery. There is also a memorial dedicated to the 31 Japanese-Americans from Camp Amache who volunteered, fought and were killed in action during World War Two.

In 1821, the Santa Fe Trail trade route that connected Franklin, Missouri, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, was first used by William Becknell. He organized a trading party to trade and sell goods to Santa Fe. The same route was later used as an international commercial highway, a military route and, finally, to help open the region to economic development and settlement. Today, the Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway highway route roughly follows the Trail’s path through Prowers County. Along the 188-mile byway, travelers can view monuments, actual wagon ruts, rubble from homesteads and historic sites.

In 1935, Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Work Progress Administration (WPA), a massive employment relief program created to provide jobs and income to the unemployed during the Great Depression. Across Prowers County, as well as Southeast Colorado, these hand-built projects are visible and still in use. Willow Creek Park in Lamar was Colorado’s first WPA project. Old Holly City Hall, a 1938 WPA project, houses the Holly Historical Society Museum, which is filled with historical artifacts and treasures. It is located south of Highway 50 and east of Main Street in Holly.

In Lamar, the Colorado Welcome Center and the Chamber of Commerce are located in a beautifully-restored 1907 rail depot that still offers daily Amtrak service between Chicago and Los Angeles. Visitors to the Center can view the Madonna of the Trail Monument, one of 12 in the nation. It was dedicated on Sept. 24, 1928. It was commissioned by the Nation Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor the pioneer mothers who came west with great strength and faith.

Birding is one of the fastest-growing outdoor activities in North America. Prowers County, with its’ fresh air, natural habitats, diversity of scenery, solitude and amazing skies, is home to five of the 14 trails that comprise the Colorado Birding Trail. It connects outdoor recreation sites where visitors can view birds, plants and wildlife, and historical and archeological sites. The trail section located in Prowers County is a portion of the Two Buttes Trail. It is known for migratory birds such as the snow goose and sand hill crane.

Every February, the High Plains Snow Goose and Birding Festival is hosted by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Lamar Chamber of Commerce, Lamar Community College, Kiowa County and Southeast Colorado Regional Heritage Taskforce. The festival weekend offer tours, lectures, field trips, films and demonstrations that are focused on hunting, photography, birding and the history of Southeast Colorado.

Southeast Colorado is a mecca for hunting and fishing opportunities. Hunting is available for mule deer, white tail deer, antelope, Canadian geese, snow geese, ducks, pheasants, quail, dove and wild turkeys. Fishing is wide open for walleye, bullheads, wipers, trout, channel catfish, drum, large and small mouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and tiger muskie. The John Martin and Great Plains Reservoir is excellent for skiing, wind surfing, jet skiing, camping and swimming. The Arkansas River, which flows through Prowers County, also offers fishing and hunting at its best.

Nonprofit Organizations

All the Right Moves Dance Studio
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks #1319
Beta Sigma Phi
Big Timbers Historical Society
Lamar Parks and Recreation
Boy Scouts
Girl Scouts
Delta Kappa Gamma
Denim and Lace Square Dancing
Duvalls Academy of Sports
Lamar Chamber of Commerce
Lamar Dudes and Dames Square Dancing
Lamar Lodge #90 AF & AM Masonic Temple
Lamar Noon Lions
Lamar/Prowers County Volunteer Fire Department
Lamar Rotary Club
Lamarlins Swim Team
Phi Theta Kapa
Red Hat Society
Sorosis
SE Colorado Shine Club of Al Kala Temple
Southeast Mental Health Services
Vaqueros Saddle Club
Veterans of Foreign Wars
Zonta International

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