Agate, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Agate is an unincorporated
town
and U.S. Post Office
in Elbert County
, Colorado
, United States
. The ZIP Code
of the Agate Post Office
is 80101.
about 1876. The Gebhard Post Office
opened on April 8, 1881. The name of the town was changed to Agate on April 24, 1882. Although "Gebhard" was established by the UPRR, the town of Agate existed, by that name, as a locality used by local ranchers prior to the construction of the railroad. The town's name most probably comes from an "A-gate" - a wooden gate with an "A"-shaped cross-brace, but is sometimes claimed to be named for agate
found in the area. The northeastern most community in Elbert County, Agate is a ranching community and the home of Agate School District 300, one of the smallest school districts in Colorado.
The Meadowlark cooperative
, a farming community located in the greater Agate area was incorporated in 2010, has the only private free land program in the United States
. The town is located on a NNW-SSE ridge bounded by an unnamed ravine separating it from the ridge on which I-70 is constructed, and by the Agate Creek valley to the west, and is divided by the railroad tracks. The school, post office, and a number of businesses and homes are located east of the tracks, and a grain elevator and a few houses to the west of the tracks. In recent years, several small subdivisions have been platted and homes constructed in the general area.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and U.S. Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
in Elbert County
Elbert County, Colorado
Elbert County is the 21st most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 19,872 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Kiowa...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
of the Agate Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
is 80101.
History
The town of Gebhard was established by the Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
about 1876. The Gebhard Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
opened on April 8, 1881. The name of the town was changed to Agate on April 24, 1882. Although "Gebhard" was established by the UPRR, the town of Agate existed, by that name, as a locality used by local ranchers prior to the construction of the railroad. The town's name most probably comes from an "A-gate" - a wooden gate with an "A"-shaped cross-brace, but is sometimes claimed to be named for agate
Agate
Agate is a microcrystalline variety of silica, chiefly chalcedony, characterised by its fineness of grain and brightness of color. Although agates may be found in various kinds of rock, they are classically associated with volcanic rocks and can be common in certain metamorphic rocks.-Etymology...
found in the area. The northeastern most community in Elbert County, Agate is a ranching community and the home of Agate School District 300, one of the smallest school districts in Colorado.
The Meadowlark cooperative
Meadowlark cooperative
The Meadowlark Cooperative, a farming community near Agate, Colorado, administers the only private free land program in the United States through democracy...
, a farming community located in the greater Agate area was incorporated in 2010, has the only private free land program in the United States
Geography
Agate is located at 39°27′43"N 103°56′31"W (39.461909,-103.941822). Agate is located on one of the four segments of old US 40/US 287 (now State Highway 40) just off Interstate 70 at exit 340, and along the Union Pacific Railroad line between Limon and Aurora. It is located approximately 12 miles SSW of Deer TrailDeer Trail, Colorado
The town of Deer Trail is a Statutory Town in south-southeastern Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. Deer Trail is situated along Interstate 70, approximately east of Denver. The population was 598 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. The town is located on a NNW-SSE ridge bounded by an unnamed ravine separating it from the ridge on which I-70 is constructed, and by the Agate Creek valley to the west, and is divided by the railroad tracks. The school, post office, and a number of businesses and homes are located east of the tracks, and a grain elevator and a few houses to the west of the tracks. In recent years, several small subdivisions have been platted and homes constructed in the general area.
See also
- Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaDenver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
- Elbert County, ColoradoElbert County, ColoradoElbert County is the 21st most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 19,872 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Kiowa...
- Front Range Urban CorridorFront Range Urban CorridorThe Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
- North Central Colorado Urban AreaNorth Central Colorado Urban Areathumb|240px|An enlargeable map of the 13-county North Central Colorado Urban AreaThe North Central Colorado Urban Area comprises the four contiguous metropolitan statistical areas in the north central region of the State of Colorado: the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area, the Boulder...
- State of Colorado
- List of cities and towns in Colorado