Las Animas County, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Las Animas County has the largest area of the 64 counties
of the State of Colorado of the United States
. Las Animas County takes its name from the Mexican Spanish
name of the Purgatoire River
, originally called El Río de las Ánimas Perdidas en Purgatorio, which means "River of the Lost Souls in Purgatory." The county's population was 15,207 at the 2000 census. The county seat
is Trinidad
.
See also: List of counties bordering eight or more counties
of 2000, there were 15,207 people, 6,173 households, and 4,092 families residing in the county. The population density
was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 7,629 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.63% White
, 0.39% Black
or African American
, 2.54% Native American
, 0.37% Asian
, 0.20% Pacific Islander
, 10.03% from other races
, and 3.83% from two or more races. 41.45% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 6,173 households out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples
living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,273, and the median income for a family was $34,072. Males had a median income of $27,182 versus $20,891 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,829. About 14.00% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.00% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.
Colorado counties
The U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
of the State of Colorado of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Las Animas County takes its name from the Mexican Spanish
Mexican Spanish
Mexican Spanish is a version of the Spanish language, as spoken in Mexico and in various places of Canada and the United States of America, where there are communities of Mexican origin....
name of the Purgatoire River
Purgatoire River
The Purgatoire River is a river in southeastern Colorado, United States. The river is also known locally as the Purgatory River or the Picketwire River...
, originally called El Río de las Ánimas Perdidas en Purgatorio, which means "River of the Lost Souls in Purgatory." The county's population was 15,207 at the 2000 census. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Trinidad
Trinidad, Colorado
The historic City of Trinidad is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4775.42 square miles (12,368.3 km²), of which 4772.63 square miles (12,361.1 km²) (or 99.94%) is land and 2.79 square miles (7.2 km²) (or 0.06%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Otero CountyOtero County, ColoradoOtero County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for Miguel Antonio Otero, one of the founders of the town of La Junta and a member of a prominent Hispanic family. The county population was 20,311 at U.S. Census 2000...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado 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...
- north - Pueblo CountyPueblo County, ColoradoPueblo County is the tenth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the historic city of Pueblo which took its name from the Spanish language word meaning "town" or "village". The United States Census Bureau estimates that the...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado 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...
- north - Bent CountyBent County, ColoradoBent County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county is named in honor of frontier trader William Bent. The county population was 5,998 at U.S. Census 2000...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado 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...
- northeast - Baca CountyBaca County, ColoradoBaca County is the southeasternmost of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 4,517 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Springfield.- History :...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado 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...
- east - Union CountyUnion County, New Mexico-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*81.7% White*1.8% Black*2.0% Native American*0.5% Asian*0.0% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.3% Two or more races*11.7% Other races*39.7% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
- south - Colfax CountyColfax County, New Mexico-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*83.8% White*0.5% Black*1.5% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.6% Two or more races*10.1% Other races*47.2% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
- southwest - Costilla CountyCostilla County, ColoradoCostilla County is the ninth least populous of the 64 counties in the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 3,663 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is San Luis, the oldest town in Colorado.- History :...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado 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...
- west - Huerfano CountyHuerfano County, ColoradoHuerfano County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the Huerfano Butte, a local landmark. The county population was 7,862 at U.S. Census 2000...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado 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...
- northwest
See also: List of counties bordering eight or more counties
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,207 people, 6,173 households, and 4,092 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 7,629 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.63% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.39% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.54% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.37% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.20% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 10.03% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.83% from two or more races. 41.45% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 6,173 households out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $28,273, and the median income for a family was $34,072. Males had a median income of $27,182 versus $20,891 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,829. About 14.00% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.00% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- AguilarAguilar, ColoradoThe Town of Aguilar is a Statutory Town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. Cattleman and prominent pioneer José Ramón Aguilar founded the town in 1894...
- BoncarboBoncarbo, ColoradoBoncarbo is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The ZIP Code of the Boncarbo Post Office is 81024.-History:...
- BransonBranson, ColoradoBranson is a Statutory Town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 77 at the 2000 census. It is the southernmost town in the state of Colorado, located just from the New Mexico border....
- CokedaleCokedale, ColoradoThe Town of Cokedale is a Statutory Town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 139 at the 2000 census. Cokedale was a former coal mining town. The mine shut down in 1947...
- DelhiDelhi, ColoradoDelhi is an unincorporated town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The U.S. Post Office at Model now serves Delhi postal addresses.Delhi was the location of one scene in the 1973 film "Badlands" with Martin Sheen....
- HoehneHoehne, ColoradoHoehne is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The Hoehne Post Office has the ZIP Code 81046....
- JansenJansen, ColoradoJansen is an unincorporated town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The U.S. Post Office at Trinidad now serves Jansen postal addresses....
- KimKim, ColoradoThe Town of Kim is a Statutory Town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The population was 65 at the U.S. Census 2000.Rodeo star Lane Frost was born in La Junta in 1963 but spent his first days with his mother and grandparents in Kim, while his father was on tour.-Geography:Kim...
- LudlowLudlow, ColoradoLudlow is a ghost town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. It was famous as the site of the Ludlow Massacre in 1914. The town site is nestled at the entrance to a canyon in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It is located along the western side of Interstate 25...
- MadridMadrid, ColoradoMadrid is a ghost town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. It is east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of . The town is the west side of the county along Colorado State Highway 12, fourteen miles west of Trinidad. Madrid is named for the family that settled...
- ModelModel, ColoradoModel is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The Model Post Office has the ZIP Code 81059....
- SegundoSegundo, ColoradoSegundo is a small unincorporated community in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States, west of Trinidad.-References:...
- SoprisSopris, ColoradoSopris was an unincorporated town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The town is now under the surface of Trinidad Lake in Trinidad Lake State Park.The U.S...
- StarkvilleStarkville, ColoradoStarkville is a Statutory Town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
- ThatcherThatcher, ColoradoThatcher is an unincorporated town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The U.S. Post Office at Model now serves Thatcher postal addresses.- Geography :Thatcher is located at ....
- TrincheraTrinchera, ColoradoTrinchera is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The Trinchera Post Office has the ZIP Code 81081.- Geography :Trinchera is located at ....
- TrinidadTrinidad, ColoradoThe historic City of Trinidad is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...
- TyroneTyrone, ColoradoTyrone is an unincorporated town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The U.S. Post Office at Model now serves Tyrone postal addresses....
- VillegreenVillegreen, ColoradoVillegreen is an unincorporated town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The U.S. Post Office at Kim now serves Villegreen postal addresses.- Geography :Villegreen is located at ....
- WestonWeston, ColoradoWeston is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. The Weston Post Office has the ZIP Code 81091....
Protected areas
- Comanche National GrasslandComanche National GrasslandComanche National Grassland is a National Grassland located in southeastern Colorado, United States. It is the sister grassland of Cimarron National Grassland and contains both prairie grasslands and canyons. It is separated into two sections, each operated by a local ranger district, one of which...
- San Isabel National ForestSan Isabel National ForestSan Isabel National Forest is located in central Colorado. The forest contains 19 of the state's 54 fourteeners, peaks over high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado....
- Spanish Peaks WildernessSpanish Peaks WildernessThe Spanish Peaks Wilderness is a 17,855 acre wilderness area in Huerfano County and Las Animas County, Colorado, USA, located 20 miles southwest of Walsenburg. All of the wilderness area is located on U.S...
- Trinidad Lake State ParkTrinidad Lake State ParkTrinidad Lake State Park is a state park near Trinidad, Colorado, United States. The park protects Trinidad Lake, a dammed reservoir. There are hiking trails, and camping and boating opportunities. The park features historical attractions such as the coal mining ruins at Cokedale...
Historic trails and landmarks
- Raton Pass National Historic Landmark
- Santa Fe National Historic Trail
- Trinidad State History Museum
See also
- Colorado census statistical areas
- Colorado countiesColorado countiesThe U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
- Colorado municipalitiesColorado municipalitiesThe U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
- Arthur Roy MitchellArthur Roy MitchellArthur Roy Mitchell was an American artist and historian who was born on his father's homestead west of Trinidad in Las Animas County in southern Colorado....
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Las Animas County, ColoradoNational Register of Historic Places listings in Las Animas County, ColoradoThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Las Animas County, Colorado.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States...