Meeker, Colorado
Encyclopedia
The Town of Meeker is a Statutory Town that is the county seat
and the most populous town of Rio Blanco County
, Colorado
, United States
. The town population was 2,242 at the U.S. Census 2000. The town is largely an agricultural community, located in the wide fertile valley of the White River
in northwestern Colorado. Relatively isolated from other communities, it sits near the intersection of State Highway 13 and State Highway 64
, on the north side of the White River and at the base of a long ridge, known locally as China Wall. The Bureau of Land Management
has a regional office in the town.
, the United States
Indian Agent
who was killed along with 11 other U.S. citizens by White River Ute
Indians in the 1879 Meeker Massacre. The site of the massacre, the former White River Indian Agency, is located along State Highway 64 in the White River valley east of town and is marked by a prominent sign. None of the buildings remain.
After the massacre and the ensuing conflict known as the Ute War
, in 1880 the US Congress passed legislation requiring the Ute population to relocate to reservations in Utah
. The United States Army
established a garrison
on the current site of the town, called the Camp at White River. The town was founded in 1883 following the removal of the troops. The White River Museum is located just north of the Rio Blanco County Courthouse and housed in several original wooden structures of the Army garrison.
The town emerged as a regional center for hunting
by the turn of the 20th century. Theodore Roosevelt
once visited the town on a mountain lion hunting trip and stayed in the historic Hotel Meeker opposite the courthouse. The town is also a favorite summer destination for many prominent Americans, including billionaire Henry Kravis
, former President and COO of Goldman Sachs
Jon Winkelried
, and comedian Daniel Tosh
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,242 people, 919 households, and 605 families residing in the town. The population density
was 769.8 people per square mile (297.5/km²). There were 1,054 housing units at an average density of 361.9 per square mile (139.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 0.71% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 1.92% from other races
, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.73% of the population.
There were 919 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. These numbers do not include the residents of the unincorporated area surrounding the town.
The average income for households in the unincorporated areas surrounding Meeker was $83,501. The median income for a household in the town was $34,479, and the median income for a family was $43,529. Males had a median income of $36,026 versus $18,242 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $17,647. About 9.0% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
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....
and the most populous town of Rio Blanco County
Rio Blanco County, Colorado
Rio Blanco County is the sixth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 5,986 at U.S. Census 2000. The name of the county is the Spanish language name for the White River which runs through it...
, 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 town population was 2,242 at the U.S. Census 2000. The town is largely an agricultural community, located in the wide fertile valley of the White River
White River (Utah)
The White River is a tributary of the Green River, approximately long, in the U.S. states of Colorado and Utah. Flows vary from 450 ft³/s late summers in dry years to well over 12,000 ft³/s in spring....
in northwestern Colorado. Relatively isolated from other communities, it sits near the intersection of State Highway 13 and State Highway 64
Colorado State Highway 64
State Highway 64 is a 74-mile long two-lane state highway connecting the towns of Dinosaur and Meeker in the western part of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in both Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. The western end of State Highway 64 is part of the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway, while the...
, on the north side of the White River and at the base of a long ridge, known locally as China Wall. The Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
has a regional office in the town.
History
The town is named for Nathan MeekerNathan Meeker
Nathanial C. Meeker was a 19th-century United States journalist, homesteading entrepreneur, and Indian agent for the federal government. He is noted for his founding in 1870 of the Union Colony, a cooperative agricultural colony in present-day Greeley, Colorado...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Indian Agent
Indian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
who was killed along with 11 other U.S. citizens by White River Ute
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
Indians in the 1879 Meeker Massacre. The site of the massacre, the former White River Indian Agency, is located along State Highway 64 in the White River valley east of town and is marked by a prominent sign. None of the buildings remain.
After the massacre and the ensuing conflict known as the Ute War
Ute War
The Ute Wars may refer to a number of conflicts between the Ute people and the United States which began in 1849 and ended in 1923.-Wars:*Jicarilla War 1849-1855*Provo War 1850*Walker War 1853-1854*Tintic War 1856*Black Hawk War 1865-1872...
, in 1880 the US Congress passed legislation requiring the Ute population to relocate to reservations in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
established a garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
on the current site of the town, called the Camp at White River. The town was founded in 1883 following the removal of the troops. The White River Museum is located just north of the Rio Blanco County Courthouse and housed in several original wooden structures of the Army garrison.
The town emerged as a regional center for hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
by the turn of the 20th century. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
once visited the town on a mountain lion hunting trip and stayed in the historic Hotel Meeker opposite the courthouse. The town is also a favorite summer destination for many prominent Americans, including billionaire Henry Kravis
Henry Kravis
Henry R. Kravis is an American businessman and private equity investor. He is the co-founder of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., a private equity firm with over $62 billion in assets as of 2011. He has an estimated net worth of $3.7 billion as of September 2011, ranked by Forbes as the 88th richest...
, former President and COO of Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
Jon Winkelried
Jon Winkelried
Jon Winkelried was Co-President of Goldman Sachs Group from 2006 to February 2009, when he announced his retirement.He has three children.- References :...
, and comedian Daniel Tosh
Daniel Tosh
Daniel Dwight Tosh is an American stand-up comedian and host of the Comedy Central television show, Tosh.0.-Personal life:...
.
Geography
Meeker is located at 40°2′22"N 107°54′39"W (40.039539, -107.910709).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), all of it land.
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 2,242 people, 919 households, and 605 families residing in the town. 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 769.8 people per square mile (297.5/km²). There were 1,054 housing units at an average density of 361.9 per square mile (139.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.39% White, 0.71% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 1.92% 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 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.73% of the population.
There were 919 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. These numbers do not include the residents of the unincorporated area surrounding the town.
The average income for households in the unincorporated areas surrounding Meeker was $83,501. The median income for a household in the town was $34,479, and the median income for a family was $43,529. Males had a median income of $36,026 versus $18,242 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 town was $17,647. About 9.0% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.