Pueblo, Colorado
Encyclopedia
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 city of Pueblo County
Pueblo County, Colorado
Pueblo 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...
, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States.
Pueblo is situated at the confluence of the Arkansas River
Arkansas River
The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. The Arkansas generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's initial basin starts in the Western United States in Colorado, specifically the Arkansas...
and Fountain Creek
Fountain Creek
Fountain Creek is a stream in El Paso and Pueblo counties, in Colorado in the United States.-Geography:From its source near the city of Woodland Park north of Pikes Peak, the creek flows southeast through the communities of Green Mountain Falls and Chipita Park to the town of Cascade. It...
103 miles (166 km) south of the Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, is the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of Colorado and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. Designed...
in Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. The area is considered to be semi-arid desert land, with approximately 12 inches (304.8 mm) of precipitation annually; however with its location in the "banana belt
Banana belt
"Banana belt" is an informal geographic term used to describe a segment of a larger geographic region which enjoys warmer weather conditions than the region as a whole, especially in the wintertime...
", Pueblo tends to get less snow than the other major cities in Colorado. Pueblo is the heart of the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area and an important part of the Front Range Urban Corridor
Front Range Urban Corridor
The 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...
. Pueblo is one of the largest steel-producing cities in the United States ; because of this Pueblo is referred to as the "Steel City
Steel City
The Steel City is a common nickname for many cities that were once known for their production of large amounts of steel. With industrial production also in developing countries, like those in Eastern Europe and Asia, most of these cities do not produce as much steel as they used to...
". The Historic Arkansas River Project
Historic Arkansas River Project
The Historic Arkansas River Project is a voter-approved city beautification project in Pueblo, Colorado. It is a multi-acreage project that is intended to be an economic catalyst for the area by attracting tourism and new businesses. The project features a man made waterway that is accessible to...
(HARP) is a river walk in the Union Avenue Historic Commercial District
Union Avenue Historic Commercial District
The Union Avenue Historic Commercial District is a century-old business district in Pueblo, Colorado, United States.The district comprises sixty-nine contributing properties in a total area of including the Union Depot, Vail Hotel and Quaker Flour Mill. In 1983, the district was listed on the...
, and shows the history of the Pueblo Flood.
Fort Pueblo
George Simpson, among other traders and trappers such as Mathew Kinkead, claimed to have helped construct the plaza that became known as El Pueblo or Fort Pueblo around 1842. George married Juana Maria Suaso and lived there for a year or two before moving; however, Simpson had no legal title to the land. The adobe structures were built with the intention of settlement and trade next to the Arkansas River, which then formed the U.S./Mexico border. About a dozen families lived there, trading with Native American tribes for hides, skins, livestock, as well as (later) cultivated plants, and liquor. Evidence of this trade, as well as other utilitarian goods, such as Native American pottery shards were found at the recently excavated site. According to accounts of residents who traded at the plaza (including that of George Simpson), the fort was raided sometime between December 23 and December 25, 1854, by a war party of UtesUte 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...
and Jicarilla Apache
Jicarilla Apache
Jicarilla Apache refers to the members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation currently living in New Mexico and speaking a Southern Athabaskan language...
s under the leadership of Tierra Blanca, a Ute chief. They allegedly killed between fifteen and nineteen men and captured two children and one woman. The trading post was abandoned after the raid, but it became important again between 1858 and 1859 during the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859.
City of Pueblo
The current city of Pueblo represents the consolidation of four towns: Pueblo (incorporated 1870), South Pueblo (incorporated 1873), Central Pueblo (incorporated 1882), and BessemerBessemer, Colorado
Bessemer, Colorado was a city in Colorado that was incorporated in 1886. It was one of four adjacent towns settled after the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859. The communities of South Pueblo, Central Pueblo, Pueblo, and Bessemer were later merged to create the modern City of Pueblo, Colorado. Bessemer...
(incorporated 1886). Pueblo, South Pueblo, and Central Pueblo legally consolidated as the City of Pueblo between March 9 and April 6, 1886. Bessemer joined Pueblo in 1894.
The consolidated city was once a major economic and social center of Colorado, and was home to important early Colorado families such as the Thatchers, the Ormans and the Adamses. Until a series of major floods culminated in the Great Flood of 1921, Pueblo was considered the 'Saddle-Making capital of the World'. Roughly one-third of Pueblo's downtown businesses were lost in this flood, along with a substantial number of buildings. Pueblo has long struggled to come to grips with this loss, and has only recently begun a resurgence in growth.
The Steel Mill
Colorado Fuel and Iron
The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company was a large steel concern. By 1903, it was largely owned and controlled by John D. Rockefeller and Jay Gould's financial heirs. While it came to control many plants throughout the country, its main plant was a steel mill on the south side of Pueblo, Colorado...
(CF&I) steel mill on the south side of town. The steel-market crash of 1982 led to the decline of the company. After going through several bankruptcies, the company was acquired by Oregon Steel Mills and changed its name to Rocky Mountain Steel Mills. As Rocky Mountain Steel, the company was plagued with labor problems, mostly due to accusations of unfair labor practices. The problems culminated with a major strike in 1997, leading to most of the workforce being replaced.
However, in September 2004, both local Unions 2102 & 3267 won the strike and the unfair labor practice charges. All of the striking steel workers were returned to their jobs, and the company was forced to repay them a record amount of back pay for the 7 years they were on strike. Some have called this a significant win for the labor union and the many families affected by the 7 year strike. In 2007, not long after Oregon Steel made amends with the union and its workers, Evraz Group, one of Russia's biggest steel producers, agreed to buy the company for $2.3 billion dollars.
Of the many production and fabrication mills which once existed on the site, only the steel production (electric furnaces, used for scrap recycling), rail, rod, bar, and seamless tube mills are still in operation. The wire mill was sold in the late 1990s to Davis Wire, which still produces products such as fence and nails under the CF&I brand name.
The facility operated blast furnaces until 1982, when the bottom fell out of the steel market. The main blast furnace structures were torn down in 1989, but due to asbestos content, many of the adjacent stoves still remain. The stoves and foundations for some of the furnaces can be easily seen from Interstate 25, which runs parallel to the plant's west boundary.
Several of the administration buildings, including the main office building, dispensary, and tunnel gatehouse were purchased in 2003 by the Bessemer Historical Society
Bessemer Historical Society
The Bessemer Historical Society in Pueblo, Colorado operates the Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture, site of the company archives for Colorado Fuel and Iron....
. In 2006, they underwent renovation. In addition to housing the historic CF&I Archives, they also house the Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture
Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture
The Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture is located in Pueblo, Colorado. Operated by the Bessemer Historical Society, the museum is in the historic Minnequa Steel Works Office Building and Dispensary of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company....
.
Home of Heroes
Pueblo is the hometown of four Medal of HonorMedal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients - Drew D. Dix, Raymond G. Murphy
Raymond G. Murphy
-External links:...
, William J. Crawford
William J. Crawford
William J. "Bill" Crawford was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II.-Biography:...
, and Carl L. Sitter
Carl L. Sitter
Carl Leonard Sitter was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps officer and Korean War Medal of Honor recipient.-Marine Corps career:...
. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
upon presenting Raymond G. "Jerry" Murphy with his Medal in 1953 commented, "What is it... something in the water out there in Pueblo? All you guys turn out to be heroes!" In 1993, the City Council adopted the tagline "Home of Heroes" because it can claim more recipients per capita than any other city in the United States. On July 1, 1993, the Congressional Record recognized Pueblo as the "Home of Heroes." There is a memorial to the recipients of the medal at the Pueblo Convention Center. Central High School
Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Central High School is one of seven public high schools located in Pueblo, Colorado. The high school was the second for the city of Puebloand was founded in 1881. It is the only high school to have two Medal Of Honor recipients, William J. Crawford and Carl L...
is known as the "School of Heroes," as it is the alma mater of two recipients, Sitter and Crawford, more than any other high school in the country.
Presidential visits
President Woodrow WilsonWoodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, on a speaking tour to gather support for the entry of the United States into the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
, collapsed on September 25, 1919 following a speech in Pueblo. He suffered a stroke a week later which incapacitated him for the rest of his presidency.
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...
arrived at the Pueblo Union Depot in order to lay the first brick down for the Y.M.C.A., and also check the water resources in Colorado.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
Jan. 16, 1957, toured drought-stricken regions of Pueblo County amid 20-degree weather.
President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
(when he was Vice President) visited the Pueblo Nature Center's Raptor Center to release an American Bald Eagle that had its wings healed.
Other national leaders to visit Pueblo include Presidents John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, and Vice President Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
.
In the 2008 presidential campaign, both major party candidates, Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, visited Pueblo as part of their campaigns. Colorado was considered a key swing state
Swing state
In United States presidential politics, a swing state is a state in which no single candidate or party has overwhelming support in securing that state's electoral college votes...
in that election, with Obama becoming the first Democratic candidate since Clinton in 1992 to win the state's electoral votes.
Pueblo State Hospital
Historically the other major employer in Pueblo was the State Hospital, which formerly served the entire state. Established in 1879 as the Colorado State Insane Asylum, it was known as the Colorado State Hospital after 1917. In 1991, the name was changed to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo (CMHIP). Currently under construction is the new Forensic Medium and Maximum Security Center, a 200-bed, state-of-the-art high-security facility.Higher Education
Pueblo is home to Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU-Pueblo), currently the fastest growing university in the state and a regional comprehensive university. It is part of the Colorado State University System (CSU System), with about 6,000 students. On May 8, 2007, CSU-Pueblo got approval from the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System to bring back football as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic ConferenceRocky Mountain Athletic Conference
The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the western United States, mostly in Colorado with some members in Nebraska and New Mexico...
. The first game was played in the fall of 2008 at the Thunderbowl, a new stadium at CSU-Pueblo which holds over 12,000 people.
Pueblo Community College (PCC) is a two-year, public, comprehensive community college, one of thirteen community colleges within the Colorado Community College System
Colorado Community College System
The Colorado Community College System consists of 14 community colleges across the state of Colorado. Created by legislation in 1967, it serves more than 116,000 students annually...
(CCCS). It operates three campuses serving a widely dispersed eight-county region in Southern Colorado. The main campus is located in Pueblo and serves Pueblo County. The Fremont Campus is located approximately 35 miles (56.3 km) west of Pueblo in Cañon City and serves Fremont and Custer Counties. The Southwest Campus, 280 miles (450.6 km) southwest of Pueblo, serves Montezuma, Dolores, La Plata, San Juan, and Archuleta counties. PCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution as designated by the Federal Government. Approximately 5,000 students attend PCC per semester.
Pueblo City Schools
Pueblo County has thirteen high schools. Pueblo Centennial High SchoolCentennial High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Centennial High School is a high school located in Pueblo, Colorado. It serves roughly 1000 students in grades 9 through 12. The school is a part of Pueblo City Schools .-History:...
was founded just north of downtown on Eleventh St. in 1876, the year Colorado became a state. Centennial was rebuilt on a new site to the northwest in 1973. Pueblo Central High School
Central High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
Central High School is one of seven public high schools located in Pueblo, Colorado. The high school was the second for the city of Puebloand was founded in 1881. It is the only high school to have two Medal Of Honor recipients, William J. Crawford and Carl L...
was founded in Bessemer in 1882. Central's present campus on E. Orman
James Bradley Orman
James Bradley Orman was an American politician and railroad builder. He served as the 12th Governor of Colorado from 1901 to 1903. He was a Democrat....
Ave. was built in the 1920s and expanded in the early 1970s. Its original building still stands four blocks away on E. Pitkin
Frederick Walker Pitkin
Frederick Walker Pitkin , a U.S. Republican Party politician, served as the second Governor of Colorado from 1879 to 1883. Pitkin County, Colorado was named in his honor....
Ave. Pueblo South High School and Pueblo East High School
East High School (Pueblo, Colorado)
East High School is one of thirteen public high schools in Pueblo, Colorado, United States. It offers the International Baccalaureate program.-History:...
were built in the late 1950s to accommodate the Baby Boomers. Pueblo County High School
Pueblo County High School
Pueblo County High School is a Pueblo County high school in the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area.-External Links:...
, east of the city in Vineland, serves rural residents. Rye
Rye, Colorado
Rye is a Statutory Town in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Pueblo, Colorado Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 202 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rye is located at ....
High School
Rye High School
Rye High School is the name of more than one educational institution:*Rye High School in Rye, Colorado*Rye High School in Rye, New York...
is in a foothills town southwest of Pueblo. Pueblo West High School
Pueblo West High School
Pueblo West High School is a public high school located in Pueblo West, Colorado part of the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area. The school opened its doors in 1997 as a new extension of Pueblo School District 70. Pueblo West High School became an International Baccalaureate world school in 2009...
is the newest (built in 1997), in the northwestern suburb of Pueblo West
Pueblo West, Colorado
Pueblo West is a census-designated place in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 16,899 at the 2000 census...
. The former Pueblo Catholic High School became Roncalli
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
Middle School in the early 1970s. Other Pueblo area high schools include Dolores Huerta Preparatory High School, Southern Colorado Early College, Pueblo Technical Academy, Parkhill Christian Academy, and the Health Academy.
Geography
Pueblo is located at 38°16′1"N 104°37′13"W (38.266933, −104.620393).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 city has a total area of 45.4 square miles (117.6 km²), of which, 45.1 square miles (116.8 km²) is land and 0.3 mi2 is water (99,34% and 0,66% respectively).
Pueblo sits in a "high desert" area of terrain in southern Colorado. Pueblo has a steppe climate (Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk), with four distinct seasons. Winter days are usually mild, but the high does not surpass freezing on 18 days per year, and lows fall to 0 °F (-17.8 °C) on 8 nights. Snowfall usually falls in light amounts, and due to the high altitude, and the accompanying stronger sun, rarely remains on the ground for long. March is the snowiest month, and the seasonal average is 33.7 inches (86 cm); however, the median is 10 inches (25 cm) lower, and most years see no snow in October, and May or September snow is exceedingly rare. Summers are hot and dry, with normal daytime temperatures in the 90's °F (31–33 °C), and 90 °F (32.2 °C) or greater highs are seen 66 days per year, with 100 °F (37.8 °C) or greater being seen 9 times. Diurnal temperature ranges are large throughout the year, averaging 31.5 F-change.
Precipitation is generally low, with the winter months receiving very little. Sunshine is abundant throughout the year, with an annual total of nearly 3470, or 79% of the possible total. Pueblo is considered a "high desert" climate, and sits on the desert lands in southern Colorado between Pueblo and the Royal Gorge
Royal Gorge
The Royal Gorge is a canyon on the Arkansas River near Cañon City, Colorado. With a width of at its base and a few hundred feet at its top, and a depth of in places, the 10-mile-long canyon is a narrow, steep gorge through the granite of Fremont Peak...
.
- NOTE: the snowfall data listed above are averages.
Entertainment and performing arts
Pueblo is the home to Colorado's largest single event, the Colorado State FairColorado State Fair
Colorado State Fair is a event held annually in Pueblo, Colorado. The Fair has been a traditional since October 9, 1872. The fair was originally held by the Southern Colorado Agricultural and Industrial Association and received no cash assistance from the community or the State. It was incorporated...
, held annually in the late summer, and the largest parade, the state fair parade, as well as an annual Chili Festival.
The National Street Rod Association
National Street Rod Association
The National Street Rod Association or NSRA is an organization that hosts a number of Street Rod and Hot Rod shows in the United States.The shows that are put on by the NSRA are:* Through the year 2011...
's Rocky Mountain Street Rod Nationals have been held in Pueblo for twenty-three years, largest and premier street rod event in the region.
Pueblo's newest event is the Wild West Fest sponsored by the Professional Bull Riders. It will be held in Pueblo during the spring and the main event will be a PBR rodeo held at the state fair events center and shown all over the world. Also, Pueblo is home to the PBR team finals held at the state fair events center during the Colorado state fair and shown all over the world. In 2008 the PBR moved their corporate headquarters to Pueblo.
Sports
Pueblo is the hometown of Dutch Clark, the first man from Colorado in the NFL Hall of Fame. Pueblo's largest football stadium is named after him. There are two long-standing high school rivalries that takes place at this stadium, The Bell Game, which is played by The Pueblo Central Wildcats and the Pueblo Centennial Bulldogs and also the Cannon Game which is played by the Pueblo South Colts and the Pueblo East Eagles.Economy
Pueblo is the home of the Federal Citizen Information CenterFederal Citizen Information Center
The Federal Citizen Information Center , originally the Federal Consumer Information Center, is a department in the United States government's General Services Administration...
, operated by the General Services Administration
General Services Administration
The General Services Administration is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. The GSA supplies products and communications for U.S...
, and its Consumer Information Catalog. For over 30 years, public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
s invited Americans to write for information at "Pueblo, Colorado, 81009" (though the official address is Post Office Box 100). In recent times GSA has incorporated Pueblo into FCIC's toll-free telephone number
Toll-free telephone number
A toll-free, Freecall, Freephone, 800, 0800 or 1-800 number is a special telephone number which is free to the calling party, and instead the telephone carrier charges the called party the cost of the call...
(1-888-8 PUEBLO) and web address (www.pueblo.gsa.gov).
Vestas
Vestas
Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a Danish manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines. It is the largest in the world, but due to very rapid growth of its competitors, its market share decreased from 28% in 2007 to 12.5% in 2009...
has announced that it will build the largest (nearly 700,000 square feet) wind turbine tower manufacturing plant in the world at Pueblo's industrial park. A number of scientific studies now list Pueblo as the state's best place for solar energy and a good place for solar companies to locate.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 102,121 people, 40,307 households, and 26,118 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,265.5 people per square mile (874.6/km2). There were 43,121 housing units at an average density of 956.6 per square mile (369.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.21% White, 2.41% African American, 1.73% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 15.20% from other racesRace (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 3.71% from two or more races. Latinos made up 44.13% of the population. 10.1% were of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 8.1% Italian, 6.0% American, 5.5% English and 5.4% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.
According to the 2005 Census estimates, the city had grown to an estimated population of 104,951 and had become the ninth most populous city in the state of Colorado and the 245th most populous city in the United States.
There were 40,307 households out of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.5% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,650, and the median income for a family was $35,620. Males had a median income of $29,702 versus $22,197 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,026. About 13.9% of families and 17.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
The crime rate in Pueblo is higher than the national average. In 2005, Pueblo reported 13 murders, 22 rapes, 162 robberies, 489 assaults, 1,525 burglaries, 4,978 larceny thefts, and 478 auto thefts.Aviation
The local airport, Pueblo Memorial AirportPueblo Memorial Airport
Pueblo Memorial Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles east of the central business district of Pueblo, a city in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. The Pueblo Airport is a popular...
, lies to the east of the city. It is home to the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum (named for Fred Weisbrod, late city manager), reflecting the airport's beginnings as an Army Air Corps base in 1943.
- Pueblo Memorial AirportPueblo Memorial AirportPueblo Memorial Airport is a city-owned public-use airport located five miles east of the central business district of Pueblo, a city in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. The Pueblo Airport is a popular...
- Pueblo Historical Aircraft SocietyPueblo Historical Aircraft SocietyThe Pueblo Historical Aircraft Society , Pueblo, Colorado hosts a large collections of military aircraft in Colorado, USA through the operation of the Weisbrod Museum and the International B-24 Memorial Museum ,together as the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum.The Society is a volunteer group of...
- Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft MuseumPueblo Weisbrod Aircraft MuseumThe Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum is a combination of the Weisbrod Museum and the International B-24 Memorial Museum, designed to honor the men and women who served during World War II with emphasis on the Pueblo Army Air Base and the B-24 Liberator bomber...
Notable natives and residents
- Bat MastersonBat MastersonWilliam Barclay "Bat" Masterson was a figure of the American Old West known as a buffalo hunter, U.S. Marshal and Army scout, avid fisherman, gambler, frontier lawman, and sports editor and columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph...
, Sheriff of South Pueblo. - Earl (Dutch) Clark, football player 1934–1938 and charter member of the NFL Hall of Fame, graduated from Pueblo Central High School.
- Frank E. EvansFrank E. EvansFrank Edward Evans was a U.S. Representative from Colorado.Born in Pueblo, Colorado, Evans attended public schools in Colorado Springs. He entered Pomona College in Claremont, California, in 1941. He interrupted his education in 1943 to serve in the United States Navy as a patrol pilot from 1943...
, U.S. Representative from January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1979. - Tony FalkensteinTony FalkensteinAnthony Joseph "Tony" Falkenstein was a fullback and quarterback in the National Football League.-Career:...
, football fullback and quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, Brooklyn Tigers, and Boston Yanks - Dave FeamsterDave FeamsterDavid Allan Feamster is a retired American ice hockey player who played for the Chicago Black Hawks. He was picked in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft, after coming through Colorado College and made his debut in 1982...
, ice hockey player and businessman - Kelo HendersonKelo HendersonKelo Henderson is an American former actor who co-starred as Deputy Clint Travis in the 1957-1959 syndicated western television series 26 Men. The program starred Tristram Coffin as Captain Thomas H. Rynning, the real-life commander of the Arizona Rangers, the case files of which were the basis...
, actor - Tony MendesTony MendesTony Mendes is an American professional bull rider on the PBR's Built Ford Tough Series. He was born in Reno, Nevada; having previously lived in Reno and then in Jensen, Utah, Mendes resides currently in Pueblo, Colorado.-Career:...
, PBR bull riderBull ridingBull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
. - John MestonJohn MestonJohn Meston was an American radio and television writer best known for creating, along with Norman MacDonnell, the long-running radio and TV series, Gunsmoke. He was born in Pueblo, Colorado....
, script writer and co-creator of the CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
WesternWestern (genre)The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
television series GunsmokeGunsmokeGunsmoke is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West.... - David PackardDavid PackardDavid Packard was a co-founder of Hewlett-Packard , serving as president , CEO , and Chairman of the Board . He served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense from 1969–1971 during the Nixon administration...
, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, graduated from Pueblo Centennial High School in 1930. - E.J. PeakerE. J. PeakerE.J. Peaker is an American actress. Peaker is best known for her appearances in the movie Hello Dolly! and in the TV musical series That's Life.-Biography:...
, Actress best known for her role in Hello Dolly graduated from Centennial High SchoolCentennial High School (Pueblo, Colorado)Centennial High School is a high school located in Pueblo, Colorado. It serves roughly 1000 students in grades 9 through 12. The school is a part of Pueblo City Schools .-History:...
in 1958. - Dana PerinoDana PerinoDana Maria Perino is an American political commentator for Fox News. She served as the White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush from September 14, 2007 to January 20, 2009...
, White House Press Secretary in 2007–2009, graduated from Colorado State University-Pueblo in 1994. - Kelly RenoKelly RenoKelly Reno, born to cattle ranchers in Pueblo, Colorado is a former juvenile actor who was cast in the role of Alec Ramsey, the young boy who is marooned on a deserted island along with a horse, in The Black Stallion at age 13.Reno also appeared in the 1983 film adaptation of The Black Stallion...
, child actor from The Black StallionThe Black Stallion (film)The Black Stallion is a 1979 American film based on the 1941 classic children's novel The Black Stallion by Walter Farley. It tells the story of Alec Ramsey, who is shipwrecked on a desert island, together with a wild Arabian stallion whom he befriends...
. - Dan Rowan, of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InRowan & Martin's Laugh-InRowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
, lived in the McClelland Orphanage in Pueblo and graduated from Pueblo Central High School. - Damon RunyonDamon RunyonAlfred Damon Runyon was an American newspaperman and writer.He was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. To New Yorkers of his generation, a "Damon Runyon character" evoked a distinctive social type from the...
, newspaperman and writer, mentioned Pueblo in many of his newspaper columns (notably his "Our Old Man" pieces). - Grant WithersGrant WithersGrant Withers was an American film actor. With early beginnings in the silent era, Withers moved into talkies establishing himself with a list of headlined features as a young and handsome male lead...
, Hollywood leading actor, from the silents to 1950s. - Jim Bishop, creator of Bishop CastleBishop CastleBishop Castle started as a family construction project situated in the Wet Mountains of Southern Colorado in the San Isabel National Forest located North West of Rye, Colorado...
- Kory SperryKory SperryKory Kalani Kahaunaele Sperry is an American football tight end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Colorado State.-Miami Dolphins:In Week 10 of the 2009 NFL season,...
, football tight end for the Miami Dolphins and the San Diego Chargers; attended Pueblo County High School. - John GillJohn Gill (climber)John Gill is an American mathematician who has achieved recognition for his rock-climbing. He is considered the Father of Modern Bouldering by many climbers.-Early life and professional career:...
, world famous climber, father of modern boulderingBoulderingBouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
; taught at University of Southern Colorado (CSU-Pueblo) - William J. CrawfordWilliam J. CrawfordWilliam J. "Bill" Crawford was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during World War II.-Biography:...
, Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient for his service in World War II - Raymond G. MurphyRaymond G. Murphy-External links:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for his service in the Korean WarKorean WarThe Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union... - Carl L. SitterCarl L. SitterCarl Leonard Sitter was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps officer and Korean War Medal of Honor recipient.-Marine Corps career:...
, Medal of Honor recipient for his service in the Korean War - Drew Dennis DixDrew Dennis DixDrew Dennis Dix is a decorated United States military veteran and retired major in the United States Army. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Vietnam War; he was the first enlisted Special Forces soldier to receive the medal.- Biography :Dix was born in West Point, New York, and...
, Medal of Honor recipient for his service in the Vietnam WarVietnam WarThe Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
* - Joseph ArridyJoseph ArridyJoseph "Joe" Arridy was a mentally disabled American man executed for rape and murder and posthumously granted a pardon. Arridy was sentenced to death for the murder and rape of a Pueblo, Colorado schoolgirl. He confessed to murdering the girl and assaulting her sister...
, Convicted of murder and rape. Pardoned in 2010 as the first and only gubernatorial posthumous pardon. - Frank PapishFrank PapishFrank Richard Papish was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for six seasons. He played for the Chicago White Sox from 1945 to 1948, the Cleveland Indians in 1949, and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1950.-External links:...
, major league baseball pitcher (1945 to 1950); sheriff deputy after his career in baseball
Pueblo in popular culture
- In the South ParkSouth ParkSouth Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
episode "The Losing EdgeThe Losing Edge"The Losing Edge" is the fifth episode of the ninth season of the American animated series South Park. It originally aired April 6, 2005.-Plot:...
", Pueblo is one of the towns in which the South Park team competes. - Pueblo as a frontier town is the setting for Louis L'AmourLouis L'AmourLouis Dearborn L'Amour was an American author. His books consisted primarily of Western fiction novels , however he also wrote historical fiction , science fiction , nonfiction , as well as poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into movies...
's 1981 western novel Milo Talon. - The opening scene in Bo Edwards' 2008 novel Live to Ride (ISBN 978-0-9801345-0-6) is set in Pueblo. The two protagonists are Pueblo natives.
- Pueblo is portrayed as a ghostly, radiated ruin in the Darwin's WorldDarwin's WorldDarwin's World, created by Dominic Covey, is a post-apocalyptic role-playing game first published under the d20 Open Game License in 2001. Originally designed as a quick adaptation of the 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, the game has since been greatly expanded and revised and now utilizes...
novel Burning Lands. - Pueblo is portrayed as the city where MacGruber was supposedly buried in 2000 in the 2010 movie which bears his name.
- Food WarsFood WarsFood Wars is a weekly Travel Channel series hosted by Camille Ford that debuted on Tuesday, March 9, 2010. The show features restaurant rivalries in cities around the United States, with loyal fans cheering for one of two restaurants that serve one of the city's signature dishes...
, a series on cable television’s Travel ChannelTravel ChannelThe Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
, came to Pueblo to stage a contest between the Sunset Inn's and Gray's Coors Tavern's versions of the slopperSlopperA slopper is a cheeseburger served smothered in red chile or green chile or chile sauce. Sloppers generally include grilled buns and are often topped with freshly chopped onions and sometimes french fries...
. The episode first aired in August 2010.
Sister cities
WeifangWeifang
Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.-History:Weifang is a historical city...
, China Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
, Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
(Italy) Lucca Sicula
Lucca Sicula
Lucca Sicula is a comune in the Province of Agrigento in the Italian region Sicily, located about 60 km south of Palermo and about 40 km northwest of Agrigento....
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(Italy) Chihuahua
Chihuahua, Chihuahua
The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. It has a population of about 825,327. The predominant activity is industry, including domestic heavy, light industries, consumer goods production, and to a smaller extent maquiladoras.-History:It has been said that the...
, Mexico Puebla
Puebla, Puebla
The city and municipality of Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico. Being a planned city, it is located to the east of Mexico City and west of Mexico's main port, Veracruz, on the main route between the two.The city was founded...
, Mexico Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
, Slovenia
See also
- 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:...
- 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...
- Pueblo County, ColoradoPueblo 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...
- Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area
- South Central Colorado Urban AreaSouth Central Colorado Urban Areathumb|240px|An enlargeable map of the four-county South Central Colorado Urban AreaThe South Central Colorado Urban Area comprises the Colorado Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area, the Pueblo Metropolitan Statistical Area, and the Cañon City Micropolitan Statistical Area in the central and south...
- State of Colorado