Buena Vista, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Buena Vista, Colorado
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Town Hall
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| Motto(s):
"8,000 Feet Above Average"
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Location of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado.
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 Buena Vista, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Chaffee County |
| Incorporated | November 8, 1879 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Statutory Town |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.453 sq mi (8.942 km2) |
| • Land | 3.453 sq mi (8.942 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.000 km2) |
| Elevation | 7,989 ft (2,435 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,855 |
| • Density | 827/sq mi (319/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81211
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| Area code(s) | 719 |
| FIPS code | 08-10105 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411739 |
Buena Vista (pronounced 'BEW-nuh VISS-tuh') is a town in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. It's known as a "statutory town," which is a type of local government. In 2020, about 2,855 people lived there.
Buena Vista is located in central Colorado. It sits in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. The town is about halfway between Salida and Leadville. It's quite high up, at an elevation of about 7,989 feet (2,435 meters) above sea level.
The name "Buena Vista" comes from the Spanish words for "Good View." Locals often say it as 'BEW-nuh VISS-tuh'. Some people just call it "BV."
Contents
History of Buena Vista
The area where Buena Vista is now was first settled in 1864. People came here because there was plenty of water, which was great for farming.
By 1880, Buena Vista became the county seat for Chaffee County. This means it was the main town where the county government was located. Later, in 1928, the county seat moved to Salida because Salida had grown bigger.
Buena Vista grew quickly. By 1894, it had modern services like electricity, telephone service, and street lights. It also had parks, cemeteries, and schools.
The town was a popular stop for travelers, miners, and people looking for land. They would travel up the Arkansas Valley towards Leadville. Buena Vista was an important stop for stagecoaches and later for trains.
Even though the town had its ups and downs, its strong farming economy helped it stay stable. This was different from many mining towns that often had big "boom and bust" cycles. Many of the buildings you see in Buena Vista today were built in the 1880s and 1890s.
Geography and Climate
Buena Vista is located in the Upper Arkansas River Valley. This valley is known for its beautiful mountain views.
In 2020, the town covered an area of about 3.45 square miles (8.942 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
What is Buena Vista's Climate Like?
Buena Vista has a Semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk). This means it has cold, dry winters. The summers are warm and a bit wetter.
Because of its high altitude and dry air, the temperature can change a lot between day and night. This happens all year round.
| Climate data for Buena Vista, Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1905–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 71 (22) |
68 (20) |
73 (23) |
89 (32) |
92 (33) |
105 (41) |
102 (39) |
94 (34) |
96 (36) |
86 (30) |
80 (27) |
69 (21) |
105 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 54.4 (12.4) |
55.5 (13.1) |
64.5 (18.1) |
70.9 (21.6) |
79.7 (26.5) |
88.5 (31.4) |
91.2 (32.9) |
87.5 (30.8) |
83.6 (28.7) |
76.1 (24.5) |
63.8 (17.7) |
54.9 (12.7) |
91.6 (33.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 40.6 (4.8) |
42.6 (5.9) |
50.4 (10.2) |
56.5 (13.6) |
66.5 (19.2) |
78.4 (25.8) |
83.2 (28.4) |
80.2 (26.8) |
74.0 (23.3) |
62.3 (16.8) |
49.7 (9.8) |
40.1 (4.5) |
60.4 (15.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.8 (−3.4) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
35.8 (2.1) |
41.6 (5.3) |
51.1 (10.6) |
60.9 (16.1) |
66.2 (19.0) |
63.7 (17.6) |
56.8 (13.8) |
45.6 (7.6) |
34.6 (1.4) |
25.7 (−3.5) |
44.7 (7.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 11.1 (−11.6) |
13.6 (−10.2) |
21.2 (−6.0) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
35.7 (2.1) |
43.4 (6.3) |
49.2 (9.6) |
47.2 (8.4) |
39.6 (4.2) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
19.5 (−6.9) |
11.3 (−11.5) |
28.9 (−1.7) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −7.0 (−21.7) |
−5.4 (−20.8) |
5.4 (−14.8) |
12.6 (−10.8) |
22.3 (−5.4) |
33.4 (0.8) |
41.7 (5.4) |
39.6 (4.2) |
28.0 (−2.2) |
13.5 (−10.3) |
0.6 (−17.4) |
−7.4 (−21.9) |
−13.1 (−25.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −37 (−38) |
−31 (−35) |
−24 (−31) |
−9 (−23) |
6 (−14) |
20 (−7) |
25 (−4) |
25 (−4) |
15 (−9) |
−6 (−21) |
−23 (−31) |
−31 (−35) |
−37 (−38) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.33 (8.4) |
0.44 (11) |
0.62 (16) |
1.02 (26) |
1.17 (30) |
0.70 (18) |
1.51 (38) |
1.57 (40) |
0.90 (23) |
0.80 (20) |
0.44 (11) |
0.43 (11) |
9.93 (252) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 6.2 (16) |
7.4 (19) |
8.2 (21) |
8.1 (21) |
3.2 (8.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
3.1 (7.9) |
5.1 (13) |
7.6 (19) |
49.3 (125) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.8 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 6.7 | 12.6 | 12.3 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 83.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 3.8 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 1.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.8 | 3.7 | 5.2 | 29.9 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Population of Buena Vista
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 2,141 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,006 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,041 | 3.5% | |
| 1920 | 903 | −13.3% | |
| 1930 | 751 | −16.8% | |
| 1940 | 779 | 3.7% | |
| 1950 | 783 | 0.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,806 | 130.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,962 | 8.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,075 | 5.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,752 | −15.6% | |
| 2000 | 2,195 | 25.3% | |
| 2010 | 2,617 | 19.2% | |
| 2020 | 2,855 | 9.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Buena Vista has changed over the years. In 1880, there were over 2,000 people. By 1950, it was around 783. But then it grew again, reaching 2,855 people in 2020.
According to the 2000 census, most people living in Buena Vista were Caucasian (96.81%). A small percentage were of other races or had mixed racial backgrounds. About 4.74% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The town had 978 households in 2000. Many of these were married couples. About 27.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. The average household had about 2.24 people.
The population was spread out in terms of age. About 23.6% were under 18 years old. About 16.7% were 65 years or older. The average age in town was 42 years.
Getting Around Buena Vista
U.S. Route 24 is a major highway that runs east-west. It passes about 64 miles north of Buena Vista.
US 285 is another important highway. It goes through Buena Vista and connects to other parts of Colorado and beyond.
Chaffee County Road 306 starts in Buena Vista and goes west. It leads to the top of Cottonwood Pass, which is very high at 12,126 feet (3,696 meters). This road is usually closed in winter due to snow. When it's open, it offers a more direct way to places like Gunnison and Crested Butte.
Buena Vista is also part of Colorado's Bustang bus network. It's on the Gunnison-Denver Outrider line, which helps people travel between towns.
Notable People from Buena Vista
- Christine Arguello (born 1955), a federal judge
- Trace Bundy, an acoustic guitar player
- Austin Carlile, a singer for the band Of Mice and Men
- Mason Finley, an American athlete who throws the shot put and discus
- Matt Hemingway, an American track and field athlete
- Curtis Imrie, known for pack burro racing
- Nate Solder, a football player who played tackle for the New York Giants
See also
In Spanish: Buena Vista (Colorado) para niños
