Cedaredge, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cedaredge, Colorado
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| Town of Cedaredge | |
Cedaredge as seen from Cedar Mesa.
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| Nicknames:
The Southern Gateway to the Grand Mesa.
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Location of the Town of Cedaredge in Delta County, Colorado.
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 Cedaredge, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Delta County |
| Incorporated | May 2, 1907 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home rule municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.961 sq mi (5.078 km2) |
| • Land | 1.961 sq mi (5.078 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.000 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,135 ft (1,870 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,279 |
| • Density | 1,162/sq mi (449/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code |
81413
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| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-12635 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2413184 |
| Website | Town of Cedaredge |
Cedaredge is a small town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. It's a special kind of town called a home rule municipality, which means it has its own local government rules.
In 2020, about 2,279 people lived in Cedaredge. It's known for its farms, where people raise beef cattle and elk, and grow delicious apples and peaches. You can also find several vineyards and wineries here, as the area is great for growing grapes.
Cedaredge is located at the bottom of the southern side of the Grand Mesa. From here, you can see amazing views of the San Juan Mountains, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, and other Colorado towns like Delta, Olathe, and Montrose.
Contents
History of Cedaredge
Early Days
Before 1880, much of central and western Colorado was home to the Ute Indians. In 1880, the Utes gave a large part of their land, including the area around Cedaredge, to the United States. By September 1881, the last group of Utes moved from western Colorado to Utah.
Soon after, new settlers began to arrive. They built homes, barns, and businesses. Much of the land became cattle ranches, fruit orchards, and fields for crops like alfalfa. Cattle ranching became a very successful business, especially to the west of the town.
The town of Cedaredge was officially started on March 25, 1907, by a few ranchers.
McGruder Fire
On July 2, 2004, a lightning strike hit a tree, causing a fire. The next day, strong, dry winds made the fire grow into a large wildfire called the McGruder fire. It burned about 3,000 acres (12 square kilometers) of land.
The Cedaredge volunteer fire department and other firefighters worked hard to stop the fire. They created fire lines to contain it by July 11. Luckily, no homes were lost, and no one was hurt.
In 2007, Cedaredge celebrated its 100th birthday!
Geography and Climate
In 2020, the town of Cedaredge covered an area of about 5.078 square kilometers (1.961 square miles). All of this area is land.
Weather in Cedaredge
Cedaredge has mild winters with some snow. Summers are hot and dry, but you might see some afternoon thunderstorms. These storms usually don't bring much rain.
In summer, temperatures often reach highs of 92°F (33°C) and lows of 60°F (16°C). In winter, highs can be in the 50s°F (10-15°C) and lows can drop to about 11°F (-12°C).
Population Growth
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 295 | — | |
| 1920 | 455 | 54.2% | |
| 1930 | 463 | 1.8% | |
| 1940 | 556 | 20.1% | |
| 1950 | 574 | 3.2% | |
| 1960 | 549 | −4.4% | |
| 1970 | 581 | 5.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,184 | 103.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,380 | 16.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,854 | 34.3% | |
| 2010 | 2,253 | 21.5% | |
| 2020 | 2,279 | 1.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of 2010, there were 2,253 people living in Cedaredge. The town had 894 households. The average age of people in Cedaredge was 51 years old.
Fun Things to Do and See
AppleFest
Since 1978, Cedaredge has hosted an annual event called "AppleFest." It's a big celebration of apples, art, music, and food! It happens on the first weekend of October each year.
About 15,000 visitors come to AppleFest, and there are usually over 200 vendors selling food, arts, and crafts. You can see classic cars, old tractors, and even motorcycles on display.
There's also live music with different styles like folk, country, rock, and bluegrass. Since 2000, the Cedaredge Volunteer Fire Department has also held a chili cooking competition to raise money.
Pioneer Town
Pioneer Town is a museum and historical village that is open from Memorial Day weekend until the first weekend in October. The most important parts of Pioneer Town are the tall, eight-sided Bar-I Silos. These are the last buildings left from the Bar-I Ranch, which was a cattle ranch started in the early 1880s.
The museum has copies of old town buildings from the early 1900s. You can see a western saloon, a marshall's office, a barber shop, a bank, a clothing store, a jail, and a working blacksmith's shop.
There's also the Chapel of the Cross, a beautiful church with a very large digital organ. The Doll and Toy House has a collection of old dolls and toys, and the Sutherland Indian Museum shows off one of Colorado's biggest collections of arrowheads.
Cedaredge Golf Club
The Cedaredge Golf Club opened in 1988. It's a public golf course with 18 holes, a driving range, a clubhouse, and a grill. The course is built on what used to be hayfields for the Bar-I Cattle Ranch.
It's located in a sheltered valley at about 6,100 feet (1,859 meters) above sea level. The course has natural cedar trees and winding creeks, making it a beautiful place to play golf.
Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway
The Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway is a special road that was approved in 1991. It goes north from Cedaredge along Highway 65, all the way to the top of the Grand Mesa, which is over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) high!
At the Grand Mesa visitors center, you can find maps and information about the area. The byway passes by Island Lake, which is one of over 300 lakes in the Grand Mesa National Forest filled with trout.
Education in Cedaredge
In the early days, children in the Surface Creek Valley went to small, one-room schoolhouses. In 1920, the new Cedaredge High School was built, and school buses started picking up students.
Cedaredge High School
The current Cedaredge High School was finished in 1982. About 250 students attend the school. It has a technology lab, a special greenhouse, and a cafeteria that also works as an auditorium.
The school's sports teams are called the Bruins. They compete in different sports like football, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, baseball, swimming, tennis, and track.
The Cedaredge High School Bruin Marching Band has won seven state championships in their class (2002, 2003, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014). In 2011, they set a record for the smallest band (23 members) to win a state championship in Colorado, and then broke that record in 2012 with only 17 members!
The boys' football team won second place in the state championships in 1993. In 2012, the team won a state championship under coach Brandon Milholland.
Cedaredge Middle School
Cedaredge Middle School used to be in the original Cedaredge Consolidated High School building from the early 1980s. A new building for the middle school was built in 2004. It's located between the High School and the Deer Creek Village golf course.
Cedaredge Elementary School
The first Cedaredge Elementary School was built in 1959. A new school was completed in 2012. Parts of the old school building are now used for the Surface Creek Vision Program.
Surface Creek Vision Program
Started in 2003, the Surface Creek branch of the Delta County Vision program combines ideas from homeschooling and public schooling.
Cedaredge Public Library
The current Cedaredge Public Library building was built in the 1990s. It's a great place to find books and learn new things.
See also
In Spanish: Cedaredge (Colorado) para niños
