Colorado City, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colorado City, Texas
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Downtown Colorado City
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Location of Colorado City, Texas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Mitchell |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.33 sq mi (13.81 km2) |
| • Land | 5.33 sq mi (13.81 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,067 ft (630 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,991 |
| • Density | 748.8/sq mi (288.99/km2) |
| • Demonym | Colorado Citian |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
79512
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| Area code(s) | 325 |
| FIPS code | 48-16120 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1333141 |
| Website | www.coloradocitytexas.org |
Colorado City is a city in Mitchell County, Texas, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's the main town where the county government is located. In 2020, about 3,991 people lived there.
Contents
History of Colorado City
Colorado City started as a camp for Texas Rangers in 1877. It quickly grew into a busy center for cattle ranchers. People even called it "the Mother City of West Texas" because it was so important for the area.
In 1881, the town got a railway station and a post office. This made it easier to send and receive goods and mail. It also became the county seat that same year. In the early 1880s, Colorado City was a major hub for shipping cattle. Ranchers would drive their herds here to be loaded onto trains and sent to markets in the eastern United States.
At its busiest, around 1884–1885, Colorado City had about 6,000 people. However, a drought and the growth of nearby San Angelo caused the population to drop. By 1890, it was down to 2,500 residents.
The first school in Colorado City was held in a dugout in 1881. The next year, it moved into a proper building. Over time, the town's economy changed. It focused on salt mining, then farming, and later, oil production. By 1910, Colorado City had a new public school, a water system, and an electric plant. A city hall was built by 1926. An oil refinery operated from 1924 to 1969. Other businesses included a meat-packing plant and a factory that made mobile homes.
Geography of Colorado City
Colorado City covers an area of about 5.3 square miles (13.8 square kilometers), and all of it is land. The city is located along the Colorado River to the west. To the east, you'll find Lone Wolf Creek.
Climate in Colorado City
Colorado City has a semiarid climate. This means it's usually dry, but not a desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot.
| Climate data for Colorado City, Texas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–2009 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 91 (33) |
99 (37) |
98 (37) |
101 (38) |
110 (43) |
115 (46) |
112 (44) |
110 (43) |
107 (42) |
103 (39) |
91 (33) |
89 (32) |
115 (46) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.9 (14.4) |
62.1 (16.7) |
70.2 (21.2) |
80.5 (26.9) |
87.2 (30.7) |
93.1 (33.9) |
96.7 (35.9) |
95.6 (35.3) |
88.1 (31.2) |
79.3 (26.3) |
67.0 (19.4) |
59.0 (15.0) |
78.1 (25.6) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 43.0 (6.1) |
46.6 (8.1) |
55.3 (12.9) |
63.6 (17.6) |
73.2 (22.9) |
80.0 (26.7) |
83.7 (28.7) |
82.1 (27.8) |
74.9 (23.8) |
64.8 (18.2) |
52.3 (11.3) |
44.0 (6.7) |
63.6 (17.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 28.2 (−2.1) |
31.2 (−0.4) |
40.4 (4.7) |
46.6 (8.1) |
59.3 (15.2) |
66.8 (19.3) |
70.7 (21.5) |
68.6 (20.3) |
61.7 (16.5) |
50.2 (10.1) |
37.5 (3.1) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
49.2 (9.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) |
−1 (−18) |
8 (−13) |
23 (−5) |
27 (−3) |
42 (6) |
51 (11) |
51 (11) |
33 (1) |
22 (−6) |
3 (−16) |
2 (−17) |
−7 (−22) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.90 (23) |
1.32 (34) |
1.68 (43) |
1.54 (39) |
2.15 (55) |
3.05 (77) |
1.96 (50) |
2.96 (75) |
1.90 (48) |
2.31 (59) |
1.19 (30) |
1.04 (26) |
22.00 (559) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.2 (0.51) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.2 (3.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.6 (4.01) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.2 | 3.3 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 3.5 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 2.5 | 50.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 1,582 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,840 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,766 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 4,671 | 164.5% | |
| 1940 | 5,213 | 11.6% | |
| 1950 | 6,774 | 29.9% | |
| 1960 | 6,457 | −4.7% | |
| 1970 | 5,227 | −19.0% | |
| 1980 | 5,405 | 3.4% | |
| 1990 | 4,749 | −12.1% | |
| 2000 | 4,281 | −9.9% | |
| 2010 | 4,146 | −3.2% | |
| 2020 | 3,991 | −3.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Information
In 2020, the United States Census counted 3,991 people living in Colorado City. There were 1,494 households and 728 families.
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 1,794 | 44.95% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 210 | 5.26% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 20 | 0.5% |
| Asian (NH) | 43 | 1.08% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 6 | 0.15% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 103 | 2.58% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,815 | 45.48% |
| Total | 3,991 |
2010 Census Information
The census in 2010 showed that 4,146 people lived in Colorado City. There were 1,646 households, and 1,124 of them were families. The city had about 809 people per square mile.
About 76.71% of the people were White, 5.09% were African American, and 0.54% were Native American. About 36.25% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of age, 28.5% of the people were under 18 years old. About 18.7% were 65 years or older. The average age in the city was 36 years.
The average income for a household in the city was about $22,842. For families, it was around $27,363. About 20.6% of the people in Colorado City lived below the poverty line.
Education
Students in Colorado City attend schools that are part of the Colorado Independent School District.
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Colorado City:
- Dick Compton: A football player who played for the Detroit Lions, Houston Oilers, and Pittsburgh Steelers. He graduated from Colorado High School.
- Martin Dies Jr.: A U.S. Congressman who was born in Colorado City.
- Margaret Formby: She founded the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth.
- George H. Mahon: A U.S. Representative who grew up in Mitchell County. There's a statue honoring him in front of the courthouse.
- Don Maynard: A famous football player who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also graduated from Colorado High School.
See also
