Deer Trail, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Deer Trail, Colorado
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| Town of Deer Trail | |
| Nickname(s):
"Home of the World's First Rodeo"
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Location of the Town of Deer Trail in the Arapahoe County, Colorado.
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 Deer Trail, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Arapahoe County |
| Platted | 1875 |
| Incorporated | February 3, 1920 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.180 sq mi (3.055 km2) |
| • Land | 1.175 sq mi (3.044 km2) |
| • Water | 0.004 sq mi (0.011 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,190 ft (1,582 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,068 |
| • Density | 909/sq mi (351/km2) |
| • Metro | 2,963,821 (19th) |
| • CSA | 3,623,560 (17th) |
| • | 5,055,344 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
80105
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| Area code(s) | Both 303 and 720 |
| FIPS code | 08-19630 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0185065 |
The Town of Deer Trail is a small town in eastern Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. It is known as a "Statutory Town," which is a specific type of local government. In 2020, about 1,068 people lived there. This was a big jump in population since 2010!
Deer Trail is part of the larger Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. It sits right along Interstate 70, about 55 miles (88 km) east of Denver. A fun fact about Deer Trail is that it's famous for hosting the world's first rodeo exhibition!
Contents
History of Deer Trail
Deer Trail started thanks to the Kansas Pacific Railway. In 1870, the railway built a station here. The town was officially planned out by the railway in 1875. Soon, it became an important place for shipping things like grain, livestock, and eggs.
Growth and Challenges
By the late 1920s, Deer Trail was quite a busy place. It had two banks, five grocery stores, and three hotels. It was even bigger back then than it is today! However, the Great Depression in the 1930s hit the town hard. Many businesses struggled.
Then, in June 1965, a big flood caused even more problems. It badly damaged or destroyed many shops along the main street. Sadly, many of these buildings were never rebuilt.
Home of the First Rodeo
One of the most exciting parts of Deer Trail's history is its connection to rodeos. On July 4, 1869, Deer Trail hosted what is believed to be the very first rodeo exhibition. This makes the town a special place in rodeo history!
Geography of Deer Trail
Deer Trail is located at about 39.615888 degrees North and 104.042967 degrees West. This means it's in a specific spot on the map!
Size of the Town
According to the 2020 United States Census, the town covers a total area of about 3.055 square kilometers (1.18 square miles). Most of this area is land, with a very small part being water.
Population and People
The number of people living in Deer Trail has changed over the years. Here's a quick look at how the population has grown and shrunk:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 390 | — | |
| 1940 | 387 | −0.8% | |
| 1950 | 421 | 8.8% | |
| 1960 | 764 | 81.5% | |
| 1970 | 374 | −51.0% | |
| 1980 | 463 | 23.8% | |
| 1990 | 476 | 2.8% | |
| 2000 | 598 | 25.6% | |
| 2010 | 546 | −8.7% | |
| 2020 | 1,068 | 95.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
In 2000, there were 598 people living in Deer Trail. Most people living in the town were White (96.32%). A small percentage of the population was Hispanic or Latino (2.51%).
Education in Deer Trail
Students in Deer Trail attend schools run by the Deer Trail School District 26J. This district has schools for all age groups:
- Deer Trail Elementary School
- Deer Trail Middle School
- Deer Trail High School
The students and sports teams at these schools are known as the Eagles!
