Fountain, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fountain, Colorado
|
|
|---|---|
| City of Fountain | |
Fountain, Colorado circa 1942.
|
|
| Motto(s):
"Pure Colorado"
|
|
Location of the City of Fountain in El Paso County, Colorado.
|
|
 Fountain, Colorado
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | El Paso County |
| Home rule municipality | April 23, 1903 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home rule municipality |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.526 sq mi (58.341 km2) |
| • Land | 22.501 sq mi (58.277 km2) |
| • Water | 0.025 sq mi (0.064 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,545 ft (1,690 m) |
| Population
(2020)
|
|
| • Total | 29,802 |
| • Density | 1,324/sq mi (511/km2) |
| • Metro | 755,105 (79th) |
| • Front Range | 5,055,344 |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
80817
|
| Area code(s) | 719 |
| FIPS code | 08-27865 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0193616 |
| Major Routes |      |
| Website | City of Fountain |
The City of Fountain is a home rule municipality located in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 29,802 at the 2020 United States Census, a +15.31% increase since the 2010 United States Census. Fountain is a part of the Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor.
Fountain is located 10 miles (16 km) south of downtown Colorado Springs and just east of Fort Carson. Fountain and the Colorado Springs suburbs Security and Widefield make up the "Fountain Valley" community.
Contents
History
Fountain was built in 1859 as a railroad shipping center for local ranches and farms. The town was named for Fountain Creek, and was incorporated in 1900.
In 1999, Fountain was chosen as "America's Millennium City" by the New York Times. Fountain was named an "All-America City" in 2002 by the National Civic League. The city is the home of Pikes Peak International Raceway.
Geography
Fountain is located at 38°41′38″N 104°41′53″W / 38.69389°N 104.69806°W (38.693787, -104.698156).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 24.0 square miles (62.2 km2), of which 24.0 square miles (62.1 km2) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.15%, is water. The eponymous Fountain Creek flows south through the city.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 99 | — | |
| 1910 | 431 | — | |
| 1920 | 595 | 38.1% | |
| 1930 | 577 | −3.0% | |
| 1940 | 571 | −1.0% | |
| 1950 | 713 | 24.9% | |
| 1960 | 1,602 | 124.7% | |
| 1970 | 3,515 | 119.4% | |
| 1980 | 8,324 | 136.8% | |
| 1990 | 9,984 | 19.9% | |
| 2000 | 15,197 | 52.2% | |
| 2010 | 25,846 | 70.1% | |
| 2020 | 29,802 | 15.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the census of 2000, there were 15,197 people, 5,039 households, and 4,061 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,085.7 people per square mile (419.1/km2). There were 5,219 housing units at an average density of 372.9 per square mile (143.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.07% White, 8.74% African American, 1.41% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.55% Pacific Islander, 6.71% from other races, and 5.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.06% of the population.
There were 5,039 households, out of which 49.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,121, and the median income for a family was $44,735. Males had a median income of $31,192 versus $24,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,975. About 5.9% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over.
History: The Blast
A tremendous train wreck, "The Blast", as it is now known, occurred in Fountain during the spring of 1888. Just after three in the morning on May 14, 1888, a freight train carrying eighteen tons of explosives and a passenger train collided in the city. The accident killed three people: Charles F. Smith, a Fountain lumber dealer originally from Keokuk, Iowa, Henry Hutchins, a Fountain merchant and Mrs. Sarah Widrig a local hat maker from Fountain.
The blast from the collision created a very loud explosion that could be heard from miles away. The crash destroyed a nearby church, a grocery store and created a large crater in the ground forty feet in diameter and fifteen feet deep.
The cause of the wreck was attributed to a pair of unruly vagrants who were kicked off of the freight train north of Fountain in Colorado Springs.
"The Blast" remains a legendary event in the city's history. It is commemorated with an annual street dance held at Fountain's City Hall Plaza each July.
In the news
In 2014, Hollywood star Kevin Bacon began filming his newest movie, Cop Car, in Fountain.
Transportation
Fountain has a municipal run bus that links the city with Pikes Peak Community College. Fountain is also part of the Bustang network, which provides it intercity transportation. It is along the Lamar-Pueblo-Colorado Springs Outrider line.
Notable people
- Chase Headley, MLB – New York Yankees
- Peter La Farge, singer-songwriter ("The Ballad of Ira Hayes"), raised and buried in Fountain
- Phil Loadholt, NFL – Minnesota Vikings
- John Coachman Crews, Justice of the Peace during World War II, and nephew of C.C. Crews
- Jon Watts, film director
- Pete Nelson, tree house designer and builder
See also
In Spanish: Fountain (Colorado) para niños
