Keota, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keota
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Remains of the Keota church, 2010
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 Keota
Location in Colorado
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| Country | USA |
| State | Colorado |
| County | Weld |
| Established | 1880 |
Keota is a town in Colorado, USA, that is mostly empty today. It sits on the wide-open prairie in the Pawnee National Grasslands in Weld County.
The town is about 50 miles east of Fort Collins. It is also near the Pawnee Buttes, which are tall rock formations. These buttes are important places where birds like hawks, falcons, and eagles build their nests. Keota is located about 4,964 feet (1,513 meters) above sea level.
The Story of Keota
Keota began as a small settlement in 1880. Two sisters, Mary and Eva Beardsley, started it as a homestead. In 1888, they sold the land to the Lincoln Land and Cattle Company.
Keota was once an important stop for the "Old Prairie Dog Express." This was a train line run by the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad. The railroad was mainly used to ship cattle from Cheyenne to Sterling. However, the railroad stopped running in 1970. By 1982, the tracks were completely removed.
Over the years, Keota had a few newspapers. They were published at different times between 1908 and 1975. A post office opened briefly in 1890. It then reopened in 1909 and finally closed in 1974. The town's school started in 1888 but closed around 1951. The school building was torn down in the 1950s, but you can still see its foundation. In 1990, Keota was no longer officially an incorporated town. The last family who helped maintain the roads, the Dean Bivens family, moved away in 1999.
Interestingly, the town of Line Camp in James A. Michener's famous novel Centennial was inspired by Keota.
Keota Today
As of 2008, a few people still live in modern houses around the historic town area. You can still see some parts of the old general store and several houses. There are also foundations of old buildings, including the schoolhouse, on the north side of town.
Water in Keota
The old Keota water tower is still standing today. However, it no longer works and is not safe for storing drinking water for people. Because Keota was so far away on Colorado's eastern plains, water used to be brought to the town by train cars.
