Thurman, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thurman, Colorado
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 Thurman, Colorado
Location in Colorado
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  State of Colorado |
| County | Washington County |
| Established | About 1902 |
| Elevation | 4,876 ft (1,486 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP Code |
80801
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| GNIS feature ID | 0195021 |
Thurman is a small, quiet community in Washington County, Colorado, USA. It is an unincorporated hamlet, which means it's a small settlement without its own local government. Thurman started as a settlement for people of the Mennonite faith. Today, there are no shops or services in Thurman, and only a few farm houses remain.
History of Thurman
Thurman began around 1902. Its post office opened in 1904 but closed in 1924. Now, mail for Thurman goes through the post office in Anton. Thurman once had over 150 residents. However, its population decreased after a powerful tornado hit in 1924. By the 1970s, many of the Mennonite families had moved, even taking their church building with them to Joes, Colorado.
Where is Thurman Located?
Thurman is found at 39°59′06″N 103°21′07″W / 39.98500°N 103.35194°W. It sits where two unpaved county roads, County Roads 3 and CC, meet. This spot is about 9 miles south of Anton in southern Washington County. It's also about 6 miles north of the Lincoln county line.
The Great Thurman Tornado of 1924
On Sunday, August 10, 1924, a very hot day ended with a terrible storm. After some rain, the sky became quiet, but the clouds turned very dark. Around 1:00 pm, two local farmers saw a huge tornado, about half a mile wide, moving towards Thurman.
This tornado, which traveled northeast, hit Thurman with winds over 210 miles per hour. It destroyed almost every building in the community. Experts believe it was an F4 or even a low-end F5 tornado. Sadly, it caused the deaths of 10 people, making it the deadliest tornado in Colorado's history.
After the tornado, many people who survived moved to nearby towns, and the post office closed. Today, only the cemetery remains as a reminder of the original Thurman community.
