Walsenburg, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walsenburg, Colorado
La Plaza de los Leones (Plaza of the Leons)
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Walsenburg with the Spanish Peaks in the background.
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| Motto(s):
"A great place to be! Welcome!"
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Location of the City of Walsenburg in Huerfano County, Colorado.
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 Walsenburg, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Colorado |
| County | Huerfano County |
| City | Walsenburg |
| Incorporated | June 16, 1873 |
| Named for | Fred Walsen |
| Government | |
| • Type | Statutory City |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.99 sq mi (7.74 km2) |
| • Land | 2.99 sq mi (7.74 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,300 ft (1,900 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,049 |
| • Density | 1,019.7/sq mi (393.9/km2) |
| Demonym(s) | Walsenburger |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain (MST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code |
81089
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| Area code(s) | 719 |
| FIPS code | 08-82350 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412176 |
Walsenburg is a city in Colorado, United States. It is the main town and the county seat of Huerfano County. In 2020, about 3,049 people lived there.
Contents
History of Walsenburg
Walsenburg was first settled in 1859. It was called La Plaza de los Leones. This name came from Don Miguel Antonio de Leon, who moved there from New Mexico.
A post office opened in Walsenburg in 1870. The town was named after Fred Walsen, an early settler. Robert Ford, a famous gunman, once ran a saloon and gambling house in Walsenburg. His old home can still be seen today.
Coal Mining History
Walsenburg was very important during the Colorado Coalfield War (1913-1914). This was a big strike by coal miners against the Colorado Fuel and Iron company. The company was owned by Rockefeller.
The town saw several battles during this time. One sad event was the Ludlow Massacre on April 20, 1914. This happened about 22 miles south of Walsenburg. During this event, the Colorado National Guard opened fire on a miner's camp. Many people, including women and children, lost their lives.
The Battle of Walsenburg happened on April 28–29, 1914. It was a major fight between the National Guard and people supporting the miners. Several people died before the miners' supporters left. The famous folk singer Woody Guthrie even wrote a song about these events called "Ludlow Massacre".
Another coal strike happened in 1927-1928. Many coal mines in Walsenburg closed during this time. The IWW led this strike.
Recent Events
In 2013, a large wildfire called the East Peak Fire started near Walsenburg. It burned over 13,572 acres (55 km2). The whole city of Walsenburg was ready to evacuate. Firefighters got the fire under control in July.
Geography and Climate
Walsenburg is in the eastern part of Huerfano County. It sits near the Cucharas River and the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Major roads like Interstate 25 and U.S. Route 160 pass through Walsenburg. These roads connect the city to other towns like Pueblo and Trinidad.
The city covers about 2.99 square miles (7.74 km2) of land. The Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center is a hospital and veterans' home located near Walsenburg.
Walsenburg has a climate with hot, rainy summers and cool, snowy winters.
| Climate data for Walsenburg, Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1934–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78 (26) |
75 (24) |
81 (27) |
87 (31) |
98 (37) |
101 (38) |
106 (41) |
99 (37) |
98 (37) |
92 (33) |
91 (33) |
79 (26) |
106 (41) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 65.6 (18.7) |
66.1 (18.9) |
74.2 (23.4) |
79.5 (26.4) |
87.0 (30.6) |
95.0 (35.0) |
96.4 (35.8) |
93.7 (34.3) |
90.4 (32.4) |
83.3 (28.5) |
72.9 (22.7) |
65.1 (18.4) |
97.3 (36.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47.3 (8.5) |
49.3 (9.6) |
57.1 (13.9) |
63.4 (17.4) |
72.5 (22.5) |
83.5 (28.6) |
87.4 (30.8) |
85.1 (29.5) |
79.2 (26.2) |
68.4 (20.2) |
55.9 (13.3) |
46.5 (8.1) |
66.3 (19.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 34.0 (1.1) |
35.4 (1.9) |
42.1 (5.6) |
48.5 (9.2) |
57.6 (14.2) |
67.7 (19.8) |
72.5 (22.5) |
70.6 (21.4) |
63.6 (17.6) |
52.5 (11.4) |
41.8 (5.4) |
33.4 (0.8) |
51.6 (10.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.7 (−6.3) |
21.5 (−5.8) |
27.2 (−2.7) |
33.6 (0.9) |
42.7 (5.9) |
51.8 (11.0) |
57.5 (14.2) |
56.2 (13.4) |
48.0 (8.9) |
36.6 (2.6) |
27.7 (−2.4) |
20.4 (−6.4) |
37.0 (2.8) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −1.3 (−18.5) |
0.1 (−17.7) |
9.1 (−12.7) |
18.3 (−7.6) |
29.6 (−1.3) |
41.5 (5.3) |
49.8 (9.9) |
48.3 (9.1) |
34.9 (1.6) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
9.0 (−12.8) |
−2.5 (−19.2) |
−7.7 (−22.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −36 (−38) |
−25 (−32) |
−14 (−26) |
−2 (−19) |
14 (−10) |
30 (−1) |
41 (5) |
37 (3) |
21 (−6) |
−2 (−19) |
−19 (−28) |
−27 (−33) |
−36 (−38) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.83 (21) |
0.82 (21) |
1.72 (44) |
2.26 (57) |
1.82 (46) |
1.28 (33) |
2.24 (57) |
2.15 (55) |
0.85 (22) |
1.31 (33) |
1.00 (25) |
1.01 (26) |
17.29 (439) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.5 (27) |
12.8 (33) |
17.4 (44) |
15.1 (38) |
2.0 (5.1) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.5 (1.3) |
7.2 (18) |
12.7 (32) |
13.4 (34) |
91.6 (233) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 4.2 | 5.1 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 7.7 | 6.3 | 9.9 | 10.5 | 5.7 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 4.9 | 77.5 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 4.2 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.4 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 28.8 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Fun Things to Do in Walsenburg
There are many fun places to visit and things to do around Walsenburg!
Lathrop State Park
Lathrop State Park is Colorado's first state park. It is located just west of Walsenburg. The park is huge, covering over 1,600 acres (6.5 km2). You can go fishing, water skiing, boating, and jet skiing on Martin Lake and Horseshoe Lake. There are also trails for hiking and places to camp. It's the only state park in Colorado with a golf course!
Spanish Peaks and Scenic Drives
The Spanish Peaks are about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Walsenburg. They are a national landmark and one of "Colorado's Seven Wonders." The Highway of Legends is a beautiful scenic road. It connects Walsenburg to other historic mining towns and Trinidad.
Local Recreation
The Walsenburg Golf Course has 9 holes and is open all year. The city also has a water park called "Walsenburg Wild Waters." It opened in 2007 and is a great place to cool off in the summer.
Population of Walsenburg
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 377 | — | |
| 1890 | 928 | 146.2% | |
| 1900 | 1,033 | 11.3% | |
| 1910 | 2,423 | 134.6% | |
| 1920 | 3,565 | 47.1% | |
| 1930 | 5,503 | 54.4% | |
| 1940 | 5,855 | 6.4% | |
| 1950 | 5,596 | −4.4% | |
| 1960 | 5,071 | −9.4% | |
| 1970 | 4,329 | −14.6% | |
| 1980 | 3,945 | −8.9% | |
| 1990 | 3,300 | −16.3% | |
| 2000 | 4,182 | 26.7% | |
| 2010 | 3,068 | −26.6% | |
| 2020 | 3,049 | −0.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The number of people living in Walsenburg has changed over the years. In 2020, the population was 3,049.
Education in Walsenburg
John Mall High School is the main high school in Walsenburg. It is the only high school in the Huerfano District Re-1. In the 2021–2022 school year, 137 students attended the school.
About 56% of the students were boys and 44% were girls. There were 27 students for every teacher. This is higher than the Colorado state average of 15 students per teacher. Most students (66%) were from minority groups, with many being Hispanic. The graduation rate for the school is between 70% and 79%. This is a bit lower than the state average of 80%.
Getting Around Walsenburg
Transportation Options
Greyhound Lines buses stop in Walsenburg. You can take a bus from here to Denver or Albuquerque. Walsenburg is also part of Colorado's Bustang network. It is on the Trinidad-Pueblo Outrider bus line.
Famous People from Walsenburg
Many notable people have lived in or were born in Walsenburg. Here are a few:
- Xavier Atencio (1919–2017), an animator who worked on Disney films.
- Robert Ford (1861–1892), a famous gunman.
- Mary Harris "Mother Jones" (1837–1930), a well-known labor organizer.
- Matthew G. Martínez (1929–2011), who served as a U.S. Representative from California.
- Roy Porter (1923–1998), a jazz drummer.
- Fred Walsen (1841-1906), the city's founder and a former Colorado State Treasurer.
See also
In Spanish: Walsenburg para niños
