Clear Creek County, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Clear Creek County is one of the 64 counties
of the state of Colorado of the United States
. The county population was 9,322 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat
is Georgetown
. Despite its location in the Rocky Mountains
, Clear Creek County is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
.
) to have persisted with its original boundaries unchanged. It was named after Clear Creek
, which runs down from the continental divide through the county. Idaho Springs
was originally designated the county seat, but the county government was moved to Georgetown
in 1867.
of 2000, there were 9,322 people, 4,019 households, and 2,608 families residing in the county. The population density
was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 5,128 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.37% White
, 0.28% Black
or African American
, 0.73% Native American
, 0.36% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 1.02% from other races
, and 1.20% from two or more races. 3.87% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 4,019 households out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.10% were non-families. 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 32.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 108.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,997, and the median income for a family was $61,400. Males had a median income of $41,667 versus $30,757 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $28,160. About 3.00% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.80% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.
Colorado counties
The U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
of the state of Colorado of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The county population was 9,322 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Georgetown
Georgetown, Colorado
The historic town of Georgetown is a Territorial Charter Municipality that is the county seat of Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains was established in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush...
. Despite its location in the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
, Clear Creek County is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
thumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
.
History
Clear Creek County was one of the original 17 counties created by the Colorado legislature on 1 November 1861, and is one of only two counties (along with GilpinGilpin County, Colorado
Gilpin County is the second least extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Gilpin County was named after Colonel William Gilpin, the first Governor of the Territory of Colorado. The county population was 4,757 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Central City...
) to have persisted with its original boundaries unchanged. It was named after Clear Creek
Clear Creek (Colorado)
Clear Creek is a tributary of the South Platte River, approximately long, in north central Colorado in the United States. The creek flows through Clear Creek Canyon in the Rocky Mountains directly west of Denver, descending through a long gorge to emerge on the Colorado Eastern Plains where it...
, which runs down from the continental divide through the county. Idaho Springs
Idaho Springs, Colorado
The City of Idaho Springs is a municipality in the U.S. state of Colorado that is the most populous settlement in Clear Creek County, Colorado. Idaho Springs is located in Clear Creek Canyon, in the mountains upstream from Golden, some thirty miles west of Denver...
was originally designated the county seat, but the county government was moved to Georgetown
Georgetown, Colorado
The historic town of Georgetown is a Territorial Charter Municipality that is the county seat of Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains was established in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush...
in 1867.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 396.46 square miles (1,026.8 km²), of which 395.45 square miles (1,024.2 km²) (or 99.75%) is land and 1.01 square miles (2.6 km²) (or 0.25%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Jefferson CountyJefferson County, ColoradoJefferson County , whose slogan is the "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains", is the fourth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson County is adjacent to the west side of the state capital, Denver....
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- east - Gilpin CountyGilpin County, ColoradoGilpin County is the second least extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Gilpin County was named after Colonel William Gilpin, the first Governor of the Territory of Colorado. The county population was 4,757 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Central City...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- northeast - Park CountyPark County, ColoradoPark County is the 17th most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named after the large geographic region known as South Park, which was named by early fur traders and trappers in the area. The geographic center of the State of Colorado is...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- south - Summit CountySummit County, ColoradoSummit County is the 19th most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 23,538 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Breckenridge...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- west - Grand CountyGrand County, ColoradoGrand County is the 21st largest of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 12,442 at U.S. Census 2000...
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- northwest
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,322 people, 4,019 households, and 2,608 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 5,128 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.37% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.28% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.73% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.36% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.02% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.20% from two or more races. 3.87% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 4,019 households out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.10% were non-families. 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the county the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 5.60% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 32.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 108.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 110.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $50,997, and the median income for a family was $61,400. Males had a median income of $41,667 versus $30,757 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $28,160. About 3.00% of families and 5.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.80% of those under age 18 and 5.60% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- Downieville-Lawson-DumontDownieville-Lawson-Dumont, ColoradoDownieville-Lawson-Dumont is a census-designated place in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The CDP includes the small unincorporated towns of Downieville, Dumont, and Lawson along Clear Creek and Interstate 70 west of Idaho Springs, Colorado...
- EmpireEmpire, ColoradoThe historic Town of Empire is a Statutory Town located in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The population was 355 at the U.S. Census 2000. The town is a former mining settlement that flourished during the Colorado Silver Boom in the late 19th century. It is located in the valley Clear...
- GeorgetownGeorgetown, ColoradoThe historic town of Georgetown is a Territorial Charter Municipality that is the county seat of Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains was established in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush...
- Idaho SpringsIdaho Springs, ColoradoThe City of Idaho Springs is a municipality in the U.S. state of Colorado that is the most populous settlement in Clear Creek County, Colorado. Idaho Springs is located in Clear Creek Canyon, in the mountains upstream from Golden, some thirty miles west of Denver...
- Silver PlumeSilver Plume, ColoradoThe historic Town of Silver Plume is a Statutory Town located in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. Silver Plume is a former silver mining camp along Clear Creek in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
- St. Mary'sSt. Mary's, ColoradoSt. Mary's is a census-designated place in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States. The population was 251 at the 2000 census and 283 at the 2010 census.-Geography:St...
Historic areas
- Georgetown Loop Historic Mining & Railroad Park
- Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic District
National forests and wilderness
- Pike National ForestPike National ForestThe Pike National Forest is located in the Front Range of Colorado, USA, west of Colorado Springs and including Pikes Peak. The forest encompasses 1,106,604 acres within Clear Creek, Teller, Park, Jefferson, Douglas and El Paso counties. The major rivers draining the forest are the South Platte...
- Roosevelt National ForestRoosevelt National ForestThe Roosevelt National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Colorado. It is contiguous with the Colorado State Forest as well as the Arapaho National Forest...
- James Peak WildernessJames Peak WildernessThe James Peak Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in north central Colorado in the Arapaho and Roosevelt national forests. The wilderness area borders Indian Peaks Wilderness to the north and the James Peak Protection Area to the west.-Geography:...
- Mount Evans WildernessMount Evans WildernessThe Mount Evans Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in Arapaho National Forest and Pike National Forest about 40 miles west of Denver, Colorado...
Scenic trails and byways
- American Discovery TrailAmerican Discovery TrailThe American Discovery Trail is a coast-to-coast hiking and biking trail across the mid-tier of the United States. It starts on the Delmarva Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and ends on the northern California coast on the Pacific Ocean, and is signed on over of trail. This includes the doubled...
- Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
- Grays Peak National Recreation Trail
- Mount Evans National Recreation Trail
- Guanella Pass Scenic Byway
- Mount Evans Scenic BywayMount Evans Scenic BywayThe Mount Evans Scenic Byway begins at the junction of Interstate 70 and State Highway 103 near Idaho Springs, Colorado and continues on State Highway 5 through the Mount Evans Wilderness where it ends near the summit of Mount Evans. The byway is in length and gains over of elevation...
See also
- Arapahoe County, Kansas TerritoryArapahoe County, Kansas TerritoryArapahoe County was a county of the United States Territory of Kansas that existed from 1855-08-25, to 1861-01-29.-History:On 1855-08-25, the Kansas Territorial Legislature created Arapahoe County to govern the western portion of the Territory of Kansas...
- Montana County, Jefferson TerritoryMontana County, Jefferson TerritoryMountain County was a county of the extralegal United States Territory of Jefferson that existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.-History:...
- Colorado census statistical areas
- Colorado countiesColorado countiesThe U.S state of Colorado is divided into 64 counties. Counties are important units of government in Colorado since the state has no secondary civil subdivisions, such as townships...
- Colorado metropolitan areasColorado metropolitan areasThe metropolitan areas of the State of Colorado include the urban statistical areas defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget and regions of urban population defined by other organizations.-Census statistical areas:...
- Colorado municipalitiesColorado municipalitiesThe U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
- Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaDenver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
- Front Range Urban CorridorFront Range Urban CorridorThe Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Clear Creek County, ColoradoNational Register of Historic Places listings in Clear Creek County, ColoradoThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Clear Creek County, Colorado.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Clear Creek County, Colorado, United States...