Greeley, Colorado
Encyclopedia
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat
and the most populous city of Weld County
, Colorado
, United States
. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado
. Greeley is situated 49 miles (79 km) north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol
in Denver
. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 92,889. Greeley is the 12th most populous city in the State of Colorado
. Greeley is a major city of the large Front Range Urban Corridor
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 30 square miles (77.7 km²), of which 29.9 square miles (77.4 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.30%) is water.
Greeley is bordered on the south by the towns of Evans
and Garden City
, and the three together are often collectively (although incorrectly) referred to as "Greeley". The Greeley/Evans area is bounded on the south by the South Platte River
, and the Cache la Poudre River
flows through north Greeley. The intersection of U.S. Highways 85 and 34 is often cited as the location of Greeley, although the actual point of intersection lies within the city limits of Evans. Greeley contains the western terminus of State Highway 257
and borders State Highway 392
on the north.
BSk). High temperatures are generally around 90°F-95°F (32°C) in the summer and 40°F-45°F (4°C) in the winter, although there is significant variation. The hottest days generally occur around the third week of July and the coldest in January. Nighttime lows are near 60°F (16°C) in the summer and around 15°F-20°F (-9°C) in the winter. Record high temperatures of 106°F (41°C) have been recorded, as have record low temperatures of -25°F (-32°C). The first freeze typically occurs around October 10 and the last can be as late as May 1. Extratropical cyclone
s which disrupt the weather for the eastern two-thirds of the US often originate in or near Colorado, which means Greeley does not experience many fully developed storm systems. Warm fronts, sleet, and freezing rain are practically non-existent here. In addition, the city's proximity to the Rocky Mountains
and lower elevation, compared to the mountains west of the city, result in less precipitation and fewer thunderstorm
s. This is paradoxical, because adjacent areas (mostly farmland) experience between 7 and 9 hail
days per year.
The climate in Greeley, as well as all of Colorado, is extremely dry. The Chinook wind
s coming off the mountains often raise temperatures to near 70°F (21°C) in January and February, and sometimes to near 90°F (32°C) in April. Greeley's elevation and low year-round humidity means that nighttime low temperatures are practically never above 68°F (20°C), even in the very hottest part of the summer. The diurnal temperature range is usually rather wide, with a 50-degree (Fahrenheit) difference between daytime high and nighttime low not uncommon, especially in the spring and fall months. Rapid fluctuation in temperature is also common – a sunny 80°F (27°C) October afternoon can easily give way to a 28°F (-2°C) night.
of 2000, there were 76,930 people, 27,647 households, and 17,694 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,572.5 people per square mile (993.4/km²). There were 28,972 housing units at an average density of 968.8 per square mile (374.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.4% White, 1.87% African American, 0.83% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 13.77% from other races
, and 2.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.49% of the population.
There were 27,647 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were married couples
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 19.0% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,414, and the median income for a family was $45,904. Males had a median income of $32,800 versus $24,691 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,775. About 10.1% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
and Norteños
, and each gang has smaller units or cliques that consist of Greeley's gangs. Most all gang members, gang violence, and crime in Greeley occurs on the north, east and southeast side of the city. Some of the city's larger Sureno gangs are the Sur Town Locos, La Vatos Trece, Mexican Pride Surenos,Mexican Clicka Trece, and South Side Pride. The larger Norteno gangs are the North Side Locos, Red Rag Gang, Varrio North Town, Kiwanis Park Familia, and North Side Assassins. Crime in the Greeley metropolitan area came to national attention in 2010, when a Weld County sheriff's deputy was shot and killed in Evans
by Reuben Reyes after an automobile pursuit. Reyes was a known member of a Sureños
gang in Greeley.
, the outsourcing company StarTek, and the contractor Hensel Phelps Construction
.
born in Colorado, a girl. Fort Latham was the headquarters of the government troops during the Indian troubles of 1860-64 and the county seat (the post office being called Latham).
, which was founded in 1869 as an experimental utopian community "based on temperance, religion, agriculture, education and family values." by Nathan C. Meeker, a newspaper reporter from New York City
. Meeker purchased a site at the confluence of the Cache la Poudre and South Platte
Rivers (that included the area of Latham, an Overland Trail station), halfway between Cheyenne
and Denver
along the tracks of the Denver Pacific Railroad formerly known as the "Island Grove Ranch." The name Union Colony was later changed to Greeley in honor of Horace Greeley
, who was Meeker's editor at the New York Tribune
, and popularized the phrase "Go West, young man
".
attended Colorado State College of Education
, now the University of Northern Colorado
, from 1936–1937. He was a Social Science educator at the Training School and at the College from 1936-1941. He conceived the idea for his acclaimed 1976 novel Centennial
during his stay in Greeley, basing it on the real history of the town and the Colorado region.
Egypt
ian Islamist Sayyid Qutb
studied at the Colorado State College of Education in 1949. In The America I Have Seen (1951), he portrays Greeley as a hotbed of debauchery, rife with "naked legs" and "animal-like" mixing of the sexes.
Connie Willis
, author of The Doomsday Book and other novels, currently lives in Greeley.
, and Northridge High School
, are in and serve Greeley. There are also 3 charter schools (University Schools, Frontier Academy, Union Colony Preparatory School).
There are at least five private schools inside the Greeley city limits: Trinity Lutheran School, St. Mary Catholic School, Dayspring Christian Academy, Shepherd of the Hills, and Mountain View Academy.
, Academy of Natural Therapy, University of Northern Colorado
and Institute of Business & Medical Careers
.
based out of Phoenix
, Arizona
.
The hospital recently expanded its facilities and added a new addition which expanded its emergency room and increased the amount of rooms available for patients in other departments.
On June 23, 2011 It was announced that Poudre Valley Health Systems and the University of Colorado Medical School announced a pending joint operations agreement. If approved, it would overtake NCMC as the largest regional hospital in Northern Colorado. In 2010, Greeley Medical Clinic, the largest and oldest medical group in Greeley announced it was affiliating with PVHS.
in Greeley and at 5 other Swift plants in western states, interviewing illegal workers and hauling hundreds off in buses.
Greeley was featured in the books Fast Food Nation
and Chew on This
by Eric Schlosser
.
In August 2010, Leprino Foods
announced plans for a new $270 million factory in Greeley which could employ up to 500 people. Construction began in July 2010.
On November 16, 2011, Greeley was featured in an episode of South Park
entitled The Poor Kid
. Eric Cartman
and Kenny McCormick
were placed in a foster home in Greeley and forced to attend Greeley Elementary school. Cattle were featured prominently in many scenes, and a town sign welcoming visitors described Greeley as "The Exact Opposite of Hawaii".
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....
and the most populous city of Weld County
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado 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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado
Northern Colorado is a region in the northern portion of Colorado. It borders Northwestern Colorado, Northeastern Colorado, the north portion of Central Colorado, and the northwest state of Wyoming. Northern Colorado receives over 300 days of sunshine per year, and has a Semi-arid climate...
. Greeley is situated 49 miles (79 km) north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, is the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of Colorado and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. Designed...
in Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 92,889. Greeley is the 12th most populous city in the State of Colorado
Colorado
Colorado 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...
. Greeley is a major city of the large Front Range Urban Corridor
Front Range Urban Corridor
The 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...
.
Geography
Greeley is located at 40°24′54"N 104°43′26"W (40.415119, -104.723988). Elevation above sea level is 4,658 feet.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 30 square miles (77.7 km²), of which 29.9 square miles (77.4 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.30%) is water.
Greeley is bordered on the south by the towns of Evans
Evans, Colorado
The City of Evans is a Home Rule Municipality located in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 9,514 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 18,842 as of July 1, 2008, by the Census Bureau...
and Garden City
Garden City, Colorado
The Town of Garden City is a Statutory Town located in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 357 at the 2000 census. With a total are less than one square mile, it is literally surrounded by the cities of Greeley, Colorado and Evans, Colorado....
, and the three together are often collectively (although incorrectly) referred to as "Greeley". The Greeley/Evans area is bounded on the south by the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
, and the Cache la Poudre River
Cache La Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River is in the state of Colorado in the United States.Its headwaters are in the Front Range in Larimer County, in the northern part of Rocky Mountain National Park. The river descends eastward in the mountains through the Roosevelt National Forest in Poudre Canyon...
flows through north Greeley. The intersection of U.S. Highways 85 and 34 is often cited as the location of Greeley, although the actual point of intersection lies within the city limits of Evans. Greeley contains the western terminus of State Highway 257
Colorado State Highway 257
Colorado State Highway 257 is a 18.478-mile long highway in Colorado's Front Range. It is located entirely in Weld County. Its western end is at SH 60 and its eastern end is at SH 14.-Route description:...
and borders State Highway 392
Colorado State Highway 392
State Highway 392 is a long state highway in northern Colorado. SH 392 begins at a junction with U.S. Highway 287 south of Fort Collins and proceeds eastward. It intersects I-25 at Exit 262 and continues east through the towns of Windsor and Lucerne. The highway continues northeast and serves...
on the north.
Climate
Greeley experiences a semi-arid climate (KöppenKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
BSk). High temperatures are generally around 90°F-95°F (32°C) in the summer and 40°F-45°F (4°C) in the winter, although there is significant variation. The hottest days generally occur around the third week of July and the coldest in January. Nighttime lows are near 60°F (16°C) in the summer and around 15°F-20°F (-9°C) in the winter. Record high temperatures of 106°F (41°C) have been recorded, as have record low temperatures of -25°F (-32°C). The first freeze typically occurs around October 10 and the last can be as late as May 1. Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
s which disrupt the weather for the eastern two-thirds of the US often originate in or near Colorado, which means Greeley does not experience many fully developed storm systems. Warm fronts, sleet, and freezing rain are practically non-existent here. In addition, the city's proximity to 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...
and lower elevation, compared to the mountains west of the city, result in less precipitation and fewer thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm, a lightning storm, thundershower or simply a storm is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder. The meteorologically assigned cloud type associated with the...
s. This is paradoxical, because adjacent areas (mostly farmland) experience between 7 and 9 hail
Hail
Hail is a form of solid precipitation. It consists of balls or irregular lumps of ice, each of which is referred to as a hail stone. Hail stones on Earth consist mostly of water ice and measure between and in diameter, with the larger stones coming from severe thunderstorms...
days per year.
The climate in Greeley, as well as all of Colorado, is extremely dry. The Chinook wind
Chinook wind
Chinook winds , often called chinooks, commonly refers to foehn winds in the interior West of North America, where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.Chinook is claimed...
s coming off the mountains often raise temperatures to near 70°F (21°C) in January and February, and sometimes to near 90°F (32°C) in April. Greeley's elevation and low year-round humidity means that nighttime low temperatures are practically never above 68°F (20°C), even in the very hottest part of the summer. The diurnal temperature range is usually rather wide, with a 50-degree (Fahrenheit) difference between daytime high and nighttime low not uncommon, especially in the spring and fall months. Rapid fluctuation in temperature is also common – a sunny 80°F (27°C) October afternoon can easily give way to a 28°F (-2°C) night.
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 76,930 people, 27,647 households, and 17,694 families residing in the city. 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 2,572.5 people per square mile (993.4/km²). There were 28,972 housing units at an average density of 968.8 per square mile (374.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 55.4% White, 1.87% African American, 0.83% Native American, 1.15% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 13.77% 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 2.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.49% of the population.
There were 27,647 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% 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, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 19.0% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,414, and the median income for a family was $45,904. Males had a median income of $32,800 versus $24,691 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 city was $17,775. About 10.1% of families and 16.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
The crime rate (per 100,000 people) tends to be slightly above average. In 2004, Greeley reported six murders, 58 rapes, 58 robberies, 316 aggravated assaults, 854 burglaries, 3,891 larceny thefts, and 430 auto thefts. Greeley police report that there are roughly 450 gang members and about 25 different gangs in Greeley. The two main gangs are SureñosSureños
Sureños are a group of Mexican American street gangs with origins in the oldest barrios of Southern California. Although they are based in California, the influence of the Sureños has spread to many parts of the US and other countries as well such as Germany and Japan...
and Norteños
Norteños
The Norteños , also Norte, are affiliated with Nuestra Familia , are a coalition of traditionally Latino gangs in Northern California A member of these gangs is a Norteño or Norteña based on Spanish usage...
, and each gang has smaller units or cliques that consist of Greeley's gangs. Most all gang members, gang violence, and crime in Greeley occurs on the north, east and southeast side of the city. Some of the city's larger Sureno gangs are the Sur Town Locos, La Vatos Trece, Mexican Pride Surenos,Mexican Clicka Trece, and South Side Pride. The larger Norteno gangs are the North Side Locos, Red Rag Gang, Varrio North Town, Kiwanis Park Familia, and North Side Assassins. Crime in the Greeley metropolitan area came to national attention in 2010, when a Weld County sheriff's deputy was shot and killed in Evans
Evans, Colorado
The City of Evans is a Home Rule Municipality located in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 9,514 at the 2000 census, and estimated at 18,842 as of July 1, 2008, by the Census Bureau...
by Reuben Reyes after an automobile pursuit. Reyes was a known member of a Sureños
Sureños
Sureños are a group of Mexican American street gangs with origins in the oldest barrios of Southern California. Although they are based in California, the influence of the Sureños has spread to many parts of the US and other countries as well such as Germany and Japan...
gang in Greeley.
Economy
Among the companies based in Greeley are the meatpacker Swift & CompanySwift & Company
Swift & Company is an American food procession company a wholly owned subsidiary of JBS S.A. , a Brazilian company that is the world's largest processor of fresh beef and pork, with more than US$30 billion in annual sales as of 2010. It is also the largest beef processor in Australia.Swift &...
, the outsourcing company StarTek, and the contractor Hensel Phelps Construction
Hensel Phelps Construction
Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is one of the largest general contractors and construction managers in the United States, ranked consistently among ENR's top 20 Contractors....
.
Largest Employers
According to the City's 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the largest employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JBS JBS S.A. JBS is the largest Brazilian multinational in the food industry, producing fresh, chilled, and processed beef, chicken and pork, and also selling by-products from the processing of these meats. It is headquartered in São Paulo."." JBS S.A. Retrieved on February 3, 2011... Swift & Company Swift & Company Swift & Company is an American food procession company a wholly owned subsidiary of JBS S.A. , a Brazilian company that is the world's largest processor of fresh beef and pork, with more than US$30 billion in annual sales as of 2010. It is also the largest beef processor in Australia.Swift &... |
4,192 |
| 2 | North Colorado Medical Center Banner health Banner Health is a non-profit health system in the United States, based in Phoenix, Arizona. It operates 23 hospitals as well as specialized facilities... |
2,889 |
| 3 | Weld County School District Six Weld County School District Six Weld County School District Six is a school district headquartered in Greeley, Colorado, United States. The district serves most of the City of Greeley, the City of Evans, the Town of Garden City, and unincorporated areas in Weld County, including Auburn.... |
2,189 |
| 4 | U.S. Government Federal government of the United States The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and... |
1,400 |
| 5 | County of Weld Weld County, Colorado As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile... |
1,383 |
| 6 | State Farm State farm State farm can refer to:*Sovkhoz, a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union*Volkseigenes Gut, a type of state-owned farm in East Germany*Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne, a type of state-owned farm in People's Republic of Poland... |
1,350 |
| 7 | City of Greeley | 1,130 |
| 8 | Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... |
1,015 |
| 9 | Aims Community College Aims Community College Aims Community College is a two-year college serving northern Colorado with three campuses in Greeley, Fort Lupton and Loveland. Aims offers more than 160 degree and certificate programs and provides many diverse programs as both day and night classes. Aims was founded in 1967 and the first class... |
874 |
| 10 | StarTek | 702 |
History
Latham
Greeley is located in (or just west of) the area previously occupied by the Overland Trail station of Latham (originally called the Cherokee City Station). The Latham station (also known as Fort Latham) was built in 1862 and named in honor of Milton S. Latham, one of California's early senators. The stagecoach station was at the confluence of the South Platte River and the Cache la Poudre River. The web site www.Over-Land.com describes it as "probably the most important and busiest facility on the Overland Trail" (since it was a river crossing and a junction point for the spur of the Trail south to Denver). It is believed that here occurred the birth of the first white childFirst white child
The birth of the first white child was a celebrated occasion across many parts of the New World. Such births are a matter of pride for many townships, and they are commemorated with plaques and monuments at the location of the event. The birth was seen as such an honor that it was at times...
born in Colorado, a girl. Fort Latham was the headquarters of the government troops during the Indian troubles of 1860-64 and the county seat (the post office being called Latham).
Union Colony
Greeley began as the Union ColonyUnion Colony of Colorado
The Union Colony of Colorado was a 19th century U.S. private enterprise formed to promote agricultural settlement in the South Platte River valley in the Colorado Territory...
, which was founded in 1869 as an experimental utopian community "based on temperance, religion, agriculture, education and family values." by Nathan C. Meeker, a newspaper reporter from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Meeker purchased a site at the confluence of the Cache la Poudre and South Platte
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
Rivers (that included the area of Latham, an Overland Trail station), halfway between Cheyenne
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
and Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
along the tracks of the Denver Pacific Railroad formerly known as the "Island Grove Ranch." The name Union Colony was later changed to Greeley in honor of Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, who was Meeker's editor at the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, and popularized the phrase "Go West, young man
Go West, young man
"Go West, young man" is a popular saying in the United States about Manifest Destiny popularized by American author Horace Greeley.Greeley favored westward expansion. He saw the fertile farmland of the west as an ideal place for people willing to work hard for the opportunity to succeed...
".
Writers
James A. MichenerJames A. Michener
James Albert Michener was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which were sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating historical facts into the stories...
attended Colorado State College of Education
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
, now the University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
, from 1936–1937. He was a Social Science educator at the Training School and at the College from 1936-1941. He conceived the idea for his acclaimed 1976 novel Centennial
Centennial (novel)
Centennial is a novel by American author James A. Michener, published in 1974.Centennial traces the history of the plains of northeast Colorado from prehistory until the early 1970s. Geographic details about the fictional town of Centennial and its surroundings indicate that the region is in...
during his stay in Greeley, basing it on the real history of the town and the Colorado region.
Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian Islamist Sayyid Qutb
Sayyid Qutb
Sayyid Qutb was an Egyptian author, educator, Islamist theorist, poet, and the leading member of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood in the 1950s and '60s....
studied at the Colorado State College of Education in 1949. In The America I Have Seen (1951), he portrays Greeley as a hotbed of debauchery, rife with "naked legs" and "animal-like" mixing of the sexes.
Connie Willis
Connie Willis
Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for Blackout/All Clear...
, author of The Doomsday Book and other novels, currently lives in Greeley.
Primary and secondary schools
Most areas in Greeley lie in Weld County School District 6. Three high schools, Greeley Central High School, Greeley West High SchoolGreeley West High School
Greeley West High School is located in Greeley, Colorado, USA, on 35th Avenue and West 24th Street. The school was established in 1966 and had an enrollment of 1,450 students in the 2003-04 school year...
, and Northridge High School
Northridge High School (Colorado)
Northridge High School is located in Greeley, Colorado, United States and is a part of Weld County School District 6. Northridge was established in 2000.-External links:*...
, are in and serve Greeley. There are also 3 charter schools (University Schools, Frontier Academy, Union Colony Preparatory School).
There are at least five private schools inside the Greeley city limits: Trinity Lutheran School, St. Mary Catholic School, Dayspring Christian Academy, Shepherd of the Hills, and Mountain View Academy.
Colleges and universities
Greeley is also home to Aims Community CollegeAims Community College
Aims Community College is a two-year college serving northern Colorado with three campuses in Greeley, Fort Lupton and Loveland. Aims offers more than 160 degree and certificate programs and provides many diverse programs as both day and night classes. Aims was founded in 1967 and the first class...
, Academy of Natural Therapy, University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado
-Organization:The University of Northern Colorado offers 100 undergraduate programs and more than 100 graduate programs. The university has a satellite campus in Denver, Colorado...
and Institute of Business & Medical Careers
Institute of Business & Medical Careers
The Institute of Business & Medical Careers is a College located in Fort Collins, Colorado, with further campuses in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Longmont and Greeley, Colorado...
.
Health care
North Colorado Medical Center is the primary medical facility for Weld County. The hospital opened in 1904 as the Greeley Hospital. The name of the facility evolved over the years to Weld County General Hospital and that became North Colorado Medical Center. The Center is operated by Banner HealthBanner health
Banner Health is a non-profit health system in the United States, based in Phoenix, Arizona. It operates 23 hospitals as well as specialized facilities...
based out of Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
The hospital recently expanded its facilities and added a new addition which expanded its emergency room and increased the amount of rooms available for patients in other departments.
On June 23, 2011 It was announced that Poudre Valley Health Systems and the University of Colorado Medical School announced a pending joint operations agreement. If approved, it would overtake NCMC as the largest regional hospital in Northern Colorado. In 2010, Greeley Medical Clinic, the largest and oldest medical group in Greeley announced it was affiliating with PVHS.
Greeley in the news
On December 12, 2006 the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E) staged a coordinated predawn raid at the Swift & Co meat packing plantMeat packing industry
The meat packing industry handles the slaughtering, processing, packaging, and distribution of animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock...
in Greeley and at 5 other Swift plants in western states, interviewing illegal workers and hauling hundreds off in buses.
Greeley was featured in the books Fast Food Nation
Fast Food Nation
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal is a book by investigative journalist Eric Schlosser that examines the local and global influence of the United States fast food industry....
and Chew on This
Chew on This
Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know about Fast Food is an adaptation of Fast Food Nation for younger readers by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson.- Plot summary:...
by Eric Schlosser
Eric Schlosser
Eric Schlosser is an American journalist and author known for investigative journalism, such as in his books Fast Food Nation, Reefer Madness and Chew On This.- Personal History :...
.
In August 2010, Leprino Foods
Leprino Foods
Leprino Foods is a cheese company heaquartered in Denver, Colorado, USA. It is the world's largest maker of mozzarella.-Overview:It was founded in 1950 as small, family-owned market selling grocery items and handmade cheese in Denver. It was first sold under the Gina Marie brand...
announced plans for a new $270 million factory in Greeley which could employ up to 500 people. Construction began in July 2010.
On November 16, 2011, Greeley was featured in an episode of South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
entitled The Poor Kid
The Poor Kid
"The Poor Kid" is the fifteenth season finale of the American animated television series South Park, and the 223rd episode of the series overall. It first aired on Comedy Central in the United States on November 16, 2011. In the episode, Kenny and his brother and sister are sent to a foster home...
. Eric Cartman
Eric Cartman
Eric Theodore Cartman is a fictional character in the American animated television series South Park. One of four main characters, along with Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Kenny McCormick, he is generally referred to within the series by his last name...
and Kenny McCormick
Kenny McCormick
Kenneth "Kenny" McCormick is a fictional character in the animated television series South Park. He is one of the four central characters along with his friends Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, and Eric Cartman. His oft-muffled and indiscernible speech—the result of his parka hood covering his...
were placed in a foster home in Greeley and forced to attend Greeley Elementary school. Cattle were featured prominently in many scenes, and a town sign welcoming visitors described Greeley as "The Exact Opposite of Hawaii".
Notable residents
- Reed DoughtyReed DoughtyReed Doughty is an American football safety for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was drafted in round six, pick 173 of the 2006 NFL Draft...
NFL Safety for the Washington Redskins.
- Shawn ChaconShawn ChacónShawn Anthony Chacón is a Major League pitcher, currently a free agent. He last played in the Majors for the Houston Astros...
, professional baseball player drafted by the Rockies - Anthony DexterAnthony DexterAnthony John "Tony" Dexter was an American actor known for his resemblance of Rudolph Valentino, whom he portrayed in the 1951 biographic Valentino. Dexter sometimes used the pseudonym Walter Craig...
, actor who lived in Greeley after his retirement - Greg GermannGreg GermannGregory Andrew "Greg" Germann is an American actor. He played the roles of Richard Fish in the television series Ally McBeal, businessman Mattson from Child's Play 2 and the vet Laurence from Quarantine...
, actor - Miriam GideonMiriam GideonMiriam Gideon was an American composer.-Life:She studied organ with her uncle Henry Gideon and piano with Felix Fox. She also studied with Martin Bernstein, Marion Bauer, Charles Haubiel, and Jacques Pillois...
, composer*Tom JohnsonTom Johnson (composer)Tom Johnson , is an American minimalist composer, a former student of Morton Feldman.-Career:His pieces are most often based simply on mathematical and logical processes, such as tiling, which he attempts to make as clear as possible...
, composer - Karl MahlburgKarl MahlburgKarl Mahlburg is an American mathematician whose research interests lie in the areas of modular forms, partitions, combinatorics and number theory....
, mathematician - James A. MichenerJames A. MichenerJames Albert Michener was an American author of more than 40 titles, the majority of which were sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in particular geographic locales and incorporating historical facts into the stories...
, novelist - Stuart MitchellStuart MitchellStuart Mitchell is a Scottish pianist and composer, best known for his Seven Wonders Suite . The Seven Wonders Suite has been recorded by The Prague Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mario Klemens. A performance of part of the Suite was performed in The Dvorak Hall in Prague in 2005...
, ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
SportsCenterSportsCenterSportsCenter is a daily sports news television show, and the flagship program of American cable network ESPN since the network launched on September 7, 1979. Originally broadcast only daily, SportsCenter is now shown up to twelve times a day, replaying the day's scores and highlights from major...
producer; commissioner of ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
intramural softball league - Amanda PetersonAmanda PetersonAmanda Peterson is an American actress. Peterson gained fame during the late 1980s when she portrayed Cindy Mancini, a Tucson, Arizona high-school student, in the movie Can't Buy Me Love.-Career:...
, actress - Angelo Dominguez, former manager of the San Diego Padres
- Tom RunnellsTom RunnellsThomas William Runnells is the Bench Coach of the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball, and a former infielder, coach and manager in American Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
, current bench coach for the Colorado Rockies - Connie WillisConnie WillisConstance Elaine Trimmer Willis is an American science fiction writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards. Willis most recently won a Hugo Award for Blackout/All Clear...
, Science Fiction Author - Dee Bradley BakerDee Bradley BakerDee Bradley Baker is an American voice actor. He is noted as his long-running-role as Klaus Heissler in American Dad! and other various characters including Squilliam Fancyson in the hit TV series SpongeBob SquarePants, Nightcrawler in X-Men: Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance...
, voice actor - Taryn Hemmings, Professional Soccer Player for the WPS Boston Breakers
- Shane CarwinShane CarwinShane Bannister Carwin is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , where he was previously the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion...
, Professional Heavyweight UFC Fighter - Jason Smith, Professional Basketball Player for the New Orleans Hornets
See also
- 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:...
- 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...
- State of Colorado
- Weld County, ColoradoWeld County, ColoradoAs of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
External links
- The Crew Presents - Live Music and Entertainment in Greeley
- Greeley Tribune Newspaper/ News
- City of Greeley website
- CDOT map of the City of Greeley
- The Overland Trail
- University of Northern Colorado
- Aims Community College
- Greeley Website Directory
- Greeley History for Kids
- Photos and Journal site
- Parent Pages Family Directory