Jackson County, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Jackson County is the fourth-least densely populated
of the Colorado 64 counties of the U.S. state
of Colorado
. The county population was 1,577 at the 2000 Census. The county seat
and the only municipality
in the county is the Town of Walden
.
, which covers 1613 square miles (4,177.7 km²). This basin opens north into Wyoming and is rimmed on the west by the Park Range
, on the south by the Rabbit Ears Range
and the Never Summer Mountains
, and on the east by the Medicine Bow Mountains
. Elevations range from 7,800 to 12953 feet (3,948.1 m) above sea level and is home to the head waters of the North Platte River
. The term park is derived from parc, the French word for game preserve. At one time North Park was filled with herds of deer, antelope and buffalo. There were so many buffalo in the area the Ute Tribe
gave North Park the name "Bull Pen." Now deer, elk, and cattle vie for the same area.
In November 1861, Colorado set up 17 counties for the state, including Larimer County. This was where Jackson County would be carved out of in 1909. Before then, both Grand and Larimer Counties claimed the North Park area. In the beginning, no one paid much attention to North Park because it was hunting grounds of the Ute and Arapaho
Indians. They fiercely defended these lands and the white settlers were often afraid to venture in. When valuable minerals were discovered in North Park, Grand County claimed it as part of their county because they wanted the revenue it would provide. The residents didn't care much because the county seat for Grand County was closer than the one in Larimer County, and all official business needed to be done at the county seat. But Larimer also claimed this county and it was contested all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. In 1886 the court decided in favor of Larimer. This did not make the North Park residents very happy and they pushed for their own county until Jackson was formed.
Jackson County contains the 71000 acres (287.3 km²) Colorado State Forest.
of 2000, there were 1,577 people, 661 households, and 442 families residing in the county. The population density
was 1 people per square mile (0/km²). There were 1,145 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.20% White
, 0.25% Black
or African American
, 0.76% Native American
, 0.06% Asian
, 1.46% from other races
, and 1.27% from two or more races. 6.53% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 661 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% were married couples
living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 29.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,821, and the median income for a family was $37,361. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $18,417 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,826. About 10.30% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.50% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
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...
of the Colorado 64 counties of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. The county population was 1,577 at the 2000 Census. 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....
and the only municipality
Colorado municipalities
The 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:...
in the county is the Town of Walden
Walden, Colorado
The Town of Walden is a Statutory Town that is the county seat of, and the only incorporated municipality in, Jackson County, Colorado, United States. It is situated in the center of a large open valley called North Park. People from Walden and the surrounding area refer to themselves as "North...
.
History
Most of Jackson County is a high relatively broad intermontane basin known as North ParkNorth Park (Colorado basin)
North Park is a high, sparsely populated basin in the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado in the United States. It encompasses a wide valley in Jackson County rimmed by mountain ranges at the headwaters of the North Platte River and several smaller tributaries, including the Michigan River,...
, which covers 1613 square miles (4,177.7 km²). This basin opens north into Wyoming and is rimmed on the west by the Park Range
Park Range (Colorado)
The Park Range, elevation approximately , is a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of northwestern Colorado in the United States. The range forms a relatively isolated part of the continental divide, extending north-to-south for approximately along the boundary between Jackson and Routt counties...
, on the south by the Rabbit Ears Range
Rabbit Ears Range
The Rabbit Ears Range is a mountain range of the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado in the United States. The range stretches east-west along the continental divide forming the border between Grand and Jackson Counties, separating Middle Park from North Park...
and the Never Summer Mountains
Never Summer Mountains
The Never Summer Mountains are a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado in the United States. The range is located along the northwest border of Rocky Mountain National Park, forming the continental divide between the headwaters of the Colorado River in Rocky Mountain...
, and on the east by the Medicine Bow Mountains
Medicine Bow Mountains
The Medicine Bow Mountains are a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains that extend for from northern Colorado into southern Wyoming. The northern extent of this range is the sub-range the Snowy Range...
. Elevations range from 7,800 to 12953 feet (3,948.1 m) above sea level and is home to the head waters of the North Platte River
North Platte River
The North Platte River is a major tributary of the Platte River and is approximately long counting its many curves, It travels about distance. Its course lies in the U.S...
. The term park is derived from parc, the French word for game preserve. At one time North Park was filled with herds of deer, antelope and buffalo. There were so many buffalo in the area the Ute Tribe
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
gave North Park the name "Bull Pen." Now deer, elk, and cattle vie for the same area.
In November 1861, Colorado set up 17 counties for the state, including Larimer County. This was where Jackson County would be carved out of in 1909. Before then, both Grand and Larimer Counties claimed the North Park area. In the beginning, no one paid much attention to North Park because it was hunting grounds of the Ute and Arapaho
Arapaho
The Arapaho are a tribe of Native Americans historically living on the eastern plains of Colorado and Wyoming. They were close allies of the Cheyenne tribe and loosely aligned with the Sioux. Arapaho is an Algonquian language closely related to Gros Ventre, whose people are seen as an early...
Indians. They fiercely defended these lands and the white settlers were often afraid to venture in. When valuable minerals were discovered in North Park, Grand County claimed it as part of their county because they wanted the revenue it would provide. The residents didn't care much because the county seat for Grand County was closer than the one in Larimer County, and all official business needed to be done at the county seat. But Larimer also claimed this county and it was contested all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. In 1886 the court decided in favor of Larimer. This did not make the North Park residents very happy and they pushed for their own county until Jackson was formed.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1620.95 square miles (4,198.2 km²), of which 1613.21 square miles (4,178.2 km²) (or 99.52%) is land and 7.74 square miles (20 km²) (or 0.48%) is water.Jackson County contains the 71000 acres (287.3 km²) Colorado State Forest.
Adjacent counties
- Albany County, WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
- northeast - Larimer CountyLarimer County, ColoradoLarimer County is the seventh most populous and the ninth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is located at the northern end of the Front Range, at the edge of the Colorado Eastern Plains along the border with Wyoming...
, 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 - 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...
- southeast - Routt CountyRoutt County, ColoradoRoutt County is the 15th most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 19,690 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Steamboat Springs.- History :...
, 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 - Carbon CountyCarbon County, WyomingCarbon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wyoming. As of 2010, the population was 15,885. Its county seat is Rawlins.- History :Carbon County was organized in 1868....
, WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
- 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 1,577 people, 661 households, and 442 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 1 people per square mile (0/km²). There were 1,145 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.20% 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...
, 0.25% 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...
, 0.76% 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...
, 0.06% 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...
, 1.46% 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 1.27% from two or more races. 6.53% 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 661 households out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.90% 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, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 26.90% from 25 to 44, 29.10% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,821, and the median income for a family was $37,361. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $18,417 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 $17,826. About 10.30% of families and 14.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.50% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
Unincorporated communities
- CoalmontCoalmont, ColoradoCoalmont is an unincorporated town and U.S. Post Office in Jackson County, Colorado, United States. The Coalmont Post Office has the ZIP Code 80430.-See also:* Jackson County, Colorado* List of cities and towns in Colorado* State of Colorado...
- CowdreyCowdrey, ColoradoCowdrey is an unincorporated town with a U.S. Post Office in Jackson County, Colorado, United States. The Cowdrey Post Office has the ZIP Code 80434.-Geography:Cowdrey is located at .-See also:* Jackson County, Colorado...
- GouldGould, ColoradoGould is a small unincorporated community in southeastern Jackson County, Colorado, United States. It is located on State Highway 14, southeast of Walden in North Park. The community is situated in the valley of the Middle Fork of the Michigan River between Owl Mountain and Gould Mountain. The...
- RandRand, ColoradoRand is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office established in 1881 in Jackson County, Colorado. It is a ranching community at the southern end of North Park south of Walden consisting of several homes and businesses, a post office, and ranching facilities...
National forest and wilderness
- Routt National Forest
- Mount Zirkel WildernessMount Zirkel WildernessThe Mount Zirkel Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in Routt National Forest in northwest Colorado. The closest city is Steamboat Springs, Colorado...
- Never Summer WildernessNever Summer WildernessThe Never Summer Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located immediately west of Rocky Mountain National Park in the Never Summer Mountains of northern Colorado.-External links:*...
- Platte River WildernessPlatte River WildernessThe Platte River Wilderness is primarily located in south central Wyoming, with a small section extending into Colorado in the United States. Located entirely within Medicine Bow - Routt National Forest, the wilderness was created in 1984 to protect the forestlands adjacent to the North Platte River...
See also
- North County, Jefferson TerritoryNorth County, Jefferson TerritoryNorth 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 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:...
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Jackson County, Colorado
- North ParkNorth ParkNorth Park may refer to:Places in the United States*North Park, San Diego, California, a neighborhood*North Park , a valley in the Rocky Mountains in north central Colorado*North Park, Chicago, Illinois, a neighborhood...