Saguache County, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Saguache County is the seventh most extensive of the 64 counties
of the state of Colorado of the United States
. The county name comes from a Ute language
word meaning “blue earth” or “water at blue earth”. The county population was 5,917 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat
is Saguache
.
of 2000, there were 5,917 people, 2,300 households, and 1,557 families residing in the county. The population density
was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,087 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.29% White
, 0.12% Black
or African American
, 2.06% Native American
, 0.46% Asian
, 23.00% from other races
, and 3.08% from two or more races. 45.26% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,300 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples
living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,495, and the median income for a family was $29,405. Males had a median income of $25,158 versus $18,862 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $13,121. About 18.70% of families and 22.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.60% of those under age 18 and 12.50% 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 name comes from a Ute language
Ute language
Colorado River Numic , of the Numic branch of the Uto-Aztecan language family, is a dialect chain that stretches from southeastern California to Colorado...
word meaning “blue earth” or “water at blue earth”. The county population was 5,917 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 Saguache
Saguache, Colorado
The historic town of Saguache is a Statutory Town that is the county seat and most populous town of Saguache County, Colorado, United States. The population was 578 at the U.S. Census 2000.-Name:...
.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 3170.25 square miles (8,210.9 km²), of which 3168.44 square miles (8,206.2 km²) (or 99.94%) is land and 1.82 square miles (4.7 km²) (or 0.06%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Chaffee CountyChaffee County, ColoradoChaffee County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 16,242 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Salida.-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...
- north - Fremont CountyFremont County, ColoradoFremont County is the thirteenth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for explorer and presidential candidate John C. Frémont. The county population was 46,824 at the 2010 census. The county seat is Cañon City. The Cañon 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 - Custer CountyCuster County, ColoradoCuster County is the tenth least populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 3,503 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat is Westcliffe.- 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...
- east - Huerfano CountyHuerfano County, ColoradoHuerfano County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the Huerfano Butte, a local landmark. The county population was 7,862 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 - Rio Grande CountyRio Grande County, ColoradoRio Grande County is one of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is named for the Rio Grande , which flows through the county. The county population was 12,413 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...
- south - Alamosa CountyAlamosa County, ColoradoAlamosa County is one of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county name is the Spanish language word for a "grove of cottonwood trees." The county population was 14,966 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...
- south - Mineral CountyMineral County, ColoradoMineral County is the second least populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county was named for the many valuable minerals found in the mountains and streams of the area. The county population was 831 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...
- southwest - Hinsdale CountyHinsdale County, ColoradoHinsdale County is the least densely populated of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 790 at U.S. Census 2000. The county seat and the only municipality in the county is the Town of Lake City. Hinsdale County is named for George A. Hinsdale, a...
, 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...
- southwest - Gunnison CountyGunnison County, ColoradoGunnison County is the fifth most extensive of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county population was 15,324 at the 2010 census. The county was named for John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer and captain in the Army Topographical Engineers, who surveyed...
, 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 5,917 people, 2,300 households, and 1,557 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 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 3,087 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 71.29% 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...
, 0.12% 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...
, 2.06% 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...
, 0.46% 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...
, 23.00% 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 3.08% from two or more races. 45.26% 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 2,300 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% 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, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.40% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,495, and the median income for a family was $29,405. Males had a median income of $25,158 versus $18,862 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 $13,121. About 18.70% of families and 22.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.60% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
- BonanzaBonanza, ColoradoThe town of Bonanza is a Statutory Town located in Saguache County, Colorado, United States. Bonanza is a largely abandoned former silver mining town. Bonanza is a Spanish language word meaning a rich mineral deposit. The town population was 16 at the U.S. Census 2010, making Bonanza the second...
- CenterCenter, ColoradoThe town of Center is a Statutory Town in Rio Grande and Saguache Counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. The population was 2,392 at the 2000 census.Leach Airport is located 4 miles east and 3 miles north of town, at County Road 53 and County Road C...
- CrestoneCrestone, ColoradoCrestone is a statutory town in Saguache County in Southwestern Colorado, United States. The population was 73 at the 2000 census. It is a small village at the foot of the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo Range, in the northern part of the San Luis Valley. Crestone was a small mining town, but...
- La Garita
- MoffatMoffat, ColoradoMoffat is a Statutory Town in Saguache County, Colorado, United States. The population was 114 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Moffat is located at ....
- SaguacheSaguache, ColoradoThe historic town of Saguache is a Statutory Town that is the county seat and most populous town of Saguache County, Colorado, United States. The population was 578 at the U.S. Census 2000.-Name:...
- Villa GroveVilla Grove, ColoradoVilla Grove is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in Saguache County, Colorado, United States. The Villa Grove Post Office has the ZIP Code 81155.- History :...
- SargeantsSargents, ColoradoSargents is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office located in Saguache County, Colorado, United States. The Sargents Post Office has the ZIP Code 81248.-See also:* List of cities and towns in Colorado* Saguache County, Colorado* State of Colorado...
National wilderness areas
- Great Sand Dunes Wilderness
- La Garita WildernessLa Garita WildernessThe La Garita Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the La Garita Mountains of southern Colorado. The wilderness established in 1964 in Gunnison and Rio Grande national forests includes a segment of the Colorado Trail...
- Sangre de Cristo WildernessSangre de Cristo WildernessThe Sangre de Cristo Wilderness is a long and narrow wilderness area covering much of the Sangre de Cristo Range centered about Saguache County and Custer County, Colorado. Smaller areas are located in the counties of Fremont, Alamosa, and Huerfano. All of the wilderness area is located on U.S...
Trails
- Colorado TrailColorado TrailThe Colorado Trail is a long trail running from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Its highest point is above sea level, and most of the trail is above...
- Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
- Old Spanish National Historic Trail
Trails within the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
- Liberty Road historic mail route open to foot, horse, and bicycle travel between Crestone and the ghost towns of Duncan and Liberty crossing the Baca Mountain Tract Rio Grande National ForestRio Grande National ForestRio Grande National Forest is a 1.86 million acre U.S. National Forest located in southwestern Colorado. The forest encompasses the San Luis Valley, which is the world's largest agricultural alpine valley, as well as one of the worlds largest high deserts located around mountains. The...
. - Medano Pass Primitive Road
- Montville Nature Trail
- Mosca Pass Trail
- Sand Ramp Trail, a hiking trail within the Great Sand Dunes National Park and PreserveGreat Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve-Other features:The park also contains alpine lakes and tundra, six peaks over 13,000 feet in elevation, ancient spruce and pine forests, large stands of aspen and cottonwood, grasslands, and wetlands — all habitat for diverse wildlife and plant species.One of the most unusual features of...
which skirts the east and north of the dune field.
National Register of Historic Places
Saguache County locations listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
| Landmark name | Image | Date listed | Location | City or Town | Summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capilla de San Juan Bautista | NW of La Garita 37°51′1"N 106°15′46"W |
La Garita | |||
| 2 | Carnero Creek Pictographs | Address Restricted | La Garita | |||
| 3 | Crestone School | Cottonwood St. and Carbonate Ave. 37°59′48"N 105°41′57"W |
Crestone | |||
| 4 | First Baptist Church of Moffat | 401 Lincoln Ave. | Moffat | |||
| 5 | Indian Grove Indian Grove (Mosca, Colorado) Indian Grove is an archaeological site consisting of a grove of 72 mature Ponderosa Pine trees located within Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve in Saguache County, Colorado, near Mosca, Colorado... |
Address Restricted | Mosca | |||
| 6 | Saguache Flour Mill | W of Saguache 38°4′53"N 106°9′38"W |
Saguache | |||
| 7 | Saguache School and Jail Buildings | U.S. 285 and San Juan Ave. 38°5′16"N 106°8′38"W |
Saguache |
See also
- 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:...
- State of Colorado
Further reading
- Lindsey, D.A. et al. (1985). Mineral resources of the Black Canyon and South Piney Creek Wilderness Study Areas, Saguache County, Colorado [U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1716-A]. Washington, D.C.: U.S Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.