Park County, Colorado

Park County is one of the 64 counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 16,206.[1] The county seat is Fairplay.[2] 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.

Park County
U.S. county
Old Park County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°07′N 105°43′W
Country United States
State Colorado
FoundedNovember 1, 1861
SeatFairplay
Largest townFairplay
Area
 • Total2,211 sq mi (5,730 km2)
 • Land2,194 sq mi (5,680 km2)
 • Water17 sq mi (40 km2)  0.8%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2019)
18,845
 • Density7.4/sq mi (2.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional districts2nd, 5th
Websitewww.parkco.us

Park County is included in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. A majority of the county lies within the boundaries of the South Park National Heritage Area.

The geographic center of the State of Colorado is located in Park County.

Park County has been and is the location of several important mines, including the defunct Orphan Boy, which was discovered near Alma in 1861 and produced gold, silver, lead, and zinc. The historic Sweet Home Mine, also near Alma, is a former silver mine now known for its rhodochrosite mineral specimens.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,211 square miles (5,730 km2), of which 2,194 square miles (5,680 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (0.8%) is water.[3]

The headwaters of the South Platte River are in Park County.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

State protected areas

Trails and byways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1870447—
18803,970788.1%
18903,548−10.6%
19002,998−15.5%
19102,492−16.9%
19201,977−20.7%
19302,0523.8%
19403,27259.5%
19501,870−42.8%
19601,822−2.6%
19702,18519.9%
19805,333144.1%
19907,17434.5%
200014,523102.4%
201016,20611.6%
Est. 201918,845[4]16.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010-2015[1]

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 14,523 people, 5,894 households, and 4,220 families living in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 10,697 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.07% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. 4.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,894 households out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 30.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,899, and the median income for a family was $57,025. Males had a median income of $41,480 versus $27,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,019. About 3.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.60% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics
Presidential elections results
Park County vote
by party in presidential elections[10]
Year Republican Democratic Others
2016 58.9% 6,135 32.8% 3,421 8.3% 861
2012 55.9% 5,236 41.2% 3,862 2.9% 268
2008 52.2% 4,896 45.3% 4,250 2.5% 237
2004 57.2% 4,781 41.2% 3,445 1.6% 131
2000 55.2% 3,677 35.9% 2,393 8.9% 595
1996 50.8% 2,661 35.2% 1,844 14.0% 736
1992 35.8% 1,530 30.6% 1,307 33.7% 1,439
1988 56.9% 1,909 40.0% 1,343 3.1% 105
1984 70.3% 2,041 27.0% 782 2.7% 79
1980 59.3% 1,623 24.6% 674 16.0% 438
1976 55.2% 1,034 39.6% 741 5.2% 97
1972 70.3% 1,001 27.1% 386 2.6% 37
1968 58.6% 601 27.9% 286 13.6% 139
1964 48.9% 493 51.0% 515 0.1% 1
1960 59.3% 642 40.5% 438 0.2% 2
1956 70.6% 715 29.3% 297 0.1% 1
1952 68.9% 775 30.5% 343 0.6% 7
1948 55.3% 637 43.8% 505 0.9% 10
1944 60.8% 670 38.7% 426 0.5% 6
1940 53.0% 986 46.7% 869 0.3% 6
1936 35.4% 746 63.3% 1,336 1.3% 28
1932 33.3% 577 60.9% 1,057 5.8% 101
1928 62.8% 740 35.6% 419 1.6% 19
1924 56.1% 660 26.9% 316 17.0% 200
1920 58.2% 511 36.5% 320 5.4% 47
1916 34.5% 372 62.5% 674 3.1% 33
1912 29.9% 293 53.9% 529 16.2% 159

Communities

Towns

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

In the animated television series South Park, the fictional town of the same name is situated in Park County, Colorado.[11] The police in South Park were a one-man South Park Police force at first,[12] but it has since been phased out in favor of the Park County police.[13]

In 1955, part of the film The Looters, co-starring Rory Calhoun, subsequently of the CBS western television series, The Texan, and the actress Julie Adams, was filmed in Park County. The Looters is the story of a plane crash in the Rocky Mountains. The filming was undertaken about Tarryall Creek. The advertising poster reads: "Five desperate men ... and a girl who didn't care ... trapped on a mountain of gale-lashed rock!"[14]

Notable people

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  4. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  5. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  6. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  7. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  8. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-05-14.
  10. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  11. "Towelie". South Park. Season 5. Episode 8. August 8, 2001. Comedy Central.
  12. "Chickenlover".
  13. "Li'l Crime Stoppers". Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  14. Laura King Van Dusen, "Movie Making", Historic Tales from Park County: Parked in the Past (Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013), ISBN 978-1-62619-161-7, pp. 182-183.

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