Loveland, Colorado

Infobox Settlement
elevation_footnotes =GR|3
official_name = City of Loveland, Colorado
settlement_type = City
nickname = The Sweetheart City
motto =
postal_code_type = ZIP codescite web | url = http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp | title = ZIP Code Lookup| format = JavaScript/HTML | publisher = United States Postal Service | accessmonthday = November 15 | accessyear = 2007]
postal_code = 80534, 80537-80539


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image_caption =


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Loveland shown within Colorado


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = USA
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = flag|Colorado|name=State of Colorado
subdivision_type2 = Countycite web | url = http://www.dola.state.co.us/dlg/local_governments/municipalities.html | title = Active Colorado Municipalities | format = HTML | publisher = State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs | accessdate = 2007-09-01]
subdivision_name2 = Larimer County
government_type = Home Rule Municipality
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Larry Walsh
leader_title1 = Mayor "pro tem"
leader_name1 = Gene Pielin
leader_title2 = City Manager
leader_name2 = Don Williams
established_title = Founded
established_date = 1877
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = April 30, 1881cite web | url = http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html | title = Colorado Municipal Incorporations | format = HTML | publisher = State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives | date = 2004-12-01 | accessdate = 2007-09-02]
named_for = William A.H. Loveland
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 66.1
area_total_sq_mi = 25.5
area_land_km2 = 63.6
area_land_sq_mi = 24.6
area_water_km2 = 2.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0.9
area_water_percent = 3.68
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2000
population_note =
population_total = 50,608
population_density_km2 = 795.3
population_density_sq_mi = 2,059.7
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
timezone = MST
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
latd = 40 |latm = 24 |lats = 17 |latNS = N
longd = 105 |longm = 5 |longs = 9 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 1519
elevation_ft = 4982
website = [http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/ City of Loveland]
area_code = 970
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 08-46465
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:0177720 0177720]
blank2_name = Highways
blank2_info = I-25, US 34, US 287, SH 60, SH 402
footnotes =
Fourteenth most populous Colorado city

The City of Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated convert|46|mi|km|0|sp=us north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in the State of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimates that in 2005 the population of the City of Loveland was 59,563,cite web | date = June 21 2006 | url = http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2005-04-08.csv | title = Table 4: Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places in Colorado, Listed Alphabetically: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 | format = CSV | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = March 5 | accessyear = 2007] the population of the Fort Collins-Loveland Metropolitan Statistical Area was 271,927 (163rd most populous MSA),cite web | date = June 21 2006 | url = http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metropop/2005/cbsa-04-fmt.csv | title = Rankings for Metropolitan Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 | format = CSV | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = December 13 | accessyear = 2006] the population of the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area was 2,869,377 (15th most populous CSA),cite web | date = June 21 2006 | url = http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metropop/2005/cbsa-06-fmt.csv | title = Annual Estimates of the Population of Combined Statistical Areas: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 | format = CSV | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = December 13 | accessyear = 2006] and the population of the Front Range Urban Corridor was 4,013,055.cite web | date = August 18 2006 | url = http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/metropop/2005/cbsa-01-fmt.csv | title = CBSA-EST2005-alldata: Population Estimates and Estimated Components of Change for Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Their Geographic Components: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005 | format = CSV | work = 2005 Population Estimates | publisher = U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division | accessmonthday = December 28 | accessyear = 2006] The city's public schools are part of the Thompson R2-J School District.

History

The city was founded in 1877 along the newly-constructed line of the Colorado Central Railroad, near its crossing of the Big Thompson River. It was named in honor of William A.H. Loveland, the president of the Colorado Central Railroad. The city was founded one mile (1.6 km) upstream from the existing small settlement of St. Louis, the buildings of which were moved to the site of Loveland. For the first half of the 20th century the town was dependent on agriculture. The primary crops in the area were sugar beets and sour cherries. In 1901, the Great Western Sugar Company built a factory in Loveland, which remained as a source of employment until its closure in 1985. During the late 1920s the Spring Glade orchard was the largest cherry orchard west of the Mississippi River. At that time the cherry orchards produced more than $1 million worth of cherries per year. A series of droughts, attacks of blight and finally a killer freeze destroyed the industry. By 1960 cherries were no longer farmed. In the late 20th century, the economy diversified with the arrival of manufacturing facilities by Hewlett-Packard, Teledyne, and Hach, a water quality analysis equipment manufacturer. A new medical center currently under construction is expected to add a substantial amount of employment in that sector as well.

The city is south of Fort Collins, its larger neighbor and the county seat. The two cities have been steadily growing towards each other over the last several decades and are considered to be a single metropolitan area by the U.S. government. The establishment of county-owned open space between the two communities in the 1990s was intended to create a permanent buffer to contiguous growth. Loveland has aggressively expanded its incorporated limits eastward to embrace the interchange of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34, and is currently developing the area. In the last decade, the intersection has become a primary commercial hub of northern Colorado, with the construction of shopping centers and the Budweiser Events Center. A new medical center and mall have also been built on the Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34 interchange.

Geography

Loveland is located at coor dms|40|24|17|N|105|5|9|W|city (40.404789, -105.085868).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.5 square miles (66.1 km²), of which, 24.6 square miles (63.6 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²) of it (3.68%) is water.

The city is south of Fort Collins, its larger neighbor and the county seat. The northward city limits are now contiguous with those of Windsor, which has expanded westward from Weld County across Interstate 25.

Loveland Pass, also named after William A.H. Loveland, is not located near the town of Loveland.

Demographics

As of the census [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=04000US08&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-PH1&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-format=ST-7 Census Data: Colorado By Place] ] of 2000, there were 50,608 people, 19,741 households, and 14,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,059.7 people per square mile (795.3/km²). There were 20,299 housing units at an average density of 826.2/sq mi (319.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.85% White, 0.37% African American, 0.69% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.21% from other races, and 2.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.57% of the population.

There were 19,741 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $47,119, and the median income for a family was $54,337. Males had a median income of $38,971 versus $26,714 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,889. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Continuing Education

*Aims Community College
*Colorado Christian University (Northern Colorado Center satellite site)

High schools

*Harold Ferguson High School
*Loveland High School
*Mountain View High School
*Thompson Valley High School

Middle schools

*Bill Reed Middle School
*Conrad Ball Middle School
*Lucile Erwin Middle School
*Walt Clark Middle School

Elementary schools

*B.F. Kitchen Elementary School
*Big Thompson Elementary School
*Carrie Martin Elementary School
*Centennial Elementary School
*Garfield Elementary School
*Laurene Edmondson Elementary School
*Lincoln Elementary School
*Mary Blair Elementary School
*Monroe Elementary School
*Namaqua Elementary School
*New Vision Charter School
*Sarah Milner Elementary School
*Stansberry Elementary School
*Truscott Elementary School
*Winona Elementary School
*Van Buren Elementary School

Private Schools

*Colorado Christian Academy
*HMS Richards Adventist School
*Immanuel Lutheran School
*Loveland Christian High School
*Loveland Protestant Reformed Christian School
*Resurrection Christian School
*Saint John the Evangelist Catholic School
*Seven Oaks Academy & Little Acorns

Transportation

Allegiant Air.com [ [http://www.allegiantair.com Allegiant Air] Official site.] offers regular passenger airplane service into the nearby Fort Collins / Loveland Airport. Denver International Airport, which is 70 miles to the south, is served by nearly twenty airlines. Loveland can be approached from Denver by car via Interstate 25.

U.S. Highway 34 runs East to West into the mountains through Loveland. It becomes Eisenhower Blvd. in the city, dividing it in half. Loveland's two main zip codes (80538 and 80537) are separated by this highway.

The city bus system in Loveland is called [http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/publicworks/Transit/2004%20NEW/COLTMain.htm COLT] -- City of Loveland Transit.

Atmosphere

The Loveland-Ft Collins metropolitan area has received numerous awards as a great place to live, by Money Magazine, USA Today, AARP the Magazine, and others. There is a large population of artists in Loveland, which has drawn three foundries, an art museum, and the annual sculpture show in August. Loveland has a reputation as being somewhat conservative in its politics, with a large and active population of Evangelical Christians.

The city is located in the Colorado Front Range region at the base of the foothills just east of the mouth of Big Thompson River Canyon at the intersection of U.S. Highway 34 and U.S. Highway 287. Longs Peak and other mountains of the Front Range are visible from much of the city. Lake Loveland, an early agricultural reservoir in the irrigation system of the region, is located in the city limits and provides a recreational facility for the city residents.

Because of its location along U.S. 34, at one of the principal access routes to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, Loveland receives a significant amount of pass-through tourist traffic, especially in the summer months. In addition, the city serves as a "bedroom" community to commuters in many directions: to employment locations in Boulder, Westminster and other parts of the Denver Metropolitan area; and also to the college towns of Fort Collins (CSU) Greeley (UNC) and Boulder, (CU).

The Valentine Re-Mailing Program

Loveland is perhaps best known nationwide as the home of the Valentine Re-Mailing Program. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Valentines are packaged inside larger envelopes and sent to Loveland, where volunteers hand-stamp them with a Valentine's verse and send them on to the intended recipients. Each year a contest is held through the local newspaper, the Reporter Herald, for residents to submit their verses.

Leading up to Valentine's Day, the city authorizes the placement of red hearts with sponsored personal messages on light poles and other fixtures of the city streets.

The Public Arts Program

Loveland has just under 300 pieces of art in its public arts collection. The arts collection consists primarily of sculpture; however, the collection also includes murals and other flat work. Over 100 pieces of the city's sculpture can be found in Loveland's [http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/parksrec/Benson.htm Benson Sculpture Garden] , widely considered one of the nation's best outdoor exhibitions of artwork. The " [http://www.sculptureinthepark.org Sculpture in the Park] "show, hosted by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council, takes place annually in August and exhibits artwork from artists from the United States and the world. This year, the "Sculpture in the Park" show will be held August 9th and 10th, 2008 in the Benson Sculpture Garden.

Notable Natives and Residents

*Wayne Allard - Senior United States Senator from Colorado
*Jeremy Bloom - Olympic skier. Former wide receiver and punt returner at the University of Colorado. Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2006 NFL Draft.
*Kyle Howard - American film and television actor
*Alexi Grewal - Olympic Gold Medalist

ee also

*Colorado municipalities
*Loveland, Ohio (has similar Valentines mailing program)

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.loveland.co.us/ City of Loveland website]
** [http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/Loveland.pdf CDOT map of the City of Loveland]
* [http://www.i-love-loveland.com/ Loveland Directory]
* [http://www.reporterherald.com/ Loveland Reporter-Herald]
* [http://www.sculptureinthepark.org/ Sculpture in the Park] (official website)
* [http://www.lovelandsculpturegroup.org/ Loveland Sculpture Group] (official website)