- Jefferson County, Colorado
-
Jefferson County, Colorado 
Location in the state of Colorado
Colorado's location in the U.S.Founded November 1, 1861 Named for U.S. President Thomas Jefferson Seat Golden Largest city Lakewood Area
- Total
- Land
- Water
778.06 sq mi (2,015 km²)
772.09 sq mi (2,000 km²)
5.97 sq mi (15 km²), 0.77%Population
- (2010)
- Density
534,543
683/sq mi (264/km²)Website www.jeffco.us Footnotes: Fourth most populous Colorado county Jefferson County (
/ˈdʒɛfərsən/), whose slogan is the "Gateway to the Rocky Mountains", is the fourth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson County is adjacent to the west side of the state capital, Denver. The county population was 534,543 according to the 2010 census.[1] The county seat is Golden and the most populous city is Lakewood. Jefferson County is part of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area. As of 2002, Jefferson County contains the state's center of population.[2]Jefferson County is commonly nicknamed Jeffco. The name Jeffco is incorporated in the name of the Jeffco School District, the Jeffco Business Center Metropolitan District No. 1, and several businesses located in Jefferson County. Jeffco is also incorporated in the unofficial monikers of many Jefferson County agencies. The Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport operated by Jefferson County was previously known as the Jeffco Airport.
A major employer in Jefferson County is the large Coors Brewing Company in Golden. Also, the state-supported Colorado School of Mines is located in Jefferson County, offering programs in mining and engineering.
Jefferson County is where the Columbine High School massacre of 1999 occurred.
Contents
History
On August 25, 1855, the Kansas Territorial Legislature created Arapahoe County to govern the entire western portion of the territory. The county was named for the Arapaho Nation of Native Americans that lived in the region.
In July 1858, gold was discovered along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County (in present day Englewood). This discovery precipitated the Pike's Peak Gold Rush. Many residents of the mining region felt disconnected from the remote territorial governments of Kansas and Nebraska, so they voted to form their own Territory of Jefferson on October 24, 1859. The following month, the Jefferson Territorial Legislature organized 12 counties for the new territory, including Jefferson County. Jefferson County was named for the namesake of the Jefferson Territory, Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the nation's third president. Golden City served as the county seat of Jefferson County. Robert Williamson Steele, Governor of the Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson from 1859 to 1861, built his home in the county at Mount Vernon and later at Apex.
The Jefferson Territory never received federal sanction, but during his last week in office, President James Buchanan signed an act which organized the Territory of Colorado on February 28, 1861.[3] That November 1, the new Colorado General Assembly organized the 17 original counties of Colorado, including a new Jefferson County. In 1908, the southern tip of Jefferson County was transferred to Park County, reducing Jefferson County to its present length of 54 miles (87 km). Several annexations by the City & County of Denver and the 2001 consolidation of the City & County of Broomfield removed eastern portions of the county.
Geography
The dimensions of the county are 54 miles (87 km) north to south and between 4–18 miles (6.4–29 km) west to east. According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 778.06 square miles (2,015.2 km2), of which 772.09 square miles (1,999.7 km2) (or 99.23%) is land and 5.97 square miles (15.5 km2) (or 0.77%) is water.[4]
Adjacent counties
Jefferson County borders ten adjacent counties, the most of any Colorado county:
- Boulder County - north
- City and County of Broomfield - northeast
- Adams County - east
- City and County of Denver - east
- Arapahoe County - east
- Douglas County - east
- Teller County - south
- Park County - southwest
- Clear Creek County - west
- Gilpin County - northwest
Recreational areas
- Alderfer/Three Sisters Park
- Apex Park
- Centennial Cone Park
- Clear Creek Canyon Park
- Coal Creek Canyon
- Crown Hill Park
- Deer Creek Canyon Park
- Elk Meadow Park
- Fairmount Trail
- Flying J Ranch Park
- Hildebrand Ranch Park
- Hiwan Homestead Museum
- Lair o' the Bear Park
- Lewis Meadows Park
- Lookout Mountain Nature Center
- Matthews/Winters Park
- Meyer Ranch Park
- Mount Falcon Park
- Mount Galbraith Park
- Mount Glennon
- Mount Lindo
- North Table Mountain Park
- Pine Valley Ranch Park
- Ranson/Edwards Homestead Ranch
- Reynolds Park
- South Table Mountain Park
- South Valley Park
- Standley Lake Regional Park
- Van Bibber Park
- Welchester Tree Grant Park
- White Ranch Park
- Windy Saddle Park
- Urban Trails
Demographics
Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1870 2,390 — 1880 6,804 184.7% 1890 8,450 24.2% 1900 9,306 10.1% 1910 14,231 52.9% 1920 14,400 1.2% 1930 21,810 51.5% 1940 30,725 40.9% 1950 55,687 81.2% 1960 127,520 129.0% 1970 233,031 82.7% 1980 371,753 59.5% 1990 438,430 17.9% 2000 527,056 20.2% 2010 534,543 1.4% U.S. Decennial Census As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 527,056 people, 206,067 households, and 140,537 families residing in the county. The population density was 683 people per square mile (264/km²). There were 212,488 housing units at an average density of 275 per square mile (106/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 90.59% White, 0.89% Black or African American, 0.75% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 3.23% from other races, and 2.18% from two or more races. 9.95% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 206,067 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 24.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.30% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 32.10% from 25 to 44, 24.90% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $57,339, and the median income for a family was $67,310. Males had a median income of $45,306 versus $32,372 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,066. About 3.40% of families and 5.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.80% of those under age 18 and 5.10% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
- U.S. Highway 6
- U.S. Highway 40
- Interstate 70
- State Highway 470
Communities
Cities
- Arvada (mostly)
- Edgewater
- Golden (County Seat)
- Lakewood
- Littleton (partially)
- Westminster (partially)
- Wheat Ridge
- Evergreen, Colorado
Towns
- Bow Mar
- Lakeside
- Morrison
- Mountain View
- Superior (partially)
Unincorporated Census Designated Places
- Applewood
- Aspen Park
- Columbine
- Conifer
- East Pleasant View
- Evergreen
- Genesee
- Indian Hills
- Ken Caryl
- Kittredge
- West Pleasant View
Education
Jefferson County School District R-1.
Government and infrastructure
The Federal Correctional Institution, Englewood is in unincorporated Jefferson County.[6]
State parks
- Chatfield State Park
- Golden Gate Canyon State Park
National forests and wilderness
National wildlife refuge
- Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
- Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge
Historic trail
- South Platte Trail
Recreational trails
- American Discovery Trail
- Apex National Recreation Trail
- Big Dry Creek National Recreation Trail
- Colorado Trail
- Platte River Greenway National Recreation Trail
- Two Ponds National Recreation Trail
Scenic byway
- Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway
See also
- State of Colorado
- Colorado counties
- Colorado cities and towns
- Colorado history
- Colorado metropolitan areas
- Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Area
- North Central Colorado Urban Area
- Front Range Urban Corridor
- Colorado school districts
- Jefferson County School District R-1
- Golf Courses
- Hiwan Golf Club
- Rolling Hills Country Club
- Foothills Golf Course
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Colorado
References
- ^ "Annual County Population Estimates and Estimated Components of Change: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008 (CO-EST2006-alldata)" (CSV). 2008 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2009-06-19. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/08/08059.html. Retrieved 2009-06-19.
- ^ "State Population Centers" (text file). United States Census 2000. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. May 20, 2002. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved November 24, 2006.
- ^ "An Act to provide a temporary Government for the Territory of Colorado" (PDF). Thirty-sixth United States Congress. 1861-02-28. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/territory.pdf. Retrieved 2007-11-26.
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "FCI Englewood Contact Information." Federal Bureau of Prisons. Retrieved on July 28, 2010.
External links
- Jefferson County Government website
- Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
- Colorado Historical Society
- Jefferson County Open Space Parks
Gilpin County Boulder County City and County of Broomfield Clear Creek County 
Adams County, City and County of Denver, Arapahoe County, and Douglas County 
Jefferson County, Colorado 
Park County Teller County Municipalities and communities of Jefferson County, Colorado Cities Arvada‡ | Edgewater | Golden | Lakewood | Littleton‡ | Westminster‡ | Wheat Ridge
Towns Bow Mar‡ | Lakeside | Morrison | Mountain View | Superior‡
CDPs Applewood | Aspen Park | Coal Creek‡ | Columbine‡ | Dakota Ridge | East Pleasant View | Evergreen | Fairmount | Genesee | Idledale | Indian Hills | Ken Caryl | Kittredge | West Pleasant View
Unincorporated
communitiesBuffalo Creek | Conifer | Foxton | Pine | Pine Junction
Ghost town Arapahoe
Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Categories:- Colorado counties
- Jefferson County, Colorado
- 1861 establishments
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