La Jara, Colorado

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Town of La Jara, Colorado
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settlement_type = Town
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Conejos County and the state of Colorado


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = USA
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = flag|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 = Conejos
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government_type = Statutory Town
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established_title2 = Incorporated (town)
established_date2 = November 11, 1910cite 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]
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area_magnitude =
unit_pref = Imperial
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area_total_km2 = 0.9
area_land_km2 = 0.9
area_water_km2 = 0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.4
area_land_sq_mi = 0.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 877
population_density_km2 = 974.4
population_density_sq_mi = 2192.5
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timezone = Mountain (MST)
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
latd = 37 |latm = 16 |lats = 28 |latNS = N
longd = 105 |longm = 57 |longs = 39 |longEW = W
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 2318
elevation_ft = 7605
postal_code_type = ZIP codecite web | url = http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp | title = ZIP Code Lookup| format = JavaScript/HTML | publisher = United States Postal Service | accessdate = October 21 | accessyear = 2007]
postal_code = 81140
area_code = 719
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 08-42055
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:0204783 0204783]
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La Jara is a Statutory Town in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The population was 877 at the 2000 census.

Geography

La Jara is located at coor dms|37|16|28|N|105|57|39|W|city (37.274536, -105.960844)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.9 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 877 people, 313 households, and 230 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,481.2 people per square mile (967.5/km²). There were 345 housing units at an average density of 976.1/sq mi (380.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 67.27% White, 0.11% African American, 2.85% Native American, 27.02% from other races, and 2.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 62.94% of the population.

There were 313 households out of which 38.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the town the population was spread out with 31.6% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,167, and the median income for a family was $29,643. Males had a median income of $25,208 versus $20,368 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,877. Below the poverty line were 25.5% of people, 22.8% of families, 28.4% of those under 18 and 26.5% of those over 64.

Recent News

La Jara was in the news in May 2007 due to the high levels of racial tension in the town.

Four teens were pictured on MySpace.com giving the Nazi salute with one hand and holding rifles with the other. [cite web | url = http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_5842455 | title = Racial strife disrupts La Jara school | format = HTML | author = Electa Draper | publisher = denverpost.com | accessdate = 2007-10-21] According to an article in "The Valley Courier", the boys were upset with head basketball coach, Larry Joe Hunt, for their lack of playing time on the basketball court.Fact|date=October 2007

Over Easter break, it is suspected that the boys raised a Confederate Flag on the school's flag pole.

Students staged a peaceful protest of the alleged highly-charged racist environment they have to deal with every day.

A column in "The Denver Post" addressed the underlying racist mentality of some people in the townFact|date=October 2007, specifically the views of local physician who referred to an African-American teen as a "colored boy," an outdated and extremely offensive term to many people.

References

External links

* [http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/La%20Jara.pdf CDOT map of the Town of La Jara]
* [http://www.slvdweller.com SLV Dweller] - San Luis Valley News, Culture, History and Events.