Branson, Colorado

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Town of Branson, Colorado
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settlement_type = Town
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map_caption = Location in Las Animas County and the State of Colorado


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = USA
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = flag|Colorado|name=State of Colorado
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Las Animas 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 = 2007-11-30]
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government_type = Statutory Town
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established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1921-03-26cite 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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unit_pref = Imperial
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area_total_km2 = 0.6
area_land_km2 = 0.6
area_water_km2 = 0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.2
area_land_sq_mi = 0.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 77
population_density_km2 = 128.3
population_density_sq_mi = 385
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timezone = MST
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
latd = 37 |latm = 0 |lats = 55 |latNS = N
longd = 103 |longm = 53 |longs = 1 |longEW = W
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 1907
elevation_ft = 6256
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 81027cite web | url = http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp | title = ZIP Code Lookup| format = JavaScript/HTML | publisher = United States Postal Service | accessdate = September 4 | accessyear = 2007]
area_code = 719
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 08-08345
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0196276
website =
footnotes =
Tenth least populous Colorado municipality

The Town of Branson is a Statutory Town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States The population was 77 at the U.S. Census 2000. It is the southernmost town in the state of Colorado. The town is convert|0.30|mi|km|2|sp=us from the New Mexico border.

It is the site of a state supported online high school open to Colorado residents of school age. Students must have been enrolled in a Colorado public or charter school and be no older than 20 on October 1 of the school year.

Branson is located 35 miles east of Trinidad, Colorado, by unpaved county road, in the Great Plains. It is a ranching community today. Farming in the area was severely impacted by the dust bowl. Branson is much smaller than it once was in more optimistic days and features some picturesque abandoned buildings.

The town was first known as Wilson, or Wilson Switch; then as Coloflats, Colorado. A post office was established in 1915, and its name was changed to Branson in 1918. The town is named after Josiah F. Branson who platted the town on his land. The town was incorporated in 1921. Branson is located north of a break in the mesas which separate Southeast Colorado from Northwest New Mexico, the route of a minor branch of the Santa Fe Trail. It was founded near a switch, Wilson Switch, of the Denver, Texas, and Fort Worth Railroad, now the Colorado and Southern Railway. A depot was built in 1918. Despite being unsuitable for farming, many homesteaders attempted dryland farming in the early 20th century. In good years there were bountiful harvests of grain and in the 1920s the town boasted 1000 people and 3 grain elevators as well as facilities such as a bank and a newspaper. After the drought and dust bowl of the 1930s population decreased rapidly as the economy turned from farming to ranching.

U.S. Census 2000 information

Geography

Branson is located at coor dms|37|0|55|N|103|53|1|W|city (37.015291, -103.883684)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²), all of it land.

A small portion of Branson lies in New Mexico also.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 77 people, 37 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density was 309.6 people per square mile (118.9/km²). There were 43 housing units at an average density of 172.9/sq mi (66.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.40% White, 1.30% Native American, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.48% of the population.

There were 37 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.63.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 1.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 71.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 62.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,583, and the median income for a family was $23,214. Males had a median income of $19,167 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,933. There were 26.9% of families and 25.0% of the population living below the poverty line, including 33.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

:"In addition to the material from the 2000 census this article incorporates material from the Wikinfo article."

ee also

*Colorado municipalities
*Las Animas County, Colorado
*State of Colorado
*Union

References

External links

* [http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/Branson.pdf CDOT map of the Town of Branson]
* [http://sangres.com/places/branson.htm History, photos and information on Sangres.com]
* [http://www.bransonschoolonline.com/ Branson School Online] Branson School Online
* [http://www.bransonschoolonline.com/history.htm Branson history]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/09/education/09online.html Article in the "New York Times" on Branson School Online]