- Craig, Colorado
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City of Craig, Colorado — City — Location in Moffat County and the State of Colorado
Coordinates: 40°31′1″N 107°33′1″W / 40.51694°N 107.55028°WCoordinates: 40°31′1″N 107°33′1″W / 40.51694°N 107.55028°W Country 
United StatesState 
State of ColoradoCounty Moffat County Seat[1] Incorporated 1908-07-15[2] Government – Type Home Rule Municipality[1] Area – Total 4.9 sq mi (12.6 km2) – Land 4.9 sq mi (12.6 km2) – Water 0 sq mi (0 km2) Elevation[3] 6,198 ft (1,889 m) Population (2000) – Total 9,189 – Density 1,875.3/sq mi (729.3/km2) Time zone MST (UTC-7) – Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6) ZIP Codes[4] 81625 & 81626 (PO Box) Area code(s) 970 FIPS code 08-17760 GNIS feature ID 0171304 Website City of Craig The City of Craig is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Moffat County, Colorado, United States.[5] The population was 9,189 at the 2000 census. It is also home to Grande Olde West Days and one of North America's largest elk herds.
Contents
Geography
Craig is located at 40°31′1″N 107°33′1″W / 40.51694°N 107.55028°W (40.516896, -107.550389)[6].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.9 square miles (13 km2), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 9,189 people, 3,525 households, and 2,432 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,886.6 people per square mile (728.5/km²). There were 3,851 housing units at an average density of 790.6 per square mile (305.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.56% White, 0.30% African American, 0.96% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 3.84% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.80% of the population.
There were 3,525 households out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $41,091, and the median income for a family was $45,504. Males had a median income of $38,038 versus $21,806 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,140. About 6.9% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Founded by William H. Tucker and named for one of the town's financial backers, Rev. William Bayard Craig in 1889, Craig was incorporated as a city on April 24, 1908. Craig became the county seat when Moffat County was created out of the western portion of Routt County on February 27, 1911. In the same area as Craig, at the confluence of the Yampa River (then known as the Bear River) and Fortification Creek, were previous towns known as Yampa (as early as 1885) and Windsor (as early as 1878). In 1878 the area consisted of a number of ranches and at least two businesses: Himley’s Ferry (which allowed crossing of the Yampa River) and Peck's Store (a one room trading post).
In the 1970s and early 1980s, the largest power generation plant in Colorado,[8] and several coal mines were constructed near Craig.
Hunting
Craig is known as the "Elk Hunting Capital of the World" by many sources, including www.ausa.org and www.californiahuntingtoday.com. While this claim has also been made by other towns and areas, Craig certainly does make a strong claim. Hunters travel to Craig from all over the world to hunt the land of Moffat County for elk and many of them stay in Craig. Craig's tourism relies heavily on hunting, and the town's economy relies on the heavy boost received each winter from travellers.
See also
- Colorado municipalities
- Moffat County, Colorado
- State of Colorado
- Yampa River
References
- ^ a b "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. http://www.dola.state.co.us/dlg/local_governments/municipalities.html. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
- ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. 2004-12-01. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp. Retrieved September 6, 2007.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ 1. Craig, Colorado Chamber of Commerce Website
External links
Municipalities and communities of Moffat County, Colorado County seat: CraigCity Craig
Town Unincorporated
communitiesElk Springs | Hamilton | Maybell | Slater
Categories:- Cities in Colorado
- Populated places in Moffat County, Colorado
- County seats in Colorado
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