La Junta, Colorado

Infobox Settlement
official_name = City of La Junta, Colorado
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settlement_type = City
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image_caption = Woodruff Block, built 1892


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map_caption = Location in Otero 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 = Otero County Seatcite 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]
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government_type = Home Rule Municipality
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established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = April 23, 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]
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area_magnitude =
unit_pref = Imperial
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area_total_km2 = 7.4
area_land_km2 = 7.4
area_water_km2 = 0
area_total_sq_mi = 2.9
area_land_sq_mi = 2.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 7568
population_density_km2 = 1022.7
population_density_sq_mi = 2609.7
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timezone = Mountain (MST)
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
latd = 37 |latm = 58 |lats = 53 |latNS = N
longd = 103 |longm = 32 |longs = 51 |longEW = W
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 1243
elevation_ft = 4078
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 22 | accessyear = 2007]
postal_code = 81050
area_code = 719
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 08-42110
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:0204829 0204829]
website = [http://www.ci.la-junta.co.us/ City of La Junta]
footnotes =

The City of La Junta is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Otero County, Colorado, United States.GR|6 The city population was 7,568 at the U.S. Census 2000. La Junta is located in southeast Colorado, on the Arkansas River east of Pueblo. La Junta is home to two well-known museums: Bent's Fort, an important trading post in the old west, and the [http://www.koshare.org Koshare Indian Museum] , regarded as one of the finest collections of Native American artifacts in the world Fact|date=April 2008. The Koshare Indian museum hosts a unique Boy Scout/Explorer program which trains the Scouts in both Indian dance and costumes. The Scouts give dance performances during the summer and also host many other Scout troops passing through the area.

La Junta is also home of the [http://picketwireplayers.org/default.aspx Picketwire Center for Performing Arts] , home of the local theater company.

During World War II La Junta had an Army Air Force Training Base outside town. The airport, located 5 miles north of La Junta, has 77 acres of tarmac and two runways which are still in use. One runway (east-west) is 6,851 feet long and the other is 5,800 feet. [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/la-junta.htm] .

The Caboose (below right) is the drive through for the State Bank [http://www.redibank.com] which was established in 1893. The bank is unique as it has been remodeled with antiques, including a teller line from the late 1890s.

Geography

La Junta is located at coor dms|37|58|53|N|103|32|51|W|city (37.981333, -103.547540)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.4 km²), all of it land. La Junta is directly opposite Île Amsterdam, La Junta's
antipode. The area is high plains terrain, dry with short grass prairie and sagebrush.

Demographics

La Junta has lost to Lamar for 5 years in football. re were 7,568 people, 2,977 households, and 1,964 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,652.0 people per square mile (1,025.3/km²). There were 3,277 housing units at an average density of 1,148.3/sq mi (443.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 74.22% White, 1.22% African American, 1.77% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 18.33% from other races, and 3.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 43.60% of the population.

There were 2,977 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,002, and the median income for a family was $36,398. Males had a median income of $26,325 versus $21,324 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,928. About 16.8% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

La Junta has a major railyard for the BNSF Railway Company for assembling trains and adding engines for the climb across the Raton Pass. Amtrak's Southwest Chief stops here twice daily (east and westbound).

Noted residents

*J. F. Burshears, the founder of the Koshare Indian Dancers
*Ken Kesey, a writer, was born in La Junta

Politics

Mayor: Don Rizzuto

City Council: Eugene Mestas, Billie Johnson, Jackie Abrams, Bob Friedenberger, Michael Moreno, Bill Schmidt.

City Manager: Rick Klein

City Attorney: Phil Malouff

Police Chief: G. Todd QuickNoOneReallyCool

References

External links

* [http://www.ci.la-junta.co.us/ City of La Junta website]
** [http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/La%20Junta.pdf CDOT map of the City of La Junta]
* [http://www.nps.gov/beol/ Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site]