Las Animas County, Colorado

Las Animas County, Colorado
Las Animas County Courthouse in Trinidad, Colorado
Location in the state of Colorado
Colorado's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 9, 1866
Named for	Animas River
Seat	Trinidad
Largest city	Trinidad
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	4,775.42 sq mi (12,368 km²) 4,772.63 sq mi (12,361 km²) 2.79 sq mi (7 km²), 0.06%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	15,207 2/sq mi (1/km²)
Time zone	Mountain: UTC-7/-6
Website	http://lasanimascounty.org/
Footnotes: Most extensive Colorado county

Statue of Liberty replica at the Las Animas Courthouse in Trinidad

Public library in Trinidad serves Las Animas County.

Las Animas County has the largest area of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Las Animas County takes its name from the Mexican Spanish name of the Purgatoire River, originally called El Río de las Ánimas Perdidas en Purgatorio, which means "River of the Lost Souls in Purgatory." The county's population was 15,207 at the 2000 census. The county seat is Trinidad.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 4,775.42 square miles (12,368.3 km²), of which 4,772.63 square miles (12,361.1 km²) (or 99.94%) is land and 2.79 square miles (7.2 km²) (or 0.06%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Otero County, Colorado - north
• Pueblo County, Colorado - north
• Bent County, Colorado - northeast
• Baca County, Colorado - east
• Union County, New Mexico - south
• Colfax County, New Mexico - southwest
• Costilla County, Colorado - west
• Huerfano County, Colorado - northwest

See also: List of counties bordering eight or more counties

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 15,207 people, 6,173 households, and 4,092 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 7,629 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.63% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 2.54% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 10.03% from other races, and 3.83% from two or more races. 41.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,173 households out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 29.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 25.90% from 45 to 64, and 18.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,273, and the median income for a family was $34,072. Males had a median income of $27,182 versus $20,891 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,829. About 14.00% of families and 17.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.00% of those under age 18 and 17.20% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Santa Nina de Atoche church, Tijeras Plaza, Las Animas County, c.1934

Philatelic cover postmarked Officer, Colorado on the last day of service. Mail from this discontinued post office was then handled at Villegreen, Colorado, now also a discontinued post office.

• Aguilar
• Boncarbo
• Branson
• Cokedale
• Delhi
• Hoehne
• Jansen
• Kim
• Ludlow
• Madrid
• Model
• Segundo
• Sopris
• Starkville
• Thatcher
• Trinchera
• Trinidad
• Tyrone
• Villegreen
• Weston

Protected areas

• Comanche National Grassland
• San Isabel National Forest
• Spanish Peaks Wilderness
• Trinidad Lake State Park

Historic trails and landmarks

• Raton Pass National Historic Landmark
• Santa Fe National Historic Trail
• Trinidad State History Museum

Scenic byways

• Highway of Legends Scenic Byway
• Santa Fe Trail National Scenic Byway

See also

• Outline of Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• Colorado census statistical areas
• Colorado counties
• Colorado municipalities
• Arthur Roy Mitchell
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Las Animas County, Colorado

External links

• Las Animas County Government
• Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
• Colorado Historical Society