Editing Alma, Colorado

{{short description|Statutory Town in Park County, Colorado, United States}}
{{distinguish|Alma Junction, Colorado}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name                     = Alma, Colorado
|settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town|statutory town]]<ref name=COMun>{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicMunicipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]]|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>
|motto                    = 
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline                    = Main Street Alma Colorado.jpg
|imagesize                        = 
|image_caption                    = Main Street in Alma, March 2010
|image_flag                       = 
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|image_map                        = File:Park County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Alma Highlighted 0801530.svg
|mapsize                          = 250x200px
|map_caption                      = Location of the Town of Alma in {{nowrap|[[Park County, Colorado]].}}
|image_map1                       = 
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<!-- Pushpin map -->
|pushpin_map             = USA#USA Colorado
|pushpin_relief          = 
|pushpin_label           = Alma
|pushpin_label_position  = right
|pushpin_map_caption     = Location of the Town of Alma, Colorado.
<!-- Location -->
|coordinates             = {{coord|39|17|02|N|106|03|46|W|type:city_region:US-CO_source:GNIS|display=it}}
|coordinates_footnotes   = <ref name=GNIS>{{cite gnis|id=180003|name=Alma, Colorado|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>
|elevation_ft            = 10361
|elevation_footnotes     = <ref name=GNIS/>
|unit_pref               = US
|subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name        = [[United States]]
|subdivision_type1       = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1       = [[Colorado]]
|subdivision_type2       = [[List of counties in Colorado|County]]
|subdivision_name2       = [[Park County, Colorado|Park]]<ref name=COcounty>{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicCounties.jsf|title=Colorado Counties|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]]|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_type         = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town|statutory town]]<ref name=COMun/>
|leader_title1                    = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
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|leader_title3                    = 
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|leader_title4                    = 
|leader_name4                     = 
|established_title                = <!-- Settled -->
|established_date                 = 
|established_title2               = [[municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2                = December 2, 1873<ref name=MuniIncCO>{{cite web | url = http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html | title = Colorado Municipal Incorporations | publisher = [[Colorado|State of Colorado]], Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives | date = December 1, 2004 | access-date = August 18, 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200920/http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html| archive-date= September 27, 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref>
|established_title3               = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3                = 
<!-- Area --------------------->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_08.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 1.13
|area_land_km2            = 1.12
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 296
|population_density_sq_mi = 682.03
|population_metro         = 2,963,821 ([[List of metropolitan statistical areas|19th]])
|population_blank1_title  = [[Denver-Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area|CSA]]
|population_blank1        = 3,623,560 ([[List of primary statistical areas|17th]])
|population_blank2_title  = [[Front Range Urban Corridor|Front Range]]
|population_blank2        = 5,055,344
<!-- General information ----------------------->
|timezone1                = [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]]
|utc_offset1              = −07:00
|timezone1_DST            = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
|utc_offset1_DST          = −06:00
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type     = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code          = 80420<ref name=ZIPcode>{{cite web|date=August 21, 2007 |url=https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookupResultsAction!input.action?resultMode=1&companyName=&address1=&address2=&city=Alma&state=CO&urbanCode=&postalCode=&zip= |title=ZIP Code Lookup |publisher=[[United States Postal Service]] |access-date=June 26, 2017}}</ref>
|area_code_type          = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|area_code               = [[Area code 719|719]]
|blank_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS pop ID]]
|blank_info              = {{GNIS 4|180003}}
|blank1_name             = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS town ID]]
|blank1_info             = {{GNIS 4|2412350}}
|blank2_name             = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank2_info             = {{FIPS|08|01530}}
|website                 = [http://townofalma.com/ Town of Alma]
|named_for            = Alma James<ref name=placenames/>
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
|area_total_sq_mi = 0.44
|area_land_sq_mi = 0.43
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.00
|population_density_km2 = 263.55
}}

'''Alma''' is a [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town|statutory town]] in [[Park County, Colorado]], United States.<ref name=COMun/> The town population was 296 at the [[2020 United States census]].<ref name=2020_Census>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html|title=Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Department of Commerce]]|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=September 2, 2021}}</ref> Alma is located West and South of the [[Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area]] and the [[Front Range Urban Corridor]].

==Description==
[[File:Alma Town Hall.JPG|thumb|left|Alma Town Hall, July 2020]]

At an elevation of {{convert|10361|ft}}, Alma is the [[United States Cities and Towns above 10,000 feet|highest incorporated municipality]] in the United States when considering only areas with permanent residents.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Town of Alma |url=https://townofalma.com/index.html#:~:text=Welcome%20to%20Alma,%20CO,1,000%20residents%20in%20nearby%20subdivisions. |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=townofalma.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Jaijongkit |first=Por |date=2025-02-21 |title=Is Leadville the highest city in the US? |url=https://coloradosun.com/2025/02/21/is-leadville-the-highest-city-in-the-us/ |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}}</ref> Its post office is located at the highest elevation of any in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-facts/fun-facts.htm|title=Fun Facts - Postal Facts|author=United States Postal Service}}</ref> Alma, which is considered a town and not a city, does not take the title of "highest incorporated city" from [[Leadville, Colorado]]. Using administrative boundaries as a measure, not settled areas, in 2006 [[Winter Park, Colorado]] became the highest incorporated town due to its annexation of [[Winter Park Resort|a ski area]].<ref>
{{cite web|url=http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=TownofWinterPark%2FCBONLayout&cid=1251623406094&pagename=CBONWrapper|title=Geographical Information|publisher=Town of Winter Park|access-date=October 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213158/http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=TownofWinterPark%2FCBONLayout&cid=1251623406094&pagename=CBONWrapper|archive-date=October 4, 2013|url-status=dead}}
</ref>  Beyond the official limits of Alma is a residential area which extends to {{convert|11680|ft|m|sp=us}} above sea level on Mountain View Drive; this area uses [[Fairplay, Colorado]] addresses, despite being slightly closer to Alma.{{clear left}}

==History==
[[File:Alma, Colorado - c. 1870s.jpg|thumb|left|Alma in the 1870s]]

The town was named by a merchant named Mr. James, after his wife.<ref name=placenames>{{cite book|title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States|publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office|year=1905|pages=[https://archive.org/details/origincertainpl00ganngoog/page/n28 22]|author=Gannett, Henry|url=https://archive.org/details/origincertainpl00ganngoog}}</ref> Another tradition states the town was named for the daughter of a resident.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dawson|first=John Frank|title=Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051116740;view=1up;seq=12|year=1954|publisher=The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co.|location=Denver, CO|page=6}}</ref>

The Alma, Colorado Territory, post office opened on March 7, 1873,<ref name=CPO>{{cite book|title=Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989|first1=William H.|last1=Bauer|first2=James L.|last2=Ozment|first3=John H.|last3=Willard|date=1990|publisher=[[Colorado Railroad Museum|Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation]]|location=[[Golden, Colorado]]|isbn=0-918654-42-4}}</ref> and the Town of Alma was incorporated on December 2, 1873.<ref name=MuniIncCO/> Colorado became a state on August 1, 1876.<ref name=Colorado_Statehood_Proclamation>{{cite web |url=https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-230-admission-colorado-into-the-union|title=Proclamation 230—Admission of Colorado into the Union|author=[[Ulysses S. Grant]] |date=August 1, 1876|publisher=The American Presidency Project|access-date=December 24, 2024}}</ref>

In February 1998, local resident [[1998 Alma rampage|Thomas Leask murdered a former mayor and damaged town buildings]], costing the town at least {{US$|100000|1998|round=-3|about=yes}}, a prohibitive amount for Alma's municipal finances.<ref name="1998-02-28 Gazette">{{cite news |last1=Hartman |first1=Todd |date=1998-02-28 |title=Pandemonium breaks out in Park County |editor1-last=Smith |editor1-first=Steven A. |work=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)|The Gazette]] |language=en |volume=126 |issue=342 |location=[[Fairplay, Colorado]] |pages=A1, A12 |issn=2691-3364 |quote=Slaying of Alma's ex-mayor eclipses political commotion}}</ref>

===Mines===
Alma grew as a town around the Buckskin Gulch, where gold was first discovered in the area. As hard rock mines opened on [[Mount Bross]], [[Mount Lincoln (Colorado)|Mount Lincoln]], and [[Mount Democrat]], the population of the area continued to grow. In the 1870s, Alma's population peaked at around 10,000 people.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 19, 2018|title=About|url=http://townofalma.com/wordpress/about/|access-date=October 20, 2021|website=Alma {{!}} Colorado|language=en-US}}</ref>  The area around Alma contains 17,452 mining sites, mostly [[Placer mining|placer mines]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alma, Colorado Mining Claims And Mines|url=https://thediggings.com/places/co0932412350|access-date=October 20, 2021|website=The Diggings™|language=en}}</ref>

Approximately two miles from Alma are the remains of the defunct [[Orphan Boy mine]] (founded 1861), which produced gold, silver, lead, and zinc over a number of decades.<ref>Laura King Van Dusen, "Early Days at the Orphan Boy: Fire in December 2011 Not Only Fire at Mine; Gold Production Worth $486 Million in 2013 Dollars", ''Historic Tales from Park County: Parked in the Past'' ([[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], [[South Carolina]]: The History Press, 2013), {{ISBN|978-1-62619-161-7}}, pp. 37-43.</ref>

The historic [[Sweet Home Mine]] near Alma, formerly a silver mine, now produces the mineral [[rhodochrosite]].

==Geography==
Alma is located along [[Colorado State Highway 9|State Highway 9]].

At the [[2020 United States census]], the town had a total area of {{convert|1.129|km2|acre|order=flip}} including {{convert|0.006|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.<ref name=2020_Census/>

===Climate===
Alma has what could be called a [[Montane ecosystems|subalpine climate]] due to its elevation. Summers are pleasant, with mild days and chilly nights. The wettest months are July and August due to thunderstorm activity. Spring and Autumn are both short, but pleasant overall with cool days and cold nights occasionally reaching below freezing. Winters are cold and snowy, lasting from the end of October to well into April some years. Winter highs are almost always below freezing and lows remaining around zero for 1/3 of the year. Alma's snowpack is usually established during October or November. Alma's high elevation and location helps to limit both extreme minima and maxima. April averages the most snowfall out of any month of the year.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Alma climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Alma weather averages - Climate-Data.org|url=https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/united-states-of-america/colorado/alma-17138/|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=en.climate-data.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Alma Climate|url=https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/colorado/alma|access-date=July 28, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Alma, CO Monthly Weather Forecast - weather.com|url=https://weather.com/weather/monthly/l/Hartsel+CO?canonicalCityId=a08922b1c3452c60e5ccf95f201b855ad84ed8c12f8ce050977c30a82128096a|access-date=July 28, 2020|website=The Weather Channel|language=en-US}}</ref>
{{Weather box
| location = Alma
| single line = Y
| width = auto
| Jan record high F = 57
| Feb record high F = 57
| Mar record high F = 64
| Apr record high F = 66
| May record high F = 80
| Jun record high F = 86
| Jul record high F = 84
| Aug record high F = 83
| Sep record high F = 82
| Oct record high F = 72
| Nov record high F = 66
| Dec record high F = 56
| Jan record low F = -35
| Feb record low F = -38
| Mar record low F = -30
| Apr record low F = -17
| May record low F = 3
| Jun record low F = 18
| Jul record low F = 21
| Aug record low F = 23
| Sep record low F = 8
| Oct record low F = -8
| Nov record low F = -24
| Dec record low F = -31
| Jan high F = 27.9
| Feb high F = 30.4
| Mar high F = 33.6
| Apr high F = 41.2
| May high F = 51.3
| Jun high F = 62.2
| Jul high F = 68.2
| Aug high F = 65.7
| Sep high F = 59.0
| Oct high F = 49.1
| Nov high F = 35.8
| Dec high F = 28.6
| Jan mean F = 14.2
| Feb mean F = 15.8
| Mar mean F = 19.9
| Apr mean F = 28.2
| May mean F = 38.3
| Jun mean F = 47.8
| Jul mean F = 53.6
| Aug mean F = 51.6
| Sep mean F = 45.0
| Oct mean F = 35.6
| Nov mean F = 23.2
| Dec mean F = 15.6
| Jan low F = 0.5
| Feb low F = 1.4
| Mar low F = 6.3
| Apr low F = 15.4
| May low F = 25.5
| Jun low F = 33.4
| Jul low F = 39.2
| Aug low F = 37.8
| Sep low F = 30.9
| Oct low F = 22.3
| Nov low F = 10.8
| Dec low F = 2.8
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 1.46
| Feb precipitation inch = 1.30
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.73
| Apr precipitation inch = 1.77
| May precipitation inch = 1.65
| Jun precipitation inch = 1.46
| Jul precipitation inch = 2.40
| Aug precipitation inch = 2.40
| Sep precipitation inch = 1.58
| Oct precipitation inch = 1.26
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.42
| Dec precipitation inch = 1.58
| Jan snow inch = 17.0
| Feb snow inch = 19.8
| Mar snow inch = 22.0
| Apr snow inch = 23.1
| May snow inch = 9.2
| Jun snow inch = 1.3
| Jul snow inch = 0.1
| Aug snow inch = 0
| Sep snow inch = 2.0
| Oct snow inch = 10.9
| Nov snow inch = 21.5
| Dec snow inch = 19.0
| Jan snow days = 9.5
| Feb snow days = 8.7
| Mar snow days = 10.4
| Apr snow days = 9.2
| May snow days = 4
| Jun snow days = 0.6
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0.9
| Oct snow days = 3.9
| Nov snow days = 8.4
| Dec snow days = 8.9
| date = July 2020
| source = 
}}

==Demographics==
[[File:Alma colorado.jpg|thumb|left|Alma welcome sign, 2003]]

{{US Census population
|align=right
|1880= 446
|1890= 367
|1900= 297
|1910= 301
|1920= 127
|1930= 110
|1940= 469
|1950= 149
|1960= 107
|1970= 73
|1980= 132
|1990= 148
|2000= 179
|2010= 270
|2020= 296
|footnote=[[United States census|U.S. Decennial Census]]
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 179 people, 94 households, and 40 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|523.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 147 housing units at an average density of {{convert|430.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 92.74% [[White American|White]], 2.23% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.56% [[Asian American|Asian]], 3.35% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 1.12% from two or more races. [[Hispanics in the United States|Hispanics or Latinos]] of any race were 3.35% of the population.

There were 94 households, of which 18.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 2.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 57.4% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 1.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90 and the average family size was 2.63.

The age distribution was 12.8% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 53.1% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 132.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 140.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,563, and the median income for a family was $59,688. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $26,563 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $25,165.  None of the families and 4.3% of the population were living below the [[poverty line]].

{{clear}}

==See also==
{{portal|Geography|History|United States|Colorado}}
*[[Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area]]
*[[Front Range Urban Corridor]]
*[[List of municipalities in Colorado]]
*[[List of populated places in Colorado]]
*[[List of post offices in Colorado]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=yes}}
*[http://townofalma.com Town of Alma]
*[https://www.colorado.gov/ State of Colorado]
**[https://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/staticdata/Downloads/CityMaps/Alma.pdf CDOT map of the Town of Alma]
**[https://www.historycolorado.org/ History Colorado]
{{Park County, Colorado|collapse_state=expanded}}
{{Colorado}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Park County, Colorado]]
[[Category:Towns in Colorado]]