Editing Chaffee County, Colorado

{{short description|County in Colorado, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                            = Chaffee County
| official_name                   = County of Chaffee
| settlement_type                 = [[County (United States)|County]]
| image_skyline                   = Chaffee County Courthouse (1932-1992).JPG
| image_caption                   = Old Chaffee County Courthouse
| image_map                       = {{Maplink|zoom=8|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-width=250|frame-align=center|type=shape|fill=#ffffff|fill-opacity=0|stroke-width=3}}
| map_caption                     = Interactive map of Chaffee County
| image_map1                      = Map of Colorado highlighting Chaffee County.svg
| map_caption1                    = Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
| subdivision_type                = Country
| subdivision_name                = {{nowrap|{{US}}}}
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = {{flag|Colorado}}
| established_title               = Established
| established_date                = February 10, 1879
| named_for                       = [[Jerome B. Chaffee]]
| seat_type                       = [[County seat]]
| seat                            = [[Salida, Colorado|Salida]]
| parts_type                      = Largest city
| parts                           = Salida
| unit_pref                       = US
| area_total_sq_mi                = 1015
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 1013
| area_water_sq_mi                = 1.6
| area_water_percent              = 0.2
| elevation_max_ft                = 14421
| elevation_max_footnotes         = <ref>[[Mount Harvard]]</ref>
| population_as_of                = 2020
| population_density_sq_mi        = 19
| population_total                = 19476<ref name=2020Census>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/chaffeecountycolorado/PST045219|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |access-date=September 4, 2021|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
| pop_est_as_of                   = 2020
| area_code                       = [[Area code 970|970]] 719
| area_code_type                  = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
| blank_name_sec1                 = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS]] code
| blank_info_sec1                 = 08015
| blank1_name_sec1                = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info_sec1                = {{GNIS 4|198123}}
| website                         = [http://www.chaffeecounty.org/ www.chaffeecounty.org]
| timezone                        = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain]]
| utc_offset                      = &minus;7
| timezone_DST                    = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = &minus;6
}}
[[File:Salida, Colorado with Sangre de Cristo Range in Background .jpg|thumb|[[Salida, Colorado]] with [[Sangre de Cristo Range]] in background]]
'''Chaffee County''' is a county located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Colorado]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 19,476.<ref name="2020Census" /> The [[county seat]] is [[Salida, Colorado|Salida]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

==History==
Chaffee County has a confusing origin. Between February 8 and 10, 1879, [[Carbonate County]] was created by the Colorado legislature out of northern [[Lake County, Colorado|Lake County]]. On February 10 the two counties were renamed, with the southern part of Lake County becoming Chaffee County, and Carbonate County becoming Lake County. Chaffee County is known as the “Heart of the Rockies”. It was named for [[Jerome B. Chaffee]],<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n73 74]}}</ref> Colorado's first United States Senator.

==Geography==

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1015|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1013|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1.6|sqmi}} (0.2%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Lake County, Colorado|Lake County]] - north
*[[Park County, Colorado|Park County]] - northeast
*[[Fremont County, Colorado|Fremont County]] - southeast
*[[Saguache County, Colorado|Saguache County]] - south
*[[Gunnison County, Colorado|Gunnison County]] - west
*[[Pitkin County, Colorado|Pitkin County]] - northwest

===Major highways===
* [[File:US 24.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 24 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 24]]
* [[File:US 50.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 50 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 50]]
* [[File:US 285.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 285 (Colorado)|U.S. Highway 285]]
* [[File:Colorado 291.svg|20px]] [[Colorado State Highway 291|State Highway 291]]
* [[File:Colorado 306.svg|20px]] [[Colorado State Highway 306|State Highway 306]]

===National protected areas===
*[[Browns Canyon National Monument]]
*[[Buffalo Peaks Wilderness]]
*[[Collegiate Peaks Wilderness]]
*[[San Isabel National Forest]]

===Recreation area===
*[[Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area]]

===Trails===
*[[American Discovery Trail]]
*[[Colorado Trail]]
*[[Continental Divide National Scenic Trail]]

===Bicycle routes===
*[[Great Parks Bicycle Route]]
*[[Western Express Bicycle Route]]

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 6512
|1890= 6612
|1900= 7085
|1910= 7622
|1920= 7753
|1930= 8126
|1940= 8109
|1950= 7168
|1960= 8298
|1970= 10162
|1980= 13227
|1990= 12684
|2000= 16242
|2010= 17809
|2020= 19476
|estyear=2023
|estimate=20617
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 31, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 7, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 7, 2014|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623053220/https://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/co190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 7, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 7, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="2020Census" />
}}

At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 16,242 people, 6,584 households, and 4,365 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|16|/sqmi|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|abbr=out}}. There were 8,392 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/sqmi|/km2|abbr=out}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the county was 90.94% White, 1.58% Black or African American, 1.09% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 4.21% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. 8.58% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
Of the 6,584 households 25.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.70% were non-families. 28.40% of households were one person and 11.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.77.

The age distribution was 19.70% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 27.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.20 males.

The median household income was $34,368 and the median family income was $42,043. Males had a median income of $30,770 versus $22,219 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,430. About 7.40% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.30% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.

Chaffee County is also home to a source of water that Arrowhead water uses for some water bottles. The source is Ruby Mountain Springs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parker |first1=Bob |title=A story of biblical dimensions: Chaffee County Citizens vs Nestlé |url=https://350colorado.org/a-story-of-biblical-dimensions-chaffee-county-citizens-vs-nestle/ |website=350 Colorado |publisher=350 Colorado |access-date=2 December 2024 |date=30 September 2020}}</ref>

==Politics==
Chaffee County was long a Republican stronghold, but has recently trended towards the Democrats. In 2008 [[Barack Obama]] lost the county by only 11 votes, and he carried it in 2012 by 16 votes, the first Democrat to win it since Lyndon Johnson's 1964 landslide. In 2016 [[Donald Trump]] flipped the county narrowly back into the Republican column, but Joe Biden won the county in 2020, the first candidate from either party to win the county by a full majority since 2004. [[Kamala Harris]] won the county by a larger margin in 2024, becoming the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the county while losing the presidential election since 1908.
{{PresHead|place=Chaffee County, Colorado|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 26, 2017}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|6,034|7,992|397|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|6,222|7,160|336|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,391|4,888|971|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,070|5,086|306|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|4,873|4,862|186|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|4,875|3,766|129|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|4,300|2,768|542|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|3,052|2,768|695|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|2,419|2,284|1,579|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|3,080|2,548|86|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,680|1,779|91|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|3,327|1,583|568|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,925|2,064|173|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,859|1,354|78|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,121|1,667|365|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,476|2,463|12|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,094|1,918|4|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,284|1,303|0|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,171|1,643|15|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,065|1,476|39|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,675|1,731|24|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,933|2,153|35|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,069|2,447|148|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,061|2,393|174|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,880|1,230|50|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,336|612|1,130|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,501|1,233|103|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|864|2,546|103|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|723|1,641|1,031|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|1,233|1,679|313|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,611|1,601|223|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|1,033|1,890|79|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|141|2,606|15|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|678|0|1,012|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|1,277|941|54|Colorado}}
{{PresRow|1884|Republican|1,142|986|8|Colorado}}
{{PresFoot|1880|Democratic|1,135|1,188|17|Colorado}}

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Chaffee County, Colorado.png|thumb|upright=1.2|Chaffee County, Colorado]]
[[File:Buffalo Peaks outside of Buena Vista.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Buffalo Peaks near [[Buena Vista, Colorado|Buena Vista]]]]

===City===
*[[Salida, Colorado|Salida]]

===Towns===
*[[Buena Vista, Colorado|Buena Vista]]
*[[Poncha Springs, Colorado|Poncha Springs]]

===Census-designated places===
*[[Garfield, Colorado|Garfield]]
*[[Johnson Village, Colorado|Johnson Village]]
*[[Maysville, Colorado|Maysville]]
* [[Nathrop, Colorado|Nathrop]]
*[[Smeltertown, Colorado|Smeltertown]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Alpine, Colorado (ghost town)|Alpine]]
*[[Belleview, Colorado|Belleview]]
*[[Browns Canon, Colorado|Browns Canon]]
*[[Centerville, Colorado|Centerville]]
*[[Cleora, Colorado|Cleora]]
*[[Futurity, Colorado|Futurity]]
*[[Granite, Colorado|Granite]]
*[[Hamilton, Colorado|Hamilton]]
*[[Newett, Colorado|Newett]]
*[[Princeton, Colorado|Princeton]]
*[[Riverside, Colorado|Riverside]]
*[[Rockdale, Colorado|Rockdale]]
*[[St. Elmo, Colorado|St. Elmo]]
*[[Stonewall, Colorado|Stonewall]]
*[[Turret, Colorado|Turret]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===

*[[St. Elmo, Colorado|St. Elmo]]
*[[Vicksburg, Colorado|Vicksburg]]
*[[Winfield, Colorado|Winfield]]
{{clear}}

==See also==
{{portal|Government|History|Mountains|United States|Colorado}}
*[[Bibliography of Colorado]]
*[[Geography of Colorado]]
*[[History of Colorado]]
**[[National Register of Historic Places listings in Chaffee County, Colorado]]
*[[Index of Colorado-related articles]]
*[[List of Colorado-related lists]]
**[[List of counties in Colorado]]
*[[Outline of Colorado]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://garna.org/pdfs/Pages%2094-end%20Management%20Plan_Final.pdf Cultural, Historical and Archeological Resources]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100720183144/http://countyclerkofcourt.us/Chaffee Chaffee County Clerk of Court]
*[http://www.chaffeecounty.org Chaffee County Government website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102713/http://www.stanwyck.com/cogenweb/cocounties.html Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck]
*[http://www.coloradohistory.org/ Colorado Historical Society]
*[https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo44949 Geologic Map of the Harvard Lakes 7.5ʹ Quadrangle, Park and Chaffee Counties, Colorado] [[United States Geological Survey]]
*[http://storage.nestle.com/Interactive_CSV_Full_2013/files/assets/basic-html/page202.html]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Chaffee County, Colorado
|North     = [[Lake County, Colorado|Lake County]]
|Northeast = [[Park County, Colorado|Park County]]
|East      = 
|Southeast = [[Fremont County, Colorado|Fremont County]]
|South     = [[Saguache County, Colorado|Saguache County]]
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Gunnison County, Colorado|Gunnison County]]
|Northwest = [[Pitkin County, Colorado|Pitkin County]]
}} 
{{Chaffee County, Colorado}}
{{Colorado}}
{{authority control}}
{{coord|38.74|-106.18|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CO_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Chaffee County, Colorado| ]]
[[Category:1879 establishments in Colorado]]
[[Category:Colorado counties]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1879]]