Editing De Beque, Colorado

{{short description|Town in Colorado, United States}}
{{redirect-distinguish|De Beque|Becque (disambiguation)}}
{{distinguish|Dubuque, Iowa}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name                     = De Beque, Colorado
|settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town|Statutory Town]]<ref name=COMun>{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/municipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]]|access-date=October 15, 2021}}</ref>
|motto                    = 
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = De Beque, Colorado.JPG
|image_caption            = Minter Avenue in De Beque, March 2013
|image_flag               = 
|flag_size                = 
|image_seal               = 
|seal_size                = 
|image_shield             = 
|shield_size              = 
|image_blank_emblem       = 
|blank_emblem_type        = 
|blank_emblem_size        = 
|image_map                = File:Mesa County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas De Beque Highlighted 0819355.svg
|map_caption              = Location of the Town of De Beque in  {{nowrap|[[Mesa County, Colorado]].}}
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_label            = {{nowrap|De Beque}}
|pushpin_label_position   = right
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location of the Town of De Beque in the {{nowrap|[[United States]].}}
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = {{flag|United States}}
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = {{flag|Colorado}}
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Colorado|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Mesa County, Colorado|Mesa County]]<ref name=COMun/>
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town|Statutory Town]]<ref name=COMun/>
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Shanelle Hansen<ref name=TownBoard>{{cite web | url = http://www.debeque.org/boardoftrustees.html | title = BOARD OF TRUSTEES | accessdate = September 6, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120207005020/http://www.debeque.org/boardoftrustees.html | archive-date = February 7, 2012 | url-status = dead }}</ref>                     
|leader_title2            = Town Administrator
|leader_name2             = Care' McGinnis
|leader_title3            = Chief Marshal
|leader_name3             = Robert Dalley
|leader_title4            = 
|leader_name4             = 
|established_title        = [[settler|Settled]]
|established_date         = 1880
|established_title2       = [[municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = January 18, 1890<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 | accessdate = September 2, 2007}}</ref>
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        = 
<!-- Area --------------------->
|unit_pref                = US
|total_type               = Total
|area_footnotes           = <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 7, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 7.196
|area_land_km2            = 7.063
|area_water_km2           = 0.133
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name=2020_Census/>
|population_total         = 493
|population_density_sq_mi = 183
|population_metro         = 155,703
<!-- General information ----------------------->
|timezone1                = [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]]
|utc_offset1              = −07:00
|timezone1_DST            = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
|utc_offset1_DST          = −06:00
|coordinates         = {{coord|39|18|38|N|108|12|18|W|region:US-CO|display=inline,title}}
|coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_footnotes   = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft         = 4954
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type     = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code          = 81630
|area_code            = 970
|blank_name           = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info           = 08-19355
|blank1_name          = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS feature ID]]
|blank1_info          = 2412412<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412412}}</ref>
|website              = {{URL|www.debeque.org/}}
}}

'''De Beque''' is a [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Statutory town|statutory town]] located in [[Mesa County, Colorado|Mesa County]], [[Colorado]].<ref name="COMun" /> The population was 493 at the time of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name=2020_Census/> De Beque is a part of the [[Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. The town consists of a small grid, including a historic downtown featuring a town hall, a tavern, and several commercial businesses in historic structures. The surrounding streets include houses, several churches, and a school.

==History==
The town is located in a region historically occupied by the [[Ute people]].<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.debeque.org/history.html|title=History|publisher=Town of De Beque, Colorado|accessdate=July 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728115819/http://www.debeque.org/history.html|archive-date=July 28, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> settlers arrived in the region in 1880.<ref name="History"/>

The town is named after Dr. W.A.E. de Beque<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=23|publisher=The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co.|location=Denver, CO|page=17}}</ref> who explored the area with several companions in 1884 while looking for a suitable location for a ranch.

The town was historically a location where [[wild horse]]s, prevalent in the surrounding lands, were rounded up and sold.<ref name="The Wild Horses of Ute Country">{{cite web| url= http://indiancountrynews.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1339&Itemid=118|title=The Wild Horses of Ute Country
|publisher=News From Indian Country|accessdate=July 9, 2012}}</ref> The history of the town is commemorated with a [[Mustang horse|mustang]] statue near the town hall. In August 2001, the Town Board of Trustees designated De Beque as the only Wild Horse Sanctuary City in the West.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.debeque.org/horsedays.html |title= DE BEQUE WILD HORSE DAYS |publisher= Town of De Beque, Colorado |accessdate= July 25, 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111026072819/http://www.debeque.org/horsedays.html |archive-date= October 26, 2011 |url-status= dead }}</ref> The town now undertakes projects in cooperation with the [[Bureau of Land Management]], as well as private organizations, to protect the remaining wild horses in the area. There are no burros in western Colorado. Such measures include the construction of a public corral for the care of injured and sick mustangs awaiting adoption.<ref name="The Wild Horses of Ute Country"/>

On April 1, 2014, De Beque became the first incorporated town in Mesa County to approve the retail sale of recreational marijuana.<ref>The Daily Sentinel, Tuesday, April 1 [http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/articles/de-beque-approves8232-retail-pot-fruita-8232declin/ De Beque approves retail pot; Fruita declines]</ref>

==Geography==
The town sits along the north side of the [[Colorado River]] upstream from [[De Beque Canyon]] in a small ranching valley approximately {{convert|25|mi|km}} northeast and upstream from [[Grand Junction, Colorado|Grand Junction]]. It is located across the river from [[Interstate 70 in Colorado|Interstate 70]], on a small hill overlooking the river. The southwest edge of the [[Roan Cliffs]] overlook the town from the northeast. Much of the surrounding area in the mountains is controlled by the [[Bureau of Land Management]]. [[Mount Logan (Garfield County, Colorado)|Mount Logan]] can be seen from town, five miles to the north.

At the [[2020 United States census]], the town had a total area of {{convert|7.196|km2|acre|order=flip}} including {{convert|0.133|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.<ref name=2020_Census/>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1900= 83
|1910= 149
|1920= 292
|1930= 347
|1940= 280
|1950= 253
|1960= 172
|1970= 155
|1980= 279
|1990= 257
|2000= 451
|2010= 504
|2020= 493
|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]] |accessdate=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 451 people, 167 households, and 130 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,411.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 188 housing units at an average density of {{convert|588.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.45% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.67% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.89% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]]. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.00% of the population.

There were 167 households, out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,632, and the median income for a family was $31,042. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,500 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,181. About 6.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
{{clear|left}}

==Art and Culture==

===Wild Horse Days===
The town has hosted "[[Wild Horse Day]]" every August since 2000. The festival includes a [[rodeo]] and [[parade]].

The festival was originally begun to promote awareness to the wild horse population and raise funds for a corral and rodeo grounds.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.kjct8.com/news/Wild-Horse-Days-Come-To-An-End/-/163152/436214/-/ryadki/-/index.html|title=Wild Horse Days Come To An End Organizers Have Decided To Cancel The Event|publisher=KJCT8.com|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Colorado}}
* [[List of municipalities in Colorado]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=1}}
*[https://townofdebeque.colorado.gov/ Town of De Beque website]
*[http://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/staticdata/Downloads/CityMaps/De%20Beque.pdf CDOT map of the Town of De Beque]

{{Mesa County, Colorado}}
{{Colorado|show}}
{{authority control}}

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