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Lamar, Colorado

Coordinates:38°05′14″N102°37′15″W/ 38.08722°N 102.62083°W/38.08722; -102.62083
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Lamar, Colorado
Home rule municipality[1]
Main Street facing north in downtown Lamar 2007.
Main Street facing north in downtown Lamar 2007.
Location of the City of Lamar in Prowers County, Colorado.
Location of the City of Lamar inProwers County, Colorado.
Lamar is located in the United States
Lamar
Lamar
Location of the City of Lamar in theUnited States.
Coordinates:38°05′14″N102°37′15″W/ 38.08722°N 102.62083°W/38.08722; -102.62083[3]
CountryUnited States
StateColorado
CountyProwers County[2]
CityLamar[1]
IncorporatedDecember 5, 1886[4]
Government
• TypeHome Rule Municipality[1]
• MayorKirk Crespin[5]
Area
[6]
• Total5.29 sq mi (13.70 km2)
• Land5.27 sq mi (13.65 km2)
• Water0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation
[3]
3,619 ft (1,103 m)
Population
(2020)[7]
• Total7,687
• Density1,500/sq mi (560/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7(Mountain (MST))
• Summer (DST)UTC−6(MDT)
ZIP code[8]
81052
Area code719
FIPScode08-43110
GNISfeature ID203835[3]
WebsiteCity Website

Lamaris thehome rule municipalitythat is thecounty seatand themost populous municipalityofProwers County, Colorado.[9]The city population was 7,687 at the2020 United States Census.[7]The city was named afterL.Q.C. Lamar,a slaveholder,Confederatesoldier and diplomat who wrote theMississippi Secession Ordinance,and after theCivil War,went on to serve asSecretary of the Interiorand as aSupreme CourtJustice.[10]Lamar is the home ofLamar Community College,and is the largest city in southeastern Colorado.

History

[edit]

Lamar was founded on May 24, 1886, by Issac Holmes.[11]It was named afterLucius Lamar.At the time Lamar was the Secretary of the Interior, but previously he had written theMississippi Ordinance of Secession,served theConfederacyas an officer and a diplomat. The first town elections were held in December, and C. M. Morrison became the town's first mayor. In 1889 Prowers County was established, and Lamar was elected to house the county's government. Throughout its history, Lamar has suffered from fires and floods. The town was also greatly affected by theDust Bowl,and as such participated in projects led by theCivil Works Administration,Federal Emergency Relief Administration,and theWorks Progress Administration.

The northern site of thePierre Auger Observatoryof ultra-high energy cosmic rays is planned to be built near Lamar.[12]

Restoredrailroad depotand Lamar visitor center

Geography and climate

[edit]

The city lies in southeastern Colorado in northwestern Prowers County on the south side of theArkansas Riverfloodplain.Las Animasis about twenty miles to the west.[13]

According to theUnited States Census Bureau,the city has a total area of 4.2 square miles (11 km2), all land.

Transportation

[edit]

Lamar receives intercity passenger rail service at theLamar Amtrak StationviaAmtrak'sSouthwest Chief,which runs betweenChicagoandLos Angeles.There is also intercity bus service provided byBustang.Lamar is the last eastbound stop of the Lamar-Pueblo-Colorado Springs Outrider line.

Highways

Climate

[edit]

According to theKöppen climate classification,Lamar is located in acold semi-arid climate(Bsk)

Climate data for Lamar, Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 82
(28) 		86
(30) 		94
(34) 		98
(37) 		103
(39) 		111
(44) 		111
(44) 		110
(43) 		106
(41) 		99
(37) 		89
(32) 		82
(28) 		111
(44)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 66.3
(19.1) 		72.3
(22.4) 		82.9
(28.3) 		88.9
(31.6) 		95.7
(35.4) 		102.7
(39.3) 		103.7
(39.8) 		101.6
(38.7) 		98.3
(36.8) 		90.3
(32.4) 		78.6
(25.9) 		66.5
(19.2) 		105.2
(40.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 45.1
(7.3) 		49.2
(9.6) 		60.2
(15.7) 		68.4
(20.2) 		77.7
(25.4) 		88.7
(31.5) 		93.3
(34.1) 		90.6
(32.6) 		83.5
(28.6) 		69.9
(21.1) 		56.4
(13.6) 		45.5
(7.5) 		69.0
(20.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 29.4
(−1.4) 		33.1
(0.6) 		43.3
(6.3) 		52.2
(11.2) 		62.2
(16.8) 		73.1
(22.8) 		78.1
(25.6) 		75.7
(24.3) 		67.5
(19.7) 		53.0
(11.7) 		39.9
(4.4) 		30.0
(−1.1) 		53.1
(11.7)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 13.7
(−10.2) 		17.0
(−8.3) 		26.3
(−3.2) 		36.1
(2.3) 		46.8
(8.2) 		57.5
(14.2) 		62.9
(17.2) 		60.9
(16.1) 		51.5
(10.8) 		36.0
(2.2) 		23.3
(−4.8) 		14.4
(−9.8) 		37.2
(2.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −1.5
(−18.6) 		2.1
(−16.6) 		10.3
(−12.1) 		21.4
(−5.9) 		32.7
(0.4) 		45.3
(7.4) 		54.5
(12.5) 		53.0
(11.7) 		37.8
(3.2) 		21.1
(−6.1) 		8.7
(−12.9) 		−1.9
(−18.8) 		−7.2
(−21.8)
Record low °F (°C) −29
(−34) 		−30
(−34) 		−23
(−31) 		8
(−13) 		20
(−7) 		33
(1) 		43
(6) 		40
(4) 		23
(−5) 		1
(−17) 		−12
(−24) 		−23
(−31) 		−30
(−34)
Averageprecipitationinches (mm) 0.33
(8.4) 		0.42
(11) 		0.72
(18) 		1.46
(37) 		1.93
(49) 		2.53
(64) 		2.81
(71) 		2.78
(71) 		1.19
(30) 		1.08
(27) 		0.48
(12) 		0.46
(12) 		16.19
(411)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 6.3
(16) 		5.4
(14) 		4.7
(12) 		1.7
(4.3) 		0.1
(0.25) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		2.1
(5.3) 		3.6
(9.1) 		5.9
(15) 		29.8
(76)
Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) 2.7 3.0 4.2 5.8 7.5 7.4 8.3 7.4 4.6 4.3 3.4 3.2 61.8
Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) 2.2 2.0 1.5 0.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 1.3 2.1 10.4
Source:NOAA[14][15]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890566—
190098774.4%
19102,977201.6%
19202,512−15.6%
19304,23368.5%
19404,4455.0%
19506,82953.6%
19607,3697.9%
19707,7975.8%
19807,713−1.1%
19908,3438.2%
20008,8696.3%
20107,804−12.0%
20207,687−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of thecensus[16]of 2010, there were 7,804 people, 3,102 households, and 1,980 families living in the city. The population density was 1,858.1 inhabitants per square mile (717.4/km2). There were 3,666 housing units at an average density of 872.9 units per square mile (337.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.6%White,0.7%African American,1.0%Native American,0.4%Asian,0.0%Pacific Islander,16.3% fromother races,and 3.0% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 39.7% of the population.

There were 3,102 households, out of which 42.2% weremarried couplesliving together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,521, and the median income for a family was $43,588. Males working full-time and year-round had a median income of $31,621 versus $30,148 for females. Theper capita incomefor the city was $16,944. About 21.4% of families and 24.6% of the population were below thepoverty line,including 34.1% of those under age 18 and 15.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

[edit]

Lamar is part of School District RE-2,[17][18]and it is home toLamar Community College.[19]

Economy and health care

[edit]

Lamar was originally founded as a town with an agriculture-based economy. In 1981, German bus manufacturerNeoplanopened a manufacturing plant employing 650, but it closed down in 2006.[20][21]Lamar has increasingly relied on tourism.[11]

Prowers Medical Center,a critical access hospital, serves Lamar and Prowers County. The hospital has an emergency department that is a level IV trauma center.[22]

Notable people

[edit]

Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Lamar include:

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abc"Active Colorado Municipalities".State of Colorado,Colorado Department of Local Affairs,Division of Local Government.RetrievedJanuary 27,2021.
  2. ^"Colorado Counties".State of Colorado,Colorado Department of Local Affairs,Division of Local Government.RetrievedJanuary 27,2021.
  3. ^abc"Lamar".Geographic Names Information System.United States Geological Survey,United States Department of the Interior.
  4. ^"Colorado Municipal Incorporations".State of Colorado,Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004.RetrievedSeptember 2,2007.
  5. ^"2009 - 2011 City Elected Officials".City of Lamar.RetrievedNovember 25,2011.
  6. ^"2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedJuly 1,2020.
  7. ^abUnited States Census Bureau."Lamar city; Colorado".RetrievedApril 20,2023.
  8. ^"ZIP Code Lookup".United States Postal Service.Archived fromthe original(JavaScript/HTML)on November 4, 2010.RetrievedNovember 13,2007.
  9. ^"Find a County".National Association of Counties.RetrievedJune 7,2011.
  10. ^Gannett, Henry (1905).The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States.Government Printing Office.p. 180.
  11. ^ab"City of Lamar, Colorado Cultural Resource Survey: Architectural & Historical Survey Report"(PDF).historycolorado.com.October 2012.RetrievedOctober 3,2017.
  12. ^"Pierre Auger Observatory - Northern Auger Site".Archived fromthe originalon July 9, 2011.RetrievedJuly 14,2011.
  13. ^Colorado Atlas & Gazetteer,DeLorme, 12th ed., 2015, p. 99ISBN0899332889
  14. ^"NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedDecember 8,2023.
  15. ^"Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedDecember 8,2023.
  16. ^"U.S. Census website".United States Census Bureau.RetrievedFebruary 27,2018.
  17. ^Lamar School DistrictArchivedAugust 11, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  18. ^"Lamar School District RE-2".RetrievedJanuary 10,2014.
  19. ^"About LCC".RetrievedJanuary 10,2014.
  20. ^Schmidt, William E.; Times, Special To the New York (May 25, 1981)."COLORADO TOWN LOOKS TO BETTER DAYS, WITH A GERMAN BUS FACTORY".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedJuly 25,2023.
  21. ^"Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming".Newspapers.com.November 30, 2005.RetrievedJuly 25,2023.
  22. ^"Prowers Medical Center".American Hospital Directory.February 2, 2024.RetrievedMarch 17,2024.
  23. ^"Allott, Gordon Llewellyn, (1907-1989)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.U.S. Congress.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  24. ^Edwards, Bill."Marvin E. Ashbaugh".RagPiano.com.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  25. ^"Ken Curtis (I)".IMDb.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  26. ^"Scott Elarton".Baseball-Reference.com.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  27. ^Nolte, Carl (July 19, 2014)."Curt Gentry dies: best-selling writer of Manson, Hoover books".San Francisco Chronicle.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  28. ^"Summary Bibliography: Gerald Gregg".Internet Speculative Fiction Database.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  29. ^"Grisham, Wayne Richard, (1923-2011)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.U.S. Congress.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  30. ^Hevesi, Dennis (May 3, 2012)."Floyd D. Hall, Head of Eastern Airlines, Dies at 96".The New York Times.RetrievedJune 21,2016.
  31. ^"Obituary: Sharon Herbaugh".October 23, 2011.
  32. ^"Wesley Tuttle [Obituary]".The Independent.October 15, 2003. Archived from the original on July 30, 2011.RetrievedJune 21,2016.{{cite news}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  33. ^"Sandy Vance".Baseball-Reference.com.RetrievedJune 21,2016.

Further reading

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[edit]
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