Grand Junction, Colorado
| City of Grand Junction, Colorado | |
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| — City — | |
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| Nickname(s): River City | |
| Motto: "Best place to live west of the Rockies" | |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  State of Colorado |
| County | Mesa[1] |
| Incorporated | July 22, 1882[2] |
| Named for | Confluence of Grand River and Gunnison River |
| Government | |
| - Type | Home Rule Municipality[1] |
| - Mayor | Bruce Hill |
| Area | |
| - City | 31.1 sq mi (80.5 km2) |
| - Land | 30.8 sq mi (79.8 km2) |
| - Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,593 ft (1,397 m) |
| Population (2009)[3] | |
| - City | 58,444 |
| - Density | 1,362.6/sq mi (526.2/km2) |
| - Metro | 146,093 |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| - Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP codes[4] | 81501-81507 |
| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0204662 |
| Highways | I-70, US 6, US 50, CO SH 340, CO SH 141, CO SH 139 |
| Website | City of Grand Junction |
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The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States.[5] Grand Junction is situated 247 miles (398 km) west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to 2007 City of Grand Junction and Mesa County estimates, the population of the city is 53,662.[3] Grand Junction is the 15th most populous city in the State of Colorado and the most populous city on the Colorado Western Slope. Grand Junction serves as a major commercial and transportation hub within the large area between the Green River and the Continental Divide. It is the principal city of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area which had a population of 146,093 in 2009.
The city is located along the Colorado River, where it receives the Gunnison River from the south. The name "Grand" refers to the historical upper Colorado River until renamed in 1921, and the word "Junction" is from the joining of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. Hence, Grand Junction has been given the nickname "River City". The city sits near the mid-point of a 30-mile (48 km) arcing valley, known as the Grand Valley, a major fruit-growing region, historically home to the Ute people and settled by white farmers in the 1880s. In recent years, several wineries have been established in the area as well. The Colorado National Monument, a unique series of canyons and mesas, overlooks the city on the west, while most of the area is surrounded by public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The Book Cliffs are a prominent series of cliffs that define the northern side of the Grand Valley. Interstate 70 connects the city eastward to Glenwood Springs and Denver and westward to Green River, Utah, and Interstate 15.
The Country Jam Ranch is located near Grand Junction just north of I-70 at the Mack exit. This is a permanent festival site used solely for music festivals, including Country Jam, an event that has been held since 1992 and one that draws thousands of country music fans to the area.[6]
Mesa County has turned into a major mountain biking destination, with many bikers coming from the Front Range of Colorado, the Salt Lake City area, and even as far away as California to enjoy the Grand Junction area's abundant single-track trails. Two prominent trails among others are the Tabeguache and Kokopelli trails, the latter running from near Loma, Colorado, all the way to Moab, Utah.
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Geography
Grand Junction is located at (39.080531, -108.559097)[7]. It is 27 miles east of the Utah/Colorado State line on Interstate 70. It is about 4,597 feet above sea level in what is called "high desert" country.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.1 square miles (81 km2), with 30.8 square miles (80 km2) of it land, and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.87%) of it water.
Climate
The downtown area displays a semi-arid climate (Koppen BSk), almost grading into a arid type. Winters are cold and dry, with a January high and low of 37.9 °F (3.3 °C) and 16.8 °F (−8.4 °C), respectively; because of its location west of the Rockies, it does not receive much influence Chinook winds as much of the state does, but it receives protection from Arctic masses that can settle to the east of the Rockies. This is illustrated by the fact that from December to February, highs reach 50 °F (10 °C) only 18 days.[8] Lows drop to 0 °F (−17.8 °C) or below on 3.6 nights per year.[8] Snowfall is often light, with a 30-year average of 13.8 inches (35 cm), though the median is 6.3 inches (16.0 cm), and moreover, snow cover remains very short.[8] Snow is greatest in December and January. Spring warming is gradual but quickens when nearing June. Summer is hot but dry, with average July highs reaching 93 °F (33.9 °C) and lows reaching 64 °F (17.8 °C). Autumn cooling is rapid, with freezes usually beginning in mid-October. The area receives little precipitation year-round, averaging 9.06 inches (230.1 mm), with no real seasonal spike. Sunshine hours are abundant, even in winter, and total just over 3200 hours per year, or 73% of the possible total.[9]
| Climate data for Grand Junction, Colorado | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 62 (16.7) |
70 (21.1) |
81 (27.2) |
89 (31.7) |
101 (38.3) |
105 (40.6) |
106 (41.1) |
103 (39.4) |
100 (37.8) |
88 (31.1) |
75 (23.9) |
66 (18.9) |
106 (41.1) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.28) |
45.9 (7.72) |
56.2 (13.44) |
64.6 (18.11) |
74.6 (23.67) |
86.4 (30.22) |
91.9 (33.28) |
89.5 (31.94) |
80.6 (27) |
67.5 (19.72) |
51.3 (10.72) |
40.5 (4.72) |
65.6 (18.67) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 16.8 (-8.44) |
23.6 (-4.67) |
32.5 (0.28) |
39.2 (4) |
48 (8.9) |
57 (13.9) |
63.1 (17.28) |
61.3 (16.28) |
52.4 (11.33) |
40.5 (4.72) |
28.5 (-1.94) |
19.4 (-7) |
40.2 (4.56) |
| Record low °F (°C) | -23 (-30.6) |
-21 (-29.4) |
5 (-15) |
11 (-11.7) |
26 (-3.3) |
34 (1.1) |
44 (6.7) |
43 (6.1) |
28 (-2.2) |
16 (-8.9) |
-4 (-20) |
-21 (-29.4) |
-23 (-30.6) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | .53 (13.5) |
.47 (11.9) |
.93 (23.6) |
.85 (21.6) |
1.09 (27.7) |
.48 (12.2) |
.79 (20.1) |
.74 (18.8) |
.85 (21.6) |
.98 (24.9) |
.80 (20) |
.55 (14) |
9.06 (230.1) |
| Snowfall inches (cm) | 3.8 (9.7) |
2.0 (5.1) |
1.6 (4.1) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.4 (1) |
1.4 (3.6) |
4.0 (10.2) |
13.8 (35.1) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 4.2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3.2 | 4.7 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 5 | 3.8 | 59.3 |
| Avg. snowy days | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 8.5 |
| Sunshine hours | 192.2 | 206.2 | 241.8 | 279 | 328.6 | 360 | 356.5 | 328.6 | 291 | 254.2 | 186 | 179.8 | 3,203.9 |
| Source #1: The Weather Channel (records) [10] | |||||||||||||
| Source #2: NOAA (normals, 1971-2000)[8], HKO [9] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 2,030 |
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| 1900 | 3,503 | 72.6% | |
| 1910 | 7,754 | 121.4% | |
| 1920 | 8,665 | 11.7% | |
| 1930 | 10,247 | 18.3% | |
| 1940 | 12,479 | 21.8% | |
| 1950 | 14,504 | 16.2% | |
| 1960 | 18,694 | 28.9% | |
| 1970 | 20,170 | 7.9% | |
| 1980 | 27,956 | 38.6% | |
| 1990 | 32,893 | 17.7% | |
| 2000 | 41,986 | 27.6% | |
| Est. 2010 | 62,029 | 47.7% | |
As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 41,986 people, 17,865 households, and 10,540 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,362.6 people per square mile (526.2/km²). There were 18,784 housing units at an average density of 609.6/sq mi (235.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.78% White, 0.60% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.81% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.86% of the population.
There were 17,865 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 11.9% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The population figures are for Grand Junction only; the city abuts smaller towns and unincorporated county areas which contribute to area commerce.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,152, and the median income for a family was $43,851. Males had a median income of $31,685 versus $22,804 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,692. About 7.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economic history
From the time settlers arrived in the 1880s until the 1960s, two of the main economic activities in the region were farming and cattle raising. Retail sales have been important to the economy for decades (e.g., gasoline, and hunting and fishing related sales), and uranium mining-related activities have also been significant.[12] Education and healthcare have been important to the economy of the area, especially since the 1950s, with Mesa State College and St. Mary's Hospital as leading employers in these fields. Vast oil shale reserves were known to exist near Parachute, Colorado in the Piceance Basin. The oil embargoes of the 1970s and high gas prices resulted in major financial interest in the region. Exxon purchased rights and used Grand Junction as its seat of operations.
Grand Junction and the surrounding Grand Valley were prosperous in the 1970s and early 1980s largely because of the impact of oil shale development. The United States, western Colorado in particular, has the largest known concentration of oil shale in the world (according to the Bureau of Land Management) and holds an estimated 800 gigabarrels of recoverable oil, enough to meet U.S. demand for oil at current levels for 110 years. Known as the "Rock That Burns" the shale can be mined and processed to produce oil, although in the past it was significantly more expensive than conventional oil. Sustained prices above $95 per barrel, however, may make extraction economically attractive in the coming years (see Oil Shale Economics). ExxonMobil was forced to pull out of the region because of lower oil prices, which led to economic hardship in the region.
The economic bust, known as "Black Sunday" (May 2, 1982) to the locals, started with a phone call from the President of Exxon to the then Governor of Colorado, Richard Douglas Lamm, stating that Exxon would cut its losses while retaining mining rights to the (then and currently) uneconomic oil. The economic bust was felt statewide, as Exxon had invested more than 5 billion USD in the state. Colorado historian Tom Noel observed "I think that was a definite turning point, and it was a reminder that we were a boom-and-bust state...There were parallels to the silver crash of 1893."[13]
By 2008, the economy of Grand Junction appeared to be more diverse and stable than it had been in previous decades. Major contributors to the economy were health care, tourism, agriculture, livestock, and energy mining (gas and oil). Major energy companies had once again invested large amounts of money due to increases in oil and natural gas prices (such as in the years 2005-2008). However, a major drop (in the summer of 2008) of market natural gas prices led to reduced gas well drilling and related capital expenditures in the area, significantly slowing the Grand Junction economy in 2009. Reports given in 2009 suggested that Grand Junction had once again been hard-hit economically, with one report by April 2010 listing the area as having had the largest percentage drop in employment of any "small city" in the entire United States.[14]
By 2008, Grand Junction was being discovered by the "nation's elite business and leisure travelers" for private jet travel, with nearby Powderhorn Resort and other ski resorts a major attraction.[15]
Notable residents
Grand Junction was the boyhood home (1124 Gunnison Avenue) of Dalton Trumbo (1905–1976), Academy Award-winning screenwriter (Exodus, Spartacus, Roman Holiday, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, etc.), novelist (Johnny Got His Gun) and member of the Hollywood Ten. He is honored with a Dalton Trumbo Free Speech Fountain on the campus of his alma mater, the University of Colorado. His first novel, Eclipse (1934) was set in a fictional Colorado town based on Grand Junction, and many of the characters are identifiable as community leaders from his early years there.
Prominent political leader and publisher Walter Walker made Grand Junction his home for many years. For three months in 1932, he served as one of Colorado's U.S. Senators. He was also well-known as the publisher and primary owner of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel newspaper.
Owen Aspinall, the 45th Governor of American Samoa (1967–1969), was born in Grand Junction, as the son of long-time United States Representative Wayne N. Aspinall.
Grand Junction is the home of Annabelle Craft Moss (1921-), American aviator who was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal of Honor on March 10, 2010 in Washington, D.C. Moss was a pilot in World War II and served with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).
Education
K-12
The Mesa Valley School District No. 51 (website) provides comprehensive K-12 public education to the Grand Junction area. School District 51 operates five high schools:
- Fruita Monument High School
- Grand Junction High School
- Central High School
- Palisade High School
- R-5 High School.
In addition, the district operates numerous middle, elementary, and other types of schools. District 51 partners with the Western Colorado Community College (WCCC) to operate a vocational school, owned and operated by Mesa State College. The WCCC was formerly named, and is still commonly called, UTEC.
Colleges and universities
Mesa State College, a public, four-year, liberal arts institution, serves as the primary provider of higher education on the Western slope from its campus in central Grand Junction. This growing campus has an average enrollment of over 7,000 students and offers a variety of degrees, including a Masters in Business Administration Educational Leadership and ESOL. The college has particularly strong science, art, music, nursing, and kinesiology programs. The Junior College World Series of Baseball (JUCO) is hosted by Mesa State each year, and its sports venues include the nearby complex at Sam Suplizio Field in Lincoln Park.
Transportation
Grand Junction Regional Airport (formerly Walker Field Airport) serves as the major airport in the area. The airport is located in north Grand Junction on Horizon Drive. As of 2009, two-way flights to Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Dallas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles were available.
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Grand Junction Station, operating its California Zephyr daily in both directions between Chicago and Emeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco.
The Grand Valley Transit (GVT) is the local bus system which also services routes from Palisade to Fruita, Colorado.
Major Highways
Interstate 70 runs from Interstate 15 in Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland, connecting Grand Junction to Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis, and other major cities. Via Interstate 15, it connects Grand Junction with Las Vegas, Nevada, Metropolitan Los Angeles, and San Diego.
U.S. Highway 6 serves 14 states, running east-west from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Bishop, California. In Colorado, it generally runs parallel to Interstate 76 and Interstate 70.
U.S. Highway 50 crosses 12 states, linking Ocean City, Maryland with Sacramento, California, and formerly to San Francisco. In Colorado, U.S. 50 connects Grand Junction with Montrose, Gunnison, and Pueblo, and to the west, it travels into the state of Utah.
SH 340 runs east-west, starting at First Street in Downtown Grand Junction, traversing the Redlands and ending at U.S. Highway 6 and U.S. Highway 50 in Frutia.
See also
- Grand Mesa
- Mesa State College
- Colorado municipalities
- Western Colorado Botanical Gardens
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. http://www.dola.state.co.us/dlg/local_governments/municipalities.html. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
- ↑ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. 2004-12-01. http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Annual Estimates of the Population for All Incorporated Places in Colorado" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21, 2006. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2005-04-08.csv. Retrieved November 17, 2006.
- ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Climatography of the United States No. 20 (1971–2000)" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/co/053489.pdf. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Climatological Normals of Grand Junction". Hong Kong Observatory. http://www.weather.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/n_america/us/Grand_Junction_e.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
- ↑ "Monthly Averages for Grand Junction, CO – Temperature and Precipitation". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/weather/climatology/monthly/USCO0166. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ Museum of Western Colorado. History Timeline [Online]. http://www.museumofwesternco.com/learn/grand-valley-history/history-timeline/. Retrieved 7.28.09.
- ↑ Richard Williamson (October 5, 1999). "Oil shale collapse preserved scenic vistas". Denver Rocky Mountain News. http://denver.rockymountainnews.com/millennium/1005mile.shtml. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
- ↑ The Adams Group, Coloradoeconomy.com, "Today's Economy". April 23, 2010. Retrieved 5-12-2010
- ↑ "Colo. gets two spots on luxury-travel list". - Denver Business Journal. - January 11, 2008. - Retrieved 2008-01-12
External links
- City of Grand Junction website
- GJSentinel.com/The Daily Sentinel (daily newspaper)
- krextv.com/ (local television news)
- Grand Junction Free Press (weekday daily newspaper)
- Community.GJSentinel.com (community forums and letters)
- Grand Junction Business Directory (local business directory)
- KAFM Community Radio (Non-profit, volunteer radio station)
- Grand Junction VCB (Visitor and Convention Information)
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