Steamboat Springs, Colorado

City of Steamboat Springs, Colorado
—  City  —
End of May in Downtown Steamboat Springs: still snow on the mountains
Nickname(s): Ski Town USA
Location in Routt County and the State of Colorado
Coordinates:
Country  United States
State  State of Colorado
County[1] Routt County - seat[2]
Incorporated July 19, 1900[3]
Government
 - Type Home Rule Municipality[1]
Area
 - Total 10.1 sq mi (26 km2)
 - Land 10.1 sq mi (26 km2)
 - Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation[4] 6,732 ft (2,052 m)
Population (2000)
 - Total 9,815
 - Density 971.8/sq mi (377.5/km2)
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
 - Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP codes[5] 80477, 80487, 80488
Area code(s) 970
FIPS code 08-73825
GNIS feature ID 0172749
Website City of Steamboat Springs
Steamboat Springs is a mix of older architecture and newer resort developments, especially near the ski resort on the eastern edge of town.

The City of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States.[6] The city known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA" had a population of 9,815 at the U.S. Census 2000. The town is an internationally known winter resort destination. The Steamboat Springs tourism industry is highlighted by the Steamboat Ski Resort, which is on Mount Werner in the Park Range just east of the town. It also contains the much smaller Howelsen Ski Area. It is located in the upper valley of the Yampa River, along U.S. Highway 40 just west of the Continental Divide at Rabbit Ears Pass. It is served by Yampa Valley Airport.

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.1 km²), all of it land except for the Yampa River.

The Yampa Valley and surrounding area contain several geothermal hot springs, from which the city derives its name. The city is named after the Steamboat Spring, located near the present-day library. The spring itself was so named because its bubbling sounded like a steamboat to early settlers. Unfortunately, construction and blasting for railroad silenced the chugging spring in 1908. Locals take pride in the name of their town, as evidenced by the humorously named Steamboat Yacht Club, a local restaurant location on the Yampa River.

Though there are no steamboats in the town, except for an allegorical "steamboat" playground in West Lincoln Park, it does offer two hot springs that are open to the public. The largest is at the Old Town Hot Springs,[7] with multiple pools and two slides. Located in the hills a few miles out of town is Strawberry Park Hot Springs,[8] with two pools and natural rock features. Strawberry Park Hot Springs offers excellent stargazing opportunities due to the lack of ambient light.

The Yampa River flows through the middle of town.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1890 91
—
1900 450 394.5%
1910 1,227 172.7%
1920 1,249 1.8%
1930 1,198 −4.1%
1940 1,613 34.6%
1950 1,913 18.6%
1960 1,843 −3.7%
1970 2,340 27.0%
1980 5,098 117.9%
1990 6,695 31.3%
2000 9,815 46.6%
Est. 2007 9,516 −3.0%
source:[9][10]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 9,815 people, 4,084 households, and 2,082 families residing in the city. The population density was 976.1 people per square mile (377.1/km²). There were 6,373 housing units at an average density of 633.8/sq mi (244.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.88% White, 0.13% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.13% of the population.

There were 4,084 households out of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.0% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.7% under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 40.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 4.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 123.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $54,647, and the median income for a family was $65,685. Males had a median income of $35,536 versus $28,244 for females. The per capita income for the city was $31,695. About 2.7% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

The area surrounding Steamboat Springs was originally inhabited by the Yampatikas Utes, who hunted in the valley during the summer. Trappers began to move into the area during the first decades of the 19th century. Ranchers soon followed, and ranching traditions are still preserved by the large ranching community. However, the native Utes were forcibly removed from the area to a reservation in Utah by the U.S. Army starting in 1879.

Originally, skiing was the only method of transportation during harsh Rocky Mountain winters. In turn, the popularity of skiing as a winter pastime catalyzed development of the town and other communities all over the Rocky Mountains. In 1913, Carl Howelsen, a Norwegian, moved to town and introduced ski jumping. Howelsen built the first jump on namesake Howelsen Hill, now part of the Howelsen Ski Area. He also founded the annual Winter Carnival, a celebration still held each winter. Traditionally, the festival includes ski racing and jumping, dog sledding, and chariot events down Lincoln Avenue, the city's main street. Light shows on both Mount Werner and Howelsen Hill are highlights.

The Steamboat Ski Resort was largely established by two local men, Jim Temple and John Fetcher. Temple led the effort to develop the area. Fetcher, a local rancher, was the main designer and builder. The resort opened on what was then called Storm Mountain in 1963.

In 1974, The Industrial Company (TIC) was started in Steamboat Springs and has since grown into one of the largest industrial construction companies in the United States with revenues of approximately $2 billion in 2007. The company is one of the largest employers in Routt County and has more than 9,000 employees worldwide.

The ski resort at Steamboat springs
Kayakers at Charlie's Hole on the Yampa River

In 1993, the City Council of Steamboat Springs, Colorado conducted a poll of its residents to choose a new name for the bridge that crossed the Yampa River on Shield Drive. The winning name with 7,717 votes was "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge". The bridge was officially dedicated in September 1993, and James Brown appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the event.

Skiing and river sports

Steamboat Springs offers excellent skiing opportunities (also see history section) and has been the locale of world class skiing competitions, including competitions for the 1989 and 1990 Alpine Skiing World Cup. The Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club has brought forward many successful skiers, and the Steamboat Ski Resort attracts a large number of visiting snow aficionados.

The Yampa river is a popular conduit for water sports like fishing, rafting, tubing, and kayaking (playboating). The 4-mile grade II-III[12] whitewater run through town ends with two surfable holes. One is called D-Hole; the other one—near the library, close to the Steamboat Spring—is named Charlie's Hole or C-Hole for short, after local kayaker Charlie Beavers (1981-2002), who started kayaking at age 12[13] and later was the first to explore a number of rivers ("first descents")[14] and successfully contended in playboating competitions, but died in a non-boating accident in 2002 and the hole[15] and some kayaking events[16] were dedicated to him.

Every year on the first weekend of June, Steamboat Springs organizes the Yampa River Festival. It includes a kayak rodeo (i.e. a playboating competition) which attracts national and international world class playboaters. Further events are a downriver race, Colorado's only upstream slalom race, the Crazy River Dog Contest, in which dogs retrieve sticks from the river and may pass a whitewater section, and others.[17]

The defunct ski area Stagecoach is about twenty miles (32 km) south of Steamboat. It lasted two ski seasons, closing in 1974.

Notable natives and residents

Sister cities

Steamboat Springs has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

References

  1. ↑ 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. 
  2. ↑ "Colorado County Seats". State of Colorado, Department of Public Health and Environment. http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/cntyseat.html. Retrieved 2007-12-31. 
  3. ↑ "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. 
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp. Retrieved 2008-01-04. 
  6. ↑ "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. 
  7. ↑ Old Town Hot Springs
  8. ↑ Strawberry Park Hot Springs
  9. ↑ Moffatt, Riley. Population History of Western U.S. Cities & Towns, 1850-1990. Lanham: Scarecrow, 1996, 80.
  10. ↑ "Subcounty population estimates: Colorado 2000-2007" (CSV). United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2009-03-18. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2007-8.csv. Retrieved 2009-05-10. 
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  12. ↑ Steamboat Town Run (retrieved 29 September, 2008)
  13. ↑ post by Peter Van De Carr in boatertalk.com (23 October, 2002) (retrieved 29 September, 2008)
  14. ↑ e.g., lower Jasper Creek (near Eldora, Colorado) in 2001, with pictures of Charlie Beavers: Nick Wigston: Upper and Lower Jasper, Super Gnar. JASPER: In memory of Charlie Beavers (1981-2002). (retrieved 29 September, 2008)
  15. ↑ Erin Ragan (7 June, 2003). Yampa River Festival. Crazy dogs, brave kayakers turn out for 23rd annual event. Steamboat Pilot & Today. (both retrieved 29 September, 2008)
  16. ↑ Charlie Beavers Classic race: Paddling Life Pro Invitational
    Charlie Beavers Memorial Expedition: The 7 Rivers Expedition (blog) (both retrieved 29 September, 2008)
  17. ↑ Annual Yampa River Festival
    Jennie Lay (10 June, 2004). Water enthusiasts gather for festival. Steamboat Pilot & Today. (both retrieved 29 September, 2008)

External links

Municipalities and communities of Routt County, Colorado
County seat: Steamboat Springs
City

Steamboat Springs
Towns

Hayden | Oak Creek | Yampa
Unincorporated
communities

Clark | Phippsburg | Toponas