| City of Cañon City, Colorado | |
|---|---|
| downtown Canon City | |
| Nickname(s): Climate Capital of Colorado, Cañon | |
| Location in Fremont County and the State of Colorado | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | State of Colorado |
| County | Fremont County Seat[1] |
| Settled | 1860 |
| Incorporated | April 3, 1872[2] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Home Rule Municipality[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.0 sq mi (31.2 km2) |
| • Land | 12.0 sq mi (31.1 km2) |
| Elevation | 5,332 ft (1,625 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 15,431 |
| • Density | 1,284.1/sq mi (495.7/km2) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP codes[3] | 81212 & 81215 (PO Box) |
| Area code(s) | Area Code 719 |
| Website | City of Cañon City |
The City of Cañon City ( /ˈkænjən ˈsɪti/) is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Fremont County, State of Colorado.[4] The United States Census Bureau estimated that the city population was 16,000 in 2005.[5] Cañon City is noted for being the location of nine state and four Federal prisons and penitentiaries. Cañon City straddles the Arkansas River, and is a popular tourist destination for sightseeing, whitewater rafting, and rock climbing.
In 1994, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved adding the tilde to the official name of Cañon City, a change from Canon City as the official name in its decisions of 1906 and 1975.[6] It is one of the few U.S. cities to have an eñe in its name.
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Cañon City was laid out on 17 January 1858 during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush, but then the land was left idle. A new company "jumped the claim" to the town's site in late 1859, and it put up the first building in February 1860. This town was originally intended as a commercial center for mining in South Park and the upper Arkansas River.[7]
In 1861, this town raised two companies of volunteers to serve with the Second Colorado Infantry during the American Civil War. This regiment fought in skirmishes in nearby New Mexico and as far east as the Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and Missouri before ending its organization in 1865.
In 1862, A. M. Cassaday drilled for petroleum six miles north of Cañon City, close to a known oil seep. Cassaday struck oil at the depth of 50 feet, and he completed the first commercial oil well west of the Mississippi River. He drilled five or six more wells nearby, and he refined kerosene and fuel oil from the petroleum. Cassaday sold the products in Denver.[8]
A number of metal ore smelters were built in Cañon City following the discovery of gold at Cripple Creek in 1891.
The Canon City Downtown Historic District is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[9]
Cañon City is located at (38.446800, -105.228305)[10] at an altitude of 5,332 ft (1,625 m).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.0 square miles (31 km2), of which, 12.0 square miles (31 km2) of it is land and 0.08% is water. Cañon City sits in the "high desert" land of southern Colorado, the same desert lands of Pueblo and Florence.
The city's nickname, "the Climate Capital of Colorado", derives from the combination of unique geography and 5,300 ft elevation protecting the city from harsh weather conditions. The average daily high temperature in January is 14 degrees warmer in Cañon City than in Grand Junction even though the elevation of Cañon City is higher.[11]
Overnight low temperatures are also considerably warmer in Cañon City than in Denver. The average minimum temperature in January is 20 degrees. During July, overnight lows are 59 degrees on average. Cañon City has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).
| Climate data for Cañon City | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 76 (24) |
77 (25) |
82 (28) |
88 (31) |
98 (37) |
102 (39) |
107 (42) |
100 (38) |
100 (38) |
91 (33) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
107 (42) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 49 (9) |
52 (11) |
58 (14) |
65 (18) |
73 (23) |
84 (29) |
90 (32) |
87 (31) |
79 (26) |
69 (21) |
56 (13) |
49 (9) |
68 (20) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 34 (1) |
38 (3) |
43 (6) |
50 (10) |
59 (15) |
69 (21) |
74 (23) |
73 (23) |
64 (18) |
69 (21) |
56 (13) |
49 (9) |
57 (14) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 20 (−7) |
23 (−5) |
28 (−2) |
35 (2) |
44 (7) |
53 (12) |
59 (15) |
58 (14) |
48 (9) |
38 (3) |
28 (−2) |
21 (−6) |
38 (3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −23 (−31) |
−16 (−27) |
−8 (−22) |
7 (−14) |
15 (−9) |
20 (−7) |
41 (5) |
37 (3) |
25 (−4) |
12 (−11) |
−24 (−31) |
−25 (−32) |
−25 (−32) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 0.46 (11.7) |
0.38 (9.7) |
1.06 (26.9) |
1.47 (37.3) |
1.64 (41.7) |
1.24 (31.5) |
1.78 (45.2) |
2.05 (52.1) |
1.21 (30.7) |
0.72 (18.3) |
0.80 (20.3) |
0.49 (12.4) |
13.30 (337.8) |
| Source: Weather.com[12] | |||||||||||||
As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 15,431 people, 6,164 households, and 3,803 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,284.1 people per square mile (495.7/km²). There were 6,617 housing units at an average density of 550.6 per square mile (212.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.15% White, 1.59% African American, 1.04% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.61% from other races, and 2.01% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.33% of the population.
There were 6,164 households out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.90.
The age distribution was 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,736, and the median income for a family was $42,917. Males had a median income of $31,258 versus $21,849 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,970. About 7.1% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.9% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Cañon City is governed via the mayor-council system. The city council consists of seven members who are elected from districts. The Mayor is elected by the entire city.
Colorado Department of Corrections operates the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility in Cañon City.[14] In addition it several correctional facilities near Cañon City in unincorporated areas in Fremont County. Colorado State Penitentiary, the location of the state death row and execution chamber,[15] is in Fremont County.[16] Other state prisons in Fremont County include Arrowhead Correctional Center,[17] Centennial Correctional Facility,[18] Fremont Correctional Facility,[19] Four Mile Correctional Center,[20] and Skyline Correctional Center.[21]
The Colorado Women's Correctional Facility, near Cañon City in unincorporated Fremont County, was decommissioned on June 4, 2009.[22][23]
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