| Steamboat Springs, Colorado | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Downton Steamboat Springs, in May 2006 | |
| Nickname(s): Ski Town USA, Bike 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 (2010)[5] | |
| • Total | 12,088 |
| • Density | 1,196.8/sq mi (462.1/km2) |
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
| ZIP codes[6] | 80477, 80487, 80488 |
| Area code(s) | 970 |
| FIPS code | 08-73825 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0172749 |
| Website | City Website |
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.[7] The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.[5]
The city is an internationally known winter ski resort destination. The Steamboat Springs tourism industry is highlighted by 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.
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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.
Steamboat is home to natural hot springs up in the hills (see Geography). Without investigation, settlers believed that the hot springs were actually a steamboat coming down the river. When settlers saw that there was no steamboat, and that the sound was coming from the hot springs, they decided to name the town Steamboat Springs, hence how Steamboat got its name.[8]
Originally, skiing was the only method of transportation during harsh and snowy 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.
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.
Historical buildings in Steamboat Springs include:
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26 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,[9] with multiple pools and two slides. Located in the hills a few miles out of town is Strawberry Park Hot Springs,[10] 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.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 91 |
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| 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% | |
| 2010 | 12,088 | 23.2% | |
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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 per square mile (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.
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
Steamboat Springs has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
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