Pierce, Colorado

Town of Pierce, Colorado
Town

Grocery store on Main Street in Pierce, Colorado

Location of Pierce shown within Colorado
Coordinates: 40°38′6″N 104°45′16″W / 40.63500°N 104.75444°WCoordinates: 40°38′6″N 104°45′16″W / 40.63500°N 104.75444°W
Country  United States
State  Colorado
County[1] Weld
Founded 1869
Incorporated (town) August 30, 1918[2]
Government
 • Type Statutory Town[1]
 • Mayor M S Spurgeon-Paris
Area
 • Total 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
 • Land 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)  0.0%
Elevation[3] 5,033 ft (1,534 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 884
 • Density 1,198.7/sq mi (462.8/km2)
Time zone MST (UTC-7)
 • Summer (DST) MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP code[4] 80650
Area code(s) 970
FIPS code 08-59005
GNIS feature ID 0202703

Pierce is a Statutory Town in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 884 at the 2000 census. The town is a rural agricultural community located on the Colorado Eastern Plains along U.S. Highway 85 north of Greeley.

History

Pierce It was founded in 1869 and incorporated in 1918. It was named in honor of John Pierce, then president of the Union Pacific Railroad, in anticipation of the construction of an extension of the Union Pacific line southward into Colorado. The following year in 1870 it became a watering stop for steam locomotives on the newly built Denver Pacific Railroad . A box car was used as the first town post office, depot, and telegraph office. A depot was constructed in 1905 and demolished in 1963. As a railroad stop, it became a local shipping point for cattle, sheep, potatoes, beans, and sugar beets. The town underwent a decline in population (from 1,000 in 1976) and its economic base during the latter 20th century with the construction of highways that allowed more direct shipping of agricultural products. The town today consists of a small grid of gravel streets, with one paved thoroughfare (Main Street) west of U.S. Highway 85. The principal businesses in town include a grain elevator, as well as a grocery store, tavern, and other businesses along Main Street. The town also has a school, a volunteer fire station, a church, and a town park.

Geography

Pierce is located at 40°38′6″N 104°45′16″W / 40.63500°N 104.75444°W (40.635134, -104.754574).[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2), all of it land.

Grain elevator and water tower along U.S. Highway 85 in Pierce, Colorado

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1920327—
1930281−14.1%
194034322.1%
19503728.5%
196042414.0%
19704526.6%
198087894.2%
1990823−6.3%
20008847.4%

As of the census[6] of 2000, there were 884 people, 312 households, and 249 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,198.7 people per square mile (461.2/km²). There were 318 housing units at an average density of 431.2 per square mile (165.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 86.99% White, 0.45% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 9.73% from other races, and 1.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.48% of the population.

There were 312 households out of which 39.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.9% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,944, and the median income for a family was $44,265. Males had a median income of $33,611 versus $22,174 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,412. About 4.6% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
  2. ↑ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. 2004-12-01. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
  3. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JAVASCRIPT/HTML). United States Postal Service. Retrieved December 14, 2007.
  5. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.

External links