Arvada, Colorado
City of Arvada, Colorado | |
---|---|
Home Rule Municipality | |
Location in Jefferson County and the state of Colorado | |
City of Arvada, Colorado Location in the United States | |
Coordinates: 39°50′01″N 105°09′01″W / 39.833728°N 105.150306°WCoordinates: 39°50′01″N 105°09′01″W / 39.833728°N 105.150306°W[1] | |
Country | United States |
State | Colorado |
Counties[2] |
Jefferson County Adams County |
Settled | 1859[3] |
Platted | December 1, 1870[3] |
Incorporated | August 24, 1904[3][4] |
Named for | Hiram Arvada Haskin |
Government | |
• Type | Home Rule Municipality[2] |
• Mayor | Marc Williams[5] (2011- ) |
• City Manager | Mark Deven[6] (2011- ) |
Area | |
• Total | 35.759 sq mi (92.616 km2) |
• Land | 35.142 sq mi (91.018 km2) |
• Water | 0.617 sq mi (1.598 km2) |
Elevation | 5,344 ft (1,662 m) |
Population (2010)[7] | |
• Total | 106,433 |
• Estimate (2014)[8] | 113,574 |
• Rank | US: 242nd |
• Density | 3,000/sq mi (1,100/km2) |
Demonym(s) | Arvadan |
Time zone | MST (UTC-7) |
• Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) |
ZIP codes | 80001-80007 and 80403[9] |
Area code(s) | Both 303 and 720 |
INCITS place code | 0803455 |
GNIS feature ID | 0204709 |
Highways | I-70, I-76, SH 72, SH 93, SH 95, SH 121 |
Website | City of Arvada |
Seventh most populous city in Colorado |
The City of Arvada /ɑːrˈvædə/ is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties, a part of the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area of the U.S. State of Colorado. The United States Census Bureau estimated the city population at 111,707 residents as of July 1, 2013, ranking Arvada as the seventh most populous municipality in Colorado.[10] The Olde Town Arvada historic district is located 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.
History
The first documented discovery of gold in the Rocky Mountain region occurred on June 22, 1850, when Lewis Ralston, a Georgia prospector headed for the California gold fields, dipped his sluice pan into a small stream near its mouth at Clear Creek.[3] Ralston found about 1/4 ounce (6 g) of gold, then worth about five dollars. Ralston's companions named the stream Ralston's Creek in his honor, but they all left the next morning, drawn by the lure of California gold.
During the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in 1858, Ralston brought another group of prospectors back to the site of his first discovery. The placer gold in the area soon played out, but hard rock deposits of gold were found in the mountains to the west. Some of the miners abandoned their search for gold and returned to farm the rich bottom land along Ralston Creek and Clear Creek. They found an eager market for their crops among other gold seekers. The Territory of Colorado was formed on February 28, 1861, and the farms in the valley expanded to feed the growing population of the region.
In 1870, the Colorado Central Railroad laid tracks through the area on its route from Golden to link up with the Kansas Pacific Railroad and the Denver Pacific Railroad at Jersey Junction, 3 miles (5 km) north of Denver. On December 1, 1870, Benjamin F. Wadsworth and Louis A. Reno platted the Ralston Point townsite along the railroad. To avoid confusion with other communities along Ralston Creek, Ralston Point was soon renamed Arvada in honor of Hiram Arvada Haskin, brother-in-law of settler Mary Wadsworth.[11] Her husband, Benjamin Wadsworth, became the first postmaster of Arvada. Colorado was granted statehood on August 1, 1876, and the Town of Arvada was formally incorporated on August 14, 1904. A vibrant agricultural community, Arvada claimed the title "Celery Capital of the World."
Arvada grew rapidly during the latter half of the 20th century as a suburb of nearby Denver, the state capital. Arvada became a Statutory City on October 31, 1951, and a Home Rule Municipality on July 23, 1963. By the end of the millennium, the population of Arvada exceeded 100,000.
Missionary shooting
On December 9, 2007, Matthew J. Murray walked into the Youth With a Mission Center in Arvada and, after he was refused his request to stay overnight in the dormitories, opened fire and killed two people, injuring two more.
A memorial was held the following Wednesday, December 12, in which Youth With a Mission leaders forgave Murray's family for what happened.[12]
Government
The city of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality with a council-manager form of government. The Arvada City Council has seven members: a mayor and two councilmembers elected at large, and four councilmembers elected from council districts.
Office | Incumbent | Term |
---|---|---|
Mayor | Marc Williams[5] | 2011- |
Councilmember At-large | Don Allard[14] | 1993- |
Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember at-Large | Bob Fifer[15] | 2011- |
Councilmember, District One | Nancy Ford[16] | 2015- |
Councilmember, District Two | Mark McGoff[17] | 2007- |
Councilmember, District Three | John Marriott[18] | 2013- |
Councilmember, District Four | David Jones[19] | 2015- |
The City Council selects the city manager. The Arvada City Manager is Mark Deven.[6] Periodically, the City of Arvada conducts a citizen survey wherein residents rate Arvada as a place to live, among other traits. Since 1997 about nine in ten residents have given the city a rating of "Very Good" or "Good." [20]
Geography
Arvada is located at 39°49′12″N 105°6′40″W / 39.82000°N 105.11111°W (39.819962, -105.110975).[21]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.8 square miles (85 km2).84.6 km²; (32.7 sq mi) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (0.58%) is water.
Rocky Flats | Westminster | Westminster | ||
Coal Creek Canyon | Westminster | |||
| ||||
Golden | Wheat Ridge | Denver |
Climate
The climate is described as Humid Continental by the Köppen Climate System, abbreviated as Dfb.[22]
Climate data for Arvada, Colorado | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 7 (45) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
17 (63) |
22 (72) |
28 (83) |
31 (88) |
31 (87) |
26 (79) |
19 (67) |
13 (55) |
8 (46) |
18.6 (65.6) |
Average low °C (°F) | −9 (16) |
−7 (19) |
−4 (25) |
1 (33) |
5 (41) |
10 (50) |
13 (56) |
13 (55) |
7 (45) |
2 (35) |
−4 (25) |
−8 (18) |
1.6 (34.8) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 13 (0.5) |
18 (0.7) |
30 (1.2) |
50 (2) |
61 (2.4) |
36 (1.4) |
41 (1.6) |
43 (1.7) |
30 (1.2) |
30 (1.2) |
20 (0.8) |
15 (0.6) |
387 (15.3) |
Source: Weatherbase[23] |
Transportation
Arvada is the western terminus of Interstate 76, which begins at the intersection of Interstate 70 and State Highway 121. Other state highways in Arvada include SH 72, SH 93, and SH 95. Major highways near Arvada include Interstate 25, Interstate 270, U.S. Highway 36 and U.S. Highway 287.
The Amtrak California Zephyr passes through the City of Arvada westbound each morning and eastbound each evening. This route through the scenic heart of the Rocky Mountains is one of the most popular rail routes in the United States. Full Amtrak passenger and parcel service is available at the nearby Denver Union Station.
The Denver Regional Transportation District (RTD) currently serves Arvada with eight local bus routes (31, 50, 51, 52, 72, 76, 80, and 100), four express bus routes (55X, 58X, 72X, and 80X), and one regional bus route (GS). RTD plans to provide Arvada with a commuter rail Gold Line along the old Colorado Central Railroad route (now operated by the BNSF Railway) by 2015.
Arvada is served by Denver International Airport and nearby Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.
In 2014 the League of American Bicyclists designated Arvada as a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community.[24]
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1910 | 840 | — | |
1920 | 915 | 8.9% | |
1930 | 1,276 | 39.5% | |
1940 | 1,482 | 16.1% | |
1950 | 2,359 | 59.2% | |
1960 | 19,242 | 715.7% | |
1970 | 49,844 | 159.0% | |
1980 | 84,576 | 69.7% | |
1990 | 89,235 | 5.5% | |
2000 | 102,153 | 14.5% | |
2010 | 106,433 | 4.2% | |
Est. 2014 | 113,574 | [25] | 6.7% |
As of the census[27] of 2010, there were 106,433 people, 42,701 households, and 28,927 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,028.1 people per square mile (1,207.6/km²). There were 44,427 housing units at an average density of 1,216.7 per square mile (469.7/km²) with a median value of $240,000. The racial makeup of the city was 89.08% White, 0.9% African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.5% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.7% of the population.
There were 44,427 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.5% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.3% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 20 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.5 years. There were 51,984 males and 54,539 Females.
The median income for a household in the city was $66,125 and the median income for a family was $78,591. Males had a median income of $42,126 versus $30,802 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,679. About 4.6% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line.
Economy
Arvada is largely a commuter town to Denver and Boulder. The primary retail corridors are along Wadsworth Boulevard, 52nd Avenue, 64th Avenue, Ralston Road and Kipling Street.
Sister cities
Arvada has four sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:
Notable residents
Arts
- Clive Cussler (1931– ), popular author and automobile collector
- Chris Daring (19??– ), fiddler
- Kristen Iversen, author
- Joe King (1980– ), composer, guitarist, vocalist, and co-founder of The Fray
- Barry Kooser (1968- ), Artist, Painter, Animation Filmmaker, CCO of Worker Studio
- Aaron Rothe (198?– ), former keyboardist for Drop Dead, Gorgeous and Sonny Moore
- Isaac Slade (1981– ), composer, pianist, lead singer, and co-founder of The Fray
- Nick Stabile (1971– ), actor
- Dave Welsh (1984– ), lead guitarist for The Fray
- Matt Weatherford (1967– ), writer
- Ben Wysocki (1984– ), percussionist for The Fray
Business
- Brian Ibbott (19??– ), podcaster
- Lloyd J. King (1906–1998), founder of King Soopers grocery chain
- Joel Klatt (1982– ), radio host
Politics
- Robert Louis "Bob" Beauprez (1948– ), former U.S. Congressman
- Joanne Conte (1933–2013 ), politician, political commentator, and transsexual activist
- Sara Gagliardi (1958– ), nurse and former state legislator
- Evie Hudak (1951– ), former state senator
- John Charles Vivian (1889–1964), 30th Governor of the State of Colorado
Religion
- James D. Conley (1955– ), Roman Catholic prelate
- Bob Enyart (1959– ), radio host
Sports
- Greg Brown (1957- ), college and professional football coach
- Rick Carelli (1955– ), NASCAR truck racer
- Mark Cooney (1951–2011), NFL linebacker for the Green Bay Packers
- Joe DeCamillis (1965– ), Special Teams coordinator for the Denver Broncos
- Nick Fazekas (1985– ), professional basketball player
- Roy Halladay (1977– ), Major League Baseball pitcher and 2010 Cy Young Award recipient
- Phil Heath (1979– ), IFBB professional bodybuilder and the 13th Mr. Olympia IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Casey Malone Olympic Discus thrower 2004 and 2008
- Alina Popa (1978- ), IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Brad Pyatt (1980- ), Former NFL wide receiver for Indianapolis Colts and other teams
- Erika Sutton (1987– ), professional football defender
- Matt Wiman (1983- ), Mixed Martial Arts fighter for Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (1911–1956), Olympic gold medalist and professional golfer
See also
- Outline of Colorado
- State of Colorado
- Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities
- Jefferson Parkway
- Olde Town Arvada historic district
- Pike's Peak Gold Rush
- Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge
- Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge
References
- ↑ "2014 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Places". United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- 1 2 "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved 2007-09-01.
- 1 2 3 4 "Arvada History". City of Arvada, Colorado. Archived from the original (HTTP) on 2007-06-28. Retrieved 2007-08-20.
- ↑ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. 2004-12-01. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-18.
- 1 2 "Marc Williams, Mayor". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- 1 2 "City Manager's Office". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2016-01-02.
- ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. August 18, 2007. Archived from the original on 18 August 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2007.
- ↑ "American Factfinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 29, 2014.
- ↑ "Profile for Arvada, Colorado". ePodunk. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
- ↑ Holusha, John (2007-12-09). "Gunman Kills 2 at Missionary Center Near Denver". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 December 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-09.
- ↑ "Current Arvada City Councilmembers" (HTTP). City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- ↑ "Don Allard, Councilmember At-Large". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- ↑ "Bob Fifer, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember at-Large". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- ↑ "Nancy Ford, Councilmember for District 1". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- ↑ "Mark McGoff, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember for District 2". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- ↑ "John Marriott, Councilmember for District 3". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2015-11-28.
- ↑ "David Jones, Councilmember for District 4". City of Arvada, Colorado. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
- ↑ http://static.arvada.org/docs/Arvada_Citizen_Survey_Report_FINAL-1-201401151032.pdf p.9
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ Climate Summary for Arvada,Colorado
- ↑ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on August 23, 2013.
- ↑ http://www.bikeleague.org/sites/default/files/bfareportcards/BFC_Spring_2014_ReportCard_Arvada_CO.pdf
- ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
External links
- City of Arvada website
- Arvada Historical Society
- CDOT map of the City of Arvada
- Jefferson County website
- Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge website
- Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge website
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