Woodland Park, Colorado

The City of Woodland Park is the Home Rule Municipality that is the most populous municipality in Teller County, Colorado, United States. Woodland Park is a part of the Colorado Springs, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Many residents in this bedroom community, which is surrounded by the one-million acre (4,000 km2) Pike National Forest, make the 17-mile (27 km) commute to Colorado Springs. Ute Pass lies 12 miles (19 km) to the west of Woodland Park on US 24. The population was 7200 at the 2010 census.

Woodland Park, Colorado
Home Rule Municipality[1]
City of Woodland Park[1]
A section of historic downtown Woodland Park
Motto(s): 
"The city above the clouds."
Location of the City of Woodland Park in Teller County, Colorado.
Woodland Park
Location of the City of Woodland Park in the United States.
Coordinates: 38°59′54″N 105°3′23″W
Country United States
State Colorado
CountyTeller County[2]
CityWoodland Park[1]
IncorporatedJune 6, 1891[3]
Government
 • TypeHome Rule Municipality[1]
 • MayorVal Carr [4]
Area
 • Total6.61 sq mi (17.12 km2)
 • Land6.61 sq mi (17.12 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
8,465 ft (2,580 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total7,200
 • Estimate 
(2019)[6]
7,885
 • Density1,193.25/sq mi (460.70/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code[7]
80863, 80866 (PO Box)
Area code(s)719
FIPS code08-86090
GNIS feature ID0204768
Websitewww.citywoodlandpark.org

A post office called Woodland Park has been in operation since 1890.[8] The community was named for the abundance of trees near the original town site.[9]

History

On January 28, 1891, Woodland Park was officially incorporated with a population of 121 residents. The early settlers needed a government loan to fund a water line installation from Loy Gulch into the town reservoir, now a pond in Memorial Park. The founding fathers' first ordinance was to establish a morals and decency act; banning the sale of alcohol, and prohibiting gambling, obscene language and inappropriate attire. With the new law in place to allow enforcement, the calaboose (i.e., Town Jail) was constructed in 1891 and is now located in History Park.

Homesteaders, miners, loggers, health seekers and speculators were attracted to Woodland Park due to four (4) historical factors: Gold Rush 1857 - 1919; Colorado Midland Railway 1883 - 1949; lumber and timber mills 1873 - 1936; and resorts and tourism 1887 - 1955. After the Colorado Midland Railway began operating in 1887, an infusion of travelers and new residents caused the town to grow with hotels, restaurants, livery stables, mercantile stores and homes. This growth created the need for churches, schools and recreational activities, such as, rodeo events, dances and baseball games.

Throughout the first half of the 20th Century, lumbering continued to be the area's largest, year-round, economic driver. During the summer months, dude ranches were a great draw for tourist who enjoyed experiencing the Wild West and natural beauty of Pikes Peak country. The Paradise Ranch was one of those ranches that put Woodland Park on the map along with the Woodland Park Rodeo Association.

Geography

Woodland Park is located at the eastern intersection of U.S. Highway 24 and State Highway 67. (The highways overlap west to Divide.)

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles (15 km2), all of it land.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1900269—
1910163−39.4%
1920125−23.3%
193019455.2%
194037291.8%
19503915.1%
196066670.3%
19701,02253.5%
19802,634157.7%
19904,61075.0%
20006,51541.3%
20107,20010.5%
2019 (est.)7,885[6]9.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

As of the census[11] of 2000, there were 6,515 people, 2,476 households, and 1,884 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,151.0 people per square mile (444.4/km2). There were 2,642 housing units at an average density of 466.8 per square mile (180.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.89% White, 0.52% African American, 0.72% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.81% from other races, and 2.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 2,476 households, out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 19.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,279, and the median income for a family was $59,583. Males had a median income of $36,157 versus $27,459 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,780. About 1.8% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Woodland Park High School

Students are served by Woodland Park School District RE-2, which operates Woodland Park High School.

  • Woodland Park, 1887
  • Library in Downtown Woodland Park
  • View of Pikes Peak, from Woodland Park
  • Woodland Park as viewed from the summit of Pikes Peak
  • Pikes Peak from downtown Woodland Park

Arts and culture

A number of full-time musicians reside in Woodland Park and the surrounding areas, and arts festivals have become more frequent in recent years, often held at the Ute Pass Cultural Center. Woodland Park is also the site of the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, a museum devoted to dinosaurs and fossils.

Climate

Woodland Park experiences an alpine subarctic climate (Dfc), due to its high elevation and its location in the Rocky Mountains. Summers are warm, but much milder than summers at lower elevations, such as in Colorado Springs, Denver, or the plains to the east. Nights are cool, even chilly in summer.

Climate data for Woodland Park, Colorado
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 34.7
(1.5)		 36.7
(2.6)		 41.4
(5.2)		 49.3
(9.6)		 58.5
(14.7)		 69.3
(20.7)		 74.5
(23.6)		 71.8
(22.1)		 65.3
(18.5)		 55.8
(13.2)		 42.8
(6.0)		 35.6
(2.0)		 53.0
(11.6)
Daily mean °F (°C) 19.6
(−6.9)		 21.6
(−5.8)		 27.0
(−2.8)		 35.4
(1.9)		 44.2
(6.8)		 53.4
(11.9)		 58.6
(14.8)		 56.5
(13.6)		 49.5
(9.7)		 40.1
(4.5)		 28.4
(−2.0)		 21.0
(−6.1)		 37.9
(3.3)
Average low °F (°C) 4.5
(−15.3)		 6.4
(−14.2)		 12.6
(−10.8)		 21.6
(−5.8)		 30.0
(−1.1)		 37.6
(3.1)		 43.0
(6.1)		 41.4
(5.2)		 33.6
(0.9)		 24.4
(−4.2)		 14.0
(−10.0)		 6.6
(−14.1)		 23.0
(−5.0)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.5
(12)		 0.7
(17)		 1.4
(36)		 1.8
(45)		 2.2
(57)		 2.1
(54)		 3.3
(83)		 3.2
(81)		 1.6
(40)		 1.2
(30)		 0.8
(20)		 0.7
(18)		 19.5
(493)
Source: [12]

See also

References
  1. "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Local Government. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  2. "Colorado Counties". State of Colorado, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, Division of Local Government. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  3. "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. 2004-12-01. Retrieved 2007-09-02.
  4. "UPDATED: Woodland Park Municipal Election results". Gazette. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
  5. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  7. "ZIP Code Lookup" (JavaScript/HTML). United States Postal Service. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  8. "Post offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved 11 July 2016.
  9. Dawson, John Frank. Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin. Denver, CO: The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co. p. 52.
  10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  12. "Climate: Woodland Park - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table - Climate-Data.org". En.climate-data.org. Retrieved 2016-05-23.
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