Montezuma County, Colorado
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Montezuma County is a county located in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of 2000, the population is 23,830. The county seat is Cortez.
Mesa Verde National Park, Canyon of the Ancients National Monument, Yucca House National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument preserve scores of ancient Indian cliff-dwellings found in the county. Montezuma County is also home to most of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation, home of the Weeminuche Band of the Ute Nation, known as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, with its headquarters at Towaoc. It is also home to one-fourth of the Four Corners Monument.
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History
Montezuma County has been settled since approximately AD 600, and had an estimated population of approximately 100,000, four times its current population, in the 1100s. However, a series of events caused virtually all permanent settlements to be abandoned between 1200 and 1300, and the area was contested between nomadic Ute and Navajo bands until resettlement occurred in the 1870s. Montezuma County was created out of the western portion of La Plata County by the Colorado Legislature in April, 1889.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 5,284 km² (2,040 mi²). 5,275 km² (2,037 mi²) of it is land and 9 km² (3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.16% water.
Today, there are three incorporated municipalities in Montezuma County: Cortez, Dolores, and Mancos, and a large number of unincorporated communities, including Towaoc, Lewis, Arriola, Mesa Verde, Lebanon, Stoner, and Battle Rock.
A large county, roughly 1/3 is tribal land, 1/3 is federal land (US NPS, USFS, and BLM), and 1/3 private or state/county land. It is also varied topographically, ranging in elevation from about 6000 feet to more than 14,000 feet, and from high Colorado Plateau Desert to Alpine Tundra, and has the second largest reservoir in Colorado, McPhee Reservoir. Much of the county is irrigated cropland, and it produces fruit, large numbers of cattle and sheep, and beans. It is served by US Highways 160 and 491 (formerly the infamous US Highway 666), and by a Municipal Airport at Cortez. It has no rail service.
Adjacent Counties
- Dolores County, Colorado - north
- La Plata County, Colorado - east
- San Juan County, New Mexico - south
- San Juan County, Utah - west
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 23,830 people, 9,201 households, and 6,514 families residing in the county. The population density was 5/km² (12/mi²). There were 10,497 housing units at an average density of 2/km² (5/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.72% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 11.23% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 4.26% from other races, and 2.38% from two or more races. 9.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 9,201 households out of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county the population was spread out with 27.50% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 25.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,083, and the median income for a family was $38,071. Males had a median income of $30,666 versus $21,181 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,003. 16.40% of the population and 13.10% of families were below the poverty line. 23.20% of those under the age of 18 and 14.40% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
