Conejos County is one of the 64 counties of the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2010 census, the population was 8,256.^[2] The county seat is the unincorporated community of Conejos.^[3]

History

The first European known to visit this area was Don Diego de Vargas in 1694, but he left behind no colonists. In 1708, Juan de Uribarri passed through searching for run-away Indian slaves.^[4]

Conejos County was one of the original 17 counties created by the General Assembly of the Territory of Colorado on 1861-11-01, although it was originally named Guadalupe County and renamed Conejos County a week later, on November 7. Its name coming from the Spanish word "conejo", meaning rabbit, for the large abundance of rabbits in the area. Also early in its existence, the county seat was moved from the town of Guadalupe to Conejos. The original boundaries of the county included a large portion of southwestern Colorado.

In 1874, most of the western and northern portions of the county were broken away to form parts of Hinsdale, La Plata and Rio Grande counties, and Conejos County achieved its modern borders in 1885 when its western half was taken to create Archuleta County.

Religious history

The community of Conejos is the location of the oldest church in Colorado, called Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. This church was constructed in 1856. The first settlers into the area were from New Mexico, primarily from Abiquiu, San Juan de los Caballeros and Santa Cruz. As more people arrived, mission churches were set up and all had the records housed with Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

When the neighboring town of Antonito was built, the Theatines, priests from Spain, came into the area and built St. Augustine church in 1880 within Antonito. The church records from Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish are now housed at the church offices of Saint Augustine. Conejos is approximately a mile northwest of Antonito.

Presbyterians came into Conejos County in 1880 establishing churches in Antonito, Alamosa, Cenicero, Del Norte, Mogote, San Rafael, and Monte Vista. They also established schools in the area and had a large number of Hispanic converts. A jacal went up in 1854 in Guadalupe, now known as Conejos, which was the beginning of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.

There is also a large Mormon population within Conejos County. Settlers belonging to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) began settling in the towns of La Jara, Manassa and Sanford; each town currently has an LDS meetinghouse. Fox Creek, a village approximately 11 miles west of Antonito, is the newest community to have an LDS meetinghouse erected, although there had previously been meetinghouse there. Fox Creek, however, is not a predominantly Mormon population.

Genealogy

Records available for this area are marriage records, which are held by the county clerk. Divorce records are maintained by the clerk of the district court. Agencies that hold records for marriages and divorces from 1900 to 1939 are the Colorado State Archives and Denver Public Library Genealogy Department. Other records available are marriage records from 1871 and death records from 1877-1907. This also include land records from 1871, probate records from 1875, and court records from 1877. However, some records were lost due to a fire, but birth records for 1877-1907 are still preserved.^[5] Websites that will be of use when doing genealogical research are The Colorado Genealogical Society and Conejos County WW II Enlistments.

Amendment 64

When Colorado Amendment 64 was being voted into effect by Coloradans, Conejos County residents voted against approving the measure to legalize and regulate recreational Marijuana consumption and possession for those 21 or older; Conejos residents simultaneously voted for a Democratic president in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, making Conejos county the only Colorado county with the distinction of leaning liberal with the 2008 and 2012 presidential picks while leaning conservative with regard to marijuana policy.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,291 square miles (3,340 km²), of which 1,287 square miles (3,330 km²) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) (0.3%) is water.^[6]

Conejos County is in a broad high mountain valley in South Central Colorado. It has an area of approximately 825,446 acres (3,340 km²) in 1,290 square miles (3,340 km²). Roughly half the area is on the nearly level floor of the valley, where the average elevation is about 7,700 feet (2,350 m). The western half of the county ranges from gently rolling to steep foothills with mountains that rise in elevation to about 13,000 feet (4,000 m).

Conejos County is situated with the National Forest to the west and the Rio Grande to the east, along Colorado's southern border with the state of New Mexico. Only about 34 percent of Conejos County is privately owned with the other 66 percent being National Forest, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or State owned lands.

Climate

In winter, the average temperature is 21.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average daily minimum temperature is 4 degrees. In summer, the average temperature is 61.4 degrees, and the average maximum temperature is 79.6 degrees.

Seventy-one percent of the annual precipitation falls in the months of April through September. Average seasonal snowfall is 28 inches. The average relative humidity in mid-afternoon in spring is less than 35 percent; during the rest of the year, it is about 45 percent. The percentage of possible sunshine is 77 in the summer and 73 in the winter.

Adjacent counties

• Rio Grande County - north
• Alamosa County - northeast
• Costilla County - east
• Taos County, New Mexico - southeast
• Rio Arriba County, New Mexico - south
• Archuleta County- west

National protected areas

• Rio Grande National Forest
• San Juan National Forest
• South San Juan Wilderness

Historic trails and sites

• Old Spanish National Historic Trail
• Pike's Stockade, which is a National Historic Landmark

Scenic trails and byways

• Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
• Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic & Historic Byway

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1870	2,504		—
1880	5,605		123.8%
1890	7,193		28.3%
1900	8,794		22.3%
1910	11,285		28.3%
1920	8,416		−25.4%
1930	9,803		16.5%
1940	11,648		18.8%
1950	10,171		−12.7%
1960	8,428		−17.1%
1970	7,846		−6.9%
1980	7,794		−0.7%
1990	7,453		−4.4%
2000	8,400		12.7%
2010	8,256		−1.7%
Est. 2016	8,129	[7]	−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2015[2]

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 8,400 people, 2,980 households, and 2,211 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (3/km²). There were 3,886 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 72.76% White, 0.21% Black or African American, 1.69% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 21.50% from other races, and 3.61% from two or more races. 58.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,980 households out of which 38.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the county, the population was spread out with 32.10% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,744, and the median income for a family was $29,066. Males had a median income of $26,351 versus $20,200 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,050. About 18.60% of families and 23.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.20% of those under age 18 and 17.30% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Conejos County vote
by party in presidential elections^[13]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Others
2016	47.6% 1,914	44.0% 1,771	8.4% 337
2012	44.8% 1,835	54.0% 2,213	1.3% 53
2008	42.7% 1,653	55.6% 2,154	1.7% 67
2004	49.0% 1,864	49.8% 1,894	1.2% 45
2000	48.3% 1,772	47.6% 1,749	4.1% 150
1996	36.1% 1,149	54.2% 1,726	9.8% 311
1992	33.5% 1,160	49.2% 1,705	17.3% 600
1988	41.9% 1,445	57.3% 1,976	0.8% 26
1984	51.4% 1,669	47.8% 1,553	0.8% 25
1980	49.4% 1,597	46.5% 1,503	4.1% 132
1976	44.7% 1,426	53.2% 1,698	2.2% 70
1972	55.5% 1,658	38.2% 1,140	6.3% 189
1968	45.7% 1,361	50.1% 1,492	4.3% 127
1964	33.5% 1,031	66.1% 2,033	0.4% 12
1960	38.8% 1,367	58.7% 2,069	2.5% 87
1956	79.5% 1,884	19.9% 471	0.7% 16
1952	56.2% 2,194	41.3% 1,610	2.5% 98
1948	40.0% 1,532	58.4% 2,236	1.5% 59
1944	46.2% 1,740	53.8% 2,028	0.0% 0
1940	44.8% 2,028	54.8% 2,481	0.4% 17
1936	35.2% 1,305	63.3% 2,347	1.6% 58
1932	30.9% 1,190	68.6% 2,641	0.5% 20
1928	45.2% 1,463	52.3% 1,692	2.4% 79
1924	56.2% 1,475	37.9% 995	5.9% 156
1920	63.5% 1,595	35.3% 886	1.2% 31
1916	34.7% 928	64.4% 1,721	0.8% 22
1912	34.4% 1,587	46.5% 2,147	19.2% 885

Communities

Towns

• Antonito
• La Jara
• Manassa
• Romeo
• Sanford

Census-designated places

• Capulin
• Conejos

Other communities

Notable people

Fred Haberlein - Muralist

See also

• Outline of Colorado
• Index of Colorado-related articles
• Guadalupe County, Colorado Territory
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Conejos County, Colorado

References

External links

• Conejos County Official Website
• Conejos County Government
• Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck
• Colorado Historical Society
• Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad
• San Luis Valley Dweller
• Valley Courier Newspaper
• Conejos County Citizen
• Antonito Police Department
• Conejos County Crime Statistics

Coordinates: 37°13′N 106°11′W / 37.21°N 106.19°W / 37.21; -106.19