HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Durango is the home rule city that is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
and the most populous municipality of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 19,071 at the 2020 United States census. Durango is the home of Fort Lewis College.


History

The town was organized from September 1880 to April 1881 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad (D&RG, later known as the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad) as part of their efforts to reach Silverton, Colorado, and service the San Juan mining district, the goal of their "San Juan Extension" built from Alamosa, Colorado. The D&RG chose a site in the Animas Valley close to the Animas River near what is now the Downtown Durango Historic Business District for its railroad facilities following a brief and most likely perfunctory negotiation with the other establishment in the area known as Animas City, to the north. The city was named by ex-Colorado Governor Alexander C. Hunt, a friend of D&RG President William Jackson Palmer, after Durango, Mexico, based on his favorable impression of that city resulting from a scouting trip undertaken on behalf of Palmer. Palmer, among other D&RG associates such as William Bell, started a subsidiary company known as the Durango Trust to sell land and plan a Main Street, 2nd, and 3rd Avenue, and so on to organize the town, taking inspiration from how Palmer founded the city of Colorado Springs. Sales from the Durango Trust skyrocketed by the completion of the D&RG's Silverton Branch, and by 1885, Durango's business district had seven hotels and restaurants, eleven saloons, dance halls and stores, two bakeries and blacksmith shops, and a variety of other businesses, also boosting the town of Silverton's population to 2,000 at the time. The D&RG(W) and the Rio Grande Southern Railroad were vital resources to many places, including Durango, before the major introduction of the
automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...
, helping transport goods such as produce and mineral traffic in and out of the Southwestern Colorado area, and along with other businesses such as the Durango Smelter, immensely supporting the town's economy. However, the
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
and aftermath of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
hurt the area's railroad industry. The Rio Grande Southern lost its contract to transport mail in 1951, and soon thereafter suspended operations. The D&RGW also ended their San Juan Express passenger service from Durango to Alamosa. However, the natural scenery along their Silverton Branch had been recognized as a major tourist attraction. In turn, the D&RGW introduced the major tourism industry into the Durango area, transporting visitors up to Silverton and back and attracting Hollywood into La Plata County for a time. Once the D&RGW ended up losing its freight traffic in 1968, the tracks from Durango east to Chama, New Mexico, and south to
Farmington, New Mexico Farmington (Navajo language, Navajo: Tóta') is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 46,624 people. Farmington (and ...
, were removed, but the Silverton Branch remained in operation until 1981 when it was sold and became the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. There are significant archaeological sites surrounding the Durango area featured on the State and National historical registers, including: * Mesa Verde National Park, a World Heritage site * Chimney Rock National Monument, the most northeastern known outpost of the Ancestral Puebloans * Durango Rock Shelters Archeology Site, a Basketmaker and Pueblo culture site * Spring Creek Archeological District, a Basketmaker and Pueblo site * Talus Village, a Basketmaker site


Geography

At the 2020 United States census, the town had a total area of , including of water.


Climate

According to the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Durango has a mediterranean-influenced humid continental climate (''Dsa'' / ''Dsb'').


Demographics

As of the 2000
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
, there were 13,922 people, 5,492 households, and 2,603 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,819 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.8%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.5%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 5.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 4.1% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino people of any race were 10.3% of the population. There were 5,492 households, out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a single female householder, and 52.6% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83. In the city, 16.6% of residents were under the age of 18, 26.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,892, and the median income for a family was $50,814. Males had a median income of $31,812 versus $25,022 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $19,352. 17.2% of the population and 7.3% of families were living below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
. 11.2% of those younger than 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.


Arts and culture


Main Avenue

Main Avenue is a Nationally Registered Historic District that cuts through downtown Durango and is home to galleries, boutiques, restaurants, bars, and other businesses. Two notable and historic hotels, the General Palmer and the Strater, lie at the south end of the avenue, near the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad depot. With its combination of historic architecture, entertainment, and shopping, Main Avenue has historically comprised the center of Durango and is a popular year-round tourist destination.


Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad

Durango is known worldwide for the Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad, a heritage railroad that operates what was the Denver & Rio Grande Western's Branchline to the historic mining town of Silverton, Colorado, also still notably using historic D&RGW Steam Locomotives and other historic rail equipment.


Snowdown Festival

Durango is home to Snowdown, an annual midwinter event popular for its Parade of Lights and other events. The event lasts 5 days, with competitions and costumes.


Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival

The annual Durango Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival features noted musicians from around the country. It is held in the Strater Hotel, a historic Victorian hotel in Durango. It is hosted by popular Durango resident and ragtime pianist Adam Swanson.


Iron Horse Bicycle Classic

Founded in 1972, the Iron Horse is a bicycle road race held annually in Durango. Every year cyclists from around the world come together and race the Durango Narrow Gauge Train on its journey from Durango to Silverton.


Economy


Top Employers

With over 35,000 employees working in the city, Durango is an economic hub in southwestern Colorado and the Four Corners region. According to Durango's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the city's top employers are:


Media

Durango has a number of media outlets, such as the newspaper '' The Durango Herald''. Some radio stations in Durango are 99x Durango, The Point, KDGO, XRock 105.3, KDUR 91.9/93.9, and Four Corners Broadcasting (KIQX 101.3, KRSJ 100.5, KKDC 93.3, and KKDC AM 930).


Transportation

Durango is served by U.S. Highway 160 (the Old Spanish Trail), running east–west, and U.S. Highway 550, running north–south. Part of U.S. 550 offers high-speed access (primarily a 4-lane, divided highway) to Albuquerque, New Mexico. North of Durango, 550 is nicknamed the Million Dollar Highway, and is part of the scenic San Juan Skyway. Durango is served by Durango–La Plata County Airport (
IATA The International Air Transport Association (IATA ) is an airline trade association founded in 1945. IATA has been described as a cartel since, in addition to setting technical standards for airlines, IATA also organized tariff conferences tha ...
code: DRO), a major regional airport for southwestern Colorado, located near Ignacio, Colorado. The airport is serviced year-round by regional carriers Mesa Airlines ( American Eagle), SkyWest Airlines (American Eagle and United Express),
Republic Airways Republic Airways Inc. is a regional airline in the United States and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings that operates service for American Airlines (as American Eagle (airline brand), American Eagle), Delta Air Lines (as Delta Connect ...
(United Express), and Envoy Air (American Eagle). As of 2014, regional connecting hubs to DRO include Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Denver International Airport (DEN). Durango Transit provides several loop bus routes in the community, including Fort Lewis College. Normal hours of operation are weekdays from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Ignacio Road Runner provides bus service to the nearby towns of Ignacio, Colorado, and Bayfield, Colorado, with four trips daily on weekdays and one on Saturdays. Both services share the Durango Transit Center as a hub. Greyhound Lines formerly served Durango, but after budget cuts, the service was discontinued. Since 2014, Road Runner Transit (a service of Southern Ute Community Action Programs) has restored daily bus service between Grand Junction and Durango. Since 2018, Road Runner's service has been incorporated into the larger mantle of the state-run program Bustang.


Education

Durango is served by Durango School District 9-R. The district operates multiple schools in the city: *Animas Valley Elementary School *Florida Mesa Elementary School *Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School (located in Hesperus) *Needham Elementary School *Park Elementary School *Riverview Elementary School *Sunnyside Elementary School *Escalante Middle School *Miller Middle School *Durango High School Also located in Durango are the Juniper School and Animas High School (both public charter schools) and Big Picture High School, which offers alternative education.


Higher Education

* Fort Lewis College, a public four-year liberal arts college, sits on a mesa overlooking downtown Durango and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. As of 2024, 3,544 students were enrolled at FLC. * Pueblo Community College Southwest, a branch of Pueblo Community College, is in the Durango High School building on North Main Avenue.


Notable people

* Paco Ahlgren, writer * Ross Anderson, professional speed skier * Steve Carlton, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher * Ann Cummins, novelist and short story writer * Robert E. DeNier (1921–2010), member of the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate * James Garesche Ord,
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
Major General * Missy Giove, cyclist * Howard Grotts, cyclist * Greg Herbold, cyclist * Sarah Hirshland (born 1975), chief executive officer of the United States Olympic Committee * Sepp Kuss, cyclist * Ned Overend, cyclist *
Bob Roll Bob "Bobke" Roll (born July 7, 1960) is an American former professional cyclist, author, and television sports commentator. He was a member of the team until 1990 and competed for the team in 1991. In 1992 Roll moved to Greg LeMond's Z team ...
, retired pro cyclist * Stuart Roosa, NASA astronaut * Johnnie Seale, MLB pitcher for the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...
* Quinn Simmons, cyclist * Ed Stasium, record producer * Tom Tully, Oscar-nominated actor * Shan Wells, sculptor and illustrator * Todd Wells, cyclist


Sister cities

*
Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...
, Mexico *
Durango Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...
, Spain


References in television and film

The Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad began to advertise the La Plata County Area to Hollywood beginning in the mid-1930s, kick-starting Durango's future in film appearances. *Parts of the 1948 film ''
Colorado Territory The Territory of Colorado was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 28, 1861, until August 1, 1876, when it was admitted to the Union as the 38th State of Colorado. The territory was organized ...
'' were filmed in the Durango area including the Railroad Depot and the D&RGW's railroad line south to
Farmington, New Mexico Farmington (Navajo language, Navajo: Tóta') is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 46,624 people. Farmington (and ...
. *The 1950 film '' A Ticket to Tomahawk'' was shot primarily in the La Plata County area involving the D&RGW's Silverton Branch (later to become the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad), filmed north of Durango, Silverton, Colorado, on the current site of Fort Lewis College, as well as a shot of a Rio Grande Southern Railroad Trestle located west of Durango near Wild Cat Canyon. This was one of
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( ; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 August 4, 1962) was an American actress and model. Known for playing comic "Blonde stereotype#Blonde bombshell, blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex ...
's first onscreen appearances as well. *Much of the 1952 film ''Denver and Rio Grande'' was shot on whats now the D&RGW's Silverton Branch, retelling the story of the D&RG's battle for rights into the Royal Gorge, against the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...
. *Much of the 1953 western movie '' The Naked Spur'' starring James Stewart was shot in Durango. * Several parts of the 1955 western film '' Run for Cover'' starring James Cagney, were filmed just north of Durango in and around the upper Hermosa Valley area. Includes shots of the D&RGW Silverton Branch as well. * Portions of the 1957 western '' Night Passage'' starring a returning James Stewart, as well as Audie Murphy and Brandon deWilde were filmed near Durango and on the D&RGW's Silverton Branch. * Parts of the 1969 film ''
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' is a 1969 American Western (genre), Western buddy film directed by George Roy Hill and written by William Goldman. Based loosely on fact, the film tells the story of Wild West outlaws Robert LeRoy Parker, k ...
'' were filmed north of town along the Animas River, as well as scenes of the D&RGW Railroad on the Silverton branch, and southeast of Durango near Florida, as well as other locations on the D&RGW narrow gauge system. *The 1978 Roger Corman film ''
Avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a Grade (slope), slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be triggered spontaneously, by factors such as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, othe ...
'', starring Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow, was filmed mainly at Durango Mountain Resort and at the Lodge at Tamarron in north Durango. * The television series ''
Cannon A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during th ...
'', episode "Sky Above, Death Below" was filmed in and around Durango, Purgatory Resort, and Chimney Rock. * Part of the 1991 film '' City Slickers'' was shot in Durango. * The 1999 movie '' Durango Kids'' describes a time tunnel in the old mines outside of Durango. * Parts of the 1993 film ''
Cliffhanger A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious situation, facing a difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction or bef ...
'' were shot in Durango. * The 2024 documentary '' Hacking at Leaves'' features the local maker space called "Maker Lab".


See also

* Durango & Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad * Durango Herald * Durango Telegraph *
List of municipalities in Colorado The U.S. Colorado, State of Colorado has 273 municipal corporation, active municipalities, comprising 198 towns, 73 City, cities, and two Consolidated city-county, consolidated city and county governments. The Denver, City and County of Denver ...
* List of populated places in Colorado * List of post offices in Colorado * Old Spanish National Historic Trail


References


External links


City of DurangoState of Colorado

CDOT map of the City of Durango

History Colorado
{{authority control Cities in La Plata County, Colorado Cities in Colorado County seats in Colorado Company towns in Colorado Populated places established in 1881 1881 establishments in Colorado