Keota is a mostly abandoned town located on the

prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...

in the Pawnee National Grasslands in Weld County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

. Keota's elevation is . Keota is located approximately 50 miles east of Fort Collins on County Road 103. Pawnee Buttes, a pair of prominent sandstone escarpments, which are significant nesting areas for hawks, falcons, and eagles, is located nearby.

History

Keota was established as a homestead in 1880 by two sisters, Mary and Eva Beardsley, and sold to the Lincoln Land and Cattle Co. in 1888. Keota was a station stop on the "Old Prairie Dog Express" of the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad. The railroad was abandoned in 1970, and the track was removed by 1982. The railroad was mainly used for cattle shipping from

Cheyenne The Cheyenne ( ) are an Indigenous people of the Great Plains. The Cheyenne comprise two Native American tribes, the Só'taeo'o or Só'taétaneo'o (more commonly spelled as Suhtai or Sutaio) and the (also spelled Tsitsistas, The term for th ...

to Sterling. Keota lost its incorporated status in 1990. There were four different newspapers at four different times from 1908–1975. A post office operated briefly in 1890, was reopened in 1909, and closed in 1974. The school was established in 1888 and closed sometime in 1951. The schoolhouse was torn down sometime in the 1950s, but the foundation still exists. The Dean Bivens family, who maintained the roads, moved out in September 1999. The town of Line Camp in James A. Michener's novel ''Centennial'' ″was drawn from Keota.″

Present habitation

As of 2008, the town is home to several residents in modern houses surrounding the historic townsite. There are remains of the general store, several houses, and foundations on what was the north side of the town along with several foundations, including that of the previously-mentioned schoolhouse.

Water supply

The Keota water tower still stands to this day; however, it is not in operation and would likely no longer be safe for storage of public drinking water. Water was once brought to Keota via rail cars due to its isolated location on Colorado's eastern plains.

References

{{Weld County, Colorado Ghost towns in Colorado Former populated places in Weld County, Colorado Populated places established in 1880 1880 establishments in Colorado