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Steamboat Springs is a
home rule municipality Statutory city may refer to: * Statutory city (Austria), an Austrian municipality acting as a district administrative authority * Statutory city (Czech Republic), a Czech city with special privileges * Statutory city (United States), a city in the ...
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
Routt County, Colorado Routt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,829. The county seat is Steamboat Springs. Routt County comprises the Steamboat Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. History ...
, United States. The population was 13,224 at the 2020 census. Steamboat Springs is the principal city of the Steamboat Springs Micropolitan Statistical Area, and it is the largest city in northwestern Colorado. The city is a winter ski resort destination, including the Steamboat Ski Resort on
Mount Werner Mount Werner is a mountain summit in the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The peak is located in Routt National Forest, east-southeast ( bearing 107°) of the City of Steamboat Springs in Routt County, Colorado, United ...
in the Park Range just east of the town and the much smaller Howelsen Hill Ski Area. Steamboat Springs has produced more athletes for the
Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...
than any other town in North America. Steamboat Springsknown colloquially as "The Boat"is located in the upper valley of the Yampa River, along U.S. Highway 40, just west of the
Continental Divide A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...
and Rabbit Ears Pass. It is located approximately 150 miles northwest of
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
, and sits approximately 45 miles south of the
Wyoming Wyoming ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States, Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho t ...
border. It is served by Steamboat Springs Airport (general aviation) and commercial service at nearby Yampa Valley Airport.


History

The area surrounding Steamboat Springs was originally inhabited by the Yampatika band of the Utes, who hunted in the valley during the summer. Trappers began to move through the area during the first decades of the 19th century. James Harvey Crawford, the founder of Steamboat Springs, first arrived in the spring of 1874. The Crawford family moved there in 1876, and for the first five years were the sole permanent white residents of the town. The native Utes were forcibly removed from the area to a reservation in
Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...
by the U.S. Army starting in 1879. Milestones in the development of the pioneer town included the first sawmill in 1873, incorporation of the town in 1900, and the arrival of the railroad in 1909. The economy of the region was originally based on ranching and mining, which still have a large presence in the county. Steamboat is home to several natural hot springs that are located throughout the area (see Geography). Upon first hearing a chugging sound, early trappers believed that a steamboat was coming down the river. When the trappers saw that there was no steamboat, and that the sound was coming from a hot spring, they decided to name the spring Steamboat Spring. Originally,
skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...
was the only method of transportation during harsh and snowy Rocky Mountain winters. In turn, the popularity of skiing as a winter pastime catalyzed development of the town and other communities all over the
Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, are a major mountain range and the largest mountain system in North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch in great-circle distance, straight-line distance from the northernmost part of Western Can ...
. In 1913, Carl Howelsen, a Norwegian, moved to town and introduced ski jumping. Howelsen built the first jump on Howelsen Hill, now part of the Howelsen Ski Area. He also founded the annual Winter Carnival, a celebration still held each winter. The festival includes ski racing and jumping, dog sledding, and chariot events down Lincoln Avenue, the city's main street. Light shows on both Mount Werner and Howelsen Hill are highlights. Howelsen also founded the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and built the town's first ski jumps. The oldest continually operating ski area in North America, Howelsen Hill, now bears his name and is one of just three complete ski jumping complexes in the United States. The Steamboat Ski Resort was largely established by two local men, Jim Temple and John Fetcher. Temple led the effort to develop the area. Fetcher, a local rancher, was the main designer and builder. The resort opened on what was then called Storm Mountain in 1963. In 1974, The Industrial Company (TIC) was started in Steamboat Springs and has since grown into one of the largest industrial construction companies in the United States with revenues of approximately $2 billion in 2007. The company is one of the largest employers in Routt County and has more than 9,000 employees worldwide. TIC - The Industrial Company was acquired by Kiewit Engineering and all operations except the Training Center moved elsewhere (Denver, etc.). The main TIC complex on Routt County Road 129 has been acquired by Yampa Valley Electric Association as their new headquarters, with extensive renovation. This property provides ample areas for offices, vehicle maintenance, and construction laydown activities. In 1993, the City Council of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, conducted a poll of its residents to choose a new name for the bridge that crossed the Yampa River on Shield Drive. With 7,717 votes, the winning name was "James Brown Soul Center of the Universe Bridge". The bridge was officially dedicated in September 1993, and James Brown appeared at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the event.


Historic buildings

Historic buildings in Steamboat Springs include: * Christian Science Society, at 7th and Oak, was built of logs in 1934 and is now listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. * The Crawford House, at 12th and Crawford, was built of local stone in 1894 by the founder of Steamboat, James Harvey Crawford, and is now listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , all of it land except for the Yampa River. The Yampa Valley and surrounding area contain several geothermal
hot springs A hot spring, hydrothermal spring, or geothermal spring is a Spring (hydrology), spring produced by the emergence of Geothermal activity, geothermally heated groundwater onto the surface of the Earth. The groundwater is heated either by shallow ...
. The city is named after the Steamboat Spring, located near the present-day library and the old train depot. The spring itself was so named because its bubbling sounded like a steamboat to early settlers. Though there are no steamboats in the town, except for an allegorical "steamboat" playground in West Lincoln Park which was designed to resemble a steamboat and has since been mostly torn down. The area offers hot springs that are open to the public. The Yampa River flows through the middle of town.


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, Steamboat Springs has a
warm-summer humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...
, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Steamboat Springs was on June 29, 1990, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 7, 1913.


Demographics

As of the
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 ...
of 2010, there were 12,088 people, 5,201 households, and 2,275 families residing in the city. There were 9,966 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 94%
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 ...
, 0.6% Asian, 0.8%
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 ...
, 0.4% Native American, 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 ...
, 0.7% from other races, and 2.5% 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 of any race were 8.5% of the population. There were 4,201 households, out of which 24.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.6% were non-families. Additionally, 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age of Steamboat's population was 36.5 years. By sex, the population was 54.2 percent male, 45.8 percent female. The median income for a household in the city was $54,647, and the median income for a family was $65,685. Males had a median income of $35,536 versus $28,244 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 $31,695. About 2.7% of families and 7.2% of the population were 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 ...
, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.


Housing

Steamboat Springs has a severe housing shortage. The median housing price for a single family home was $829,000 in 2022, which is up from $529,000 in 2019. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment is around $2,100. Attempts to increase housing supply in Steamboat Springs have been blocked by residents. In 2010, the city council approved a plan to build thousands of condominiums in Steamboat Springs, but residents put the plan up for a ballot initiative where it was soundly defeated. In 2024, a plan to build nearly 2,300 affordable housing units intended for priced-out workers in Steamboat Springs was blocked by residents in a ballot initiative.


Education

Steamboat Springs is served by Steamboat Springs School District RE-2. The district is home to seven schools: *Soda Creek Elementary School *Strawberry Park Elementary School *Steamboat Springs Middle School *Steamboat Springs High School *North Routt Community Charter School *Sleeping Giant School *Yampa Valley Alternative High School The city is also home to the Steamboat Springs campus of
Colorado Mountain College Colorado Mountain College (CMC) is a Public college, public community college with multiple campuses in western Colorado, and headquartered in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Founded in 1965, the institution offers numerous associate degrees, eigh ...
. CMC Steamboat Springs is notable for being the only college in the United States offering a degree in Ski & Snowboard Business, which focuses on the retail, manufacturing, and marketing of snowsports. In 2022, CMC Steamboat Springs enrolled 2,050 students.


Sports

Steamboat Springs offers skiing opportunities and has been the locale for skiing competitions including the
1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...
and
1990 Alpine Skiing World Cup Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno D ...
. The Yampa river is a location for water sports like fishing, rafting, tubing, and kayaking (
playboating Canoe freestyle (also known as playboating) is a discipline of whitewater kayaking or canoeing where people perform various technical moves in one place (a playspot), as opposed to downriver whitewater kayaking, whitewater canoeing or kayaking wh ...
). The grade II-III whitewater run through town ends with two surfable holes. One is called ''D-Hole''; the other one—near the library, close to the Steamboat Spring—is named ''Charlie's Hole'' or ''C-Hole'' for short, after local kayaker Charlie Beavers (1981–2002). Beavers started kayaking at age 12, was the first to explore a number of rivers ("first descents"), and successfully contended in playboating competitions. He died in a non-boating accident in 2002. The hole and some kayaking events were dedicated to him. Every year on the first weekend of June, Steamboat Springs organizes the ''Yampa River Festival''. It includes a kayak rodeo (i.e., a playboating competition) which attracts national and international world class playboaters. Additional events include, but are not limited to, a downriver race which is Colorado's only upstream slalom race, and the Crazy River Dog Contest, in which dogs retrieve sticks from the river and may pass a whitewater section. The defunct ski area
Stagecoach A stagecoach (also: stage coach, stage, road coach, ) is a four-wheeled public transport coach used to carry paying passengers and light packages on journeys long enough to need a change of horses. It is strongly sprung and generally drawn by ...
is about south of Steamboat. It lasted two ski seasons, closing in 1974.


Notable people

* Debbie Armstrong (born 1963), alpine skier and Olympic gold medalist; lives in Steamboat Springs * Chris Baumann (born 1987), rugby union player, prop for
Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its home ...
and USA Eagles * Nelson Carmichael (born 1965), mogul skier and Olympic bronze medalist; born in Steamboat Springs * James Harvey Crawford (1845–1930), founder of Steamboat Springs * Shannon Dunn-Downing (born 1972), freestyle snowboarder; raised in Steamboat Springs * Taylor Fletcher (born 1990), Nordic combined skier * Arielle Gold (born 1996), Olympic bronze medalist and World Champion snowboarder * Taylor Gold (born 1993), Olympian snowboarder; born in Steamboat Springs * Carroll Hardy (born 1933), former Major League Baseball player; resided in Steamboat Springs *
Billy Kidd {{Infobox alpine ski racer , name = Billy Kidd , image = Billy Kidd skier 1970.jpg , image_size = 220 , caption = Kidd after winning the world title in FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1970#Combine ...
(born 1943), alpine skier and Olympic silver medalist * Caroline Lalive (born 1979), alpine skier and two-time Olympian * Todd Lodwick (born 1976), Nordic combined skier; born in Steamboat Springs * Verne Lundquist (born 1940), television sportscaster; resides in Steamboat Springs * Travis Mayer (born 1982), freestyle skier and Olympic silver medalist * Carey McWilliams (1905–1980), author, editor, lawyer * Robin Olds (1922–2007), ace fighter pilot and WWII/Vietnam fighter group commander *
Trey Parker Randolph Severn "Trey" Parker III (born October 19, 1969) is an American actor, animator, writer, producer, director, and musician. He is best known for co-creating ''South Park'' (1997) and '' The Book of Mormon'' (2011) with his creative part ...
(born 1969), actor, animator, writer, producer, director, and composer. * Tyler Johnson (born 1986), Grammy award-winning songwriter and producer. Grew up in Steamboat Springs. * Ryan Max Riley (born 1979), freestyle skier and humorist * Reese Roper (born 1973), singer and songwriter; born in Steamboat Springs *
Ryan Serhant Ryan Matthew Serhant (born July 2, 1984) is an American entrepreneur, tech CEO, investor, real estate broker, author, and reality television personality. He starred on Bravo (U.S. TV network), Bravo's television series ''Million Dollar Listing ...
(born 1984), celebrity real estate broker and television personality * Andrew Sisco (born 1983), baseball player; born in Steamboat Springs * Johnny Spillane (born 1980), Nordic combined skier; born in Steamboat Springs * Steven Ray Swanson (born 1960), engineer and a NASA astronaut * Alvin P. Wegeman (1927–2015), Nordic combined skier * Buddy Werner (1936–1964), Olympic alpine skier born and raised in Steamboat Springs * Gordon Wren (1919–1999), ski jumper; last lived and died in Steamboat Springs


Transportation

*
Bustang Bustang is an intercity bus service in the U.S. state of Colorado. Service began in 2015 and originally traveled between Denver and Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Glenwood Springs. Service has since been expanded to connect Grand Junction ...
* Colorado State Highway 131 * Steamboat Springs Airport * U.S. Route 40 in Colorado * Yampa Valley Airport


Sister cities

* Saas-Fee,
Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...
, Switzerland *
San Martín de los Andes San Martín de los Andes is a city in the south-west of the , serving as the administration centre of the Lácar Department. Lying at the foot of the Andes, on the Lácar lake, it is considered one of the main tourism destinations in the province. ...
,
Neuquén Neuquén (; ) is the capital city of the Argentine province of Neuquén and of the Confluencia Department, located in the east of the province. It occupies a strip of land west of the confluence of the Limay and Neuquén rivers which form t ...
, Argentina


See also

* Fish Creek Falls * Yampa River Botanic Park


References


External links

* *
Steamboat Springs Chamber of Commerce

Tread of Pioneers Museum
{{Authority control Cities in Routt County, Colorado Cities in Colorado County seats in Colorado Hot springs of Colorado Bodies of water of Routt County, Colorado