Cheyenne County, Colorado

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Cheyenne County
Cheyenne County Courthouse July 2020.jpg
Cheyenne County Colorado Courthouse
Map of Colorado highlighting Cheyenne County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado in United States.svg
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°49′N102°35′W / 38.82°N 102.59°W / 38.82; -102.59
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
FoundedMarch 25, 1889
Named for The Cheyenne Nation
Seat Cheyenne Wells
Largest townCheyenne Wells
Area
  Total
1,781 sq mi (4,610 km2)
  Land1,778 sq mi (4,600 km2)
  Water3.2 sq mi (8 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
1,748
  Estimate 
(2023)
1,727 Decrease2.svg
  Density0.98/sq mi (0.38/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
  Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 4th
Website www.co.cheyenne.co.us

Cheyenne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. The county population was 1,748 at 2020 census. [1] The county seat is Cheyenne Wells. [2]

Contents

History

Cheyenne County was created with its present borders by the Colorado State Legislature on March 25, 1889, out of portions of northeastern Bent County and southeastern Elbert County. It was named after the Cheyenne Indians who occupied eastern Colorado.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,781 square miles (4,610 km2), of which 1,778 square miles (4,600 km2) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) (0.2%) is water. [3]

The drainage basins in Cheyenne County include Bellyache, Big Timber, East and Middle Fork Big Spring, Eureka, Goose, Ladder, Little Spring, Pass, Rock, Sand, Turtle, White Woman, Wild Horse and Willow Creeks, as well as the Smoky Hill River. [4] The Smoky Hill drains into the Republican River in Kansas. The creeks in the northern and eastern part of the county drain to the Republican or Smoky Hill Rivers; those in the central and southeastern part of the county drain ultimately to the Arkansas River. All of the creeks in Cheyenne County are generally dry with some flow when drawing snowmelt or rainfall. There are four summits in Cheyenne County: Agate Mound (4,457 ft.), Eureka Hill (4,700 ft.), Landsman Hill (4,695 ft.), and Twin Buttes (4,621 ft.) [5] The highest point in the county is in the extreme northwest corner of the county on the Bledsoe Ranch (5,255 ft.) [6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Antipode

Cheyenne County is home of the Antipode of Île Saint-Paul making it one of the few places in the continental United States with a non-oceanic antipode. [7] [8]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1890 534
1900 501−6.2%
1910 3,687635.9%
1920 3,7461.6%
1930 3,723−0.6%
1940 2,964−20.4%
1950 3,45316.5%
1960 2,789−19.2%
1970 2,396−14.1%
1980 2,153−10.1%
1990 2,39711.3%
2000 2,231−6.9%
2010 1,836−17.7%
2020 1,748−4.8%
2023 (est.)1,727 [9] −1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [10]
1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12]
1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census [14] of 2000, there were 2,231 people, 880 households, and 602 families residing in the county. The population density was 1 people per square mile (0.39 people/km2). There were 1,105 housing units at an average density of 1 units per square mile (0.39 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.87% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.76% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 5.11% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. 8.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 880 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.30% were married couples living together, 5.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.80% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 16.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,054, and the median income for a family was $44,394. Males had a median income of $32,250 versus $19,286 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,850. About 8.70% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cheyenne County, Colorado Map of Cheyenne County, Colorado.png
Cheyenne County, Colorado

Towns

Census Designated Place

Unincorporated communities

Politics

United States presidential election results for Cheyenne County, Colorado [15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 93088.15%10810.24%171.61%
2020 99387.41%13111.53%121.06%
2016 92583.94%13211.98%454.08%
2012 88981.34%17215.74%322.93%
2008 89080.11%19817.82%232.07%
2004 92381.39%19817.46%131.15%
2000 95778.96%20917.24%463.80%
1996 73962.84%32827.89%1099.27%
1992 61550.74%30124.83%29624.42%
1988 76064.08%39933.64%272.28%
1984 89273.23%30725.21%191.56%
1980 81665.86%32225.99%1018.15%
1976 61048.15%62549.33%322.53%
1972 81563.37%40031.10%715.52%
1968 66455.70%39232.89%13611.41%
1964 54542.48%73557.29%30.23%
1960 80665.69%41934.15%20.16%
1956 82061.70%50738.15%20.15%
1952 1,00465.97%51533.84%30.20%
1948 65747.40%71351.44%161.15%
1944 92360.68%59439.05%40.26%
1940 91554.43%75845.09%80.48%
1936 76744.85%90352.81%402.34%
1932 74639.41%1,04255.04%1055.55%
1928 94563.85%50033.78%352.36%
1924 87555.70%23615.02%46029.28%
1920 84064.57%35827.52%1037.92%
1916 55838.38%80255.16%946.46%
1912 23717.66%50737.78%59844.56%

Since the 1920s, Cheyenne County has mostly supported Republican candidates in presidential elections. In the 27 presidential elections since 1920, the Democratic presidential candidates have carried the county only five times, none have broken 60% of the vote, and only Lyndon Johnson in 1964, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932 won the county by a double-digit margin. By contrast, the Republican nominees have carried the county 22 times, including the last twelve in a row, with all except Wendell Willkie in 1940 winning by at least a double-digit margin. The four most recent GOP presidential candidates George W. Bush, John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Donald Trump all carried Cheyenne county with over 80% of the vote.

Historic Trails

Historic Sites

See also

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts". U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved September 4, 2021.
    2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    3. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
    4. Cheyenne County Physical Features. Colorado Home Town Locator. "Cheyenne County Colorado Streams". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
    5. Cheyenne County: PlaceNames.com "Cheyenne County, Colorado, USA - Summits - Place Names". Archived from the original on June 10, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
    6. Colorado Peak Statistics. ""Bledsoe Ranch Road", CO 5,255'". Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
    7. "Antipodes Map (AKA Tunnel Map)". www.findlatitudeandlongitude.com. Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
    8. "United States Antipodes". www.weathergraphics.com. Archived from the original on January 4, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
    9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
    10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 31, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
    14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
    15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
    16. History: Cheyenne County. COGenWeb. "History - Cheyenne CountyCOGenWeb". Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
    17. Historic Sites in Cheyenne County. COGenWeb.http://cogenweb.com/cheyenne/cheyhist.htm

    38°49′N102°35′W / 38.82°N 102.59°W / 38.82; -102.59