Grand Junction, Colorado

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Grand Junction, Colorado
Home rule municipality [1]
Grand-junction-skyline.jpg
Grand Junction skyline
Nicknames: 
Colorado Wine Country, River City
Mesa County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Grand Junction Highlighted 0831660.svg
Location of Grand Junction in Mesa County, Colorado
USA Colorado relief location map.svg
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Grand Junction
Location of Grand Junction in the United States
Usa edcp relief location map.png
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Grand Junction
Grand Junction (the United States)
Coordinates: 39°05′16″N108°34′05″W / 39.08778°N 108.56806°W / 39.08778; -108.56806
Country Flag of the United States.svg  United States
State Flag of Colorado.svg  Colorado
County Mesa
Incorporated July 22, 1882 [2]
Named for Confluence of Grand River and Gunnison River
Government
 • Type Council-Manager
 • MayorAbe Herman [3]
 • City ManagerAndrea Phillips [4]
Area
[5]
 • Total
40.077 sq mi (103.799 km2)
 • Land39.634 sq mi (102.652 km2)
 • Water0.443 sq mi (1.147 km2)
Elevation
[6]
4,646 ft (1,416 m)
Population
 (2020) [5]
 • Total
65,560
 • Rank 17th in Colorado
 • Density1,654/sq mi (639/km2)
 •  Metro
155,703
Time zone UTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP Codes [7]
81501–81507
Area code 970
FIPS code 08-31660
GNIS feature ID 2410631 [6]
Highways I-70, U.S. Highway 6, U.S. Highway 50, CO SH 340, CO SH 141, CO SH 139
Website www.gjcity.org

Grand Junction is a home rule municipality that is the seat of government and largest city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. [1] Grand Junction's population was 65,560 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the most populous city in western Colorado and the 17th most populous Colorado municipality overall. [5]

Contents

As western Colorado's largest city, Grand Junction is the economic and cultural center of the Western Slope region. The city is also a transportation hub, as it is situated at the convergence of Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 50, and is the largest city between Denver, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah. It is also the junction between two major branches of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad. Grand Junction is also a prominent college town, home to Colorado Mesa University.

Grand Junction is the principal city of the Grand Junction metropolitan area, which had over 150,000 residents in 2020. The city is located in the heart of the Grand Valley, a large Colorado River valley stretching over 30 miles east-to-west and 5 miles north-to-south. This valley is the most densely populated area in Colorado outside of the Front Range Urban Corridor.

Description

Grand Junction is 247 miles (398 km) west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. The city has a council–manager form of government. [8] It is a major commercial and transportation hub within the large area between the Green River and the Continental Divide, and the largest city in Colorado outside of the Front Range Corridor.

The city is along the Colorado River, at its confluence with the Gunnison River, which comes in from the south. "Grand" refers to the historical Grand River, renamed the Upper Colorado River in 1921. "Junction" refers to the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers. Grand Junction has been nicknamed "River City". It is near the midpoint of a 30-mile (48 km) arcing valley, known as the Grand Valley; since the late 19th century it has been a major fruit-growing region. The valley was long occupied by the Ute people and earlier indigenous cultures. It was not settled by European-American farmers until the 1880s. Since the late 20th century, several wineries have been established in the area.

The Colorado National Monument, a unique series of canyons and mesas, overlooks the city on the west. Most of the area is surrounded by federal public lands managed by the US Bureau of Land Management. Interstate 70 connects the city eastward to Glenwood Springs and Denver and westward to Green River, Utah; Salt Lake City is reached to the west via Interstate 70 and U.S Route 6; and Las Vegas (via Interstate 70 and Interstate 15).

History

In September 1881, the former Ute Indian Territory was abolished and the Utes were forced into a reservation so that the U.S. government could open the area to settlers. Clinton County, Pennsylvania-born George Addison Crawford (1827–91) soon purchased a plot of land. [9] On July 22, 1882, he incorporated the town of Grand Junction and planted Colorado's first vineyard near Palisade, Colorado, causing the area to become known as the Colorado Wine Country. Grand Junction also has a storied past with gunfighters, miners, and early settlers of the American Southwest. Prior to its incorporation as the city of Grand Junction, the community was known as Ute, and was also briefly called West Denver.

The narrow gauge Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reached Grand Junction from the southeast, from Pueblo via Gunnison in 1882, followed in 1890 by the standard gauge Rio Grande Junction Railway from the northeast, from New Castle (jointly owned by the D&RG and the Colorado Midland). [10] These greatly contributed to the expansion and settlement of the area.

Geography

At the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total area of 25,649 acres (103.799 km2) (40.077 sq mi) including 283 acres (1.147 km2) (.443 sq mi) of water. [5]

Climate

Grand Junction has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk). It sits in a large area of high desert lands in Western Colorado. Winters are cold and dry, with a January mean temperature of 27.4 °F (−2.6 °C). Due to its location west of the Rockies, Grand Junction does not receive as much influence from the Chinook winds as locations in Colorado east of the Front Range, yet it does receive protection from the Arctic air masses that can settle to the east of the Rockies. This is illustrated by the fact that from December to February, highs reach 50 °F (10 °C) only 18 days. [11] Lows drop to 0 °F (−17.8 °C) or below on 2.9 nights per year. [11] Snowfall is low compared to much of the rest of the state, averaging 17.6 inches (45 cm) per season; only once in the entire period of record dating to 1893, has observed 10 inches (25 cm) in a calendar day, though the median is 6.3 inches (16.0 cm), and moreover, snow cover is intermittent. [11] Snow is greatest in December and January. Spring warming is gradual but quickens when nearing June; the average last freeze date is April 25. Summer is hot and dry, with a July mean temperature of 78.2 °F (25.7 °C). Grand Junction averages 68 days a year with temperatures at 90 °F (32 °C) or above, and an average 8 days attaining 100 °F (38 °C) or more. Autumn cooling is rapid, with the average first freeze date being October 11. The area receives little precipitation year-round, averaging 9.05 inches (229.9 mm), with no real seasonal spike. Sunshine hours are abundant, even in winter, and total just over 3,200 hours per year, or 73% of the possible total. [12]

Climate data for Grand Junction, Colorado (Grand Junction Regional Airport), 1991–2020 normals, [a] extremes 1893–present [b]
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °F (°C)62
(17)		70
(21)		81
(27)		89
(32)		101
(38)		105
(41)		107
(42)		103
(39)		100
(38)		88
(31)		76
(24)		66
(19)		107
(42)
Mean maximum °F (°C)49.6
(9.8)		60.0
(15.6)		72.6
(22.6)		81.3
(27.4)		90.9
(32.7)		99.4
(37.4)		102.0
(38.9)		98.6
(37.0)		93.2
(34.0)		82.1
(27.8)		65.3
(18.5)		51.9
(11.1)		102.5
(39.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)38.1
(3.4)		46.4
(8.0)		58.3
(14.6)		65.8
(18.8)		76.8
(24.9)		89.2
(31.8)		94.5
(34.7)		90.9
(32.7)		81.7
(27.6)		66.9
(19.4)		51.8
(11.0)		38.8
(3.8)		66.6
(19.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)27.7
(−2.4)		35.3
(1.8)		45.0
(7.2)		51.9
(11.1)		62.0
(16.7)		73.0
(22.8)		79.2
(26.2)		76.3
(24.6)		67.1
(19.5)		53.2
(11.8)		39.6
(4.2)		28.4
(−2.0)		53.2
(11.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)17.3
(−8.2)		24.1
(−4.4)		31.7
(−0.2)		38.1
(3.4)		47.1
(8.4)		56.8
(13.8)		63.9
(17.7)		61.6
(16.4)		52.5
(11.4)		39.5
(4.2)		27.5
(−2.5)		18.0
(−7.8)		39.8
(4.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C)3.4
(−15.9)		10.3
(−12.1)		19.3
(−7.1)		25.4
(−3.7)		33.6
(0.9)		44.3
(6.8)		54.3
(12.4)		53.5
(11.9)		39.2
(4.0)		25.4
(−3.7)		13.8
(−10.1)		2.8
(−16.2)		−1.3
(−18.5)
Record low °F (°C)−23
(−31)		−21
(−29)		5
(−15)		11
(−12)		24
(−4)		34
(1)		44
(7)		43
(6)		28
(−2)		6
(−14)		−4
(−20)		−21
(−29)		−23
(−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm)0.61
(15)		0.53
(13)		0.80
(20)		0.98
(25)		0.83
(21)		0.41
(10)		0.59
(15)		0.92
(23)		1.19
(30)		0.99
(25)		0.61
(15)		0.60
(15)		9.06
(230)
Average snowfall inches (cm)4.5
(11)		2.9
(7.4)		1.8
(4.6)		0.9
(2.3)		0.1
(0.25)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.0
(0.0)		0.4
(1.0)		1.9
(4.8)		5.2
(13)		17.7
(44.35)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)6.36.16.77.16.43.44.86.56.56.25.46.171.6
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)4.63.51.70.70.10.00.00.00.00.52.05.018.1
Average relative humidity (%)69.760.450.140.336.329.433.536.638.845.658.568.047.3
Mean monthly sunshine hours 192.3204.4240.9278.0328.5359.3356.2329.8292.2255.1186.9180.03,203.6
Percent possible sunshine 63686570748179787874626172
Source: NOAA (sun 1961–1990) [11] [13]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890 2,030—
1900 3,50372.6%
1910 7,754121.4%
1920 8,66511.7%
1930 10,24718.3%
1940 12,47921.8%
1950 14,50416.2%
1960 18,69428.9%
1970 20,1707.9%
1980 27,95638.6%
1990 29,0343.9%
2000 41,98644.6%
2010 58,56639.5%
2020 65,56011.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

Grand Junction is the principal city of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census [14] of 2000, there were 41,986 people, 17,865 households, and 10,540 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,362.6 inhabitants per square mile (526.1/km2). There were 18,784 housing units at an average density of 609.6 per square mile (235.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.78% White, 0.60% African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.76% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 3.81% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 10.86% of the population.

There were 17,865 households, out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.0% were non-families. Of all households 33.2% were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had one living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the city, 21.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.9% was from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.

The population figures are for Grand Junction only; the city abuts smaller towns and unincorporated county areas which contribute to area commerce.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,152, and the median income for a family was $43,851. Males had a median income of $31,685 versus $22,804 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,692. About 7.5% of families and 11.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Economic history

From the time settlers arrived in the 1880s until the 1960s, three of the main economic activities in the region were farming, fruit growing, and cattle raising. Fruit orchards, particularly between Grand Junction and Palisade to the east, remain important to the region's reputation and economy to the present day. Fruits most often grown are peaches, pears, apricots, plums, cherries, and, particularly since the 1980s, grapes for wine. In this semi-arid environment, these orchards thrive from a combination of abundant sunshine and irrigation from a system of canals that divert water from the Colorado River.

Attempts were made to establish sugar beet farming and beet sugar production. The Grand Valley Sugar Company established a campaign in 1893, sending three train carloads to the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company. Several tariffs and subsidies to domestic sugar were established in the 1890s, which led to uncertainty in the market. After the 1897 Dingley Act, the company was revived in 1898 and rallied to build a sugar factory. They failed to fundraise to build the plant. At the same time, Charles N. Cox was able to organize an effort to establish a factory in 1898 as well. John F. Campion and others including James Joseph Brown, Eben Smith, Charles E. Mitchell, George Trimble, James R. McKinnie, and Charles Boettcher invested, creating the Colorado Sugar Manufacturing Company in 1899 and contracting E. H. Dyer to build a factory. The failed to succeed, so they sold the plant to local investors, who were able to make it a success. The Campion-Boettcher group then created the Great Western Sugar Company. [15]

Retail sales have been important to the economy for decades (e.g., gasoline, and hunting- and fishing-related sales), and uranium mining-related activities have also been significant. [16] Grand Junction was home to the Climax Uranium Mill, a now decommissioned mill that provided uranium ore to the US Atomic Energy Commission.

Education and healthcare have been important to the economy of the area, especially since the 1950s, with the rise of Colorado Mesa University and St. Mary's Hospital as leading employers in these fields.

Vast oil shale reserves were known to exist near Parachute, Colorado in the Piceance Basin. The oil embargoes of the 1970s and high gas prices resulted in major financial interest in the region. Exxon purchased rights and used Grand Junction as its seat of operations. The city and the surrounding Grand Valley became prosperous in the 1970s and early 1980s largely because of the effects of oil shale development. The United States, western Colorado in particular, has the largest-known concentration of oil shale in the world (according to the Bureau of Land Management) and holds an estimated 800 gigabarrels of recoverable oil, enough to meet U.S. demand for oil at current levels for 110 years. Known as the "Rock That Burns", the shale can be mined and processed to produce oil. In the past it was significantly more expensive than conventional oil. Sustained prices above $95 per barrel, however, may make extraction economically attractive in the coming years (see Oil shale economics). ExxonMobil pulled out of the region because of lower oil prices, which led to economic hardship in the region.

The economic bust, known as "Black Sunday" (May 2, 1982) to the locals, started with a phone call from the president of Exxon to Governor Richard Douglas Lamm, stating that Exxon would cut its losses while retaining mining rights to the (then and currently) uneconomic oil. The economic bust was felt statewide, as Exxon had invested more than US$5 billion in the state. Colorado historian Tom Noel observed, "I think that was a definite turning point, and it was a reminder that we were a boom-and-bust state ... There were parallels to the silver crash of 1893." [17]

By 2008, the economy of Grand Junction appeared to be more diverse and stable than it had been in previous decades. Major contributors to the economy were health care, tourism, agriculture, livestock, and energy mining (gas and oil). Major energy companies had once again invested large amounts of money due to increases in oil and natural gas prices (such as in the years 2005–2008). However, a major drop (in the summer of 2008) of market natural gas prices led to reduced gas well drilling and related capital expenditures in the area, significantly slowing the Grand Junction economy in 2009. Reports given in 2009 suggested that Grand Junction had once again been hard-hit economically, with one report by April 2010 listing the area as having had the largest percentage drop in employment of any "small city" in the entire United States. [18]

By 2008, Grand Junction was being discovered by the "nation's elite business and leisure travelers" as a destination for private jet travel, with nearby Powderhorn Resort and other ski resorts a major attraction. [19]

Top employers

According to the city's 2023 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, [20] Grand Junction's top employers are:

#EmployerNumber of employees
1 Mesa County Valley School District 51 3,658
2 St. Mary's Regional Hospital 2,732
3 Colorado Mesa University 1,461
4Community Hospital1,400
5 Mesa County 1,224
6 Grand Junction VA Medical Center 978
7City of Grand Junction860
8Family West Health596
9Hilltop Community Resources540
10West Star Aviation537

Sports

Grand Junction's Colorado National Monument was home to a stage in the Coors Classic bicycle race known as "The Tour of the Moon" due to the Monument's unique landscape.

Since 1958, the JUCO World Series [21] has been played at Suplizio Field. The city also has a professional Minor League Baseball team, the Grand Junction Jackalopes, who play in the Pioneer Baseball League. The Jackalopes were formerly known as the Grand Junction Rockies and were a minor league affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, but became independent in 2020.

Both Suplizio Field and Stocker Stadium also host Colorado Mesa University as well as School District 51 sporting events.

Parks and recreation

The Grand Junction area has developed as a mountain biking destination, with many bikers coming from the Front Range of Colorado, the Salt Lake City area, and as far away as California to enjoy the area's abundant single-track trails. Two prominent trails are the Tabeguache and Kokopelli trails, the latter running from near Loma to Moab, Utah. Fruita, Colorado, with its 18-Road trail system, is within 10 miles of the city and has become a major mountain biking destination.

Education

Museum of Western Colorado Sterling T. Smith Educational Tower ST Smith Educational Tower.jpg
Museum of Western Colorado Sterling T. Smith Educational Tower

K–12

The Mesa Valley School District No. 51 provides comprehensive K–12 public education to the Grand Junction area. [22] School District 51 operates five high schools:

In addition, the district operates numerous middle, elementary, and other types of schools, including East Middle School, Redlands Middle School, and West Middle School. District 51 partners with CMU Tech to operate a vocational school, owned and operated by Colorado Mesa University. CMU Tech was formerly named Western Colorado Community College.

Colleges and universities

Colorado Mesa University, a public university, serves as the primary provider of higher education on the Western Slope from its campus in central Grand Junction. This campus has an average enrollment of just under 10,000 students and offers a variety of degrees, including a Masters in Business Administration, Educational Leadership, and ESOL. The university also operates CMU Tech, a community college offering associates degrees and professional certificates. Also located in Grand Junction is IntelliTec College, a private for-profit technical college offering professional certificates.

Media

Radio

The Grand Junction radio market includes all of Mesa County, Colorado. [23] Six AM radio stations and more than 25 FM stations are licensed to broadcast from the city. [24] [25]

Newspapers

Grand Junction is serviced by one local newspaper, the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel . The Grand Junction area also receives newspaper influence from sources in the greater Denver front range area.

Television

Grand Junction has ABC, NBC, and CBS television station affiliates under the call signs of KJCT-TV (Channel 8), KKCO-TV (Channel 11), and KREX-TV (Channel 5), respectively. Also, Grand Junction has a Fox (Channel 4) affiliate station under the call sign of KFQX that receives news from the Denver FOX affiliate, KDVR (Channel 31) at 9 pm. KLML (Channel 20) broadcasts Cozi TV programming. KRMJ (Channel 18) is the local PBS affiliate, part of the statewide Rocky Mountain PBS network.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Amtrak station Amtrak station in Grand Junction, CO.JPG
Amtrak station

Grand Junction Regional Airport (formerly Walker Field Airport) serves as the major airport in the area. It is the largest airport in western Colorado, and the third-largest in the state, behind Denver International Airport and the Colorado Springs Airport. As of 2024, the Grand Junction Regional Airport offers direct flights to Denver, Dallas–Fort Worth, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Santa Ana, as well as one-stop flights to Provo, Utah. In January 2025, the airport will begin offering one-stop flights to Hartford, Connecticut. [26] Efforts are also underway to re-establish direct flights to Salt Lake City; these flights were originally offered until staffing shortages caused Delta Airlines to cease service to Grand Junction in 2022. [27]

Railroad Freight service is provided by Union Pacific, with BNSF trackage rights. Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Grand Junction Station, operating its California Zephyr daily on the UP trackage in both directions between Chicago and Emeryville, California, across the bay from San Francisco.

Bustang, Colorado's state-run bus system, provides intercity bus service to the city. There are two bus lines that include Grand Junction. The West line connects to Denver, while the Outrider line connects to Durango. Both of these have multiple stops between the final destinations, and the West line has options to transfer to alternative lines.

Grand Valley Transit (GVT) is a regional transit system serving the Grand Valley. It operates 11 bus routes in the area as well as a "dial-a-ride" service.

The city also offers a shared micromobility program that was launched in May 2023. The city has allowed the companies Bird and Lime to rent out the e-scooters via their respective mobile apps. [28]

Major highways

Notable people

Sister city

Grand Junction has a sister city, as designated by Sister Cities International:

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ↑ Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010.
  2. ↑ Official records for Grand Junction were kept at downtown from January 1893 to December 1899 and at Grand Junction Regional Airport since January 1900. For more information, see ThreadEx.

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The Colorado Plateau is a physiographic and desert region of the Intermontane Plateaus, roughly centered on the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States. This plateau covers an area of 336,700 km2 (130,000 mi2) within western Colorado, northwestern New Mexico, southern and eastern Utah, northern Arizona, and a tiny fraction in the extreme southeast of Nevada. About 90% of the area is drained by the Colorado River and its main tributaries: the Green, San Juan, and Little Colorado. Most of the remainder of the plateau is drained by the Rio Grande and its tributaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Valley (Colorado–Utah)</span> Valley in Colorado and Utah, United States of America

The Grand Valley is an extended populated valley, approximately 30 miles (48 km) long and 5 miles (8.0 km) wide, located along the Colorado River in Mesa County in western Colorado and Grand County in eastern Utah in the Western United States. The valley contains the city of Grand Junction, as well as other smaller communities such as Fruita and Palisade. The valley is a major fruit-growing region that contains many orchards and vineyards, and is home to one of two designated American Viticultural Areas in Colorado: the Grand Valley AVA. It takes its name from the "Grand River", the historical name of the Colorado River from its confluence with the Gunnison River that was used by locals in the late 19th and early 20th century. The valley is the most densely populated area on the Colorado Western Slope, with Grand Junction serving as an unofficial capital of the region, as a counterpoint to Denver on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains in the Colorado Front Range. Interstate 70 and U.S. Highway 6 run through the valley from west-to-east. The Grand Valley is part of the larger Colorado Plateau desert lands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Mesa</span> Mountain in Colorado, US

The Grand Mesa is a large mesa in western Colorado in the United States. It is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. It has an area of about 500 square miles (1,300 km2) and stretches for about 40 miles (60 km) east of Grand Junction between the Colorado River and the Gunnison River, its tributary to the south. The north side of the mesa is drained largely by Plateau Creek, a smaller tributary of the Colorado. The west side is drained largely by Kannah Creek, which is received to the west by the lower Gunnison River. The mesa rises about 6,000 feet (1,800 m) above the surrounding river valleys, including the Grand Valley to the west, reaching an elevation of about 11,000 feet (3,400 m). Much of the mesa is within Grand Mesa National Forest. Over 300 lakes, including many reservoirs created and used for drinking and irrigation water, are scattered along the top of the formation. The Grand Mesa is flat in some areas, but quite rugged in others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Junction Regional Airport</span> Airport in Grand Junction, Colorado

Grand Junction Regional Airport is three miles (4.8 km) northeast of Grand Junction, in Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Owned by the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority, it is the largest airport in western Colorado and third largest in the state, behind Denver International Airport and Colorado Springs Airport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunnison–Crested Butte Regional Airport</span> Airport in Colorado, United States

Gunnison–Crested Butte Regional Airport is a county-owned, public airport one mile southwest of Gunnison, in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. Also known as Gunnison County Airport, it serves the valley and nearby Crested Butte, Colorado, with airline and general aviation flights.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Colorado</span>

The geography of the U.S. State of Colorado is diverse, encompassing both rugged mountainous terrain, vast plains, desert lands, desert canyons, and mesas. Colorado is a landlocked U.S. state. In 1861, the United States Congress defined the boundaries of the new Territory of Colorado exclusively by lines of latitude and longitude, stretching from 37°N to 41°N latitude, and from 102°02'48"W to 109°02'48"W longitude. Starting in 1868, official surveys demarcated the boundaries, deviating from the parallels and meridians in several places. Later surveys attempted to correct some of these mistakes but in 1925 the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the earlier demarcation was the official boundary. The borders of Colorado are now officially defined by 697 boundary markers connected by straight boundary lines. Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah are the only states that have their borders defined solely by straight boundary lines with no natural features. The southwest corner of Colorado is the Four Corners Monument at 36°59'56"N, 109°2'43"W. This is the only place in the United States where four states meet: Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 70 in Colorado</span> Section of Interstate Highway in Colorado, United States

Interstate 70 (I-70) is a transcontinental Interstate Highway in the United States, stretching from Cove Fort, Utah, to Baltimore, Maryland. In Colorado, the highway traverses an east–west route across the center of the state. In western Colorado, the highway connects the metropolitan areas of Grand Junction and Denver via a route through the Rocky Mountains. In eastern Colorado, the highway crosses the Great Plains, connecting Denver with metropolitan areas in Kansas and Missouri. Bicycles and other non-motorized vehicles, normally prohibited on Interstate Highways, are allowed on those stretches of I-70 in the Rockies where no other through route exists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 50 in Colorado</span> Section of U.S. Highway in Colorado, United States

U.S. Route 50 (US 50) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that travels from West Sacramento, California, to Ocean City, Maryland. In the U.S. state of Colorado, US 50 is a major highway crossing through the lower midsection of the state. It connects the Western Slope with the lower Front Range. The highway serves the areas of Pueblo and Grand Junction as well as many other smaller areas along its corridor. The long-term project to widen the highway from two lanes to a four lane expressway between Grand Junction and Montrose was completed in January 2005. Only about 25% of the remainder of highway 50 in Colorado is four lane highway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Valley AVA</span> Viticultural area in Colorado

Grand Valley is an American Viticultural Area (AVA) within Mesa County, Colorado located in a high-altitude river valley surrounding the county seat of Grand Junction and stretching 24 miles (39 km) east-west between the municipalities of Palisade and Fruita. It lies approximately 200 miles (320 km) west-southwest of Denver along Interstate 70. The river valley encompasses 75,990 acres (118.73 sq mi), with an average elevation between 4,000 and 5,000 feet (1,200–1,500 m) above sea level and is defined by an irrigated agricultural area served by canals in the Grand Valley of the Colorado River. Grand Valley AVA was established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) on December 26, 1991, upon the petition submitted by Mr. James Seewald of Vintage Colorado Cellars Winery, and the first viticultural area registered in the Centennial State. In 2001, the smaller West Elks AVA, located southeast of Grand Valley, became the state's second federally-designated AVA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Division (D&RGW)</span> Rail line in Utah and Colorado

The Utah Division of the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) is a rail line that connects Grand Junction, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah in the Western United States. It is now incorporated into the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) system as part of the Central Corridor. The modern Union Pacific has split the line into two subdivisions for operational purposes, the Green River Subdivision between Grand Junction and Helper, Utah and the Provo Subdivision from Helper to Salt Lake City. Daily passenger service is provided by Amtrak's California Zephyr; the BNSF Railway and Utah Railway have trackage rights over the line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Colorado</span> Overview of and topical guide to Colorado

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the U.S. state of Colorado:

References

  1. 1 2 "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs . Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
  3. ↑ "Grand Junction Has a New Mayor". www.kjct8.com. KJCT News 8. May 1, 2024.
  4. ↑ "City Manager | Grand Junction, CO". www.gjcity.org. City of Grand Junction, Colorado.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. August 12, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  6. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Grand Junction, Colorado
  7. ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on November 4, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  8. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  9. ↑ Blackmar, Frank Wilson (March 1, 1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. ... with a Supplementary Volume Devoted to Selected Personal History and Reminiscence. Standard publishing Company. ISBN   9780722249055 – via Google Books.
  10. ↑ Beebe, Lucius and Clegg, Charles, Rio Grande, Mainline of the Rockies, Howell-North Books 1962.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Climatological Normals of Grand Junction". Hong Kong Observatory. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
  13. ↑ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ↑ Eric Twitty (August 2003). "Silver Wedge: The Sugar Beet Industry in Fort Collins" (PDF). SWCA Environmental Consultants. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  16. ↑ History Timeline. Museum of Western Colorado
  17. ↑ Richard Williamson (October 5, 1999). "Oil shale collapse preserved scenic vistas". Denver Rocky Mountain News. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved June 3, 2009.
  18. ↑ The Adams Group, Coloradoeconomy.com, "Today's Economy" Archived May 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine . April 23, 2010. Retrieved December 5, 2010
  19. ↑ "Colo. gets two spots on luxury-travel list". Denver Business Journal. January 11, 2008. Retrieved January 12, 2008
  20. ↑ "City of Grand Junction CAFR" . Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Alpine Bank NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series". Alpine Bank NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series.
  22. ↑ "Home". Mesa County Valley School District 51. Retrieved July 21, 2022.
  23. ↑ "2012 Arbitron Radio Metro Map" (PDF). Arbitron . Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  24. ↑ "AMQ AM Radio Database Query". Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on August 25, 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Radio Stations in Grand Junction, Colorado". Radio-Locator. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Airlines Serving GJT". Grand Junction Regional Airport.
  27. ↑ "High Flying Future for the Grand Junction Regional Airport". KKCO 11 News. September 12, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Shared Micromobility Pilot". Engage GJ. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  29. ↑ "Public Radio". Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Grand Junction, Colorado Wins Sister Cities International's Innovation Award for Professional and Technical Assistance". Sister Cities International. July 8, 2019.
  31. ↑ "Anna Stout". City of Grand Junction, Colorado.
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