Parachute, Colorado

Last updated

Parachute, Colorado
Town
Parachute Colorado.jpg
Parachute in 2023
Nickname: 
"Western Gateway to the Rockies" [1]
Motto: 
"A Safe Place to Land" [2]
Garfield County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Parachute Highlighted 0857400.svg
Location of Parachute in Garfield County, Colorado.
Coordinates: 39°27′06″N108°03′06″W / 39.45167°N 108.05167°W / 39.45167; -108.05167
Country United States
State Colorado
County Garfield County [3]
Incorporated 1908-04-01, as the Town of Grand Valley [4]
Government
 • Type Home rule municipality [3]
Area
[5]
 • Total
1.87 sq mi (4.85 km2)
 • Land1.81 sq mi (4.68 km2)
 • Water0.07 sq mi (0.17 km2)
Elevation
[6]
5,089 ft (1,551 m)
Population
 (2020) [7]
 • Total
1,390
 • Density740/sq mi (290/km2)
Time zone UTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP codes [8]
81635, 81636 (PO Box)
Area code 970
FIPS code 08-57400
GNIS feature ID2413110 [6]
Website www.parachutecolorado.com

Parachute is a home rule municipality in Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,390 at the 2020 census. [7]

Contents

The town is the birthplace of Willard Libby, recipient of the 1960 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

History

The town's name comes from Parachute Creek which runs through the township, before it merges with the Colorado River. The Ute people originally called the creek Pahchouc (meaning twins), with early settlers mispronouncing the word as parachute. In 1908 the town was renamed Grand Valley, but in the 1980s was changed back to Parachute. [9]

Geography

Parachute is on the northwest side of the Colorado River where it is joined by Parachute Creek. Interstate 70 passes through the town, with access from Exit 75. I-70 leads east 42 miles (68 km) to Glenwood Springs, the county seat, and southwest 44 miles (71 km) to Grand Junction. Parachute is bordered to the southeast across the Colorado River by the unincorporated community of Battlement Mesa.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.67 square miles (4.32 km2), of which 1.61 square miles (4.16 km2) is land and 0.062 square miles (0.16 km2), or 3.70%, is water. [10]

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Parachute has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. [11]

Climate data for Parachute
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)3
(38)		8
(46)		13
(56)		18
(64)		24
(76)		31
(88)		34
(94)		34
(93)		28
(82)		19
(66)		11
(51)		5
(41)		19
(66)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)−12
(11)		−7
(19)		−2
(29)		1
(33)		6
(43)		10
(50)		14
(58)		14
(57)		9
(48)		2
(35)		−3
(27)		−8
(18)		2
(36)
Average precipitation mm (inches)18
(0.7)		18
(0.7)		46
(1.8)		43
(1.7)		30
(1.2)		25
(1)		38
(1.5)		23
(0.9)		36
(1.4)		51
(2)		43
(1.7)		30
(1.2)		400
(15.8)
Source: Weatherbase [12]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910 268—
1920 228−14.9%
1930 209−8.3%
1940 23010.0%
1950 29628.7%
1960 245−17.2%
1970 27010.2%
1980 33825.2%
1990 65894.7%
2000 1,00652.9%
2010 1,0857.9%
2020 1,39028.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Education

Parachute is served by Garfield County School District 16. The town is home to an elementary, middle, and high school:

Infrastructure

Transportation

Parachute is part of Bustang's West Line that connects Grand Junction to Denver. [13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Town of Parachute official website". Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2008.
  2. ↑ "Home | Town of Parachute". www.parachute.gov.
  3. 1 2 "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  4. ↑ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on August 23, 2003. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  5. ↑ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  6. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Parachute, Colorado
  7. 1 2 United States Census Bureau. "Parachute town; Colorado" . Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  8. ↑ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on January 1, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2007.
  9. ↑ "Parachute, Colorado". Uncover Colorado. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Parachute town, Colorado". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 16, 2016.[ dead link ]
  11. ↑ Climate Summary for Parachute, Colorado
  12. ↑ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on August 7, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Bustang Schedules". RideBustang. CDOT. Archived from the original on September 15, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
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