Branson, Colorado

Branson, Colorado
Statutory Town [1]
Entering Branson from the south.
Location of the Town of Branson in Las Animas County, Colorado.
Branson Location of the Town of Branson in the United States.
Coordinates: 37°00′56″N103°53′02″W / 37.015493°N 103.883777°W / 37.015493; -103.883777 [2]
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Las Animas County [1]
Incorporated	1921-03-26 [3]
Government
• Type	Statutory Town [1]
Area [4]
• Total	0.245 sq mi (0.634 km2)
• Land	0.245 sq mi (0.634 km2)
• Water	0.000 sq mi (0.000 km2)
Elevation [5]	6,256 ft (1,907 m)
Population  (2020) [4]
• Total	57
• Density	233/sq mi (90/km2)
Time zone	UTC−07:00 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP code	81027 [6]
Area code	719
FIPS code	08-08345
GNIS feature ID	0196276
Website	www.bransoncolorado.com

Branson is a Statutory Town located in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. ^[1] The town population was 57 at the 2020 United States Census. ^[4] Branson is the southernmost town in the State of Colorado, located just 0.3 miles (0.48 km) from the New Mexico border.

Branson is located approximately 35 miles east of Trinidad, Colorado, on State Highway 389, in the Great Plains, as well in the Black Mesa area, the town is surrounded by mesa. It is a ranching community today. Farming in the area was severely impacted by the Dust Bowl. Branson is much smaller than it once was in more optimistic days and features some picturesque abandoned buildings.

History

The town was first known as Wilson, or Wilson Switch; then as Coloflats. A post office was established in 1915, and its name was changed to Branson in 1918. The town is named after Josiah F. Branson who platted the town on his land. The town was incorporated in 1921. Branson is located north of a break in the mesas which separate Southeast Colorado from Northeast New Mexico, the route of a minor branch of the Santa Fe Trail. It was founded near a switch, Wilson Switch, of the Denver, Texas, and Fort Worth Railroad, later merged into the Colorado and Southern Railway, a predecessor of today's Burlington Northern Santa Fe. A depot was built in 1918. Despite being unsuitable for farming, many homesteaders attempted dryland farming in the early 20th century. In good years there were bountiful harvests of grain and in the 1920s the town boasted 1000 people and 3 grain elevators as well as facilities such as a bank and a newspaper. After the drought and Dust Bowl of the 1930s population decreased rapidly as the economy turned from farming to ranching. ^[7]

Geography

Branson is located at 37°0′55″N103°53′1″W / 37.01528°N 103.88361°W / 37.01528; -103.88361 (37.015291, -103.883684). ^[8]

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 157 acres (0.634 km²), all of it land. ^[4]

Climate

Climate data for Branson, Colorado (Elevation 6,257ft)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	72 (22)	74 (23)	83 (28)	86 (30)	92 (33)	99 (37)	100 (38)	97 (36)	95 (35)	86 (30)	78 (26)	78 (26)	100 (38)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	45.8 (7.7)	47.6 (8.7)	52.5 (11.4)	62.8 (17.1)	71.7 (22.1)	81.8 (27.7)	86.4 (30.2)	84.5 (29.2)	78.1 (25.6)	67.0 (19.4)	55.0 (12.8)	47.2 (8.4)	65.0 (18.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	21.0 (−6.1)	22.2 (−5.4)	25.3 (−3.7)	35.4 (1.9)	44.6 (7.0)	53.9 (12.2)	59.1 (15.1)	58.1 (14.5)	50.7 (10.4)	40.4 (4.7)	29.0 (−1.7)	23.1 (−4.9)	38.6 (3.7)
Record low °F (°C)	−25 (−32)	−15 (−26)	−10 (−23)	5 (−15)	19 (−7)	28 (−2)	40 (4)	41 (5)	25 (−4)	7 (−14)	−8 (−22)	−9 (−23)	−25 (−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	0.44 (11)	0.64 (16)	0.93 (24)	1.71 (43)	2.37 (60)	1.28 (33)	2.68 (68)	2.86 (73)	1.46 (37)	1.01 (26)	0.74 (19)	0.60 (15)	16.72 (425)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	6.8 (17)	6.7 (17)	9.9 (25)	5.8 (15)	0.7 (1.8)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0.2 (0.51)	1.9 (4.8)	6.4 (16)	8.4 (21)	46.9 (119)
Source: http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?co0898.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1930	237		—
1940	250		5.5%
1950	157		−37.2%
1960	124		−21.0%
1970	70		−43.5%
1980	73		4.3%
1990	58		−20.5%
2000	77		32.8%
2010	74		−3.9%
2020	57		−23.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census ^[9] of 2000, there were 77 people, 37 households, and 24 families residing in the town. The population density was 309.6 inhabitants per square mile (119.5/km²). There were 43 housing units at an average density of 172.9 per square mile (66.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.40% White, 1.30% Native American, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.48% of the population.

There were 37 households, out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.63.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 1.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 71.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 62.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,583, and the median income for a family was $23,214. Males had a median income of $19,167 versus $20,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,933. There were 26.9% of families and 25.0% of the population living below the poverty line, including 33.3% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

See also

• Geography portal
• History portal
• United States portal
• Colorado portal

• Colorado
  • Bibliography of Colorado
  • Index of Colorado-related articles
  • Outline of Colorado
• List of counties in Colorado
• List of municipalities in Colorado
• List of places in Colorado
• Black Mesa

References

1. "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs . Retrieved October 15, 2021.
2. "2014 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Places". United States Census Bureau. July 1, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
3. "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
4. "Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data". United States Census Bureau, United States Department of Commerce. August 12, 2021. Retrieved September 2, 2021.
5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
6. "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on September 3, 2007. Retrieved September 4, 2007.
7. Branson, Colorado history
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.

History of Branson, Colo. By Odessa M. Booher - Unknown date written - retrieved May 21, 2018

External links

• Town of Branson website
• CDOT map of the Town of Branson
• History, photos and information on Sangres.com
• Branson School Online Branson School Online
• Branson history
• Article in the New York Times on Branson School Online