Gunnison

Gunnison is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Gunnison County, Colorado. The city population was 6,560 at the 2020 United States Census. It was named in honor of John W. Gunnison, a United States Army officer who surveyed for a transcontinental railroad in 1853. In the early 1800s, the groups moving into the Gunnison area were mainly fur trappers and mountain men, trying to make a living for themselves in the rocky mountain terrain. The late 1850s saw the start of people joining the hunt for gold in Gunnison county. The mining camps reportedly produced about 130,000 ounces of gold from the beginning of the gold rush through 1959. The railroad arrived soon after in 1880 to appreciative miners, ranchers, and farmers. In 1880, the cattle industry in Gunnisons was established. Realizing the poor conditions for farming (with only about eleven inches of rainfall annually and the short growing season due to the high elevation and alpine environment) the local farmers turned to ranching and began breeding cattle. To do this effectively, they had to clear and level fields for grazing purposes. Irrigation ditches also had to be cut into the ground to properly irrigate the fields in order to grow hay for the horses and cattle. John Outcalt is also known to be one of the most famous in the town. He helped build the Paragon School, which is still standing today in the east end of town. Originally a shipbuilder and carpenter in New Jersey, he incorporated his skills in the building of the school.

History

The town of Gunnison got its name from the first known European-American explorer of the area, John W. Gunnison. In the early 1800s, the groups moving into the Gunnison area were mainly fur trappers and mountain men, trying to make a living for themselves in the rocky mountain terrain. The late 1850s saw the start of people joining the hunt for gold in Gunnison county. The mining boom in the 1870s led to the Ute people being forced out of the local area. In 1880, the cattle industry was established and the town became known as the "Hay Spur" The town was split into two sides when the D&RG and DSP&P were battling for control over the area. The D&RGW was later reorganized as the D &RGW railroad and served as the primary means of transportation for the townspeople into the 1950s. The town's most famous resident, John Outcalt, is also known to be the most famous schoolbuilder and shipbuilder in the town. He helped build the Paragon Society museum on the east end of the town, which is still standing today. He was also considered the most trusted man in the area by the local Indians, who isolated themselves from the surrounding area for two months during the Spanish Influenza epidemic in the 1800s. He is also one of the few remaining members of the original Gunnison community that still lives in the same house. He and his brother, William, are known to have been among the first settlers of the city in the early 1900s.

Geography

Gunnison is situated at an altitude of 7,703 feet (2,348 m) At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 3,103 acres (12.558 km²), all of it land. At the 2010 Census there was a population of 15,324 within the county. Primary access to Gunnison is from Salida to the east via Monarch Pass or from Montrose, Colorado, to the west via Cerro Summit on U.S. Highway 50. The city typically experiences moderate snowfalls, with an average of 45.5 inches (116 cm) per year. The hottest temperature recorded in Gunnison was 105 °F (41 °C) on August 3, 1894, while the coldest temperature recorded was 47 °C on December 25, 1924. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Gunnison has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. Many locations average 300400 inches (7601,020 cm) of snow annually, as it is beneficial to water supplies and local ski resorts. The snow can remain on the ground in town from as early as November to as late as April. Surrounding mountains experience very heavy snowfall with longer periods of snow onThe ground. The cold air in all the valleys settles into Gunnison at night, making it one of thecoldest places in winter in the United States, especially when snowpack is present. Total liquid precipitation averages 10.6 inches (270 mm) peryear in the city of Gunnison.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 5,854 people, 2,318 households, and 991 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 86.9% White, 0.6% African American, 2.4% Native American, 0%.6% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 6.6 percent from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.2% of the population. The city's median income was $39,181, and the median income for a family was $59,836. The per capita income for the city is $17,776. The majority of the residents were below the poverty line, including 42.2 per cent of those under age 18 and 16.6 of those age 65 or over. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was2.9. The median age was 25.2 years, with 26.1% under the age of 19, 23.4 per cent from 20 to 24, 26. 1% from 25 to 44, 16.8 from 45 to 64, and 7.6 per cent who were 65 years of age or older. There were 2,645 total housing units at an average density of 826. 6 per square mile (319.2/km²) For every 100 females there were 120.1 males. For each 100 females aged 18 and over there were 128 males.

Education

Gunnison is home to Western Colorado University which received its third renaming since its beginnings on August 1, 2012. The Gunnison Valley is also served by the Gunnison Watershed RE1J School District which includes Public and Non Public schools. The law concerning non public schools, 22-33-104, C.R.S., requires that a sequential program of instruction be provided by an independent or parochial school. Some of the non-public schools in Gunnison County adhering to this law are: Little Red Schoolhouse, Paradise Place,Stepping Stones Children Center, and Tenderfoot CFDC. The public schools in the Re1J school district are located in Crested Butte and Gunnison; Marble Charter School is located in the Statutory Town of Marble in northwest Gunnison county. In 1923, the college's name was changed to Western State College of Colorado because its role expanded from a teaching institution to a liberal arts college. Historical papers in the Leslie Savage Library on campus state that the school was the first liberalarts college on the Western Slope of Colorado. The college was founded as The Colorado State Normal School for Children by a bill signed on April 16, 1901, by Governor James B. Orman. The school was later renamed The Western State University of Colorado, which was founded in 1913. It is located on the campus of Colorado State University in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is a public university with an enrollment of about 2,000 students.

Transportation

Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) operates bus service between Gunnison and Crested Butte. The League of American Bicyclists has awarded Gunnison the silver level in bicycle friendliness. Gunnison is part of the statewide Bustang system, which connects the town to Denver. The GunnisonCrestedbutte Regional Airport serves the valley and nearby Crested butte with both commercial airline and general aviation flights. Western Colorado University and Cresting Butte Mountain Resort are served by the RTA. The RTA also operates a bus service serving the town and the surrounding area. The town is home to the Gunnison Valley High School, Gunnison High School and Gunnison Mountain High School. It is also home to Gunnison Elementary School, which was founded in 1883. The school is located in the Gunnisons Valley and is located on the eastern edge of the town. It was founded by the Colorado School of Mines in 1881. It has been the site of the Colorado High School of Science and Technology since 1894. It also hosts the Colorado State University of the Arts and Sciences, which opened in 1891. The college is located at the center of the valley in Gunnison, which is located near the town of Gunnison. The city is also the home of Western Colorado State College, which began in 1892. The community is also known as the "Heart of the Rockies" because of its location near the Colorado River. The area is known as one of the top ski destinations in the state.

Activities

Gunnison is located in western Colorado in the U.S. state of Colorado. Winter activities include skiing at Crested Butte Mountain Resort and Monarch Ski Area. Summer activities include fishing on the Gunnison River, Tomichi Creek and Blue Mesa Reservoir. Cattlemen's Days takes place over a 10-day period in July featuring PRCA Rodeo activities as well as family-based activities. The Gunnison Ranger District Office located at 216 North Colorado Street offers maps and information about details particular to vehicle access, private, BLM, federal and state properties, trails, and other areas of interest. In 2011, this rodeo was nominated as one of the five finalists for Mid-sized rodeo of the year. It continues to be a leader in PCRA rodeos in fund-raising for breast cancer with their Tough enough to wear pink campaign. C cattlemen's days celebrated its 112th year of rich western heritage in a first class and nationally recognized rodeo event for the year 2012. It also offers scholarships to support and further the education of 4-H and FFA exhibitors. The town also hosts festivals and farmers markets during the summer months. It is located near Curecanti National Recreation Area and Tomichi State Wildlife Area, Sapinero State wildlife Area, McIntosh State Wildlife area, Blue Mesa reservoir, and Hartman Rocks. In the winter, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, ice fishing, ice skating, hunting, and snowshoeing are popular winter activities.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Gunnison, Gunnison County, Colorado = 99. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 100. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 98. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Gunnison = 5.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 6,560 individuals with a median age of 27.4 age the population dropped by -2.07% in Gunnison, Gunnison County, Colorado population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,353 residents per square mile of area (522/km²). There are average 2.1 people per household in the 2,160 households with an average household income of $33,103 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 4.90% of the available work force and has growths 2.75% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 40.60%. The number of physicians in Gunnison per 100,000 population = 138.8.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Gunnison = 10.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 50.6 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 76. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 266. 81 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and -7.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 97, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Gunnison, Gunnison County, Colorado which are owned by the occupant = 38.58%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 35 years with median home cost = $225,920 and home appreciation of -10.07%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $4.53 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,687 per student. There are 14 students for each teacher in the school, 637 students for each Librarian and 366 students for each Counselor. 3.00% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 26.99% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 11.31% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).