Idalia, Colorado

{{Short description|Unincorporated community in Colorado, United States}}

{{Infobox settlement

|name = Idalia, Colorado

|settlement_type = Census Designated Place

|nickname = Jewel of the Plains

|image_skyline = Idalia, Colorado.JPG

|image_caption = Looking east on U.S. Route 36 (2017)

|image_map = Yuma County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Idalia Highlighted 0838425.svg

|map_caption = Location within Yuma County and Colorado

|image_map1 =

|map_caption1 =

|pushpin_map = USA#USA Colorado

|pushpin_relief =

|pushpin_label = Idalia

|pushpin_label_position = left

|pushpin_map_caption = Location of Idalia, Colorado.

|coordinates = {{coord|39.7039|-102.2938|type:city_region:US-CO_source:GNIS-enwiki|display=it}}

|coordinates_footnotes = {{cite gnis|id=204817|name=Idalia, Colorado|access-date=December 29, 2024}}

|elevation_ft = 3967

|elevation_footnotes =

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = {{USA}}

|subdivision_type1 = State

|subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Colorado}}

|subdivision_type2 = County

|subdivision_name2 = Yuma{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicCounties.jsf|title=Colorado Counties|publisher=Colorado Department of Local Affairs|access-date=December 29, 2024}}

|government_type = unincorporated community

|established_title = Founded

|established_date = 1887

|established_title1 = Platted

|established_date1 =

|named_for =

|area_footnotes = {{cite web|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/tigerwebmain/Files/bvp20/tigerweb_bvp20_cdp_2020_co.html|title=State of Colorado Census Designated Places - BAS20 - Data as of January 1, 2020|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

|area_total_sq_mi =

|area_land_sq_mi =

|area_water_sq_mi =

|area_total_km2 = 0.220

|area_land_km2 = 0.220

|area_water_km2 = 0.000

|unit_pref = Imperial

|population_footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Idalia_CDP,_Colorado?g=160XX00US0838425 |title=Idalia CDP, Colorado |author=United States Census Bureau|date= |website= |publisher= |access-date=April 11, 2023 |quote=}}

|population_as_of = 2020

|population_total = 97

|pop_est_footnotes =

|pop_est_as_of =

|population_est =

|population_density_sq_mi = auto

|population_density_km2 = auto

|timezone1 = MST

|utc_offset1 = −7

|timezone1_DST = MDT

|utc_offset1_DST = −6

|postal_code_type = ZIP Code

|postal_code = 80735{{cite web|url=https://tools.usps.com/go/ZipLookup|title=Look Up a ZIP Code|publisher=United States Postal Service|access-date=November 21, 2020}}

|area_code_type = Area code

|area_code = 970

|blank_name = FIPS code

|blank_info = {{FIPS|08|38425}}

|blank1_name = GNIS ID

|blank1_info = {{GNIS 4|204817}}

|website =

}}

Idalia is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Yuma County, Colorado, United States. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Idalia CDP was 97. The Idalia post office has the ZIP Code 80735.

History

Idalia was originally founded founded in 1887 as Alva.{{Cite web|url=http://www.consideryumacounty.com/C_idalia.html|title=Idalia in Yuma County Colorado|website=www.consideryumacounty.com|access-date=2017-10-02}} The Alva, Colorado, post office operated from August 6, 187, until September 18, 1888, when the name was changed to Idalia.{{cite book|title=Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989|first1=William H.|last1=Bauer|first2=James L.|last2=Ozment|first3=John H.|last3=Willard|date=1990|publisher=Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation|location=Golden, Colorado|isbn=0-918654-42-4}} The community derives its name from Edaliah Helmick, a pioneer settler.{{cite book|last=Dawson|first=John Frank|title=Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051116740;view=1up;seq=34|publisher=The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co.|location=Denver, CO|page=28}}

Located on the Eastern Plains of Colorado in southern Yuma County, approximately 150 miles east of Denver and 15 miles from the Kansas border, Idalia has been home for many generations of families. The primary industries of the area are farming, ranching, and natural gas production. The community has many amenities for a small rural community, including the Idalia Vision Foundation, Inc., two churches, local Co-Op, convenience store, restaurants, and a motel. A new Kindergarten through grade-12 school building opened in the fall of 2013 providing state-of-the-art educational programs & facilities.

Geography

Idalia is located along U.S. highway route 36 approximately two miles west of U.S. highway route 385.

The Idalia CDP has an area of {{convert|0.220|km2|acres|disp=flip}}, all land.

=Climate=

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| collapsed = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Idalia, Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1941–1946, 1987–2021)

| Jan record high F = 75

| Feb record high F = 81

| Mar record high F = 84

| Apr record high F = 92

| May record high F = 99

| Jun record high F = 110

| Jul record high F = 107

| Aug record high F = 104

| Sep record high F = 101

| Oct record high F = 93

| Nov record high F = 83

| Dec record high F = 78

| year record high F = 110

| Jan high F = 42.1

| Feb high F = 44.1

| Mar high F = 54.7

| Apr high F = 62.2

| May high F = 71.6

| Jun high F = 83.9

| Jul high F = 89.6

| Aug high F = 86.9

| Sep high F = 79.0

| Oct high F = 65.4

| Nov high F = 52.3

| Dec high F = 42.7

| year high F = 64.5

| Jan mean F = 29.1

| Feb mean F = 31.1

| Mar mean F = 40.3

| Apr mean F = 47.7

| May mean F = 57.7

| Jun mean F = 69.1

| Jul mean F = 75.1

| Aug mean F = 72.6

| Sep mean F = 64.2

| Oct mean F = 50.7

| Nov mean F = 38.6

| Dec mean F = 29.8

| year mean F = 50.5

| Jan low F = 16.2

| Feb low F = 18.1

| Mar low F = 26.0

| Apr low F = 33.3

| May low F = 43.9

| Jun low F = 54.4

| Jul low F = 60.6

| Aug low F = 58.2

| Sep low F = 49.4

| Oct low F = 36.0

| Nov low F = 24.9

| Dec low F = 16.9

| year low F = 36.5

| Jan record low F = -27

| Feb record low F = -24

| Mar record low F = -11

| Apr record low F = 6

| May record low F = 24

| Jun record low F = 33

| Jul record low F = 36

| Aug record low F = 40

| Sep record low F = 26

| Oct record low F = 0

| Nov record low F = -7

| Dec record low F = -26

| year record low F = -27

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 0.47

| Feb precipitation inch = 0.46

| Mar precipitation inch = 1.03

| Apr precipitation inch = 1.83

| May precipitation inch = 2.82

| Jun precipitation inch = 2.84

| Jul precipitation inch = 2.96

| Aug precipitation inch = 3.19

| Sep precipitation inch = 1.20

| Oct precipitation inch = 1.38

| Nov precipitation inch = 0.53

| Dec precipitation inch = 0.43

| year precipitation inch = 19.14

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 2.4

| Feb precipitation days = 3.0

| Mar precipitation days = 3.8

| Apr precipitation days = 5.9

| May precipitation days = 8.1

| Jun precipitation days = 7.8

| Jul precipitation days = 7.0

| Aug precipitation days = 6.3

| Sep precipitation days = 3.9

| Oct precipitation days = 4.3

| Nov precipitation days = 2.9

| Dec precipitation days = 2.7

| year precipitation days = 58.1

| Jan snow inch = 4.4

| Feb snow inch = 5.0

| Mar snow inch = 5.1

| Apr snow inch = 3.4

| May snow inch = 0.2

| Jun snow inch = 0.0

| Jul snow inch = 0.0

| Aug snow inch = 0.0

| Sep snow inch = 0.5

| Oct snow inch = 3.2

| Nov snow inch = 2.9

| Dec snow inch = 3.8

| year snow inch = 28.5

| unit snow days = 0.1 in

| Jan snow days = 2.0

| Feb snow days = 2.5

| Mar snow days = 2.0

| Apr snow days = 1.3

| May snow days = 0.2

| Jun snow days = 0.0

| Jul snow days = 0.0

| Aug snow days = 0.0

| Sep snow days = 0.1

| Oct snow days = 0.6

| Nov snow days = 1.7

| Dec snow days = 2.3

| year snow days = 12.7

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=gld

|title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = April 5, 2024}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00054242&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = April 5, 2024}}

}}

Demographics

The United States Census Bureau initially defined the {{nowrap|Idalia CDP}} for the {{nowrap|United States Census 2010.}}

{{US Census population

|align=left

|2010= 88

|2020= 97

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]

}}

Events

=Idalia Days Celebration=

Community members headed a project aimed at emulating the summer annual town celebrations of neighboring towns. The event, Idalia Days, takes place each summer if enough interest is provided. During its inaugural celebration, Idalia Days provided activities and events in which the community could partake. Drawing on themes used in previous town celebrations, events include bed races, an old-time baseball game, old man six-man football, a melodrama illustrating the history of the towns relocation, a softball tournament, and a town dance, often featuring live music and food.

Education

There is one school, Idalia School, which teaches preschool through twelfth grade. The school mascot is the wolf.{{Cite web|url=http://www.idaliaco.us/|title=Idalia RJ-3 School District|website=www.idaliaco.us|language=en|access-date=2017-10-02}}{{cite news

| last = Garner

| first = Nick

| publisher = Rocky Mountain News

| date = 2007-03-07

| title = After finding a Cure, Idalia can feel good about chances

| url=http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/Mar/07/after-finding-a-cure-idalia-can-feel-good-about/

| access-date = 2008-10-09 }} The town also has a preschool and daycare.

Timeline

(1950) First students graduate from the Idalia school.
(1970's) A high school wing was added to the preexisting school.
(1995) A new gymnasium is built.{{Cite web|url=http://www.idaliavisions.com/|title=Idalia Visions Foundation {{!}}|website=www.idaliavisions.com|language=en|access-date=2017-10-02}}
(2012-2013) The old school is torn down and a new school is built after the State of Colorado awards Idalia the BEST grant.

=Sports=

Due to low enrollment of the high school, Idalia, like hundreds of schools throughout Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Texas, plays six-man football, a variation of football involving six players on each side off the ball rather than the traditional eleven. Idalia had a dominant program from the late 1990s into the 2000s, winning eight state titles between 1998 and 2010.{{Cite news|url=http://chsaanow.com/history/champions/football/|title=List of Colorado high school football champions through history|work=CHSAANow.com|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}} In recent years, the football program has struggled in the face of low-enrollment and as rival schools have consolidated sports programs in the wake of their own enrollment and budgetary constraints.{{Cite news|url=http://www.cpr.org/news/story/budget-breakdown-rural-schools-fear-consolidation|title=Budget Breakdown: Rural Schools Fear Consolidation|last=Verlee|first=Megan|work=Colorado Public Radio|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en}}

However, as the football program continues to rebuild, the Idalia girls' sports teams have had some very successful years. In 2015, the Idalia girls' volleyball team advanced to the Colorado Class 1A volleyball championship match, ultimately falling to Otis High School in five sets.{{Cite news|url=http://chsaanow.com/2015-11-09/1a-volleyball-state-tournament-bracket-2015/|title=CHSAA's 1A state volleyball bracket and schedule (2015)|date=2015-11-09|work=CHSAANow.com|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}} In addition, the girls' basketball program won consecutive state championships in 2015 and 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://chsaanow.com/2015-03-08/1a-girls-basketballs-state-tournament-bracket-2015/|title=Colorado high school girls basketball 1A state bracket (2015)|date=2015-03-08|work=CHSAANow.com|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://chsaanow.com/2016-03-06/1a-girls-basketball-state-tournament-bracket-2016/|title=Colorado high school girls basketball 1A state bracket (2016)|date=2016-03-06|work=CHSAANow.com|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://chsaanow.com/2016-03-12/defensive-pressure-lifts-idalia-to-1a-girls-basketball-title/|title=Defensive pressure lifts Idalia to 1A girls basketball title|date=2016-03-13|work=CHSAANow.com|access-date=2017-10-02|language=en-US}}