Park County, Colorado

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Park County

| state = Colorado

| seal =

| founded year = 1861

| founded date = November 1

| seat wl = Fairplay

| largest city wl = Fairplay

| city type = town

| area_total_sq_mi = 2211

| area_land_sq_mi = 2194

| area_water_sq_mi = 17

| area percentage = 0.8%

| census yr = 2020

| pop = 17390

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 18316 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Mountain

| footnotes =

| web = www.parkco.us

| named for =

| ex image = Park County Courthouse, July 2016.jpg

| ex image cap = Old Park County Courthouse

| district = 7th

| district2 =

| pop_est_footnotes={{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 24, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} }}

Park County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,390.{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/parkcountycolorado/PST045219|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=September 5, 2021}} The county seat and largest incorporated town is Fairplay, while the unincorporated community of Bailey is the largest settlement overall.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011}}{{cite web |url=https://www.uncovercolorado.com/towns/bailey/ |title=Bailey, Colorado |publisher=Uncover Colorado}} The county was named after the large geographic region known as South Park, which was named by early fur traders and trappers in the area. Park County is included in the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. A majority of the county lies within the boundaries of the South Park National Heritage Area.

Geography

At the 2020 United States census, the county had a total area of {{convert|2211|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|2194|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|17|sqmi}} (0.8%) is water.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

The geographic center of the State of Colorado is located in Park County at coordinates {{coord|38.9972|-105.5478|dim:300000_region:US-CO_type:adm1st|name=Geographic center of the State of Colorado|display=inline}}. The headwaters of the South Platte River are located in Park County at coordinates {{coord|39.0111|-105.7403|type:city_region:US-CO_source:GNIS-enwiki|name=Geographic center of Colorado|display=inline}}.{{cite gnis|id=201759|name=South Platte River|access-date=January 5, 2025}}

=Adjacent counties=

Clear Creek County - north
Jefferson County - northeast
Teller County - east
Fremont County - southeast
Chaffee County - southwest
Lake County - west
Summit County - northwest

=Major highways=

=National protected areas=

=State protected areas=

=Trails and byways=

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1870= 447

|1880= 3970

|1890= 3548

|1900= 2998

|1910= 2492

|1920= 1977

|1930= 2052

|1940= 3272

|1950= 1870

|1960= 1822

|1970= 2185

|1980= 5333

|1990= 7174

|2000= 14523

|2010= 16206

|2020= 17390

|estyear=2024

|estimate=18316

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 3, 2025}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 10, 2014}}
1790-1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=June 10, 2014}} 1900-1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/co190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 10, 2014}}
1990-2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=June 10, 2014}} 2010-2020

}}

As of the 2020 United States census,{{Cite web | url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/parkcountycolorado/PST045222 | title=QuickFacts - Park County, Colorado | website=www.census.gov}} Park County was 87.8% White, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% Native American, 1.1% Black or African American, 1.0% Asian, and 2.8% two or more races.

There were 7,688 houses, and only 3.6% of the population is below the age of 5.

According to the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 14,523 people, 5,894 households, and 4,220 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|7|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 10,697 housing units at an average density of {{convert|5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.07% White, 0.50% Black or African American, 0.92% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. 4.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,894 households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.10% were married couples living together, 4.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.40% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.50% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 33.40% from 25 to 44, 30.60% from 45 to 64, and 7.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,899, and the median income for a family was $57,025. Males had a median income of $41,480 versus $27,807 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,019. About 3.40% of families and 5.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.60% of those under age 18 and 5.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

{{PresHead|place=Park County, Colorado|source={{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=May 26, 2017}}}}

Park County is consistently Republican. It has not voted for the Democratic nominee for president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Communities

=Towns=

=Census-designated place=

=Other unincorporated communities=

=Ghost towns=

Antero Junction
Buckskin Joe (Also known as Laurette or Lauret)
Garo
Tarryall
Trump

In popular culture

In the long-running animated television series South Park, the eponymous fictional town is situated in an unspecified part of the county.{{cite episode|title=Towelie|series=South Park|network=Comedy Central|season=5|number=8|airdate=August 8, 2001}}

Notable people

Gottlieb Fluhmann (Gottlieb Fluhmann disappeared in 1892 and his remains were found in a secluded cave in Park County in 1944. The cause of his death remains unknown).{{cite web|url=http://tri-lakestribune.net/stories/Gottlieb-Fluhmanns-ghost-and-Ratcliff-side-of-the-story,66720|title=Rob Carrigan, Gottlieb Fluhmann's ghost and Ratcliff side of the story, October 27, 2012|publisher=trilakestribune.net|access-date=January 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202210215/http://tri-lakestribune.net/stories/Gottlieb-Fluhmanns-ghost-and-Ratcliff-side-of-the-story,66720|archive-date=February 2, 2014|url-status=dead}}
Samuel Hartsel
John J. Hoover
Sheldon Jackson

References

External links

[http://www.parkco.us Park County Government website]
{{osmrelation|439376}}
[http://www.southparkheritage.org/ South Park National Heritage Area]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20070205102713/http://www.stanwyck.com/cogenweb/cocounties.html Colorado County Evolution by Don Stanwyck]
[http://www.coloradohistory.org/ Colorado Historical Society]
[https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo44949 Geologic Map of the Harvard Lakes 7.5ʹ Quadrangle, Park and Chaffee Counties, Colorado] United States Geological Survey
Gerald Fogarty Galloway Collection of Records Concerning Mines and Real Property in Park County, Colorado. Yale Collection of Western Americana, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-elections/colorado-results Colorado Election Results 2020]

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Park County, Colorado

|North = Clear Creek County

|Northeast = Jefferson County

|East = Teller County

|Southeast = Fremont County

|South =

|Southwest = Chaffee County

|West = Lake County

|Northwest = Summit County

}}

{{coord|39.12|-105.71|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-CO_source:UScensus1990}}