The Colorado City CDP has an area of 9,645 acres (39.030 km2), including 73 acres (0.295 km2) of water.[2]
History
The first settlement at the site of Colorado City was called Greenhorn after the name of an 18th century Comanche chief (Cuerno Verde in Spanish). In 1845, mountain manJohn Brown, his wife Luisa Sandoval, and several children established a trading post where the Trapper's Trail to Taos, New Mexico crossed Greenhorn Creek. Brown and his family left Greenhorn for California in 1849. In 1853, Lt. Edward Griffin Beckwith, an army officer, said of Greenhorn, "six New Mexican families had built an irrigation system to divert the water from Greenhorn Creek to water their crops of corn, wheat, beans and watermelon. Their homes were built of adobe which stood shoulder to shoulder and were surrounded by a close fence of high pickets. They also had corrals for the safe keeping of their stock."[6]
Colorado City is a metropolitan district, a type of special district established under Colorado law. It is governed by an elected, five-member board of directors[7] and managed by an appointed district manager.
The metropolitan district operates Lake Beckwith, which provides recreational opportunities for residents and visitors. The lake also forms the Lake Beckwith State Wildlife Area, one of several hundred state wildlife areas in Colorado managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.[8][9] Colorado City also has a public golf course and club house.[10]
Infrastructure
Transportation
Colorado City is part of Colorado's Bustang network. It is on the Trinidad-Pueblo Outrider line.[11]
