Cedaredge, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Cedaredge is a Statutory Town in Delta County
Delta County, Colorado
Delta County is the 17th most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 27,834 in the 2000 U.S. Census. The county seat is the City of Delta...

, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The population was 2,253 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...

. Cedaredge sits in the Surface Creek Valley beneath the southern slopes of the Grand Mesa
Grand Mesa
The Grand Mesa is a large mesa in western Colorado in the United States. It has an area of about and stretches for about east of Grand Junction between the Colorado River and the Gunnison River, its tributary to the south. The north side of the mesa is drained largely by Plateau Creek, a...

, the largest mesa in the world. Its elevated vantage point allows for spectacular southern views of the San Juan Mountains
San Juan Mountains
The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado. The area is highly mineralized and figured in the gold and silver mining industry of early Colorado. Major towns, all old mining camps, include Creede, Lake City, Silverton, Ouray, and...

, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
thumb|upright|Black Canyon of the GunnisonBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States National Park located in western Colorado, and managed by the National Park Service...

, and the communities of Delta
Delta, Colorado
The City of Delta is the county seat and the most populous city of Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 8,915 at the 2010 census...

, Olathe
Olathe, Colorado
Olathe is a Statutory Town in Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,573 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Olathe is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...

, and Montrose
Montrose, Colorado
The City of Montrose is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 15,479 in 2005. The main road that leads in and out of Montrose is U.S...

. Cedaredge is a small, agricultural community which produces apples, peaches, and wine from the region's several vineyards. Notable attractions include Deer Creek Village Golf Club, Historic Pioneer Town, and an art gallery and craft store housed in a renovated apple packing shed. Regional sporting activities include camping, trophy hunting, hiking and Gold Medal fishing at more than 250 lakes on the Grand Mesa. During the winter locals partake in snowmobiling and Nordic skiing on the Mesa's numerous trails. Powderhorn Resort
Powderhorn Resort
Powderhorn Resort is located 45 minutes east of Grand Junction, Colorado on the Grand Mesa. The area has a variety of ski terrain such as groomers, bumps, glades, and boulder fields. Powderhorn is unique among Colorado ski resorts because of its terrain and climate...

 is located 30 miles (48.3 km) north of Cedaredge and offers a variety of ski terrain such as groomers, bumps, glades, and boulder fields, as well as two quality terrain parks.

Early History

Up until 1880 much of central and western Colorado was inhabited by the Ute Indians. Under the Act of June 15, 1880, the Utes ceded a large portion of their land to the United States, including the Surface Creek Valley. On September 1, 1881, the last band of Utes made their exodus from western Colorado to the northeastern part of Utah under escort of troops from Fort Crawford. Settlers soon began arriving, building homesteads, barns, businesses, and churches. Much of the land was carved up into cattle ranches, fruit orchards, and fields of alfalfa, hay, corn, and other grains.

The town of Cedaredge was officially incorporated on March 25, 1907.

McGruder Fire

Lightning struck a tree on Friday July 2, 2004. The fire smoldered overnight and hot dry winds fanned the flames into a large wildfire on July 3, 2004. By Sunday July 11, the fire was considered 100 percent contained. Thanks to the efforts of the Cedaredge volunteer and other area fire departments, San Juan Hot Shots, the BLM and Forest Service, no homes or lives were lost. The total area consumed by the McGruder fire was estimated at about 3000 acres (12.1 km²), 1467 acres (5.9 km²) of which was private land, the rest belonging to BLM and Forest Service.

Sites of Interest and Events

Pioneer Town

Pioneer Town is a museum and historical village. The centerpieces of Pioneer Town are the octagonal Bar-I silos, moved from their original location in 1984. Visitors can go back in time by visiting the museum's replicas of early 20th century town buildings, including a western saloon, marshall's office, barber shop, bank, clothing store, jail, creamery, and a working blacksmith's shop. Pioneer Town is also the home of the Chapel of the Cross. The latest major addition to Pioneer Town is the Doll and Toy House, a building designed to display a portion of the museum's large collection of dolls and toys from the past.

Deer Creek Village Golf Club

Opened in the Spring of 1988, Deer Creek Village Golf Club is a premier public golf course in Cedaredge, Colorado. The golf course was completed in April 1992 and is located on what was part of the Bar-I hayfields of the early 1900s. This 18 hole course can suit both the serious sportsman and the occasional enthusiast; the back nine has some of the most difficult golf terrain on the Western Slope. The course offers four tee boxes per hole, and adapts to any playing level. Deer Creek Village includes a driving range, clubhouse, and grill.

Nestled in a protected valley at 6100 feet (1,859.3 m) in elevation, the Deer Creek Village golf course features natural cedars and winding creek beds. Adding to the challenge of play and the beauty of the surroundings is a variety of trees, lakes and bunkers. Each hole offers breathtaking views of the 14000 feet (4,267.2 m) peaks of the San Juan Mountains, the West Elk wilderness, Grand Mesa, and the Uncompahgre Mountains.

Open year-round, Deer Creek Village Golf Club generally enjoys a moderate climate of warm, sunny days and cool, refreshing evenings. Western Colorado's unique combination of sunshine and temperate weather makes it possible for golfers to play around 320 days per year.

Applefest

In 1978 the "Cedaredge Harvest Festival" officially changed its name to "AppleFest." Applefest is an annual celebration of apples, arts, music, and food held the first weekend in October in Cedaredge, Colorado. It is attended by around 15,000 visitors each year and typically over 200 food, arts and crafts vendors. The event features a classic car show and antique tractor show.

Musical guests feature folk, gospel, blues, country, rock, bluegrass and others with local, regional and national artists.

Applefest 2008 marked the 30th Anniversary of the event.

Little Britches Rodeo and Parade

The Western Slope Little Britches Rodeo was organized in 1958 by Dr. Walter H. Simon and Webb Bryson of Cedaredge. Land was provided east of town by Harry Palmer for $1.00 a year and a rodeo arena was built. In September 1958, fifty-four boys and girls entered the first Western Slope Little Britches Rodeo. The Western Slope Little Britches continues to this day and consists of a rodeo, parade, car show, and Lion's Club barbecue in the park.

Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway

The Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway
Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway
Grand Mesa Scenic and Historic Byway, also known at the Grand Mesa National Scenic and Historic Byway, runs North from Cedaredge along Highway 65, to the top of the Grand Mesa at more than 10,000 feet . It also includes Land's End Road to the Land's End Observatory from Highway 65...

 scenic and historic byway was approved by the Colorado Department of Transportation in 1991. It runs North from Cedaredge along Highway 65, to the top of the Grand Mesa at more than 10000 feet (3,048 m). Grand Mesa visitors center has maps, books and other information about the area. The byway sneaks past Island Lake, one of more than 300 trout-filled lakes in Grand Mesa National Forest. On the north side of the Mesa are the towns of Mesa, Collbran, and Powderhorn Ski Resort. The byway continues along De Beque Canyon, with its colorful sandstone bluffs, and eventually meets Interstate 70 in the town of De Beque
De Beque, Colorado
De Beque is a Statutory Town in Mesa County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 504 at the 2010 census. The town consists of a small grid, including a historic downtown featuring a town hall, a tavern, and several commercial...

.

Cedaredge Volunteer Fire Department

Cedaredge Volunteer Fire Station has held an annual "5-Alarm Chili Cook-off" fundraiser since 2000.

Education

Education in the early days of Surface Creek Valley consisted of several one-room school houses scattered across the rural countryside. In 1920 the new Consolidated Cedaredge High School was constructed and regular bussing began in the area.

Cedaredge High School

Completed in 1982, the current Cedaredge High School has an enrollment of approximately 300 students. Unusual for a school of its size, it contains a technology lab, geodesic greenhouse, and an integrated cafeteria/auditorium. The mascot for its athletic teams is the Bruin
Bruin
Bruin or BRUIN may refer to any of the following:* Bruin, the bear in the Reynard cycle fables, whence the word was introduced into English* A bear, especially a Eurasian Brown Bear* Brown University Interactive Language, a programming language...

 and it competes in 2A football, and in division 3A for volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball, swimming, tennis, and track. The Cedaredge Bruin Marching Band has won three state marching titles in class 1A (2002, 2003, and 2005).

The (boys') football team won second place in the state championships in 1993, with the final being held at Cedaredge High School. After the team had not been to the state play-offs since 2002 and the 2008 season resulted in a win of 4 out of 10 games (no draws), the team was considered to have been "down the past several years" even by local media; the Denver Post criticized as its primary weakness the "lack of playing as a team." The school managed to hire Rich Stubler
Rich Stubler
Richard Stubler is the defensive coordinator for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado, Stubler began his coaching career in 1971 at Roaring Fork High School in Carbondale, Colorado...

, who coached for 22 years in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....

 including being head coach for the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...

 for 10 games in 2008, as new head coach starting in the off-season of 2009; Stubler explained his choice of working for a small town high school with needing a break. The team finished the season with Stubler with 2 wins out of 10 games (no draws).

Cedaredge Middle School

Cedaredge Middle School occupied the original building of the Cedaredge Consolidated High School from the early 1980s until the current home for Cedaredge Middle School was built in 2004. It is located between the High School and Deer Creek Village golf course at the foot of Cedar Mesa.

Cedaredge Elementary School

Built in 1959 and also known as Cedaredge Hunsicker Elementary School.

Surface Creek Vision Program

Founded in 2003, the Surface Creek branch of the Delta County Vision program is a synthesis of homeschooling and public schooling philosophies.

Geography

Cedaredge is located at 38°54′06"N 107°55′35"W (38.9016487,-107.9264540).

Climate

The climate in Cedaredge, like much of the Grand Valley and Uncompahgre Valley, consists of mild, snowy winters; summers are hot and dry with scattered afternoon thunderstorms occurring often but delivering a small amount of total precipitation. Summers see typical highs of 92 and lows of 60, winters can see highs in the 50s and lows of 11 °F (-11.7 °C).

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2010, there were 2,253 people, 894 households, and 554 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 898.9 people per square mile (347.5/km²). There were 1,000 housing units at an average density of 484.9 per square mile (187.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.01% White, 0.05% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.39% of the population.

There were 894 households out of which 20.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the town the population was spread out with 18.8% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 31.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,381, and the median income for a family was $35,052. Males had a median income of $32,426 versus $21,500 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 for the town was $20,059. About 10.0% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

External links

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