De Beque, Colorado
Encyclopedia
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 businesses in historic structures. The surrounding streets include houses, several churches, and a school.
s, prevalent in the surrounding lands, were rounded up and sold. The history of the town is commemorated with a mustang statue near the town hall. In August 2001, the Town Board of Trustees designated De Beque as the only Wild Horse Sanctuary City in the West. The town now undertakes projects in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management
, as well as private organizations, to protect the remaining wild horses and burro
s in the area. Such measures include the construction of a public corral for the care of injured and sick mustangs and burros awaiting adoption. Each August the town hosts a "Wild Horse Days" featuring a rodeo
and parade.
The town sits along the north side of the Colorado River
upstream from De Beque Canyon
in a small ranching valley approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast and upstream from Grand Junction
. It is located across the river from Interstate 70
, on a small hill overlooking the river. The southwest edge of the Roan Cliffs overlook the town from the northeast. Much of the surrounding area in the mountains is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), of which 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²), or 11.11%, is water.
of 2000, there were 451 people, 167 households, and 130 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,411.7 people per square mile (544.2/km²). There were 188 housing units at an average density of 588.5 per square mile (226.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.45% White, 0.67% Native American, 0.89% from other races
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.
There were 167 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% were married couples
living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,632, and the median income for a family was $31,042. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,181. About 6.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
Mesa County, Colorado
Mesa County is the fourth most extensive and the eleventh most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado in the United States. The county was named for the many large mesas in the area, including Grand Mesa. The county population was 146,723 at the 2010 United States Census. The...
, 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...
. It is part of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area
Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area
thumb|300px|Map of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical AreaThe Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Metropolitan Statistical Area located in the Grand Junction region of the State of Colorado. The Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical...
. 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 businesses in historic structures. The surrounding streets include houses, several churches, and a school.
History
The town is located in a region historically occupied by the Ute people. White settlers arrived in the region in 1880. The town is named for Dr. W.A.E. De Beque who explored the area with several companions in 1884 while looking for a suitable location for a ranch. The town was historically a location where wild horseWild Horse
The wild horse is a species of the genus Equus, which includes as subspecies the domesticated horse as well as the undomesticated Tarpan and Przewalski's Horse. The Tarpan became extinct in the 19th century, and Przewalski's Horse was saved from the brink of extinction and reintroduced...
s, prevalent in the surrounding lands, were rounded up and sold. The history of the town is commemorated with a mustang statue near the town hall. In August 2001, the Town Board of Trustees designated De Beque as the only Wild Horse Sanctuary City in the West. The town now undertakes projects in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, as well as private organizations, to protect the remaining wild horses and burro
Burro
The burro is a small donkey used primarily as a pack animal. In addition, significant numbers of feral burros live in the Southwestern United States, where they are protected by law, and in Mexico...
s in the area. Such measures include the construction of a public corral for the care of injured and sick mustangs and burros awaiting adoption. Each August the town hosts a "Wild Horse Days" featuring a rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
and parade.
Geography
De Beque is located at 39°20′0"N 108°12′51"W (39.333462, -108.214290).The town sits along the north side of the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
upstream from De Beque Canyon
De Beque Canyon
De Beque Canyon is a narrow canyon on the Colorado River in western Colorado in the United States. It is approximately 15 miles long, located on the river downstream from the town of De Beque, in eastern Mesa County. The canyon forms a narrow passage where the river passes along the western end of...
in a small ranching valley approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) northeast and upstream from Grand Junction
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
. It is located across the river from Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, on a small hill overlooking the river. The southwest edge of the Roan Cliffs overlook the town from the northeast. Much of the surrounding area in the mountains is controlled by the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), of which 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²), or 11.11%, is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
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 2000, there were 451 people, 167 households, and 130 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 1,411.7 people per square mile (544.2/km²). There were 188 housing units at an average density of 588.5 per square mile (226.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.45% White, 0.67% Native American, 0.89% 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...
. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.00% of the population.
There were 167 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% 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, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the town the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $29,632, and the median income for a family was $31,042. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $17,500 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 $14,181. About 6.2% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.