Erie, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Erie is a Statutory Town in Boulder
and Weld
counties in the U.S. state
of Colorado
. The estimated population according to the 2010 US Census is 18,135 and was recorded as 6,291 at the 2000 census
. The Town of Erie is located just west of I-25 for easy access to I-70, Denver International Airport and Colorado's entire Front Range. Erie's Planning Area spans 48 square miles, extending from the north side of State Highway 52 south to State Highway 7, and between US 287 on the west and Interstate 25 to the east. Erie is approximately 35 minutes from Denver International Airport, 25 minutes to Denver and 20 minutes from Boulder.
The Board of Trustees serves as the legislative and governing body of the Town of Erie and is responsible for establishing Town policies and goals. The Board has the authority to adopt laws, ordinances and resolutions as needed to conduct the business of the Town, and by ordinance may enter into contracts or intergovernmental agreements to furnish, receive services or to provide for cooperative service delivery.
Appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees, the Town Administrator is the chief operating and administrative officer of the Town and is responsible for providing professional leadership in the administration and execution of policies and objectives formulated by the Board.
The mission of the Erie Police Department is to communicate and work with the community to maintain a safe environment, prevent crime and enforce the law, while protecting the rights of all.
Erie Municipal Airport
(EIK) is owned and operated by the Town of Erie and is strategically located in the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area on Colorado Highway 7, a little over three miles west of Interstate 25. The main runway is concrete paved and 4,700 feet long.
Throughout the 1860s, stagecoach companies delivered freight, mail and passengers to destinations along the foothills. The Overland Stage traveled from Denver to Laramie each day, following much the same route as the present U.S. Highway 287. Contact with distant friends and relatives improved with the coming of the railroad to Erie in 1871. Even after its arrival, however, travelers heading to Longmont had to continue on by stagecoach or spring wagon. Those bound for Boulder detrained at the Erie terminal and boarded a stage for the final destination.
Social interaction among early settlers was limited, and families traveled great distances to attend church, school or grange meetings. Many relied on circuit-riding preachers to bring them the gospel once or twice a month. Such a man was Reverend Richard Van Valkenburg, civic leader and a founder of Erie, Colorado. Having spent many years as a Methodist preacher in the coal towns near Erie, Pennsylvania, the Reverend thought it fitting to bestow that name on its western counterpart.
The original plat for Erie was filed in 1871, following establishment of the Briggs Mine, the first commercial coal mine in Weld County. Until that time, surface coal had been delivered to its customers by horse and wagon.
It was also in 1871 that the Union Pacific Railroad extended a spur westward from Brighton on its main line between Denver and Cheyenne. Coal from the Erie deposits was needed to fuel their huge steam locomotives. The Boulder Valley Railroad, as it was called then, opened up the northern coal fields for development. Soon coal from Erie mines was being shipped by rail to markets in Denver and as far east as Kansas City.
The Town of Erie was incorporated in 1874.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²), of which, 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.84%) is water.
, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.7% of the population.
According to the Town of Erie Community Development Department, there were 6,485 households. According to the US Census the average household size was 2.91.
Population: Under 5 years - 9.6%, 5 to 9 years - 10.3%, 10 to 14 years - 7.4%, 15 to 19 years - 5.4%, 20 to 24 years - 2.7%, 25 to 29 years - 4.9%, 30 to 34 years - 8.1%, 35 to 39 years - 10.4%, 40 to 44 years - 9.8%, 45 to 49 years - 8.5%, 50 to 54 years - 7.25%, 55 to 59 years - 5.5%, 60 to 64 years - 4.5%, 65 to 69 years - 2.5%, 70 to 74 years - 1.4%, 75 to 79 years - 0.9%, 80 to 84 years - 0.5%, 85 and older - 0.35.
The median income for a household in the town was $99,804, and the median income for a family was $108,058. The per capita income
for the town was $38,965.
Boulder Valley School District
: Lafayette Elementary, Angivine Middle School, Centaurus High School.
Four Year State Supported Colleges and Universities: University of Colorado @ Boulder, University of Colorado @ Denver, Metropolitan State College, Colorado School of Mines.
The Art Center of Erie, (known as The A.C.E.)at 600 Briggs Street in Old Town Erie, is open for visual and performing arts programs and is operated by the Arts Coalition of Erie. Classes and events are held year round at the site (an old firehouse owned by the Town of Erie) leased by the Arts Coalition of Erie (A.C.E.)
Boulder County, Colorado
Boulder County is the sixth most populous of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county seat is Boulder. The most populous municipality in the county and the county seat is the City of Boulder...
and Weld
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. The estimated population according to the 2010 US Census is 18,135 and was recorded as 6,291 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
. The Town of Erie is located just west of I-25 for easy access to I-70, Denver International Airport and Colorado's entire Front Range. Erie's Planning Area spans 48 square miles, extending from the north side of State Highway 52 south to State Highway 7, and between US 287 on the west and Interstate 25 to the east. Erie is approximately 35 minutes from Denver International Airport, 25 minutes to Denver and 20 minutes from Boulder.
The Board of Trustees serves as the legislative and governing body of the Town of Erie and is responsible for establishing Town policies and goals. The Board has the authority to adopt laws, ordinances and resolutions as needed to conduct the business of the Town, and by ordinance may enter into contracts or intergovernmental agreements to furnish, receive services or to provide for cooperative service delivery.
Appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Board of Trustees, the Town Administrator is the chief operating and administrative officer of the Town and is responsible for providing professional leadership in the administration and execution of policies and objectives formulated by the Board.
The mission of the Erie Police Department is to communicate and work with the community to maintain a safe environment, prevent crime and enforce the law, while protecting the rights of all.
Erie Municipal Airport
Erie Municipal Airport
Erie Municipal Airport is a public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Erie, in Weld County, Colorado, United States. Owned and operated by the Town of Erie, it is a general aviation airport with no scheduled passenger service. It was formerly a private airport...
(EIK) is owned and operated by the Town of Erie and is strategically located in the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area on Colorado Highway 7, a little over three miles west of Interstate 25. The main runway is concrete paved and 4,700 feet long.
History
Prior to the 1870s and the development of the northern coal fields, settlers living along Coal Creek eked out their living as farmers or merchants. The few communities existing along the Front Range were miles apart by stagecoach or horseback.Throughout the 1860s, stagecoach companies delivered freight, mail and passengers to destinations along the foothills. The Overland Stage traveled from Denver to Laramie each day, following much the same route as the present U.S. Highway 287. Contact with distant friends and relatives improved with the coming of the railroad to Erie in 1871. Even after its arrival, however, travelers heading to Longmont had to continue on by stagecoach or spring wagon. Those bound for Boulder detrained at the Erie terminal and boarded a stage for the final destination.
Social interaction among early settlers was limited, and families traveled great distances to attend church, school or grange meetings. Many relied on circuit-riding preachers to bring them the gospel once or twice a month. Such a man was Reverend Richard Van Valkenburg, civic leader and a founder of Erie, Colorado. Having spent many years as a Methodist preacher in the coal towns near Erie, Pennsylvania, the Reverend thought it fitting to bestow that name on its western counterpart.
The original plat for Erie was filed in 1871, following establishment of the Briggs Mine, the first commercial coal mine in Weld County. Until that time, surface coal had been delivered to its customers by horse and wagon.
It was also in 1871 that the Union Pacific Railroad extended a spur westward from Brighton on its main line between Denver and Cheyenne. Coal from the Erie deposits was needed to fuel their huge steam locomotives. The Boulder Valley Railroad, as it was called then, opened up the northern coal fields for development. Soon coal from Erie mines was being shipped by rail to markets in Denver and as far east as Kansas City.
The Town of Erie was incorporated in 1874.
Geography
Erie is located at 40°2′25"N 105°3′28"WAccording 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 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²), of which, 9.5 square miles (24.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.84%) is water.
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census, there were 18,135 people in the Town of Erie. According to the 2009 American Community Profile, the racial makeup of the town was 90.6% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 2.4% from other racesRace (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 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.7% of the population.
According to the Town of Erie Community Development Department, there were 6,485 households. According to the US Census the average household size was 2.91.
Population: Under 5 years - 9.6%, 5 to 9 years - 10.3%, 10 to 14 years - 7.4%, 15 to 19 years - 5.4%, 20 to 24 years - 2.7%, 25 to 29 years - 4.9%, 30 to 34 years - 8.1%, 35 to 39 years - 10.4%, 40 to 44 years - 9.8%, 45 to 49 years - 8.5%, 50 to 54 years - 7.25%, 55 to 59 years - 5.5%, 60 to 64 years - 4.5%, 65 to 69 years - 2.5%, 70 to 74 years - 1.4%, 75 to 79 years - 0.9%, 80 to 84 years - 0.5%, 85 and older - 0.35.
The median income for a household in the town was $99,804, and the median income for a family was $108,058. 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 $38,965.
Education: Public Schools
St. Vrain Valley School District: Erie Elementary, Erie Middle School, Erie High School, Black Rock Elementary, Red Hawk Elementary.Boulder Valley School District
Boulder Valley School District
The Boulder Valley RE 2 School District is a school district in Colorado, headquartered in the BVSD Education Center in unincorporated Boulder County, near Boulder. The district serves Boulder, Gold Hill, Jamestown, Lafayette, Louisville, Nederland, Superior, and Ward...
: Lafayette Elementary, Angivine Middle School, Centaurus High School.
Four Year State Supported Colleges and Universities: University of Colorado @ Boulder, University of Colorado @ Denver, Metropolitan State College, Colorado School of Mines.
Erie Community Center
The Erie Community Center is a 63000 square feet (5,852.9 m²) state-of-the-art facility operated by the Town of Erie Parks & Recreation Department. The facility was constructed with many sustainable features including a thermal solar water heating system.Arts in Erie
There is an active group of artists in Erie; The Arts Coalition of Erie (a 501(c)(3) represents about 70 artists. This represents approximately 60% of the artists in town. There are good venues for art at the Erie Community Center and High Plains Library and shows change about every two months.The Art Center of Erie, (known as The A.C.E.)at 600 Briggs Street in Old Town Erie, is open for visual and performing arts programs and is operated by the Arts Coalition of Erie. Classes and events are held year round at the site (an old firehouse owned by the Town of Erie) leased by the Arts Coalition of Erie (A.C.E.)
Notable residents
- Constantina Dita - 2008 Beijing Olympic Marathon gold medalist.
- Erdne OmbadykowErdne OmbadykowErdne Ombadykow , also known as Telo Tulku Rinpoche, is the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader of the Kalmyk people. He received his formal training as a Buddhist monk in India and was recognized by the Dalai Lama as the current reincarnation of the Buddhist Mahasiddha Tilopa...
See also
- Boulder Metropolitan Statistical Area
- Colorado municipalitiesColorado municipalitiesThe U.S. state of Colorado currently has 271 active incorporated municipalities, including 196 towns, 73 cities, and two consolidated city and county governments.-Municipal government:...
- Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaDenver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical Areathumb|300px|Map of the 12-county Denver-Aurora-Boulder Combined Statistical AreaThe Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO Combined Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Combined Statistical Area located in the Denver region of the state of Colorado...
- Front Range Urban CorridorFront Range Urban CorridorThe Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U.S. states of Colorado and Wyoming. The corridor derives its name from the Front Range, the mountain range that defines the west central boundary of the...
- Greeley Metropolitan Statistical Area
External links
- Town website
- Town history
- Erie News Erie News - DailyCamera.com
- Erie Review Erie's Weekly Newspaper
- Erie Economic Development Council
- Erie Historical Society
- Erie Community Forum
- Arts Coalition of Erie