Keota is a mostly abandoned town located on the prairie

Prairie

Prairies are considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the dominant vegetation type...

 in the Pawnee National Grasslands in Weld County

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...

 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...

.

Keota's elevation is 4964 ft (1,513 m) 'Keota' is an Indian word meaning "Gone to visit" or "The fire goes out". Keota is located approximately 50 miles east of Greeley on County Road 103. Pawnee Buttes, a pair of prominent sandstone escarpments which are significant nesting areas for hawks, falcons, and eagles, is located nearby.

History

Keota was established as a homestead in 1880 by two sisters, Mary and Eva Beardsley and sold to the Lincoln Land and Cattle Co. in 1888. Keota was a station stop on the "Old Prairie Dog Express" on the Colorado-Wyoming Division of the Burlington-Missouri Railroad. The railroad (used mainly for cattle shipping) was abandoned and the trackage removed in 1975. Keota lost its incorporated status in 1990. There were four different newspapers at four different times from 1908-1975. The last operating post office closed in 1890. The school was established in 1888 and closed in sometime in the 1951 The foundation is still there. The Dean Bivens family, who maintained the roads, moved out in September, 1999. As of 2008, the town is home to several residents in modern houses surrounding the historic townsite. There are remains of the general store, several houses, and foundations on what was the northside of the town along with several foundations (including the foundation of the previously-mentioned Schoolhouse).