Mancos, Colorado
Encyclopedia
The town of Mancos is a Statutory Town located in Montezuma County
, Colorado
, United States
. The population was 1,119 at the 2000 census.
The town of Mancos is located in southwestern Colorado, near the Four Corners
, at the base of Mesa Verde National Park
, and holds the trademark for "Gateway to Mesa Verde". Surrounded by rangeland and mountains, Mancos offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities. The town was founded in 1894, near the site where early Spanish explorers first crossed the Mancos River. It is the commercial center for east Montezuma County, and was considered at one time as a county seat for Montezuma County. It is served by U.S. Highway 160 and State Highway 184
.
Archaeological sites of the Ancient Pueblo period include:
and Ute
for centuries. Spanish friars and military passed through the area as part of the Old Spanish Trail connecting New Mexico
and California
, in the 18th century. The name “Mancos” comes from the famous Dominguez-Escalante Expedition
of 1776, though the reason for the name remains unclear (see below). By some unverified accounts, the name Mancos refers to the crippled nature of the Spanish explorer's horses after they crossed the San Juan mountains. According to unverified lore, the horses were rejuvenated by the lush green grass in the Mancos Valley. Somewhere in the town is the point at which the Expedition crossed the Rio Mancos on its way to California from Old Mexico.
and La Plata
Ranges. Today, the boundary of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is located some six miles south of town. At the time it was founded, Mancos served as the primary commercial trading center for eastern Montezuma County, rivaling the town of Dolores
to the northwest. At that time, Cortez, Colorado, now the county seat, was barely a bend in the wagon trail. In the 1890s, Mancos was platted and built as a stop along the Rio Grande Southern Railway built by Otto Mears
- Colorado's southwestern railroad pathfinder, connecting Durango, Colorado
, to the east, and to the Telluride
mining districts to the north, via Dolores. Ranchers in the Mancos Valley continued to provide beef, timber, and other agricultural products to the mining camps. Following this, LDS colonists moved into the area and established farms and small communities such as Weber and Cherry Creek.
Local farmers and ranchers began constructing irrigation canals to bring water from the Mancos River to cropland and pasture in various parts of the Mancos Valley in the late 1870s and 1880s, and by the beginning of the 20th century a large network of irrigation ditches and laterals was operating and continues to operate (with improvements) today. In the mid-2000s, a large project, the Mancos Valley Salinity Control Project was funded by various sources, including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Natural Resources Conservation Service, and local irrigation and water companies and districts. The project, nearly complete in 2010, includes replacing many open irrigation ditches with piping to conserve water and prevent salt contamination from infiltration and evaporation of irrigation water. Many of the original irrigation ditches have been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
, together with various archeological sites.
Incorporated in 1894, Mancos town government quickly asserted itself, banning fast riding and driving (of wagons) in town the next year, as well as building boardwalks. A water system and electrical system were constructed in 1904, followed by a new bridge across the river in 1905 and concrete sidewalks in 1909. However, most side streets of the town remain unpaved. The abandonment of the railroad in the 1950s allowed US 160 to be rerouted to follow the present Railroad Avenue, leaving Grand Avenue, the town's main street, as a business route; an earlier route of US 160 is now County Road J, south of the river and most of the town. The establishment of Mesa Verde National Park also encouraged early growth of Mancos.
Several Mancos sites from about the turn of the 20th century are listed on the state or national register of historic places. The first two are on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties
, the remaining are on the National Register of Historic Places
:
Attempts to create a separate Mancos County from the eastern portion of Montezuma County in the mid-20th century failed. Agricultural development, and to a certain extent, tourism, benefited from the Mancos Project of the US Bureau of Reclamation in the 1950s, which created Jackson Reservoir north of the town, today the site of Mancos State Park
. This project also supplies water for the town, a rural water district, and Mesa Verde National Park.
In recent years the growth of Durango, Colorado
, has spread to Mancos, making the town something of an art colony. Aramark, the concessionaire for Mesa Verde NP, has facilities in the town, and there is a specialty aspen sawmill (Western Excelsior) and other small industrial enterprises. Numerous events are held in the town each year, including Mancos Days the last weekend in July, a motorcycle rally over Labor Day weekend, and a balloon festival in September. Much of the farm and ranch land in the Mancos Valley has been subdivided into rural residential and "hobby ranch" properties in recent years, as is happening in much of Montezuma County. Several major subdivisions immediately adjacent to Mancos are in various stages of development and are expected to greatly increase the town's population by 2015, despite some slowdown due to economic conditions. The Mancos Library District constructed a new public library in 2008, located on a former electrical generating station site south of the Mancos River. Most recent new businesses and business activity are occurring outside the corporate limits of the town, in Montezuma County jurisdiction. In 2007-2010, there have been numerous controversial approvals of new commercial developments, including mail-order firms, sand and gravel pits, ready-mix plants and hot-mix asphalt facilities, by the Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Mancos is located in the Mancos River valley at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet. The Mancos River
was named by Spanish explorers (Rio de los Mancos - River of the Sleeve) perhaps for the way the river, which rises in the La Plata Mountains northeast of Mancos, drains the Valley and then flows into the narrow confines of Weber Canyon and Mancos Canyon, southwest of Mesa Verde, where it joins the San Juan River. The town's skyline is dominated by the mass of Mesa Verde to the west, Menefee Mountain
to the southeast, and the La Plata Mountains, a range to the east and northeast, in which the headwaters of the Mancos River originate.
Originally laid out as a railroad town, Mancos stretches for approximately a mile along the river and on both sides of it, while newer areas lie north of the old railroad alignment (now US 160, part of the San Juan Skyway and the Old Spanish Trail
). The small main business district lies along Business Route 160, Grand Avenue, while newer business areas are located along the main highway. The highly-publicized death of a schoolchild in 2003 led to a major reconstruction of US 160 through the town in following years, creating a very odd street pattern which somewhat hampers development.
The Mancos River flows from east to west through the town, and then flows to the south into Mancos Canyon, on the west and south toe of Mesa Verde. Much of the townsite is located in the Special Flood Hazard Area (the 100-year floodplain)), including most bridges connecting the two parts of the town.
Northeast of Mancos is Mancos State Park
located on Jackson Gulch Reservoir, Colorado built by the Mancos Irrigation Project. Echo Basin, a winter (nordic) skiing area and various vacation resorts and dude ranches, as well as an elk ranch and other tourist-, sports-, and hunting-related activities are located in and around the town.
As is common in Colorado, many government services are provided by special districts, both inside the corporate limits of the town of Mancos and outside in the county. Among these are the Mancos Library District, Mancos Water Conservancy District and Mancos Fire Protection District (which also provides emergency medical services). The nearest hospitals are Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez (approximately 22 miles west) and Mercy Regional Hospital in Durango, approximately 45 miles east. The town does have a medical clinic, funded through a variety of private and public sources.
The nearest general aviation and commercial airport is located southwest of Cortez, approximately 25 miles west. There are a few private airstrips in the vicinity of Mancos but these are not open to the public; a former town airfield near Jackson Gulch Reservoir is sometimes still marked on maps.
of 2000, there were 1,119 people, 478 households, and 292 families residing in the town. The population density
was 1,938.4 people per square mile (744.9/km²). There were 524 housing units at an average density of 907.7 per square mile (348.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.65% White, 2.23% Native American, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 7.86% from other races
, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.42% of the population.
There were 478 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples
living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,223, and the median income for a family was $32,188. Males had a median income of $27,708 versus $17,292 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $13,946. About 11.8% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.
Since 2000, new residents in the area include workers who commute to Durango and Cortez, as well as retirees seeking a milder climate and more reasonable prices than to the South. However, the town and valley remain divided into the three traditional groupings: the ranching families, the LDS farming families, and the arts community; normally "fringe groups" in larger towns, these groups are virtually the entire community of the Mancos Valley, and largely dictate its politics, economy, and society.
Montezuma County, Colorado
Montezuma County is the southwesternmost of the 64 counties of the state of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 23,830 at U.S. Census 2000...
, 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 1,119 at the 2000 census.
The town of Mancos is located in southwestern Colorado, near the Four Corners
Four Corners Monument
The Four Corners Monument marks the quadripoint in the Southwestern United States where the states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet. It is the only point in the United States shared by four states, leading to this area being called the Four Corners region...
, at the base of Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. It was created in 1906 to protect some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the world...
, and holds the trademark for "Gateway to Mesa Verde". Surrounded by rangeland and mountains, Mancos offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities. The town was founded in 1894, near the site where early Spanish explorers first crossed the Mancos River. It is the commercial center for east Montezuma County, and was considered at one time as a county seat for Montezuma County. It is served by U.S. Highway 160 and State Highway 184
Colorado State Highway 184
State Highway 184 is a long state highway in the southwestern corner of Colorado.-Route description:SH 184 begins in the west at its junction with US 491 near Lewis and travels ESE to Mancos...
.
Ancient Pueblo People
The Mancos Valley has been settled since at least the 10th century, although various severe conditions in the mid to late 13th century saw the area and its multitude of small villages abandoned by the Ancient Pueblo People (Anasazi). The Mancos area is dotted with inventoried and uninventoried archeological sites, including both isolated houses and shelters and small village complexes. Mancos Valley residents were probably among those who withdrew to the cliff dwellings on Mesa Verde, perhaps for defensive purposes, due to climate change, or as part of concentration policy of possible invaders and occupiers of the region.Archaeological sites of the Ancient Pueblo period include:
- Bement site, a Colorado State Register of Historic PropertiesColorado State Register of Historic PropertiesColorado State Register of Historic Properties, administered by the Colorado Historical Society Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, is a listing of significant historic resources...
site, representing the first and second Pueblo periods. Between AD 750-850 there was one shelter on the site. About 150 years later, a group of six structures were inhabited from 1000 to 1150. - Lost Canyon Archeological District, on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, which may have been the northern-most boundary of the Mesa Verde Ancient Pueblo People from about AD 1000-1300.
Native American tribes
Control of the area was contested by nomadic NavajoNavajo people
The Navajo of the Southwestern United States are the largest single federally recognized tribe of the United States of America. The Navajo Nation has 300,048 enrolled tribal members. The Navajo Nation constitutes an independent governmental body which manages the Navajo Indian reservation in the...
and Ute
Ute Tribe
The Ute are an American Indian people now living primarily in Utah and Colorado. There are three Ute tribal reservations: Uintah-Ouray in northeastern Utah ; Southern Ute in Colorado ; and Ute Mountain which primarily lies in Colorado, but extends to Utah and New Mexico . The name of the state of...
for centuries. Spanish friars and military passed through the area as part of the Old Spanish Trail connecting New Mexico
Nuevo México
-In Mexico:*Nuevo México, Chiapas*Nuevo México, Jalisco*Santa Fe de Nuevo México ; the province or kingdom of which Santa Fe was the capital....
and California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
, in the 18th century. The name “Mancos” comes from the famous Dominguez-Escalante Expedition
Dominguez-Escalante Expedition
The Dominguez-Escalante Expedition was conducted in 1776 to find an overland route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Spanish missions in California...
of 1776, though the reason for the name remains unclear (see below). By some unverified accounts, the name Mancos refers to the crippled nature of the Spanish explorer's horses after they crossed the San Juan mountains. According to unverified lore, the horses were rejuvenated by the lush green grass in the Mancos Valley. Somewhere in the town is the point at which the Expedition crossed the Rio Mancos on its way to California from Old Mexico.
19th and 20th century
Part of the original Ute Reservation in 1868, Mancos was part of the San Juan Cession of 1873, and cattle ranchers began settling the Mancos Valley in the 1870s, providing cattle to the mining camps of the San JuanSan 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...
and La Plata
La Plata Mountains
The La Plata Mountains are a small subrange of the San Juan Mountains in the southwestern part of Colorado, United States. They are located on the border between Montezuma and La Plata counties, about northwest of Durango. Their name is Spanish for silver.The peaks of the range are easily visible...
Ranges. Today, the boundary of the Ute Mountain Indian Reservation is located some six miles south of town. At the time it was founded, Mancos served as the primary commercial trading center for eastern Montezuma County, rivaling the town of Dolores
Dolores, Colorado
The town of Dolores is a Statutory Town in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. The population was 936 at the 2010 census. It is one of three incorporated municipalities in the county....
to the northwest. At that time, Cortez, Colorado, now the county seat, was barely a bend in the wagon trail. In the 1890s, Mancos was platted and built as a stop along the Rio Grande Southern Railway built by Otto Mears
Otto Mears
Otto Mears was a famous Colorado railroad builder and entrepreneur who played a major role in the early development of southwestern Colorado....
- Colorado's southwestern railroad pathfinder, connecting Durango, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
, to the east, and to the Telluride
Telluride, Colorado
The town of Telluride is the county seat and most populous town of San Miguel County in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Colorado. The town is a former silver mining camp on the San Miguel River in the western San Juan Mountains...
mining districts to the north, via Dolores. Ranchers in the Mancos Valley continued to provide beef, timber, and other agricultural products to the mining camps. Following this, LDS colonists moved into the area and established farms and small communities such as Weber and Cherry Creek.
Local farmers and ranchers began constructing irrigation canals to bring water from the Mancos River to cropland and pasture in various parts of the Mancos Valley in the late 1870s and 1880s, and by the beginning of the 20th century a large network of irrigation ditches and laterals was operating and continues to operate (with improvements) today. In the mid-2000s, a large project, the Mancos Valley Salinity Control Project was funded by various sources, including the US Bureau of Reclamation, US Natural Resources Conservation Service, and local irrigation and water companies and districts. The project, nearly complete in 2010, includes replacing many open irrigation ditches with piping to conserve water and prevent salt contamination from infiltration and evaporation of irrigation water. Many of the original irrigation ditches have been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, together with various archeological sites.
Incorporated in 1894, Mancos town government quickly asserted itself, banning fast riding and driving (of wagons) in town the next year, as well as building boardwalks. A water system and electrical system were constructed in 1904, followed by a new bridge across the river in 1905 and concrete sidewalks in 1909. However, most side streets of the town remain unpaved. The abandonment of the railroad in the 1950s allowed US 160 to be rerouted to follow the present Railroad Avenue, leaving Grand Avenue, the town's main street, as a business route; an earlier route of US 160 is now County Road J, south of the river and most of the town. The establishment of Mesa Verde National Park also encouraged early growth of Mancos.
Several Mancos sites from about the turn of the 20th century are listed on the state or national register of historic places. The first two are on the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties
Colorado State Register of Historic Properties
Colorado State Register of Historic Properties, administered by the Colorado Historical Society Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, is a listing of significant historic resources...
, the remaining are on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- Bauer Bank Building, built in 1905, it is the oldest surviving masonry building in the Mancos Valley.
- Bauer House was built in 1889 for George Bauer, a Mancos pioneer merchant who built the towns first store in 1881, a banker, and a stone mason.
- Mancos High School, built in 1909 of local sandstone, was first high school in the county.
- Mancos Opera House was completed in 1910.
- Wrightman House was built in 1903 of late Victorian architecture.
Attempts to create a separate Mancos County from the eastern portion of Montezuma County in the mid-20th century failed. Agricultural development, and to a certain extent, tourism, benefited from the Mancos Project of the US Bureau of Reclamation in the 1950s, which created Jackson Reservoir north of the town, today the site of Mancos State Park
Mancos State Park
Mancos State Park is a Colorado state park. It is located near Mesa Verde National Park, the West Mancos Trailhead and the San Juan Skyway. The park is known to have been a dwelling place for Ancestral Puebloans. They lived in the Four Corners area in ancient times from AD 1 to 1300. It was also...
. This project also supplies water for the town, a rural water district, and Mesa Verde National Park.
In recent years the growth of Durango, Colorado
Durango, Colorado
The City of Durango is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau said that the city population was 16,887 in 2010 census.-History:...
, has spread to Mancos, making the town something of an art colony. Aramark, the concessionaire for Mesa Verde NP, has facilities in the town, and there is a specialty aspen sawmill (Western Excelsior) and other small industrial enterprises. Numerous events are held in the town each year, including Mancos Days the last weekend in July, a motorcycle rally over Labor Day weekend, and a balloon festival in September. Much of the farm and ranch land in the Mancos Valley has been subdivided into rural residential and "hobby ranch" properties in recent years, as is happening in much of Montezuma County. Several major subdivisions immediately adjacent to Mancos are in various stages of development and are expected to greatly increase the town's population by 2015, despite some slowdown due to economic conditions. The Mancos Library District constructed a new public library in 2008, located on a former electrical generating station site south of the Mancos River. Most recent new businesses and business activity are occurring outside the corporate limits of the town, in Montezuma County jurisdiction. In 2007-2010, there have been numerous controversial approvals of new commercial developments, including mail-order firms, sand and gravel pits, ready-mix plants and hot-mix asphalt facilities, by the Montezuma County Board of County Commissioners.
Geography
Mancos is located at 37°20′44"N 108°17′33"W (37.345420, -108.292412).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 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Mancos is located in the Mancos River valley at an elevation of approximately 7,000 feet. The Mancos River
Mancos River
Mancos River is an tributary of the San Juan River. It flows from the confluence of West Mancos River and East Mancos River near Mancos, Colorado and joins the San Juan near Four Corners Monument in New Mexico.-See also:*List of rivers of Colorado...
was named by Spanish explorers (Rio de los Mancos - River of the Sleeve) perhaps for the way the river, which rises in the La Plata Mountains northeast of Mancos, drains the Valley and then flows into the narrow confines of Weber Canyon and Mancos Canyon, southwest of Mesa Verde, where it joins the San Juan River. The town's skyline is dominated by the mass of Mesa Verde to the west, Menefee Mountain
Menefee Mountain
Menefee Mountain is a mountain located in Montezuma County, Colorado. It reaches a peak height of above sea level. The nearest town is Mancos at 6.2 miles away. Other surrounding mountain peaks include: Flint Rock Point, Maggie Rock, Weber Mountain, Caviness Mountain, and Red Arrow Dome....
to the southeast, and the La Plata Mountains, a range to the east and northeast, in which the headwaters of the Mancos River originate.
Originally laid out as a railroad town, Mancos stretches for approximately a mile along the river and on both sides of it, while newer areas lie north of the old railroad alignment (now US 160, part of the San Juan Skyway and the Old Spanish Trail
Old Spanish Trail
Old Spanish Trail may refer to:*Old Spanish Trail , connecting Santa Fe, New Mexico with Los Angeles, California in the 19th century...
). The small main business district lies along Business Route 160, Grand Avenue, while newer business areas are located along the main highway. The highly-publicized death of a schoolchild in 2003 led to a major reconstruction of US 160 through the town in following years, creating a very odd street pattern which somewhat hampers development.
The Mancos River flows from east to west through the town, and then flows to the south into Mancos Canyon, on the west and south toe of Mesa Verde. Much of the townsite is located in the Special Flood Hazard Area (the 100-year floodplain)), including most bridges connecting the two parts of the town.
Northeast of Mancos is Mancos State Park
Mancos State Park
Mancos State Park is a Colorado state park. It is located near Mesa Verde National Park, the West Mancos Trailhead and the San Juan Skyway. The park is known to have been a dwelling place for Ancestral Puebloans. They lived in the Four Corners area in ancient times from AD 1 to 1300. It was also...
located on Jackson Gulch Reservoir, Colorado built by the Mancos Irrigation Project. Echo Basin, a winter (nordic) skiing area and various vacation resorts and dude ranches, as well as an elk ranch and other tourist-, sports-, and hunting-related activities are located in and around the town.
As is common in Colorado, many government services are provided by special districts, both inside the corporate limits of the town of Mancos and outside in the county. Among these are the Mancos Library District, Mancos Water Conservancy District and Mancos Fire Protection District (which also provides emergency medical services). The nearest hospitals are Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez (approximately 22 miles west) and Mercy Regional Hospital in Durango, approximately 45 miles east. The town does have a medical clinic, funded through a variety of private and public sources.
The nearest general aviation and commercial airport is located southwest of Cortez, approximately 25 miles west. There are a few private airstrips in the vicinity of Mancos but these are not open to the public; a former town airfield near Jackson Gulch Reservoir is sometimes still marked on maps.
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 1,119 people, 478 households, and 292 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 1,938.4 people per square mile (744.9/km²). There were 524 housing units at an average density of 907.7 per square mile (348.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.65% White, 2.23% Native American, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 7.86% 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 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.42% of the population.
There were 478 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% 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, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $25,223, and the median income for a family was $32,188. Males had a median income of $27,708 versus $17,292 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 $13,946. About 11.8% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.
Since 2000, new residents in the area include workers who commute to Durango and Cortez, as well as retirees seeking a milder climate and more reasonable prices than to the South. However, the town and valley remain divided into the three traditional groupings: the ranching families, the LDS farming families, and the arts community; normally "fringe groups" in larger towns, these groups are virtually the entire community of the Mancos Valley, and largely dictate its politics, economy, and society.
Notable residents
- Luther Elliss, former NFL Pro Bowl defensive end
- Jaye P. MorganJaye P. MorganMary Margaret Morgan , known professionally as Jaye P. Morgan, is a retired popular music American singer, actress and game show panelist.-Early life:...
, retired singer, was born in Mancos in 1931.
See also
- Mesa Verde National ParkMesa Verde National ParkMesa Verde National Park is a U.S. National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. It was created in 1906 to protect some of the best-preserved cliff dwellings in the world...
and UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage SiteWorld Heritage SiteA UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance... - Old Spanish National Historic Trail
- 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:...