Platteville, Colorado
Encyclopedia
Platteville is a Statutory Town in Weld County
, Colorado
, United States
. The population was 2,370 at the 2000 census
. It is adjacent to Fort Vasquez
on U.S. Route 85
.
The town is situated along the east bank of the South Platte River
at the intersection of U.S. Route 85
and Colorado State Highway 66.
The Fort St. Vrain Generating Station
, originally a nuclear power plant
and now operating as a natural gas
powered electricity
generating facility operated by Xcel Energy
, is approximately one mile northwest of Platteville.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, Platteville has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,370 people, 786 households, and 594 families residing in Platteville. The population density
was 1,606.5 people per square mile (618.3/km²). There were 819 housing units at an average density of 555.1 per square mile (213.7/km²). The racial makeup of Platteville was 73.84% White, 0.55% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 22.24% from other races
, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.19% of the population.
There were 786 households out of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% were married couples
living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.
The Platteville population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.
The median income for a household in Platteville was $43,472, and the median income for a family was $47,574. Males had a median income of $34,048 versus $25,430 for females. The per capita income
for Platteville was $15,802. About 6.9% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
From 1968 until 1984, Platteville was home to one of the earliest ionospheric heating facilities capable of radiating about 100 MW ERP. Early experiments included HF heater induced air-glow, heater-induced spread F, wide band heater-induced absorption, and heater-created field-aligned ionization, refer to HAARP.
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...
, 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 2,370 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...
. It is adjacent to Fort Vasquez
Fort Vasquez
-External links:*...
on U.S. Route 85
U.S. Route 85
U.S. Route 85 is a north–south United States highway that runs for in the Mountain - Northern Plains states of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, connecting with Mexican Federal Highway 45...
.
Geography
Platteville is located at 40°12′52"N 104°49′27"W (40.214468, -104.824070).The town is situated along the east bank of the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
at the intersection of U.S. Route 85
U.S. Route 85
U.S. Route 85 is a north–south United States highway that runs for in the Mountain - Northern Plains states of the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the United States-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, connecting with Mexican Federal Highway 45...
and Colorado State Highway 66.
The Fort St. Vrain Generating Station
Fort St. Vrain Generating Station
Fort Saint Vrain Generating Station is a natural gas powered electricity generating facility located near the town of Platteville in northern Colorado in the United States. It currently has a capacity of just under 1000MW and is owned and operated by Xcel Energy, the successor to the plant's...
, originally a nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
and now operating as a natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
powered electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
generating facility operated by Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy, Inc. is a public utility company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving customers in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, and Wisconsin. Primary services are electricity and natural gas...
, is approximately one mile northwest of Platteville.
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...
, Platteville has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all of it land.
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 2,370 people, 786 households, and 594 families residing in Platteville. 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 1,606.5 people per square mile (618.3/km²). There were 819 housing units at an average density of 555.1 per square mile (213.7/km²). The racial makeup of Platteville was 73.84% White, 0.55% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 22.24% 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 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.19% of the population.
There were 786 households out of which 45.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.6% 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, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.50.
The Platteville population was spread out with 32.8% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 103.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males.
The median income for a household in Platteville was $43,472, and the median income for a family was $47,574. Males had a median income of $34,048 versus $25,430 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 Platteville was $15,802. About 6.9% of families and 8.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.
History
Platteville was founded on May 27, 1871. Platteville has a public library, United States Post Office, four parks, five churches, an elementary school and a middle school. The local cemetery, Mizpah Cemetery, is home to a few famous people, such as "Rattlesnake Kate" Slaughterback. Rattlesnake Kate was famous for killing 140 rattlesnakes in a single afternoon in 1925 and turning their skins into a dress, which is on display in a Greeley museum. Platteville is also home to Fort Vasquez, an 1830’s fur trading post. Platteville celebrates the harvest season every August since 1910. The name of the harvest festival has changed many times over the years, and is currently called, simply, Harvest Daze.From 1968 until 1984, Platteville was home to one of the earliest ionospheric heating facilities capable of radiating about 100 MW ERP. Early experiments included HF heater induced air-glow, heater-induced spread F, wide band heater-induced absorption, and heater-created field-aligned ionization, refer to HAARP.
See also
- 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
- State of Colorado
- Weld County, ColoradoWeld County, ColoradoAs 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...
- Platteville Atmospheric ObservatoryPlatteville Atmospheric ObservatoryThe Platteville Atmospheric Observatory located near Platteville, Colorado was one of the first major ionospheric heaters in the world. Operating from 1968 through 1984, it expanded knowledge of ionospheric processes greatly. The observatory continues operation, but now focuses on wind profiling...