Rifle, Colorado
Encyclopedia
The City of Rifle is a Home Rule Municipality in Garfield County
, Colorado
, United States
. The population was 6,769 at the 2000 census
. Rifle is a regional center of the cattle ranching industry located along Interstate 70
and the Colorado River just east of the Roan Cliffs, which dominate the western skyline of the town. The town was founded in 1881 by Abram Mayfield, and was incorporated in 1904 along Rifle Creek, near its mouth on the Colorado. Rife Creek is named for an incident involving white trappers in the late 19th century. According to local lore, one of the trappers accidentally left his rifle
along the creek, giving it its name.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²), of which, 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.92%) is water.
of 2000, there were 6,784 people, 2,493 households, and 1,710 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,581.1 people per square mile (610.6/km²). There were 2,586 housing units at an average density of 602.7 per square mile (232.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.54% White, 0.44% African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.75% from other races
, and 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.26% of the population.
There were 2,493 households out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,734, and the median income for a family was $48,714. Males had a median income of $36,517 versus $25,527 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,376. About 3.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
completed the Valley Curtain project at Rifle Gap, a few miles north of the town of Rifle. The completed curtain hung for only 28 hours before it was ripped by a gust of wind.
Rifle High School Has had the most school pregnancies per year than any other school in the district. Its pregnancy rate is every 1/25 female students.
A portion of the film Vanishing Point
was filmed in Rifle. Scenes include a shot of Kowalski's car crossing a white metal bridge and confronting Utah state patrol cars.
Rifle Mountain Park, located 12 miles north of Rifle, is maintained by the City of Rifle. It is popular with rock climbers.
An organization called Campaign to Save Roan Plateau is currently engaged in an effort to minimize oil and gas drilling on the top of the Roan Plateau (which natives call the Bookcliffs). The Roan Plateau is accessible from the JQS Trail, located 3 miles north of Rifle, or from the Piceance Creek road.
An escaped inmate from an Arizona prison was apprehended by police after a brief shoot out in Rifle, Colorado in August, 2010.
Garfield County, Colorado
Garfield County is the eighth most extensive and the twelfth most populous of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county population was 43,791 at U.S. Census 2000. The county is named in honor of United States President James A. Garfield...
, 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 6,769 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...
. Rifle is a regional center of the cattle ranching industry located along 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...
and the Colorado River just east of the Roan Cliffs, which dominate the western skyline of the town. The town was founded in 1881 by Abram Mayfield, and was incorporated in 1904 along Rifle Creek, near its mouth on the Colorado. Rife Creek is named for an incident involving white trappers in the late 19th century. According to local lore, one of the trappers accidentally left his rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
along the creek, giving it its name.
Geography
Rifle is located at 39°32′13"N 107°46′58"W (39.536992, -107.782709).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 city has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²), of which, 4.3 square miles (11.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.92%) 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 6,784 people, 2,493 households, and 1,710 families residing in the city. 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 1,581.1 people per square mile (610.6/km²). There were 2,586 housing units at an average density of 602.7 per square mile (232.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.54% White, 0.44% African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.75% 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 2.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.26% of the population.
There were 2,493 households out of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 17.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 106.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,734, and the median income for a family was $48,714. Males had a median income of $36,517 versus $25,527 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 city was $17,376. About 3.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Popular culture
On August 10, 1972, Christo and Jeanne-ClaudeChristo and Jeanne-Claude
Christo and Jeanne-Claude were a married couple who created environmental works of art...
completed the Valley Curtain project at Rifle Gap, a few miles north of the town of Rifle. The completed curtain hung for only 28 hours before it was ripped by a gust of wind.
Rifle High School Has had the most school pregnancies per year than any other school in the district. Its pregnancy rate is every 1/25 female students.
A portion of the film Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point is a 1971 American action-road movie directed by Richard C. Sarafian; starring Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, and Dean Jagger....
was filmed in Rifle. Scenes include a shot of Kowalski's car crossing a white metal bridge and confronting Utah state patrol cars.
Rifle Mountain Park, located 12 miles north of Rifle, is maintained by the City of Rifle. It is popular with rock climbers.
An organization called Campaign to Save Roan Plateau is currently engaged in an effort to minimize oil and gas drilling on the top of the Roan Plateau (which natives call the Bookcliffs). The Roan Plateau is accessible from the JQS Trail, located 3 miles north of Rifle, or from the Piceance Creek road.
An escaped inmate from an Arizona prison was apprehended by police after a brief shoot out in Rifle, Colorado in August, 2010.