Editing Alamosa, Colorado

{{short description|The Home Rule City that is seat of Alamosa County, Colorado, United States.}}
{{distinguish|Alamosa County, Colorado}}
{{infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name                     = Alamosa, Colorado
|settlement_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality|home rule city]]<ref name=COMun>{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicMunicipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]]|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>
|motto                    = "Gateway to the Great Sand Dunes"
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = Alamosa, Colorado.JPG
|image_caption            = Entering Alamosa from the east
|image_flag               = Flag of Alamosa, Colorado.png
|flag_size                = 
|image_blank_emblem       = Logo of Alamosa, Colorado.png
|blank_emblem_type        = Logo
|image_map                = Alamosa County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Alamosa Highlighted 0801090.svg
|mapsize                  = 
|map_caption              = Location of the City of Alamosa in {{nowrap|[[Alamosa County, Colorado]]}}
<!-- Pushpin map -->
|pushpin_map             = USA#USA Colorado
|pushpin_relief          = 
|pushpin_label           = Alamosa
|pushpin_label_position  = right
|pushpin_map_caption     = Location of the City of Alamosa, Colorado.
<!-- Location -->
|coordinates             = {{coord|37.4694|-105.8700|type:city_region:US-CO_source:GNIS-203624|display=it}}
|coordinates_footnotes   = <ref name=GNIS>{{cite gnis|id=203624|name=Alamosa, Colorado|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>
|elevation_ft            = 7543
|elevation_footnotes     = <ref name=GNIS/>
|unit_pref               = US
|subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name        = [[United States]]
|subdivision_type1       = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1       = [[Colorado]]
|subdivision_type2       = [[List of counties in Colorado|County]]
|subdivision_name2       = [[Alamosa County, Colorado|Alamosa County seat]]<ref name=COcounty>{{cite web|url=https://dola.colorado.gov/dlg_lgis_ui_pu/publicCounties.jsf|title=Colorado Counties|publisher=[[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]]|access-date=December 29, 2024}}</ref>
<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality|home rule city]]<ref name=COMun />|leader_title              = Mayor
|leader_name              = Ty Coleman<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cityofalamosa.org/departments/city-council/ |title=City Council |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2017 |website=The City of Alamosa |access-date=September 22, 2019 }}</ref>
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Established
|established_date         = May 1878
|established_title2       = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
|established_date2        = 
|established_title3       = [[municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date3        = August 12, 1878<ref name=MuniIncCO>{{cite web | url = http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html | title = Colorado Municipal Incorporations | publisher = [[Colorado|State of Colorado]], Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives | date = December 1, 2004 | access-date =August 18, 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200920/http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html| archive-date= September 27, 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref>
<!-- Area --------------------->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_08.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 20.65
|area_land_km2            = 20.46
|area_water_km2           = 0.19
|area_total_sq_mi         = 7.97
|area_land_sq_mi          = 7.90
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.07
<!-- Population ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 9806
|population_density_sq_mi = 
|population_density_km2   = 71.03
|population_blank1_title  = [[Demonym]]
|population_blank1        = Alamosan
<!-- General information ----------------------->
|timezone1                = [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]]
|utc_offset1              = −07:00
|timezone1_DST            = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
|utc_offset1_DST          = −06:00
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 81101, 81102<ref name=ZIPcode>{{cite web|date=August 18, 2007 |url=http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |title=ZIP Code Lookup |format=[[JavaScript]]/[[HTML]] |publisher=[[United States Postal Service]] |access-date=August 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818145107/http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |archive-date=August 18, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|area_code_type          = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|area_code               = [[Area code 719|719]]
|blank_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS pop ID]]
|blank_info              = {{GNIS 4|203624}}
|blank1_name             = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS city ID]]
|blank1_info             = {{GNIS 4|2409673}}
|blank2_name             = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank2_info             = {{FIPS|08|01090}}
|website                 = {{URL|https://cityofalamosa.org/}}
|named_for               = The cottonwood trees along the [[Rio Grande]]<ref name=placenames/>
}}

'''Alamosa''' is the [[List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality|home rule city]] that is the [[county seat]] of [[Alamosa County, Colorado]], United States.<ref name=CountySeatsCO>{{cite web|url=http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/cntyseat.html|title=Colorado County Seats|publisher=[[State of Colorado]], Department of Public Health and Environment|access-date=December 31, 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080108104015/http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/cntyseat.html| archive-date= January 8, 2008 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Alamosa is located along the [[Rio Grande]]. The city population was 9,806 in the [[2020 United States census]].<ref name=2020_Census>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/rdo/summary-files.html|title=Decennial Census P.L. 94-171 Redistricting Data|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Department of Commerce]]|date=August 12, 2021|access-date=September 2, 2021}}</ref> The city is the commercial center of the [[San Luis Valley]] in south-central [[Colorado]], and is the home of [[Adams State University]].

==History==
The Alamosa, Colorado, post office opened on March 12, 1878,<ref name=CPO>{{cite book|title=Colorado Post Offices 1859–1989|first1=William H.|last1=Bauer|first2=James L.|last2=Ozment|first3=John H.|last3=Willard|date=1990|publisher=[[Colorado Railroad Museum|Colorado Railroad Historical Foundation]]|location=[[Golden, Colorado]]|isbn=0-918654-42-4}}</ref> and the Town of Alamosa was incorporated on August 12, 1878.<ref name=MuniIncCO/> The town was established by the [[Denver and Rio Grande Railroad]] and quickly became an important rail center.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BOTa5gUx4x0C&q=Monte+Vista%2C+Colorado&pg=PT311 | title=John Fielder's Best of Colorado | publisher=Big Earth Publishing | year=2002 | access-date=November 4, 2013 | author=Fielder, John | pages=310| isbn=9781565794290 }}</ref>  Alamosa was the terminus of the D&RG until 1881, when the line was extended to Monte Vista.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alamosa Historic Marker at 300 Hunt Ave |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=160914 |access-date=October 31, 2022 |website=Historical Marker Database}}</ref> The railroad had an extensive construction, repair, and shipping facility in Alamosa for many years and headquartered its remaining [[narrow-gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] service here with trackage reaching many points throughout southwest Colorado and northern [[New Mexico]]. [[Alamosa County, Colorado|Alamosa County]] was created on March 8, 1913, with Alamosa as its first and only seat.

Alamosa is now a notable tourist town with many nearby attractions, including the [[Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve]], [[Colorado Gators Reptile Park]], and the [[Rio Grande Scenic Railroad]]. The town hosts "Summer Fest on the Rio" which occurs the first weekend in June, the Early Iron car show over the Labor Day weekend, and "Weekends on the Rio" on various Sundays throughout the summer<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weekendsontherio.com/|title=Weekends on the Rio|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630162121/http://www.weekendsontherio.com/|archive-date=June 30, 2017}}</ref>  The city takes its name from the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] [[adjective]] ''Alamosa'', meaning "of [[Populus sect. Aegiros|cottonwood]]", for the cottonwood forests which grow along the [[Rio Grande]] and throughout town.<ref name=placenames>{{cite book| title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States| publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office| year=1905| pages=[https://archive.org/details/origincertainpl00ganngoog/page/n25 19]| author=Gannett, Henry| url=https://archive.org/details/origincertainpl00ganngoog}}</ref>

==Geography==
Alamosa is located at the junction of U.S. Routes [[U.S. Route 160#Colorado|160]] and [[U.S. Route 285#Colorado|285]]. At the [[2020 United States census]], the city had a total area of {{convert|19.871|km2|acre|order=flip}} including {{convert|0.192|km2|acre|order=flip}} of water.<ref name=2020_Census/>

Alamosa is located along the [[Rio Grande]] in the San Luis Valley, in the highest general agricultural land in the United States. Elevation is about {{convert|7544|ft|m|abbr=}} in Alamosa with peaks over {{convert|14000|ft|m}} within {{convert|23|mi|km}} of town in the [[Sangre de Cristo Range]].

Alamosa is the gateway city to the [[Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve]].

===Climate===
Alamosa features a [[cold desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''BWk'') with long, cold winters and warm summers, and dry weather year-round. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from {{convert|16.3|°F|1}} in January to {{convert|64.6|°F|1}} in July. Annual precipitation is only {{convert|7.31|in|mm}}, with the months of July through September being the wettest. The aridity depresses normal seasonal (July through June of the following year) snowfall to {{convert|27.6|in|cm|0}}.

The altitude and dryness of the air cause [[diurnal temperature variation|day–night temperature differences]] to be severe year-round, averaging {{convert|35.4|F-change|1}} throughout the year. There was a long-term annual average of 227 days per year with a minimum of {{convert|32|°F|0}} or less.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mean Number of Days Minimum Temperature 32 Deg. F or Less |work=Comparative Climatic Data for the United States Through 2012 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: U.S. Dept. of Commerce |year=2013 |url=http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/mnls3212.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915184815/http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/mnls3212.txt |archive-date=September 15, 2014  }}</ref> In the 1981–2010 period, there was an average of 46&nbsp;nights with minima at or below {{convert|0|°F|0}}.

On July 10, 2020, Alamosa made weather history by measuring a record low temperature {{convert|37|F|C|1}} and a record high temperature {{convert|92|F|C|1}} in less than 12 hours.<ref>{{Cite web|date=July 11, 2020|title=Wild Weather: Colorado Town Sets Record Low And High Less Than 12 Hours Apart|url=https://denver.cbslocal.com/2020/07/11/same-day-record-high-low-alamosa/|access-date=July 14, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>

{{Weather box
| location = Alamosa, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals,{{efn|Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.}} extremes 1906–present
| width = auto
| single line = Y
| collapsed = Yes
| Jan avg record high F = 48.7
| Feb avg record high F = 53.7
| Mar avg record high F = 67.0
| Apr avg record high F = 73.2
| May avg record high F = 81.4
| Jun avg record high F = 89.2
| Jul avg record high F = 90.0
| Aug avg record high F = 87.1
| Sep avg record high F = 83.2
| Oct avg record high F = 75.4
| Nov avg record high F = 63.0
| Dec avg record high F = 50.5
| year avg record high F = 91.0
| Jan avg record low F = -17.6
| Feb avg record low F = -11.8
| Mar avg record low F = 1.2
| Apr avg record low F = 10.9
| May avg record low F = 21.1
| Jun avg record low F = 30.7
| Jul avg record low F = 38.5
| Aug avg record low F = 36.9
| Sep avg record low F = 24.4
| Oct avg record low F = 8.2
| Nov avg record low F = -5.0
| Dec avg record low F = -15.0
| year avg record low F = -21.6
| Jan record high F = 63
| Feb record high F = 66
| Mar record high F = 76
| Apr record high F = 82
| May record high F = 90
| Jun record high F = 95
| Jul record high F = 96
| Aug record high F = 91
| Sep record high F = 89
| Oct record high F = 81
| Nov record high F = 71
| Dec record high F = 63
| Jan high F = 34.8
| Feb high F = 41.2
| Mar high F = 52.7
| Apr high F = 60.2
| May high F = 69.8
| Jun high F = 80.2
| Jul high F = 83.3
| Aug high F = 80.5
| Sep high F = 74.4
| Oct high F = 62.8
| Nov high F = 48.5
| Dec high F = 35.4
| year high F = 
| Jan mean F = 16.8
| Feb mean F = 24.3
| Mar mean F = 35.2
| Apr mean F = 42.6
| May mean F = 51.7
| Jun mean F = 60.6
| Jul mean F = 65.3
| Aug mean F = 63.2
| Sep mean F = 55.9
| Oct mean F = 43.8
| Nov mean F = 30.3
| Dec mean F = 18.1
| year mean F = 
| Jan low F = -1.1
| Feb low F = 7.4
| Mar low F = 17.6
| Apr low F = 25.0
| May low F = 33.6
| Jun low F = 40.9
| Jul low F = 47.3
| Aug low F = 45.8
| Sep low F = 37.3
| Oct low F = 24.8
| Nov low F = 12.1
| Dec low F = 0.8
| year low F = 
| Jan record low F = −50
| Feb record low F = −35
| Mar record low F = −18
| Apr record low F = −6
| May record low F = 11
| Jun record low F = 23
| Jul record low F = 28
| Aug record low F = 29
| Sep record low F = 15
| Oct record low F = −9
| Nov record low F = −30
| Dec record low F = −42
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 0.32
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.28
| Mar precipitation inch = 0.51
| Apr precipitation inch = 0.57
| May precipitation inch = 0.60
| Jun precipitation inch = 0.43
| Jul precipitation inch = 1.04
| Aug precipitation inch = 1.29
| Sep precipitation inch = 0.98
| Oct precipitation inch = 0.65
| Nov precipitation inch = 0.37
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.35
| year precipitation inch =

| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 1.9
| Nov snow inch = 3.5
| Dec snow inch = 4.7
| Jan snow inch = 4.5
| Feb snow inch = 4.0
| Mar snow inch = 4.3
| Apr snow inch = 3.6
| May snow inch = 0.9
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| year snow inch = 
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 3.8
| Feb precipitation days = 3.9
| Mar precipitation days = 4.7
| Apr precipitation days = 4.9
| May precipitation days = 5.6
| Jun precipitation days = 4.1
| Jul precipitation days = 8.4
| Aug precipitation days = 9.9
| Sep precipitation days = 6.5
| Oct precipitation days = 4.7
| Nov precipitation days = 3.7
| Dec precipitation days = 4.3
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.1
| Oct snow days = 0.9
| Nov snow days = 2.5
| Dec snow days = 4.0
| Jan snow days = 3.8
| Feb snow days = 3.7
| Mar snow days = 3.1
| Apr snow days = 2.5
| May snow days = 0.8
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| source 1 = NOAA<ref name="NWS Pueblo, CO (PUB)">
{{cite web
|url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/getclimate.php?wfo=pub
|title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = July 11, 2020}}</ref><ref name="NCDC txt">{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00023061&format=pdf |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title=Station Name: CO ALAMOSA SAN LUIS VALLEY REGIONAL AP |access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref>
| source = 
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1880= 802
|1890= 973
|1900= 1141
|1910= 3013
|1920= 3171
|1930= 5107
|1940= 5613
|1950= 5354
|1960= 6205
|1970= 6985
|1980= 6830
|1990= 7579
|2000= 7960
|2010= 8780
|2020= 9806
|footnote=[[United States census|U.S. Decennial Census]]
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Alamosa Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US0801090&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 7, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|3,834
|39.1%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|193
|1.97%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|151
|1.54%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|121
|1.23%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|17
|0.17%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|274
|2.79%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|5,216
|53.19%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 9,806 people, 3,828 households, and 1,935 families residing in the city.

===2014===
According to city-data.com from 2014 there were 9,531 people, 2,974 households, and 1,769 families residing in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,995.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 3,215 housing units at an average density of {{convert|805.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 44.5% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 2.6% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 2.20% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 1.3% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.3% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.9% from two or more races.  49.00% of the population were [[Hispanics in the United States|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 2,974 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.5% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 21.8% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,593, and the median income for a family was $33,017. Males had a median income of $27,100 versus $22,671 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,405.  About 18.1% of families and 25.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.4% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.
{{clear|left}}

[[File:Alamosa City-Hall 2012-10-22.JPG|thumb|Alamosa City Hall]]

==Government==
Alamosa is a [[Colorado municipalities#Home rule municipality|home rule municipality]] like many other Colorado towns. The city council has six members, four elected from wards and two at large. The council has authority to make, change, and repeal laws and ordinances. The city elects a mayor-at-large on a non-partisan ballot. The current mayor of Alamosa is Ty Coleman.

==Education==
Alamosa Public Schools are part of the [[Alamosa School District RE-11J]], and include Alamosa Elementary School, Ortega Middle School, and [[Alamosa High School]].  Robert Alejo is the Superintendent of Schools.<ref>{{cite web | title = Alamosa School District RE-11J | publisher = Alamosa School District RE-11J | url = http://alamosa.k12.co.us/dist/ | access-date = June 1, 2014 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140606065015/http://alamosa.k12.co.us/dist/ | archive-date = June 6, 2014 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>

[[Adams State University]], founded in 1921 as a teacher's college, offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Graduate level programs emphasize teaching and education, art, history and business with many of the courses available  online. In 2015, the college reached an all-time high enrollment of 3,701 students. The university's location in Alamosa, with an elevation of about 7,800&nbsp;ft above sea level, attracts many athletes (especially runners) to the school's athletic program. In 2014, ASU added a cycling program.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.adams.edu/academics/index.php|title=Academics - Adams State University|website=www.adams.edu|access-date=April 30, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430004038/https://www.adams.edu/academics/index.php|archive-date=April 30, 2018}}</ref>

The schools in Alamosa were the subject to the [[School segregation in the United States|educational segregation]] lawsuit, ''[[Maestas vs. George H. Shone]]''.<ref name="lobato">{{cite news |title=School lawsuit from 1914 remembered |url= https://www.alamosanews.com/article/school-lawsuit-from-1914-remembered |work=Alamosa News |publisher=News Media Corporation |date=May 12, 2018 | first = Sylvia | last = Lobato |access-date=September 9, 2018}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===
[[File:Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad in Alamosa, Colorado.jpg|thumb|[[Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad]] locomotives parked in Alamosa]]
Alamosa is on the [[Rio Grande]] River, which is crossed by two auto bridges, one pedestrian bridge and one rail bridge in town.  Auto traffic is served by [[U.S. Route 160 in Colorado|U.S. Highway 160]] running east and west and [[U.S. Route 285 in Colorado|U.S. Highway 285]] and [[Colorado State Highway 17|State Highway 17]] running north and south. Alamosa is served by the [[Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad]] and [[Bustang]].  The local airport is [[San Luis Valley Regional Airport]]. Alamosa is part of Colorado's [[Bustang]] network. It is on the Alamosa-Pueblo Outrider line.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bustang Schedule |url=https://ridebustang.com/schedules/ |website=RideBustang |publisher=CDOT}}</ref>

[[File:Alamosa Train-Station 2012-10-22.JPG|thumb|right|Train station in Alamosa]]

===Facilities===
Alamosa is the shopping center for the San Luis Valley and has several national and regional stores. There are a number of [[fast food restaurant]]s, two medical clinics, and a regional hospital, [[San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center]].

[[Adams State University]] is located in Alamosa. ASU is a four-year, state-supported university founded in 1921 and offering degrees in several fields including business and education.

[[Trinidad State College]] has a campus situated in Alamosa. They offer 2-year degrees in gunsmithing, aquaculture, cosmetology, welding and nursing, as well as traditional arts and sciences classes like English, physics and chemistry.

==Notable people==
* [[Billy Adams (politician)|Billy Adams]] (1861–1954) — mayor of Alamosa, governor of Colorado from 1927 to 1933<ref>{{cite news |date=May 22, 2012 |title=Adams State Becomes A University |newspaper=Adams State University |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104234838/http://www.adams.edu/news/may1214.php|access-date=May 14, 2024 }}</ref>
* [[Garrey Carruthers]] (1939–) — governor of New Mexico from 1987 to 1991
* [[Camille Herron]] (1981–) — professional [[ultramarathon]] runner and World Record holder<ref>{{cite news |last=Carlson |first=Jenni |date=October 28, 2019 |title=Camille Herron sets another world record, wins another world title |newspaper=The Oklahoman |url=https://oklahoman.com/article/5645413/camille-herron-oklahoma-native-sets-new-world-record-and-wins-another-world-title |access-date=May 1, 2020 }}</ref>
* [[Michael Johnson (singer)|Michael Johnson]] (1944–2017) — singer, guitarist, recording artist
* [[Carlos F. Lucero]] (1940–) — judge, U.S. District Court of Appeals, 10th&nbsp;Circuit
* [[Poker Alice|Alice Ivers Tubbs]] (1851–1930) — frontier gambler known as "Poker Alice"<ref>{{cite web |editor-first=Kathy |editor-last=Weiser |date=October 2019 |title=Poker Alice - famous frontier gambler |website=legendsofamerica.com |url=http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-pokeralice.html |access-date=May 10, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151026173231/http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-pokeralice.html |archive-date=October 26, 2015 }}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Geography|History|United States|Colorado}}
*[[List of county seats in Colorado]]
*[[List of municipalities in Colorado]]
*[[List of populated places in Colorado]]
*[[List of post offices in Colorado]]
*[[San Luis Valley]]
{{clear}}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|auto=yes}}
*[http://www.cityofalamosa.org/ City of Alamosa website]
*[https://www.colorado.gov/ State of Colorado]
**[https://dtdapps.coloradodot.info/staticdata/Downloads/CityMaps/Alamosa.pdf CDOT map of the City of Alamosa]
**[https://www.historycolorado.org/ History Colorado]
{{Alamosa County, Colorado|collapse_state=expanded}}
{{Colorado}}
{{Colorado county seats}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Alamosa, Colorado| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Alamosa County, Colorado]]
[[Category:Cities in Colorado]]
[[Category:County seats in Colorado]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1878]]
[[Category:1878 establishments in Colorado]]