Editing La Junta, Colorado

{{short description|City in Otero County, Colorado, United States}}
{{Redirect|La Junta}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info -->
|name                     = La Junta, Colorado
|settlement_type          = [[List of cities and towns in Colorado#Home rule municipality|Home rule municipality]]<ref name=COMun>{{cite web |url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/municipalities.jsf|title=Active Colorado Municipalities|publisher=[[Colorado|State of Colorado]], [[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]], Division of Local Government|access-date=January 27, 2021}}</ref>

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = La Junta city limit sign.JPG
|image_caption            = Looking west along East 1st Street (2021)
|image_flag               = Flag of La Junta, Colorado.png
|image_seal               =

<!-- maps -----------> 
|image_map                = Otero County Colorado Incorporated and Unincorporated areas La Junta Highlighted 0842110.svg
|map_caption              = Location within [[Otero County, Colorado|Otero County]] and [[Colorado]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
|image_dot_map            = 
|dot_mapsize              = 
|dot_map_caption          = 
|dot_x                    = 
|dot_y                    = 
|pushpin_map              = USA
|pushpin_label            = {{nowrap|La Junta}}
|pushpin_label_position   = right
|pushpin_map_caption      = Location within the [[United States]]

<!-- Location ------------------>
|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        = [[Otero County, Colorado|Otero County]]<ref name=COcounty>{{cite web |url=https://dola.colorado.gov/lgis/counties.jsf|title=Colorado Counties|publisher=[[Colorado|State of Colorado]], [[Colorado Department of Local Affairs]], Division of Local Government|access-date=January 27, 2021}}</ref>
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of cities and towns in Colorado|City]]
|subdivision_name3        = La Junta<ref name=COMun/>

<!-- Politics ----------------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = [[Colorado municipalities#Home rule municipality|Home Rule Municipality]]<ref name=COMun/>
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Joe Ayala
|leader_title1            = City Manager
|leader_name1             = Patrick Comiskey

<!-- Settled -->
|established_date         = 
|established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = April 23, 1881<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 = September 2, 2007}}</ref>
|established_title3       = <!-- Incorporated (city) -->
|established_date3        =

<!-- Area    --------------------->
|area_magnitude           = 
|unit_pref                = US
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_08.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 1, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 8.24
|area_land_km2            = 8.23
|area_water_km2           = 0.01
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.18
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.18
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|area_water_percent       = 
|area_urban_km2           = 
|area_urban_sq_mi         = 
|area_metro_km2           = 
|area_metro_sq_mi         = 
|area_blank1_title        = 
|area_blank1_km2          = 
|area_blank1_sq_mi        =

<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census2020">{{cite web |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US0842110 |title=La Junta city, Colorado |website=census.gov |accessdate=October 13, 2021}}</ref>
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 7322
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est =
|population_density_km2   = auto
|population_density_sq_mi = auto
|population_metro         = 
|population_density_metro_km2     = 
|population_density_metro_sq_mi   =

<!-- General information  --------------->
|timezone                 = [[Mountain Time Zone|Mountain (MST)]]
|utc_offset = &minus;7
|timezone_DST             = [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]]
|utc_offset_DST = &minus;6
|coordinates              = {{coord|37|58|53|N|103|32|51|W|region:US-CO_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|elevation_m              = 1243
|elevation_ft             = 4078
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]<ref name=ZIPcode>{{cite web|url=http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |title=ZIP Code Lookup |format=[[JavaScript]]/[[HTML]] |publisher=[[United States Postal Service]] |access-date=October 22, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104123722/http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp |archive-date=November 4, 2010 }}</ref>
|postal_code              = 81050
|area_code                = [[Area code 719|719]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 08-42110
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:0204829 0204829]
|website                  = {{URL|https://lajuntacolorado.org}}
}}

'''La Junta''' is a [[List of cities and towns in Colorado#Home rule municipality|home rule municipality]] in, the [[county seat]] of, and the [[List of cities and towns in Colorado|most populous municipality]] of [[Otero County, Colorado]], United States.<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}}</ref>  The city population was 7,322 at the [[2020 United States census]].  La Junta is located on the [[Arkansas River]] in southeastern Colorado {{convert|68|mi}} east of [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]]. The city is home to [[Otero College]].

==History==
La Junta (Spanish for {{gloss|the junction}})<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=[[United States Government Publishing Office|Government Printing Office]] | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n178 179]}}</ref> was named for the fact it rested at the intersection of the [[Santa Fe Trail]] and a pioneer road to Pueblo.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dawson|first=John Frank|title=Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin|year=1954|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051116740;view=1up;seq=36|publisher=The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co.|location=Denver, CO|page=30}}</ref> The town developed near [[Bent's Fort]], a [[fur trading]] post of the 19th century. The [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] passed through La Junta, with a branch line to Denver separating here.

During [[World War II]], La Junta had an Army Air Force Training Base outside town.  An Air Force detachment of the [[Strategic Air Command]] remained there until modern flight simulators developed in the 1980s rendered live flight unnecessary for pilot training maneuvers.  At least one military aircraft crashed closeby during such training maneuvers.<ref>[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-09-28-mn-7039-story.html "Bomber Crash"], ''Los Angeles Times'', September 28, 1987</ref>

==Geography==
The area is high plains terrain, dry with short grass prairie and sagebrush, and is part of the [[Southwestern Tablelands]] ecological region. This area of Colorado is often the warmest. Summer brings numerous days above {{convert|100|F|C|1}}. The hottest temperature recorded in La Junta was {{convert|110|F|C|1}} on June 28, 1990, and June 24, 2012, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|-23|F|C|1}} on January 20, 1948.<ref name = NOWData/>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = [[La Junta Municipal Airport]], Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–present)
 | Jan record high F  = 78
 | Feb record high F  = 86
 | Mar record high F  = 90
 | Apr record high F  = 95
 | May record high F  = 104
 | Jun record high F  = 110
 | Jul record high F  = 109
 | Aug record high F  = 108
 | Sep record high F  = 108
 | Oct record high F  = 95
 | Nov record high F  = 86
 | Dec record high F  = 81
 | year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 68.8
|Feb avg record high F = 72.9
|Mar avg record high F = 82.1
|Apr avg record high F = 88.0
|May avg record high F = 95.5
|Jun avg record high F = 102.9
|Jul avg record high F = 104.5
|Aug avg record high F = 102.3
|Sep avg record high F = 98.2
|Oct avg record high F = 90.1
|Nov avg record high F = 78.2
|Dec avg record high F = 68.6
|year avg record high F = 105.7

 | Jan high F = 46.5
 | Feb high F = 50.5
 | Mar high F = 61.3
 | Apr high F = 68.8
 | May high F = 78.8
 | Jun high F = 90.0
 | Jul high F = 94.5
 | Aug high F = 91.8
 | Sep high F = 84.3
 | Oct high F = 70.5
 | Nov high F = 56.9
 | Dec high F = 46.2
 | year high F = 70.0
 | Jan mean F = 32.3
 | Feb mean F = 35.9
 | Mar mean F = 45.5
 | Apr mean F = 53.2
 | May mean F = 63.4
 | Jun mean F = 74.2
 | Jul mean F = 79.1
 | Aug mean F = 76.8
 | Sep mean F = 68.6
 | Oct mean F = 54.6
 | Nov mean F = 41.8
 | Dec mean F = 32.3
 | year mean F = 54.8
 | Jan low F = 18.1
 | Feb low F = 21.3
 | Mar low F = 29.6
 | Apr low F = 37.7
 | May low F = 48.0
 | Jun low F = 58.4
 | Jul low F = 63.6
 | Aug low F = 61.8
 | Sep low F = 52.9
 | Oct low F = 38.8
 | Nov low F = 26.8
 | Dec low F = 18.4
 | year low F = 39.6

|Jan avg record low F = 0.1
|Feb avg record low F = 3.7
|Mar avg record low F = 13.8
|Apr avg record low F = 23.2
|May avg record low F = 34.5
|Jun avg record low F = 48.0
|Jul avg record low F = 55.8
|Aug avg record low F = 54.2
|Sep avg record low F = 39.2
|Oct avg record low F = 22.6
|Nov avg record low F = 10.5
|Dec avg record low F = -0.9
|year avg record low F = -5.2

 | Jan record low F  = -23
 | Feb record low F  = -20
 | Mar record low F  = -17
 | Apr record low F  = 10
 | May record low F  = 22
 | Jun record low F  = 38
 | Jul record low F  = 48
 | Aug record low F  = 43
 | Sep record low F  = 22
 | Oct record low F  = 0
 | Nov record low F  = -11
 | Dec record low F  = -21
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 0.21
 | Feb precipitation inch = 0.25
 | Mar precipitation inch = 0.71
 | Apr precipitation inch = 1.22
 | May precipitation inch = 1.59
 | Jun precipitation inch = 1.31
 | Jul precipitation inch = 2.21
 | Aug precipitation inch = 1.43
 | Sep precipitation inch = 0.84
 | Oct precipitation inch = 0.94
 | Nov precipitation inch = 0.37
 | Dec precipitation inch = 0.26
 | year precipitation inch = 11.34
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 3.1
 | Feb precipitation days  = 3.1
 | Mar precipitation days  = 5.3
 | Apr precipitation days  = 6.2
 | May precipitation days  = 7.4
 | Jun precipitation days  = 6.6
 | Jul precipitation days  = 8.0
 | Aug precipitation days  = 7.5
 | Sep precipitation days  = 4.8
 | Oct precipitation days  = 4.3
 | Nov precipitation days  = 3.4
 | Dec precipitation days  = 2.6
 | year precipitation days = 62.3
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=pub
|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 8, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00023067&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = December 8, 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
|1890= 1439
|1900= 2513
|1910= 4154
|1920= 4964
|1930= 7193
|1940= 7040
|1950= 7712
|1960= 8026
|1970= 8205
|1980= 8338
|1990= 7637
|2000= 7568
|2010= 7077
|2020= 7322
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507121432/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|archive-date=May 7, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>  2020<ref name="Census2020"/>
}}

{{unreferenced section|date=October 2021}}

There were 7,568 people, 2,977 households, and 1,964 families residing in the city.{{when|date=October 2021}} The population density was {{convert|2,652.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,277 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1,148.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 74.22% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.22% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 1.77% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.86% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.13% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 18.33% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.48% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 43.60% of the population.

There were 2,977 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 30.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,002, and the median income for a family was $36,398. Males had a median income of $26,325 versus $21,324 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,928. About 16.8% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.4% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.{{clear left}}

==Arts and culture==
Tourists come to see [[tarantula]]s who are looking for mates during the cooler weather in September and into October each year.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Puleo|first=Mark|date=September 22, 2021|title=The great tarantula migration is underway in Colorado|work=AccuWeather|url=https://www.accuweather.com/en/travel/the-great-tarantula-migration-is-underway-in-colorado/1021485}}</ref> [[Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site]], an important trading post along the [[Santa Fe Trail]], is northeast of La Junta. The [[Koshare Indian Museum]], housed at [[Otero College]], holds a collection of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] artifacts. The Koshare Indian museum hosts a unique [[Boy Scouts of America|Boy Scout]]/[[Exploring (Learning for Life)|Explorer]] program which trains the [[Scouting in Colorado|Scouts]] in both Native American dance and building traditional outfits. The Scouts give dance performances during the summer and also host [[Scout troop]]s from other areas. [[Purgatoire River track site]], one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America, is south of La Junta.

The Caboose is the drive-through for the State Bank, which was established in 1893. The bank has been remodeled with antiques, including a teller line from the late 1890s.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}

==Media==
The city is served by the daily newspaper ''[[The Tribune-Democrat (La Junta)|The Tribune-Democrat]]''.
The city is also served by a local radio station that broadcasts in AM and FM. They are KBLJ 1400 AM and KTHN 92.1 FM.<ref>https://www.facebook.com/kbljkthn/ {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=March 2022}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
[[Image:Lajuntatrain.jpg|thumb|right|This [[railroad]] [[caboose]] serves as the drive-up window for The State Bank.]]

===Transportation===
{{see also|La Junta (Amtrak station)}}
The [[Southwest Chief]] provides Amtrak passenger rail service to the community.

La Junta, until recently, had a railroad yard for assembling freight trains for the climb over [[Raton Pass]]. BNSF runs freight trains between Denver and Kansas/Texas via La Junta.  The sole remaining major train crossing Raton Pass today is the daily [[Southwest Chief]], in both directions, between Los Angeles and Chicago.

[[U.S. Route 50 in Colorado|U.S. Highway 50]] travels through La Junta, approaching from [[Pueblo, Colorado|Pueblo]] to the northwest and continuing eastward towards [[Lamar, Colorado|Lamar]] and into [[Kansas]]. [[U.S. Highway 350]] begins at La Junta and travels southwest before reaching [[Trinidad, Colorado|Trinidad]]. [[Colorado State Highway 10|State Highway 10]] also begins at La Junta and travels west-southwest before reaching [[Walsenburg, Colorado|Walsenburg]].

The city operates a public bus system with one route that circles the city.<ref>{{cite web |title=Transit Brochure |url=http://www.ci.la-junta.co.us/Forms/Misc/transitbrochure.pdf |publisher=City of La Junta}}</ref> Intercity transportation is provided by [[Bustang]]. La Junta is part of the Lamar-Pueblo-Colorado Springs Outrider line.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bustang Schedulse |url=https://ridebustang.com/schedules/ |website=RideBustang |publisher=CDOT}}</ref>

The former military airport, located {{convert|5|mi|km}} north of La Junta, has {{convert|77|acre|ha}} of tarmac and two runways. One runway (east-west) is {{convert|6851|ft|m}} long and the other is {{convert|5800|ft|m}}. [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/la-junta.htm].

===Health care===
The city and region are served by the [[Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center]], located in La Junta.

==Notable people==
{{main|List of people from La Junta, Colorado}}

==In popular culture==
* The [[Terrence Malick]] motion picture ''[[Badlands (film)|Badlands]]'' (1973), starring [[Martin Sheen]] and [[Sissy Spacek]] filmed scenes in and around La Junta.
* Richard Fleischer's ''[[Mr. Majestyk]]'' (1974), starring [[Charles Bronson]], used several exteriors and interiors in La Junta, including the hospital and police station, as well as Main Street for the downtown gun battle, and various streets in town for parts of the car chase.
* Scenes for the 1978-79 TV mini-series, [[Centennial (miniseries)|''Centennial'']], were filmed at [[Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site]], just east of La Junta.
* In [[The Net (1995 film)|The Net]] (1995), [[Sandra Bullock]]'s character Angela Bennett is from La Junta.
* In the 1946 movie [[Without Reservations]] starring John Wayne and Claudette Colbert, they become stranded at the La Junta train station. Wayne's character is a Marine Corps pilot and they go to the Army Air Field to try to catch a flight to California.
* In the 1952 movie [[The Narrow Margin]] one of the mobsters who is looking to kill the wife of a mob boss on her way to Los Angeles to testify, boards the [[Southwest Chief]] during a train stop in La Junta.

==See also==
{{portal|Colorado}}
* [[List of municipalities in Colorado]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|La Junta, Colorado}}
* {{official website|https://lajuntacolorado.org}}

{{Otero County, Colorado}}
{{Colorado county seats}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Otero County, Colorado]]
[[Category:Cities in Colorado]]
[[Category:County seats in Colorado]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1881]]
[[Category:Colorado populated places on the Arkansas River]]
[[Category:1881 establishments in Colorado]]