Town of the Week, May 9, 1998

Take a visit to Limon, Colorado; just listen in.

Limon, Colorado

Driving west across the parched plains into eastern Colorado, I-70 leads up, up, up, 'til it reaches the point of a high, almost imperceptible escarpment. The rock face resembles an arrowhead pushing its way from the mountains into the high plains. At the back wings of the arrowhead lie Denver to the north and Colorado Springs to the south. At the point of the arrowhead lies the town of Limon, Colorado. This center of cattle and sheep raising owes its origin and development to several railroads and Limon was named in 1888 for a construction foreman from the Rock Island line.

Kids here used to play run sheep run and kick the can in front of the Cozy Cafe. But Limon got too busy for that, serving the 18 thousand vehicles on 5 highways that pass through each day in summer. In fact, Limon was once featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not as the town with the greatest number of gas stations in a one mile stretch, 28.

Limon's culture can be found in its Heritage Museum, located in the old depot; and at nearby Railroad Park. Limon's Lincoln Theatre is one of three remaining "backward" movie theatres in the nation. It was built backwards to save on excavation costs, so when you enter the theatre, you walk uphill with the screen to your back. Its a favorite spot for Limon High School Badgers and Lady Badgers.

This 2,000 population community is known as the Hub City of the High Plains; and it's our Town of the Week, Limon, Colorado.

. . . the first permanent settlement in Colorado was founded in 1851 at Conejos in San Luis Valley. . . . Green Russell's discovery of small placer gold depsosits in 1858 precipitated a gold rush from the East, as well as the "Pike's Peak or Bust" slogan. . . . in 1863, a telegraph line linked Denver with the East; ten words to New York cost &9.10. . . . Nathaniel Hill erected the first smelter in Colorado in 1868, inaugurating the era of hard-rock mining. . . . in 1876 Colorado was admitted to the Union as the 38th state and John L. Routt was elected first governor. This same year, Greeley's first industry, the tanning of buffalo hides, turned out 12 robes a day. . . . Ute tribes were removed onto reservations in 1881. Bands of Utes under Colorow from Utah made the last Indian raid into Colorado in 1888; they were defeated and returned to the reservation. . . . Colorado has three governors in one day in a political squabble. First, Alva Adams, then James H. Peabody, and finally Jesse F. McDonald. . . . 1917 was a big year: Congress delcared war on Germany and many Coloradans volunteered for service. Coloradio reached maximum mineral production: more than $80,000,000. And William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody, famous Indian scout, died and was buried on Lookout Mountain.

Town of Limon 100 Civic Center Drive P.O. Box 9 Limon, CO 80828 Phone: 719-775-2346 E-mail: jkiely@iguana.ruralnet.net Limon, CO website CO Government Tourism Page Offial Colorado State Vaca Guide

Nickname: Centennial State Motto: Nil Sine Numine Nothing Without the Deity Flower: White and Lavender Columbine Insect: Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly Gem: Aquamarine Fossil: Stegosaurus Tree: Colorado Blue Spruce Fish: Greenback Cutthroat Trout Bird: Lark Bunting Grass: Blue Grama Grass Animal: Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Info for "D'ja Know?" and "Fun Facts" compiled from the Limon, CO website and the Colorado State website.