Paonia, Colorado

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Town of Paonia, Colorado
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settlement_type = Town
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image_caption = Paonia's Grand Avenue, looking South


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map_caption = Location in Delta County and the state of Colorado


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = USA
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = flag|Colorado
subdivision_type2 = Countycite web | url = http://www.dola.state.co.us/dlg/local_governments/municipalities.html | title = Active Colorado Municipalities | format = HTML | publisher = State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs | accessdate = 2007-09-01]
subdivision_name2 = Delta
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government_type = Statutory Town
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established_title = Settled
established_date = 1880
established_title2 = Incorporated (town)
established_date2 = September 3, 1902cite web | url = http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/muninc.html | title = Colorado Municipal Incorporations | format = HTML | publisher = State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives | date = 2004-12-01 | accessdate = 2007-09-02]
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area_magnitude =
unit_pref = Imperial
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area_total_km2 = 2
area_land_km2 = 2
area_water_km2 = 0
area_total_sq_mi = 0.8
area_land_sq_mi = 0.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 1497
population_density_km2 = 748.5
population_density_sq_mi = 1871.3
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timezone = Mountain (MST)
utc_offset = -7
timezone_DST = MDT
utc_offset_DST = -6
latd = 38 |latm = 52 |lats = 3 |latNS = N
longd = 107 |longm = 35 |longs = 33 |longEW = W
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 1732
elevation_ft = 5682
postal_code_type = ZIP codecite web | url = http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/citytown.jsp | title = ZIP Code Lookup| format = JavaScript/HTML | publisher = United States Postal Service | accessdate = December 2 | accessyear = 2007]
postal_code = 81428
area_code = 970
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 08-57300
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:0186589 0186589]
website =
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The Town of Paonia is a Statutory Town in Delta County, Colorado, United States. The population was 1,497 at the 2000 census.

History

The area was first explored in 1853 by Captain John W. Gunnison of the United States Army. Gunnison was on an expedition to locate a suitable pass through the Rocky Mountains for the Topographical Engineers.

The North Fork Valley was inhabited by Ute Indians until 1880, when the Ute Indian Reservation was closed by the federal government following the infamous Meeker Massacre.

Following the closure of the reservation, the site itself was settled in 1880 by Samuel Wade and William Clark, who had accompanied Enos Hotchkiss to the area. The town was officially incorporated in 1902 and had its first election in July of that year. The name of the town comes from Wade's use of a Spanish derivative for "peony", the flower.

Geography

Paonia is located at coor dms|38|52|3|N|107|35|33|W|city (38.867630, -107.592579)GR|1.

The town is situated on the North Fork River, about 10 miles up from neighboring Hotchkiss, Colorado. It lies near the head of the North Fork Valley, an area about 150 miles southwest of Denver, Colorado's capital. The valley lies at the foot of Mount Lamborn (peak elevation 11,397) and the Grand Mesa. This valley forms the North fork of the Gunnison River watershed.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.0 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,497 people, 631 households, and 393 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,972.2 people per square mile (760.5/km²). There were 705 housing units at an average density of 928.8/sq mi (358.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.46% White, 0.07% African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 1.74% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.48% of the population.

There were 631 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the town the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,831, and the median income for a family was $40,170. Males had a median income of $35,962 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,033. About 9.7% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.4% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.

Industry

Coal Mining

A substantial portion of Paonia's residents are employed in one of several coal mines located near Somerset, a few miles from the town. The valley's principal coal mines are [http://www.oxbow.com/ContentPageSSL.asp?FN=ServicesMining&TS=2&MS=14 Oxbow Mining's] Elk creek mine, Arch Coal, Inc. West Elk Mine [http://www.uprr.com/customers/energy/coal/colorado/west_elk.shtml] and a mine run by [http://www.uprr.com/customers/energy/coal/company/bowie.shtml Bowie Resources] . BUCYRUS (was DBT America), the leading supplier of underground coal mining equipment, operates a small warehouse in Paonia for support of the underground longwall systems that are operating in the North Fork valley.

Chaco Sandals

Chaco maintains administrative operations in Paonia, but is exporting the last of its production jobs to China by the end of July 2008. [cite news
first = Hank
last = Lohmeyer
title = Chaco informs BoCC of ‘mass layoff’ plans
url = http://deltacountyindependent.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2122:chaco-informs-bocc-of-mass-layoff-plans&catid=37:biz&Itemid=73
work = Delta County Independent
location = Delta, Colorado, USA
page =
date = 2008-06-05
accessdate = 2008-06-05 ]

Fruit Growing

The area around Paonia is known for its orchards such as first fruits, which produce excellent peaches, apples, cherries, and other fruits. In addition, several vineyards and wineries have recently been established in the area.

Media

The noted Western newspaper, High Country News, is based in Paonia. Community radio station [http://www.kvnf.org KVNF] was founded in Paonia and continues to have studios in downtown Paonia. KVNF also now serves a number of towns in the North Fork and Uncompagre Valleys in Western Colorado through a network of stations and translators.

Those looking for employment, bargains or local real estate advertising depend on the locally published High Country Shopper, reputed to be one of the best shopper publications in the state. The "Shopper" is owned by Advantage Holdings, which also owns Mountain Valley News, which is distributed throughout Delta County.

Festivities

Cherry Days

Paonia celebrates its "Cherry Days" festival annually on the week of July 4. It features parades, a carnival, games, arts and crafts and musical performances.

BMW Rally

Paonia usually hosts a semi-annual rally for BMW motorcycle enthusiasts, who descend upon the town early in the summer and stay for several days.

Dreamtime Festival

The annual Dreamtime Festival has been hosted annually just outside of Paonia since 2002. Dreamtime combines live performances and music with educational workshops, theme camps and art installations. This fusion includes dancing, interactive sculptures, costumes, fire performances, theater, multimedia, creative fashion shows, DJs, a myriad of workshops, movement classes, healing camps, acoustic stages, and the inspired contributions of participants.

Rainbow Convention

In 1992 the annual Rainbow Gathering was held at nearby Overland Reservoir. An estimated 18,275 people converged on the site and lived in temporary dwellings for the summer. Although the reservoir is 27 miles from Paonia, it had a significant impact on all the towns in the North Fork Valley, including Paonia. Many "New Agers" and hippies continue to reside in and around Paonia.

ee also

*State of Colorado
**Colorado cities and towns
***Colorado municipalities
**Colorado counties
***Delta County, Colorado

References

External links

* [http://www.cmca.gen.co.us/Municipality.cfm?MunicipalityID=42 Town of Paonia contacts]
** [http://www.dot.state.co.us/App_DTD_DataAccess/Downloads/CityMaps/Paonia.pdf CDOT map of the Town of Paonia]
* [http://www.paoniachamber.com/ Paonia Chamber of Commerce]