Colfax County, New Mexico 93416 222159733 2008-06-27T21:08:41Z Caveman1949 6996756 Added references for history {{Infobox U.S. County| county = Colfax County| state = New Mexico | seal = | map = Map of New Mexico highlighting Colfax County.png | map size = 200| founded = 1869| seat = [[Raton, New Mexico|Raton]] | largest city = Raton | area_total_sq_mi =3768 | area_water_sq_mi =11 | area percentage = 0.30% | census yr = 2000| pop = 14189 | density_km2 =1| web = www.co.colfax.nm.us/ | |}} '''Colfax County''' is a [[county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[New Mexico]]. As of 2000, the population is 14,189. Its [[county seat]] is [[Raton, New Mexico|Raton]]{{GR|6}}. It is the home of [[Philmont Scout Ranch]], whose Ranger Department conducts all search-and-rescue operations in the county in return for use of the county's helicopters. The county was named for [[Schuyler Colfax]] (1823-1885), seventeenth [[Vice President of the United States]]. ==Geography== According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of 3,768&nbsp;[[square mile]]s (9,759&nbsp;[[km²]]), of which, 3,757&nbsp;square miles (9,730&nbsp;km²) of it is land and 11&nbsp;square miles (29&nbsp;km²) of it (0.30%) is water. A large portion of the County lies in the [[Sangre de Cristo Mountains]]. [[Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)|Wheeler Peak]], elevation 13 161 feet (4 011m), is the tallest mountain in New Mexico and is located in Colfax County. Geography ranges from praires, to pinon forests, to alpine meadows. The County contains numerous state parks, ski resorts, national forests, scenic vistas, and outdoor recreational activities. ===Adjacent counties=== * [[Taos County, New Mexico]] - west * [[Mora County, New Mexico]] - south * [[Harding County, New Mexico]] - south * [[Union County, New Mexico]] - east * [[Las Animas County, Colorado]] - north * [[Costilla County, Colorado]] - northwest ==History== Colfax County was originally part of [[Taos County, New Mexico|Taos County]], one of the original nine counties created by the [[New Mexico Territory]] in 1852. In 1859, the eastern part of Taos County, including all of the territory of Colfax County, was split off to form [[Mora County, New Mexico|Mora County]]. Colfax County was established on January 25, 1869 from the northern part of Mora County. The original county seat was the gold mining town of [[Elizabethtown, New Mexico|Elizabethtown]]. <ref name="Pike">{{cite book | last = Pike | first = David | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Roadside New Mexico: a guide to historic markers | publisher = University of New Mexico Press | date = 2004 | location = Albuquerque, NM | pages = 434 p | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0826331181 }} </ref>{{rp|37-38}}. By 1872, when the gold rush in Elizabethtown had died down, the county seat was moved to [[Cimarron, New Mexico|Cimarron]]. Cimarron was on the stage coach route along the Mountain Branch of the [[Santa Fe Trail]], and was the headquarters of the [[Maxwell Land Grant]]. The Colfax County Courthouse in Cimarron is a contributing structure in the [[Cimarron Historic District]], and is still in use as a [[Masonic lodge]]. In 1881, the county seat was moved from Cimarron to [[Springer, New Mexico|Springer]], which was a railroad town on the [[Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad]]. The [[Colfax County Courthouse in Springer]] was the site of one of the last important shoot-outs in the [[Colfax County War]]<ref name="Pike"/>{{rp|122-124}}. This former courthouse, which is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] is now the home of a museum devoted to the [[Santa Fe Trail]]. The eastern portions of Colfax, [[Mora County, New Mexico|Mora]], and [[San Miguel County, New Mexico|San Miguel]] counties were severed to form [[Union County, New Mexico|Union County]] in 1893. After a referendum and a bitter legislative fight, the county seat moved from Springer to [[Raton, New Mexico|Raton]] in 1897. <ref>{{cite book | last = Conway | first = Jay T. | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = A brief community history of Raton, New Mexico | publisher = Gazette Print | date = 1930 | location = Raton | pages = 17 p | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = }}</ref>{{rp|23-24}}. Raton was an important coal-mining town, and was also a railroad center. The citizens of Raton raised $8000 to pay one third of the costs of a new courthouse. That courthouse was replaced in 1932 by the current [[Colfax County Courthouse (Raton, New Mexico)]], an [[art-deco]] [[Works Progress Administration|WPA]] structure that also is on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] <ref name="nris">{{cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref>. ==Demographics== As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 14,189 people, 5,821 households, and 3,975 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was 4 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 8,959 housing units at an average density of 2 per square&nbsp;mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.50% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.32% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 1.47% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.32% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 12.80% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 3.59% from two or more races. 47.49% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. There were 5,821 households out of which 30.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.86. In the county the population was spread out with 25.10% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 24.50% from 25 to 44, 26.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,744, and the median income for a family was $36,827. Males had a median income of $26,736 versus $19,644 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $16,418. About 12.00% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 21.20% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over. ==Localities== ===City=== *[[Raton, New Mexico|Raton]] ===Town=== *[[Springer, New Mexico|Springer]] ===Villages=== *[[Angel Fire, New Mexico|Angel Fire]] *[[Cimarron, New Mexico|Cimarron]] *[[Eagle Nest, New Mexico|Eagle Nest]] *[[Maxwell, New Mexico|Maxwell]] ===Other localities=== *[[Black Lake, New Mexico|Black Lake]] *[[Carisbrook, New Mexico|Carisbrook]] *[[Colmar, New Mexico|Colmar]] *[[Dillon, New Mexico|Dillon]] *[[Farley, New Mexico|Farley]] *[[Miami, New Mexico|Miami]] *[[Pittsburg, New Mexico|Pittsburg]] *[[Sunny Side, New Mexico|Sunny Side]] *[[Sweetwater, New Mexico|Sweetwater]] *[[Ute Park, New Mexico|Ute Park]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://nenewmexico.com/counties/colfax/ Colfax County information] {{Colfax County, New Mexico}} {{New Mexico}} {{coord|36.61|-104.64|display=title|type:adm2_region:US-NM_source:UScensus1990}} [[Category:New Mexico counties]] [[Category:Colfax County, New Mexico| ]] [[ar:مقاطعة كولفاكس، نيومكسيكو]] [[de:Colfax County (New Mexico)]] [[es:Condado de Colfax]] [[fr:Comté de Colfax (Nouveau-Mexique)]] [[bpy:কোলফ্যাক্স কাউন্টি, নিউ মেক্সিকো]] [[it:Contea di Colfax (Nuovo Messico)]] [[nl:Colfax County (New Mexico)]] [[ja:コルファックス郡 (ニューメキシコ州)]] [[no:Colfax County (New Mexico)]] [[nds:Colfax County (Nee-Mexiko)]] [[pt:Condado de Colfax]] [[sv:Colfax County, New Mexico]] [[zh:科爾法克斯縣 (新墨西哥州)]]