Chaffee County, Colorado

 

Founding: 1879
Parent county: Lake

Namesake: Jerome Chaffee, Colorado senator
Seat: Granite (1879–1880); Buena Vista (1880–1928); Salida (1928–)

Land area: 1,013 square miles

Population (2020): 19,476

Population (historic): 6,512 (1880); 7,085 (1900); 8,126 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1880; 1890–1910; 1950–1980; 1990s; 2010s

Subdivisions: One city; two towns; four CDPs

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,710 (15.7%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 60.5%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 14.3%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 7.3%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,671
Average outbuilding value (1930): $1,194
Average farmhouse size (1940): 3.8 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 326
Average farm size (1920): 79.5 acres

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Buena Vista (ex-seat)

Namesake: The Spanish term buena vista ("good view")

Founding: 1879 (platting); 1879 (post office); 1879 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 2,855

Population (historic): 2,141 (1880); 1,006 (1900); 751 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1880; 1950s; 1990–2010
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 289 (19.1%)

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Salida

Namesake: The Spanish word salida ("departure" or "exit")

Founding: 1880 (platting); 1881 (post office); 1891 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 5,666

Population (historic): 2,586 (1890); 4,425 (1910); 5,065 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1890–1910; 1970s; 1990s; 2010s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,095 (35.9%)

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Outstanding Buildings

1. Gas Creek School (1909). County Road 280 and US Highway 285. Italianate.
2. House (c. 1900). 327 US Highway 50. Queen Anne.
3. Joseph Hutchinson Ranch (1874). 8913 US Highway 50. Gothic Revival.

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