Huerfano County, Colorado

Huerfano County
County of Huerfano
Huerfano County Courthouse and Jail
Map
Interactive map of Huerfano County
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Country United States
State Colorado
EstablishedNovember 1, 1861
Named forHuerfano Butte
County seatWalsenburg
Largest cityWalsenburg
Area
 • Total1,593 sq mi (4,130 km2)
 • Land1,591 sq mi (4,120 km2)
 • Water2.2 sq mi (6 km2)  0.1%
Highest elevation14,351 ft (4,374 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total6,820
 • Density4.2/sq mi (1.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Area code719
FIPS code08055
GNIS feature ID198143
Websitewww.huerfano.us

Huerfano County (/ˈwɛərfən/ WAIR-fə-noh; Spanish pronunciation: [ˈweɾfano]) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,820.[2] The county seat is Walsenburg.[3] The county, whose name comes from the Spanish huérfano meaning "orphan", was named for the Huerfano Butte, a local landmark.[4] The area of Huerfano County boomed early in the 1900s with the discovery of large coal deposits. After large scale World War II coal demand ended in the 1940s Walsenburg and Huerfano saw a steady economic decline through 2015.

  1. ^ Blanca Peak Tripoint
  2. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Tales of the Huerfano". World Journal. March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2024.