Facts About La Veta CO and Surrounding Area
Population of La Veta
The population of La Veta is approximately 924 (as of 2000 census). The approximate number of families is 552 (as of 2000 census).View MLS Listings for La Veta & Cucharo CO
Size of La Veta and Surrounding Area
The amount of land area in La Veta is 2.759 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in La Veta is 1.2 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 0 sq kilometers.
The distance from La Veta to Washington DC is 1590 miles. The distance to the Colorado state capital is 155 miles. (as the crow flies)
La Veta is positioned 37.51 degrees north of the equator and 105.00 degrees west of the prime meridian. La Veta elevation is 7,013 feet above sea level.
La Veta Location
In southern Colorado aproximently one hours drive southwest of Pueblo and three hours drive to Denver.
Below is a map of La Veta.
Climate & Weather
The weather in La Veta is seasonal. There are over 300 days of sunshine each year. Snow may fall from September through April.
La Veta average annual precipitation is 18.0 inches per year.
The average winter temperature is 30 degrees F.
The average spring temperature is 44.8 degrees F.
The average summer temperature is 67.9 degrees F.
The average fall temperature is 49.9 degrees F.
For information on current La Veta and Cuchara listings, contact Ed Kirkland at 719-679-1309 or ed@firewallranch.com.
La Veta History
The twin mountains known as the Spanish Peaks can be seen for miles, and were used as a landmark by all those who passed through this area. The Peaks were known to the Comanche as "Wahatoya," which means "Double Mountain." The ancient Indians believed the Spanish Peaks were the home of the rain gods, and therefore the source of life and thought of them as the "breasts of the world." Later, Native Americans who often hunted and camped here were the Apache, Arapaho, Kiowa and Ute.
The Spanish Conquistadors arrived in New Mexico in the 1500's. They noticed the mountain range west of the Peaks turned red at sunrise, and named them the "sangre de Cristo," or "blood of Christ." Other landmarks in the area also given Spanish names include Cucharas (spoon), La Veta (the vein), and Huerfano (orphan). Other explorers and travelers followed the Spanish. Among them was Col. John M. Francisco, who came to the Valley in 1840. He was a settler at Fort Garland until he built his plaza in La Veta to serve as a ranch headquarters in 1861. He supplied nearby settlers as well as the gold miners around Denver. His plaza provided protection from Indian attack as well. It is now Francisco Fort Museum. The first post office was established in 1871. The railroad depot was located here in 1876, when La Veta was incorporated. The upper Cuchara Valley was once known as Nunda Canyon (nunda is an Indian word for "potato," and early settlers found the climate excellent for the crop).
In 1908, George Mayes moved to the Valley for his health, and was convinced Cuchara would be a great health resort. He named his resort Cuchara Camps. By 1910, several cabins had been built, and Cuchara was a summer community.
La Veta Geology
From sweeping prairie to rugged mountains, the Cucharas Valley is a geological panorama. Origins of these landmarks vary, and are grand examples of prehistoric eras. For example, the Spanish Peaks were masses of molten igneous rock which pushed toward the surface but never reached it.
The Sangre de Cristos were formed by glaciers. When the Peaks were formed, magma also surged upward into cracks in the ground and hardened. Over time, the softer sediments surrounding the hardened magma wore away, leaving giant walls called dikes. These dikes radiate from the Peaks like spokes in a wheel, and vary in length from a few hundred feet to over 14 miles. Many are seen along Highway 12, the most prominent being Devil's Stairsteps and Profile Rock.
South of La Veta is Goemmer's Butte, which is a volcanic plug; although the beginnings of a volcano, it never reached the surface and erupted. Further south, Highway 12 goes through a gap in the Dakota Wall - a sandstone formation running from Mexico to Canada and nicknamed the "backbone of the Rockies."