Meeker, Colorado

Meeker is the Statutory Town in and the county seat  of Rio Blanco County, Colorado, United States, that is the most populous municipality in the county.  The town population was 2,374 at the 2020 United States Census.

Description
The town is largely a ranching community, located in the wide fertile valley of the White River in northwestern Colorado. Relatively isolated from other communities, it sits near the intersection of State Highway 13 and State Highway 64, on the north side of the White River and at the base of a long ridge, known locally as China Wall. The Bureau of Land Management has a regional office in the town. Meeker is the home of the annual Meeker Classic Sheepdog trials.

History

The town is named for Nathan Meeker, the United States Indian Agent who was killed along with 11 other white citizens by White River Ute Indians in the 1879 Meeker Incident, also known as the Meeker Massacre. The site of the uprising, the former White River Indian Agency, is located along State Highway 64 in the White River valley west of town and is marked by a prominent sign. None of the buildings remain.

After the uprising and the ensuing conflict known as the Ute War, in 1880 the US Congress passed legislation requiring the Ute population to relocate to reservations in Utah. The United States Army established a garrison on the current site of the town, called the Camp at White River. The town was founded in 1883 following the removal of the troops. The White River Museum is located just north of the Rio Blanco County Courthouse and housed in several original wooden structures of the Army garrison.

The town emerged as a regional center for hunting by the turn of the 20th century. Theodore Roosevelt visited the town twice in 1901 and in 1905 on a mountain lion and bear hunting trip and stayed in the historic Hotel Meeker opposite the courthouse. The town is also a favorite summer destination and permanent residence for many prominent Americans, including billionaires Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York, Henry Kravis, former president and COO of Goldman Sachs Jon Winkelried, and comedian Daniel Tosh.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land. The town is situated on the White River at an elevation of 6,250 feet above sea level.

Demographics

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Meeker has a warm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Meeker was  on July 11, 1900, while the coldest temperature recorded was  on January 7, 1913, and January 12, 1963.

Notable people
 Neal Blue, co-owner of General Atomics
 Virginia Neal Blue (1910-1970), Colorado State Treasurer from 1967 to 1970
 Margaret L. Curry (1898–1986), Colorado state parole officer
 Buddy Roosevelt, actor and stunt performer

See also

 List of municipalities in Colorado
 Colorow Mountain State Wildlife Area, northwest of Meeker

References

External links

 
 Meeker Range Call and 4th of July Celebrations
 Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway
 Meeker Chamber of Commerce
 Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials
 City-data.com entry for Meeker, Colorado
 Meeker Regional Library
 Pioneers Medical Center

County seats in Colorado
Towns in Colorado
Towns in Rio Blanco County, Colorado