Durango, state (1990 pop. 1,349,378), 47,691 sq mi (123,520 sq km), N central Mexico. The city of Durango is the capital. The western half of the state is dominated by the Sierra Madre Occidental. These mountains contain deposits of many different minerals, and the mines extend north into the state of Chihuahua and south into Zacatecas. Durango is a leading national producer of ferrous metals. The semiarid plains of E Durango afford good ranching, and livestock raising is a major occupation. Lumbering is also economically important in the state. On the border of Coahuila is the fertile Laguna District, where vast desert basin lands are irrigated by the Nazas River. Gómez Palacio is the main settlement in this region. Cotton is the chief crop in the Nazas Valley, and wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, corn, and vegetables are also grown. Although known early to the Spanish, Durango was not opened up until 1562, when Francisco de Ibarra undertook its exploration and colonization. The early European settlers of Durango and Chihuahua (which were then called Nueva Viscaya) were strongly resisted by the native population, but the mines and grazing lands continued to attract colonists. Durango became a separate state in 1823, shortly after the Mexican revolution against Spain.

Durango or Victoria de Durango, city (1990 pop. 348,036), capital of Durango state, N central Mexico, along the highway linking Mexico City with El Paso, Tex. Minerals are the chief product, but the city is also an agricultural, commercial, and tourist center. Founded as a mining town in 1563, Durango served as capital of the region of Nueva Viscaya. In the 19th cent. the city suffered frequent scorpion plagues. Nearby is the Cerro del Mercado (640 ft/195 m high), a hill of solid iron ore. Durango's cathedral is a massive example of early 18th-century architecture.

Durango, city (1990 pop. 12,430), seat of La Plata co., SW Colo., on the Animas River; inc. 1881. In a mountainous region at an elevation of c.6,500 ft (1,980 m), it produces computer software and has farming, mining, lumbering, and increasing tourism and recreation, especially skiing, rafting and kayaking, and fishing. Durango is the gateway to Mesa Verde National Park and Canyons of the Ancients National Monument and the headquarters for the San Juan National Forest. Fort Lewis College is in the city, and Ute reservations are nearby.

officially Victoria de Durango

City (pop., 2000: 427,135), capital of Durango state, north-central Mexico. It lies in a fertile valley of the Sierra Madre, about 6,200 ft (1,890 m) above sea level. North of the city is the Cerro del Mercado, a hill of nearly pure iron ore representing one of the world's largest deposits of that mineral. First settled in 1556, Durango was the political and ecclesiastical capital of Nueva Vizcaya, which included Durango and Chihuahua until 1823. The city, long known as a health resort, is an important commercial and mining centre.

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The City of Durango (Kinłání) is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of La Plata County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 15,501 in 2005.

History

The town was organized in September 1880 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad to serve the San Juan mining district. The D&RG chose a site south of Animas City for its depot after Animas City refused to pay a "dowry" to the D&RG. The city is named after Durango, Mexico. The word Durango originates from the Basque word "Urango" meaning "water town".

Geography

Durango is located at at an elevation of 1988 meters (6523 feet). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.8 square miles (17.6 km²).

Attractions

Durango is nestled in the Animas River Valley surrounded by the San Juan Mountains. The Animas River - El Río de las Animas Perdidas or the River of Lost Souls - runs through downtown and boasts gold medal fly fishing waters and is very popular for whitewater rafting, kayaking and canoeing. Durango is an outdoor activity paradise - Hiking, mountain biking, road biking, backpacking, rock climbing, hunting, off-roading, year-round fishing, kayaking, rafting and golfing - to name just a few.

In the winter, Durango has easy access to five major ski areas, including Purgatory at Durango Mountain Resort, located just 25 minutes north of downtown. Located 35 miles west of Durango is Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings.

Durango's Primary Attraction is the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a heritage railway which travels from Durango to the historic mining town of Silverton, Colorado on steam-powered trains with rolling stock dating back to the 1920s and before.

Durango hosted the first-ever Mountain Bike World Championships in 1990.

Also Durango is home to the Snowdown Festival , an event which includes fireworks and a parade. The centerpiece, the parade, usually occurs the last Friday of January or the first Friday of February.

Transportation and Business

Durango is served by U.S. Highway 160 (the Old Spanish Trail) and U.S. Highway 550. Part of U.S. 550 offers high-speed access (primarily a 4-lane, divided highway) to Albuquerque, New Mexico. North of Durango, 550 is nicknamed the Million Dollar Highway.

It offers a regional shopping center and La Plata Regional Airport (actually located near Ignacio) is a major regional airport for southwestern Colorado. Durango-La Plata County Airport is serviced by Delta Air Lines, Lynx Aviation (Frontier Airlines), United Express (United Airlines), and US Airways.

Colleges

Fort Lewis College is situated on a 500ft mesa (bluff) overlooking downtown Durango, and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Pueblo Community College is a small community college located on Camino del Rio. San Juan Basin Technical College, located outside of Cortez, Colorado, 45 miles away, offers EMT certification in Durango.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,922 people, 5,492 households, and 2,603 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,052.4 people per square mile (792.8/km²). There were 5,819 housing units at an average density of 857.8/sq mi (331.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.84% White, .50% African American, 5.51% Native American, 0.74% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 4.12% from other races, and 2.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.31% of the population.

There were 5,492 households out of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.2% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.6% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the city, 16.6% of residents are under the age of 18, 26.1% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 29 years. For every 100 females there are 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 103.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $34,892, and the median income for a family is $50,814. Males have a median income of $31,812 versus $25,022 for females. The per capita income for the city is $19,352. 17.2% of the population and 7.3% of families live below the poverty line. 11.2% of those younger than 18 and 8.9% of those 65 and older live below the poverty line.

Notable Residents

• Tom Danielson
• Steve Carlton
• Andrea Jaeger
• Missy Giove
• Ned Overend
• Elaine Youngs
• Bob Roll
• John Cole
• Travis Brown
• Ross Anderson (skier) (Former resident; now lives in Ruidoso, NM.)
• Ed Stasium
• Todd Wells
• Chris Moss
• Kris Persson

Sister cities

• Durango, Mexico
• Durango, Spain

References in fiction

• The 1999 movie Durango Kids describes a time tunnel in the old mines outside of Durango.
• Durango is the home of Alexander Mahone's wife and young son in the television series Prison Break.

See also

• Animas River
• Colorado municipalities
• Durango Herald
• Durango Micropolitan Statistical Area
• Durango Mountain Resort
• Durango-Silverton Narrow-Gauge Railroad National Historic District
• La Plata County, Colorado
• Mesa Verde National Park
• Million Dollar Highway
• Old Spanish National Historic Trail
• State of Colorado

References

External links

• City of Durango website
• CDOT map of the City of Durango
• The Durango Herald - local daily newspaper
• Central Reservations - travel planning resource
• The Durango Telegraph - local weekly newspaper
• The Durango Independent Film Festival
• DurangoDowntown.com - Your Community Web Site
• Access Durango, Colorado - Community Portal
• Durango Ultimate - Where "Happy Hour" is a Lifestyle