Holly, Colorado
Statutory Town[1]
Former Holly Santa Fe Depot, turned town hall
Former Holly Santa Fe Depot, turned town hall
Location of the Town of Holly in the Prowers County, Colorado.
Location of the Town of Holly in the Prowers County, Colorado.
Holly is located in the United States
Holly
Holly
Location of the Town of Holly in the United States.
Coordinates: 38°3′16″N 102°7′31″W / 38.05444°N 102.12528°W / 38.05444; -102.12528
Country United States
State Colorado
CountyProwers County
Incorporated (town)September 4, 1903[2]
Government
 • TypeStatutory Town[1]
Area
[3]
 • Total0.7244 sq mi (1.8763 km2)
 • Land0.7234 sq mi (1.8737 km2)
 • Water0.0010 sq mi (0.0026 km2)
Elevation
[4]
3,392 ft (1,034 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total837
 • Density1,157/sq mi (447/km2)
Time zoneUTC−07:00 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP code[5]
81047
Area code719
FIPS code08-37215
GNIS feature ID0203843
Websitetownofholly.com

Holly is a statutory town in Prowers County in southeastern Colorado, United States. The town is located 4.3 miles (6.9 km) west of the Kansas border at an elevation of 3,393 feet (1,034 m). Despite having the lowest elevation of any Colorado municipality, Holly is higher than the high points of 19 states and the District of Columbia. The town population was 837 at the 2020 United States Census.[3]

History

Early history

Holly was settled as a ranching community, and the town was incorporated in 1903.[6] The town was named for Hiram S. Holly, a local cattleman.[7] Hiram S. Holly moved to the town in 1871, and brought 1,300 cattle with him. Holly's ranch, the SS Ranch or Double S Ranch, was the first settlement in the area.[8] The Holly SS Ranch Barn, a stone barn built in 1879, survives and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original stone ranch house also survives, nearby, but is not listed.[9]

Holly Sugar

Holly Sugar was created in the town in 1905 just in time for the sugarbeet harvest that year. The production was so successful the company quickly looked to expand to other communities. By 1911, Holly Sugar had expanded outside the State of Colorado. The company has long since left the Holly community. In 1988, Holly Sugar merged with Imperial Sugar.[10]

2007 Holly tornado

Main article: Late-March 2007 Tornado Outbreak

2011 Jensen Farms listeriosis outbreak

Main article: 2011 United States listeriosis outbreak

Geography

Holly is located at 38°3′16″N 102°7′31″W / 38.05444°N 102.12528°W / 38.05444; -102.12528 (38.054520, -102.125398).[11]

At the 2020 United States Census, the town had a total area of 463.6 acres (1.8763 km2) including 0.64 acres (0.0026 km2) of water.[3]

Climate

The Köppen Climate system classifies the weather as semi-arid, abbreviated as BSk.[12]

Climate data for Holly, Colorado (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 79
(26) 		88
(31) 		96
(36) 		99
(37) 		107
(42) 		111
(44) 		110
(43) 		109
(43) 		105
(41) 		97
(36) 		90
(32) 		81
(27) 		111
(44)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 67.0
(19.4) 		73.8
(23.2) 		83.1
(28.4) 		89.9
(32.2) 		96.8
(36.0) 		102.6
(39.2) 		104.4
(40.2) 		102.0
(38.9) 		98.5
(36.9) 		91.1
(32.8) 		79.0
(26.1) 		66.8
(19.3) 		105.5
(40.8)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 45.7
(7.6) 		49.7
(9.8) 		60.2
(15.7) 		68.3
(20.2) 		77.9
(25.5) 		89.1
(31.7) 		93.4
(34.1) 		90.6
(32.6) 		83.1
(28.4) 		70.5
(21.4) 		57.0
(13.9) 		46.2
(7.9) 		69.3
(20.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 30.5
(−0.8) 		33.9
(1.1) 		43.2
(6.2) 		51.3
(10.7) 		61.8
(16.6) 		72.7
(22.6) 		78.1
(25.6) 		75.7
(24.3) 		67.1
(19.5) 		53.7
(12.1) 		40.6
(4.8) 		30.7
(−0.7) 		53.3
(11.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 15.3
(−9.3) 		18.1
(−7.7) 		26.3
(−3.2) 		34.3
(1.3) 		45.8
(7.7) 		56.2
(13.4) 		62.7
(17.1) 		60.9
(16.1) 		51.0
(10.6) 		36.9
(2.7) 		24.2
(−4.3) 		15.2
(−9.3) 		37.2
(2.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −1.4
(−18.6) 		2.1
(−16.6) 		10.0
(−12.2) 		21.6
(−5.8) 		31.5
(−0.3) 		44.4
(6.9) 		54.6
(12.6) 		52.6
(11.4) 		37.6
(3.1) 		21.8
(−5.7) 		7.9
(−13.4) 		−1.5
(−18.6) 		−7.7
(−22.1)
Record low °F (°C) −28
(−33) 		−25
(−32) 		−22
(−30) 		7
(−14) 		10
(−12) 		31
(−1) 		40
(4) 		38
(3) 		19
(−7) 		2
(−17) 		−9
(−23) 		−23
(−31) 		−28
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.39
(9.9) 		0.34
(8.6) 		0.88
(22) 		1.45
(37) 		2.16
(55) 		2.51
(64) 		2.99
(76) 		2.89
(73) 		1.18
(30) 		1.33
(34) 		0.61
(15) 		0.52
(13) 		17.25
(438)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 4.2
(11) 		3.4
(8.6) 		4.7
(12) 		1.4
(3.6) 		0.7
(1.8) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		1.0
(2.5) 		3.2
(8.1) 		2.9
(7.4) 		21.5
(55)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 2.3 2.7 4.2 5.8 8.0 7.7 8.0 6.9 4.5 4.0 2.9 2.5 59.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 2.0 1.8 1.6 0.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.2 1.6 9.2
Source: NOAA[13][14]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1900364—
191072498.9%
192094029.8%
19309713.3%
1940864−11.0%
19501,23643.1%
19601,108−10.4%
1970993−10.4%
1980969−2.4%
1990877−9.5%
20001,04819.5%
2010802−23.5%
20208374.4%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 1,048 people, 369 households, and 250 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,388.5 inhabitants per square mile (536.1/km2). There were 449 housing units at an average density of 594.9 per square mile (229.7/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 75.10% White, 0.38% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 23.66% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 35.97% of the population.

There were 369 households, out of which 39.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.5% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 32.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,917, and the median income for a family was $31,979. Males had a median income of $23,000 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,246. About 21.7% of families and 27.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.5% of those under age 18 and 20.7% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

Holly is the hometown of Roy Romer who moved there as an infant from his birthplace of Garden City, Kansas. Romer served as the 39th Governor of Colorado from 1987 to 1999, and subsequently as the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2000 to 2006.

Donald Wagner (September 24, 1918 to February 8, 2004) lived in Holly area from the time he was 3 years old. Serving on the school board, he was instrumental in getting the Holly Jr Sr High School built in the 1960s.

Well-known evangelist A.A. Allen pastored a church in Holly for several years beginning in 1936.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Active Colorado Municipalities". Colorado Department of Local Affairs. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  2. ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d "QuickFacts for Colorado". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 24, 2021.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on November 4, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2007.
  6. ^ "Holly, Colorado". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  7. ^ Dawson, John Frank. Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin. Denver, CO: The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co. p. 26.
  8. ^ "Holly". The Official Site of Colorado Tourism. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  9. ^ Troy R.Tengwall (May 30, 2003). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Holly SS Ranch Barn / Double S Ranch Barn / 5PW192". National Archives. Retrieved December 19, 2020. (Downloading may be slow.)
  10. ^ "Imperial Sugar Company -- Company History". Funding Universe. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  11. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  12. ^ Climate Summary for Holly, Colorado
  13. ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  14. ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.

External links

Municipalities and communities of Prowers County, Colorado, United States
State of Colorado
Authority control databases
Categories