Hugo, Colorado
Statutory Town
Downtown Hugo, looking northwest along U.S. Highway 40.
Downtown Hugo, looking northwest along U.S. Highway 40.
Location of Hugo in Lincoln County, Colorado.
Location of Hugo in Lincoln County, Colorado.
Coordinates: 39°8′1″N 103°28′5″W / 39.13361°N 103.46806°W / 39.13361; -103.46806
Country United States
State State of Colorado
CountyLincoln County Seat[1]
IncorporatedJune 21, 1909[2]
Government
 • TypeStatutory Town[1]
 • MayorLora Bledsoe
Area
[3]
 • Total0.91 sq mi (2.36 km2)
 • Land0.91 sq mi (2.36 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[4]
5,039 ft (1,536 m)
Population
 (2020)[5]
 • Total787
 • Density860/sq mi (330/km2)
Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)
ZIP code[6]
80821
Area code719
FIPS code08-37875
GNIS feature ID195141
WebsiteCity Website

Hugo is a statutory town in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Colorado, United States.[7] The town population was 787 at the 2020 census.[5]

History

In about 1859 the town was developed as a cattle ranching community to supply miners with provisions. The town was also used as a local stage coach stop.[8]

There are two stories as to how the town obtained its name. One version says the town was named by the Kansas Pacific Railroad builders after pioneer stage agent (Overland company), Hugo Richards. Richards later moved to Prescott, Arizona where he became town banker and businessman.[9][10] Another story says the town was named for Richard Hugo who was a local settler.[11] The town was founded in 1870,[12] and incorporated in 1909.[13]

In July 2016, the water supply for the town of Hugo was purportedly contaminated by THC, the main psychoactive component in cannabis.[14] Subsequent testing found no THC in the water supply, and authorities believe the initial tests were false positives.[15]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km2), all of which is land. Hugo's elevation is 5,039 ft.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hugo has a cold semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Climate data for Hugo, Colorado, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1897–2019
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 78
(26) 		82
(28) 		85
(29) 		89
(32) 		98
(37) 		103
(39) 		104
(40) 		101
(38) 		100
(38) 		91
(33) 		83
(28) 		75
(24) 		104
(40)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 67.3
(19.6) 		69.1
(20.6) 		76.2
(24.6) 		82.5
(28.1) 		89.6
(32.0) 		95.5
(35.3) 		99.1
(37.3) 		97.1
(36.2) 		93.0
(33.9) 		86.5
(30.3) 		75.1
(23.9) 		66.6
(19.2) 		98.7
(37.1)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 45.7
(7.6) 		47.0
(8.3) 		56.4
(13.6) 		63.6
(17.6) 		72.6
(22.6) 		83.1
(28.4) 		89.1
(31.7) 		86.8
(30.4) 		79.7
(26.5) 		66.8
(19.3) 		54.0
(12.2) 		45.0
(7.2) 		65.8
(18.8)
Daily mean °F (°C) 29.0
(−1.7) 		30.8
(−0.7) 		39.3
(4.1) 		46.3
(7.9) 		56.4
(13.6) 		66.7
(19.3) 		72.6
(22.6) 		70.5
(21.4) 		62.3
(16.8) 		49.2
(9.6) 		37.5
(3.1) 		29.1
(−1.6) 		49.1
(9.5)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 12.3
(−10.9) 		14.5
(−9.7) 		22.2
(−5.4) 		29.1
(−1.6) 		40.3
(4.6) 		50.4
(10.2) 		56.1
(13.4) 		54.3
(12.4) 		45.0
(7.2) 		31.5
(−0.3) 		21.0
(−6.1) 		13.3
(−10.4) 		32.5
(0.3)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −6.4
(−21.3) 		−0.7
(−18.2) 		6.5
(−14.2) 		17.0
(−8.3) 		28.6
(−1.9) 		40.1
(4.5) 		49.6
(9.8) 		46.7
(8.2) 		31.6
(−0.2) 		14.1
(−9.9) 		1.7
(−16.8) 		−4.1
(−20.1) 		−13.0
(−25.0)
Record low °F (°C) −28
(−33) 		−22
(−30) 		−13
(−25) 		2
(−17) 		21
(−6) 		31
(−1) 		43
(6) 		37
(3) 		24
(−4) 		−5
(−21) 		−17
(−27) 		−28
(−33) 		−28
(−33)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.16
(4.1) 		0.33
(8.4) 		0.65
(17) 		1.24
(31) 		2.02
(51) 		2.52
(64) 		3.14
(80) 		2.61
(66) 		1.08
(27) 		1.02
(26) 		0.26
(6.6) 		0.32
(8.1) 		15.35
(389.2)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 3.2
(8.1) 		4.2
(11) 		4.6
(12) 		4.1
(10) 		0.4
(1.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		2.2
(5.6) 		2.1
(5.3) 		3.6
(9.1) 		24.4
(62.1)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 2.0 2.3 3.1 5.0 6.9 6.9 7.5 7.4 4.1 3.6 2.0 1.7 52.5
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 1.9 2.1 1.8 1.7 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 1.5 1.8 11.6
Source 1: NOAA[16]
Source 2: National Weather Service (mean maxima and minima 1991–2005)[17]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1880140—
1910343—
1920838144.3%
1930712−15.0%
194085219.7%
195094310.7%
1960811−14.0%
1970759−6.4%
19807762.2%
1990660−14.9%
200088534.1%
2010730−17.5%
20207877.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Arts and culture

Hugo has the Eastern Trails Museum and Cultural Arts Center, the historic Hugo Kansas-Pacific/Union Pacific Roundhouse, the Union Pacific Train Depot Town Museum, and the historic Hedlund Museum House, the vintage swimming pool of which are all located in Hugo.

Hugo's public library is located in the Hugo municipal building.

Parks and recreation

Hugo's municipal public park (Hines Park) features a vintage swimming pool which was constructed as a Works Project Administration facility in the 1930s and is designated as a historic site by the National Register of Historic Places. There is also a picnic area, playgrounds, a volleyball court as well as a basketball court. The municipal building has a racquetball court on its grounds. The Coulson Nature Trail is a 2.5-mile wildlife and nature hiking trail on the outskirts of town. Kinney Lake State Wildlife Area is 14 miles south of Hugo, and features a 10-acre lake for fishing and recreation as well as camping and hunting of deer, antelope, rabbit, coyote, waterfowl during the licensed season.

Education

Hugo is served by the Genoa-Hugo School District No. C-113 and includes Genoa-Hugo Elementary School, Genoa-Hugo Middle School and Genoa-Hugo High School.

Media

The Eastern Colorado Plainsman is the weekly newspaper serving Hugo and the surrounding communities. There is an FM radio station licensed for Hugo.

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
  2. ^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
  3. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  5. ^ a b United States Census Bureau. "Hugo town; Colorado". Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  6. ^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on November 4, 2010. Retrieved October 12, 2007.
  7. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  8. ^ "Hugo's History". City of Hugo. Archived from the original on June 16, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  9. ^ A Historical & Biographical Record of the Territory of Arizona. Chicago, IL: McFarland & Poole. 1896. pp. 469–470.
  10. ^ Conners, Jo (1913). Who's Who in Arizona. Tucson, AZ. pp. 769–770. ((cite book)): |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  11. ^ "Profile for Hugo, Colorado, CO". ePodunk. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved July 14, 2012.
  12. ^ "City of Hugo Colorado". City of Hugo Colorado. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  13. ^ "Hugo, Colorado". City-Data.com. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  14. ^ "Colorado town finds THC in its water, warns residents not to drink or bathe in it – The Denver Post". July 21, 2016.
  15. ^ "Hugo water safe to drink after conclusive tests show no signs of THC". July 23, 2016.
  16. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  17. ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data". National Weather Service. Retrieved August 8, 2022.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hugo, Colorado.
Municipalities and communities of Lincoln County, Colorado, United States
County seats and consolidated city-counties of Colorado
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