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List of county seats in Colorado

This is a list of the county seats of the U.S. State of Colorado and its two predecessors: the extralegal Territory of Jefferson and the official Territory of Colorado.

Territory of Jefferson

On August 24, 1859, voters of the Pike's Peak mining region approved the formation of the Provisional Government of the Territory of Jefferson and designated Denver City as the capital. On November 28, 1859, the territory established 12 counties which served as the de facto local government. The extralegal territory was unable to secure authorization from the United States Congress embroiled in the debate over slavery. On November 13, 1860, the territory moved its capital to Golden City. On February 28, 1861, after seven slave states seceded from the Union, U.S. President James Buchanan signed An Act to provide a temporary Government for the Territory of Colorado. On June 6, 1861, the Jefferson Territory officially yielded to the new Territory of Colorado.

The 12 counties of the Territory of Jefferson and their county seats

Territory and State of Colorado

The free Territory of Colorado was officially organized on February 28, 1861. On November 1, 1861, the Colorado Territory created 17 original counties: Arapahoe, Boulder, Clear Creek, Costilla, Douglas, El Paso, Fremont, Gilpin, Guadalupe, Huerfano, Jefferson, Lake, Larimer, Park, Pueblo, Summit, and Weld; plus the Cheyenne and Arapaho Reserve. The Colorado Territory later added 12 more counties for a total of 29, of which 26 still exist.

On August 1, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant issued Proclamation 230: Admission of Colorado into the Union. The State of Colorado has created 41 counties of which 38 still exist, for a total of 64 existing counties.

The 64 current and six extinct counties of Colorado and their county seats

Table of county seats

County seat distinctions

  1. The six cities of Boulder, Cañon City, Central City, Denver, Golden, and Pueblo are the longest serving Colorado county seats having been designated by the Territory of Colorado on November 1, 1861.
  2. Of the 64 current counties of Colorado, 38 have retained their original county seat.
  3. Weld County has changed its county seat five times: in 1868, 1870, 1874, 1875, and 1877.
  4. Granite has served as the county seat of three counties: Lake County, Carbonate County, and Chaffee County.
  5. Conejos is the only remaining unincorporated county seat in Colorado.
  6. San Miguel (later Costilla) was designated the original county seat of Costilla County, Colorado Territory, despite lying unbeknownst south of the border in the Territory of New Mexico.

See also

Notes

References

External links