Olney Springs, Colorado

Town in Crowley County, Colorado, United States

Town in Colorado, United States

38°9′57″N 103°56′45″W / 38.16583°N 103.94583°W / 38.16583; -103.94583Country

United StatesState

ColoradoCounty^[1]CrowleyIncorporated (town)May 27, 1912^[2]Government

• TypeStatutory Town^[1]Area

^[3]

• Total0.24 sq mi (0.62 km²) • Land0.24 sq mi (0.62 km²) • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)Elevation

^[4]

4,383 ft (1,336 m)Population

(2020)^[5]

• Total315 • Density1,300/sq mi (510/km²)Time zoneUTC-7 (Mountain (MST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-6 (MDT)ZIP code^[6]

81062

Area code719FIPS code08-55705GNIS feature ID0195368Websitetownofolneysprings.colorado.gov

Olney Springs is a Statutory Town in Crowley County, Colorado, United States. The population was 315 at the 2020 census.^[5]

Description

A post office called Olney Springs has been in operation since 1909.^[7] The town was named after one Mr. Olney, a railroad official.^[8]

Geography

Olney Springs is located in southwestern Crowley County at 38°9′57″N 103°56′45″W / 38.16583°N 103.94583°W / 38.16583; -103.94583 (38.165844, -103.945723).^[9] Colorado State Highway 96 leads east 11 miles (18 km) to Ordway, the county seat, and west 38 miles (61 km) to Pueblo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²), all of it land.

Slightly west of the town is the Crowley County Correctional Facility, owned by the Corrections Corporation of America. It has 1,794 prisoners from various states. Built as a speculative venture in 1998, it had a massive riot in 1999 when operated by the now-defunct Community Services Corporation. The builder, Dominion Ventures, took over its management, and in January 2003 ownership and operation transferred to CCA. Another devastating riot took place on July 20, 2004, once again requiring massive intervention by local and state law enforcement and correctional personnel.^[10]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1920	240	—
1930	228	−5.0%
1940	260	14.0%
1950	279	7.3%
1960	263	−5.7%
1970	264	0.4%
1980	253	−4.2%
1990	340	34.4%
2000	389	14.4%
2010	345	−11.3%
2020	315	−8.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

References

^ ^a ^b "Active Colorado Municipalities". State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved September 1, 2007.
^ "Colorado Municipal Incorporations". State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Retrieved September 2, 2007.
^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
^ ^a ^b United States Census Bureau. "Olney Springs town; Colorado". Retrieved April 25, 2023.
^ "ZIP Code Lookup". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original (JavaScript/HTML) on January 1, 2008. Retrieved November 27, 2007.
^ "Post offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^ Dawson, John Frank (1954). 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. 38.
^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
^ "AFTER ACTION REPORT - Inmate Riot: Crowley County Correctional Facility - July 20, 2004" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 1, 2006.