Pueblo West

History

The area that is now known as Pueblo West was undeveloped rangeland before Robert P. McCulloch, land developer and oil magnate, and his company McCulloch Properties, Inc. came to Colorado. Historically occupied by Ute and Comanche people, most recently the land was used for ranching, supported by the water from the Arkansas River. Inspired by the neighboring City of Pueblo, Colorado, and the momentum of successfully creating Lake Havasu City, Arizona, McCulloch, and his company was formally founded in the Pueblo West Metropolitan District (the District) on September 16, 1969. Shortly after the creation of the District, McCulloch built the Pueblo West Inn, where guests were treated to a luxurious experience to sell land in the rolling prairies of the new community. The Pueblo West News, the District's first newspaper, reported by 1974, over 2,000 new residents had moved into Pueblo West, and Pueblo School District 70 founded Pueblo West Elementary with 200 students enrolling in the fall. In 1977 McCulloch Properties pleaded guilty to criminal fraud for large‐scale land sales misrepresentation. Since the 1970s, recreational and industrial opportunities were also being founded on Pueblo West property, including the South Equestrian Center, National Horseman's Arena, the Pueblo West Golf and Tennis Club, and manufacturing company Aspen Skiwear, all making use of the area's expansive plains for their ventures. Pueblo West had a population of nearly 4,500 by the early 1980s, requiring the building of Pueblo West Middle School. With developmental opportunities abounding in the North Industrial Park, the economy of the District was growing alongside its residential areas. Following a population boom in the 1990s, several new elementary schools were built, with Pueblo West…

Geography

Pueblo West is approximately 49 square miles in size and is located along the southern edge of the state's major growth corridor. Situated on Highway 50, roughly 7 miles west of the City of Pueblo and 38 miles east of Cañon City, Pueblo West is bisected by U.S. Route 50, and its northeastern border is adjacent to Interstate 25. Lake Pueblo State Park is situated along the southern boundary of Pueblo West, and the remainder of the community is mostly landlocked by ranch land, conservation easements, and private property. The Pueblo West CDP has an area of , including of water. Spring temperatures can fluctuate greatly during the day, with the average highs for March, April, and May typically registering from the 50s to the mid 70s. However, in some years late spring snow storms can dump inches of snow, sometimes in a matter of a few hours. Some years might see light snowfall well into May. Nighttime lows typically range from the 20s to the 40s for these months. Pueblo West is rather windy in general, and particularly windy in the spring. In the summer, high temperatures typically start out in the 80s-90s range, but can quickly reach 100 or higher. However, the evenings are pleasantly cool, with the average summer low evening temperature being in the 50s to 60s, although occasionally temperatures can drop down into the upper 30s even during the summer. Fall is often crisp and very dry. September, October, and November typically start out in the 80s and fall through the 70s to reach high temperatures in the 50s during November, although, depending on the year, October or even September can sometimes see the first snowfall. Lows for this time period tend to move from the 50s down into the upper 20s. Frequently these months will also become windier and can exacerbate…

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,018
• Ring-billed Gull

  Larus delawarensis Ord, 1815 · Aves
  7,572
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  7,411
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  7,278
• American Coot

  Fulica americana Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  6,664
• Eurasian Collared-Dove

  Streptopelia decaocto (Frivaldszky, 1838) · Aves
  6,404
• Northern Flicker

  Colaptes auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,370
• House Finch

  Haemorhous mexicanus (P.L.Statius Müller, 1776) · Aves
  6,306