Huerfano County, Colorado
Huerfano County | |
|---|---|
| County of Huerfano | |
Interactive map of Huerfano County | |
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Colorado |
| Established | November 1, 1861 |
| Named after | Huerfano Butte |
| County seat | Walsenburg |
| Largest city | Walsenburg |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,593 sq mi (4,130 km2) |
| • Land | 1,591 sq mi (4,120 km2) |
| • Water | 2.2 sq mi (6 km2) 0.1% |
| Highest elevation | 14,351 ft (4,374 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,820 |
• Estimate (2024) | 6,988 |
| • Density | 4.3/sq mi (1.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Area code | 719 |
| FIPS code | 08055 |
| GNIS feature ID | 198143 |
| Website | www.huerfano.us |
Huerfano County (/ˈwɛərfənoʊ/ WAIR-fə-noh; Spanish pronunciation: [ˈweɾfano]) is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,820. The county seat is Walsenburg. The county, whose name comes from the Spanish huérfano meaning "orphan", was named for the Huerfano Butte, a local landmark. The area of Huerfano County boomed early in the 1900s with the discovery of large coal deposits. After large scale World War II coal demand ended in the 1940s Walsenburg and Huerfano saw a steady economic decline through 2015.