Hartsel, Colorado


Hartsel is an unincorporated community in Park County, Colorado, United States. Its post office has a ZIP Code of 80449. The ZCTA for 80449 had a population of 677 at the 2000 census.

History

Founded in 1880, Hartsel is close to the geographic center of the state, and is often referred to as "The Heart of Colorado". The namesake of the community is Samuel Hartsel, a local cattle rancher who came to Park County in 1860 and left in 1908. He also raised pigs and sheep and grew oats, wheat, barley, rye, and hay on fifteen thousand acres. He developed the Hartsel hot springs and built a sawmill, blacksmith shop, and a trading post to lay the groundwork for the town.

Geography

Hartsel is located at .
According to the United States Census Bureau the town has a total area of 605.10 square miles, 601.18 square miles is land and 3.92 square miles is covered with water. Hartsel's elevation is 2,702 meters.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Hartsel has a Cold Semi-arid climate. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the Plant Hardiness zone is 3b with an average annual extreme minimum temperature of -30.7 °F.
Summers are warm with chilly nights in the 30's and 40's and some thunderstorm activity during the months of July and August. Winters are cold and dry with lows below zero.

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. Potential natural vegetation Types, Hartsel would have a Wheatgrass / Needlegrass vegetation type and a North Mixed grass prairie vegetation form.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, the population of ZIP code 80449 was 677 with 284 households. The population density was 1.13 per square mile. The racial makeup of the ZIP code was 94.1% White, 0.9% Native American, 2.7% other races, and 2.4% from two or more races.

Robert Lewis Dear

On November 27, 2015, a shooting spree and five-hour standoff with police occurred in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The accused shooter, identified as Robert Lewis Dear, was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder. Based on public records, Dear purchased property in Hartsel during the month of October 2014 for $6000. During an interview with CNN, Dear's neighbor Zigmond Post said one of the few interactions he had was when Dear brought him some anti-Obama pamphlets. Dear was a resident of Hartsel for a "short period", and Hartsel community members have been vocal about his residence in Hartsel, stating "he took full advantage of the anonymity afforded by life on the frontier" and "I don't think it's been positive for us."