Hermosa is an unincorporated community in La Plata County, Colorado, United States. It is located north of Durango along U.S. Highway 550.[1]
Hermosa | |
|---|---|
Unincorporated community | |
 The D&SNG water tank along U.S. Route 550 in Hermosa, April 2020 | |
| Etymology: From the Spanish word hermosa, meaning beautiful[1] | |
  Hermosa Location within the state of Colorado | |
| Coordinates: 37°24′55″N 107°50′07″W / 37.41528°N 107.83528°W[2] | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  State of Colorado |
| County | La Plata County |
| Elevation | 6,644 ft (2,025 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| ZIP code | 81301 |
| Area code | 970 |
| GNIS feature ID | 183933[2] |
History
editThe community was established around 1874[1] and had a post office from 1876 to 1900.[3] Residents are now served by post offices in Durango.
In 2018, the 416 Fire burned northwest of Hermosa, prompting evacuations.
Attractions
editThe Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has a water stop in Hermosa, and the railroad maintains a maintenance yard and a siding there, which is sometimes called the Hermosa Depot. The yard has a prominent railroad water tank that is easily seen by motorists passing through Hermosa on Highway 550.
Hermosa Creek passes through the community from west to east and has its confluence with the Animas River nearby.
The Hermosa Cliffs,[4] formed of red sandstone, line the river valley in Hermosa.
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b c d Bright, William (2004). Colorado place names (Third ed.). Boulder: Johnson Books. p. 85. ISBN 1555663338. LCCN 2003024331.
- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hermosa, Colorado
- ^ "Post offices". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
- ^ "Hermosa Cliffs". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
External links
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Media related to Hermosa, Colorado at Wikimedia Commons