|
Alamosa,
Colorado, United States. It is also the county seat.
According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population
of the city is 8,682. The city is the commercial
center of the San Luis Valley in south-central Colorado.
Established
in May, 1878 by the Denver and Rio Grande Railway
and quickly became an important rail center. Alamosa
is now a notable tourist town with many nearby attractions
including the Great Sand Dunes National Park and
Preserve. The town hosts a Sunshine Summerfest on
the Rio Festival which occurs the first weekend
in June. The name "Alamosa" means "cottonwood"
in Spanish.
Alamosa
is the shopping center for the San Luis Valley and
boasts a WalMart Supercenter and two supermarkets,
Safeway and City Market, a subsidiary of Kroger.
There are a number of fast food restaurants, two
medical clinics and a regional hospital, San Luis
Valley Regional Medical Center.
Adams
State College is located in Alamosa. ASC is a four
year, state supported college founded in 1921 and
offering degrees in several fields including business
and education. ASC's track team is internationally
recognized.
Alamosa
is located in the San Luis Valley, in the highest
general agricultural land in the United States.
The San Luis Valley is the largest intermountain
valley in the world and features a dry climate with
long cold winters and short cool summers. Local
farmers specialize in growing cool weather crops.
Elevation is about 7500 feet in Alamosa with peaks
over 14,000 feet within 23 miles of town in the
Sangre de Cristo range.
|