Antonito, Colorado
Town in the United States in Conejos County
About Antonito
Antonito (in Spanish Antoñito) is a statutory town located in Conejos County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 647 at the 2020 United States census.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How Antonito is governed
Form of government not yet listed.
0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.
Residents of Antonito
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
Administration & departments
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
Administration & departments
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
Administration & departments
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
Administration & departments
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
Administration & departments
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
Administration & departments
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
Administration & departments
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
Judicial
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Population over time
From 781 in 2010 to 647 in 2020 (−17.2%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 647 |
| 2010 | 781 |
History
Antonito began life as a sheep herding camp known as San Antonio Junction, referring to its proximity to the Conejos and San Antonio rivers. When the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad built its line south from Alamosa, the town was renamed Antonito and became an important town on the railroad line. The San Antonio, Colorado, post office moved north to Antonito on January 24, 1881, and the Town of Antonito was incorporated on December 29, 1889. There are currently no major industries located in Antonito, but the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad has one terminus in Antonito and the other in Chama, New Mexico. The C&TS also has maintenance facilities and rail yard in the town. The Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad continues to operate the rail line from Antonito to Alamosa.
In 2015, a Colorado State Highway project rebuilt the stretch of Highway 285 that runs through town. The new highway has helped beautify the downtown area and improve traffic flow.
The city has a number of unique buildings, including a historic Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad depot, one of only a few lava rock depots still existing in the United States. Currently in a state of disrepair, a grant to restore the building is in the works. Cano's Castle, a folk-art home constructed by a local resident, attracts attention from tourists and local residents alike. Just south of town, Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Conejos County have jointly developed an outdoor shooting range with areas for rifle sighting as well as target practice ranges for various types of rifles and handguns. An indoor archery range and nearby hunting and fishing opportunities attract outdoor enthusiasts.
A library, tire repair shop and a new medical clinic have opened in recent years and Family Dollar recently built a store in Antonito. The South Conejos School District recently constructed a new South Conejos Jr. and Sr. High School in the town.
Several scenes from the prologue of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed in and around Antonito, including scenes depicting the Jones family home. This century-old structure is currently used as a bed and breakfast.
The town is known for its many murals, most of them painted by Fred Haberlein.
Antonito is the location of the oldest church building and congregation in Colorado, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, built in 1857.
Following the legalization of cannabis in Colorado, Antonito took advantage of its location along the New Mexico border (where cannabis was illegal until 2022) to become a destination for New Mexico residents seeking to legally purchase cannabis. The tax revenue resulted in a $295,000 annual increase to the city budget.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.