Elizabeth

Elizabeth is a Statutory Town that is the most populous municipality in Elbert County, Colorado, United States.

History

Elizabeth is the most populous municipality in Elbert County, Colorado, United States. The town population was 1,675 at the 2020 United States census, a +23.34% increase since the 2010 United States Census. Elizabeth was originally a saw mill camp. The town was later named after a family member of John Evans, a territorial governor. The town has had a post office since 1882 and was incorporated in October 1890. Elizabeth, Colorado, began as a sawmill camp called Russellville in 1855, established by the Webber Brothers along Running Creek. Although gold was found in 1858, the discovery did not lead to a boom, and instead, the town's growth was sustained by settlers attracted to farming, cattle ranching, dairy, and logging. Relocated after flooding, Elizabeth moved to its current site and became a stop along regional transportation routes, facilitating economic growth. Major development occurred around 1882 with land donations, and the town was officially incorporated in 1890. At its early peak, around 1901, Elizabeth featured a range of businesses and civic infrastructure, serving as a local center for the surrounding agricultural community. However, the 1920s brought economic setbacks, worsened by the Great Depression and a devastating 1935 flood that led to the railroad’s removal, triggering a population decline. Elizabeth's next sustained growth arose in the 1960s and beyond, as improved transportation made it attractive as a commuter town for the Denver metro area, shifting its character from rural to suburban and sparking renewed development. In August 2024, the Elizabeth School District’s School Board removed 19 books from school libraries because they included what the Board deemed to be ‘sensitive’ topics. Students, parents and authors sued the Elizabeth School District in federal court, and in March 2025 they won a preliminary injunction requiring that all 19 of the removed books be immediately returned to the browsing shelves of school libraries and prohibiting the Elizabeth School Board from removing any other library books due to its disagreement with the content and/or viewpoint of those books.

Geography

Elizabeth is located at 39°21′40″N 104°36′22″W. Elizabeth is 6476 ft Above Sea Level. The 2020 United States Census measured the total land area at about 1,280 acres (5.178 km²), all of which is land with negligible surface water. Elizabeth's population is estimated at 2,980, reflecting rapid recent growth. Demographically, about 89% of residents identify as White, with other racial groups comprising the remainder; the median age is about 32.5 years, and the town displays above-average household incomes, with a median household income of $110,227 and a low poverty rate of roughly 3.2%. The area’s proximity to Denver and the Front Range, coupled with continued commuter inflow, has transformed Elizabeth from a rural community into a growing suburban town.

Comment

Elizabeth is a quaint small town, and overall the community apparently takes pride in who they are, as it is a very clean little community.