Fowler

Fowler is in Otero County

History

Fowler, Colorado, located in Otero County, was founded in the late 19th century and incorporated in 1925. The town was named after Orson Squire Fowler, a noted phrenologist and lecturer whose ideas about octagonal building design briefly gained popularity. Settlers were drawn to the fertile Arkansas River Valley, and Fowler became a hub for irrigated agriculture—especially alfalfa, melons, sugar beets, and cattle ranching. The arrival of the Missouri Pacific Railroad allowed farmers to ship crops efficiently, and Fowler developed a reputation as a service town for surrounding farms, with stores, banks, a newspaper, and grain elevators. Its prime years stretched from the 1910s through the 1940s, when irrigation systems expanded and local businesses flourished. Like many agricultural towns on the plains, its growth slowed after World War II as farm consolidation and mechanization reduced the rural population, but Fowler retained a strong identity as a close-knit community with a still-active downtown. • Despite its small size, Fowler was once known for its octagonal school building, reflecting the influence of its namesake Orson Squire Fowler, who popularized octagon-shaped architecture in the 19th century. • Fowler had an active interurban rail connection in the early 1900s, linking it to Pueblo and other Arkansas Valley towns, which boosted its growth before automobiles took over. • The town still maintains a local newspaper, The Fowler Tribune, founded in 1899, which continues to publish weekly—a rarity among small towns of its size.

Geography

Geographically, Fowler is located at 38.1295° N, 104.0255° W, at an elevation of about 4,354 feet (1,327 m). The town covers 1.42 square miles (3.68 km²), entirely land. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Fowler had a population of 1,253 residents, making it one of the larger small towns in Otero County. Demographically, the community is majority White with a significant Hispanic/Latino population, reflecting the long agricultural labor traditions of the Arkansas Valley. Its population skews older compared to the state average, consistent with many rural Colorado towns. • Despite its small size, Fowler was once known for its octagonal school building, reflecting the influence of its namesake Orson Squire Fowler, who popularized octagon-shaped architecture in the 19th century. • Fowler had an active interurban rail connection in the early 1900s, linking it to Pueblo and other Arkansas Valley towns, which boosted its growth before automobiles took over. • The town still maintains a local newspaper, The Fowler Tribune, founded in 1899, which continues to publish weekly—a rarity among small towns of its size. • Fowler has promoted itself as the “friendly town” for decades, a motto that locals still proudly embrace.

Comment

Fowler, while a bit of a typical small rural town, there were hints of civic pride even though there were a significant number of old forgotten structures.