The City of Pueblo is located at the point where the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek meet in south eastern Colorado. It is a modern It has the highest percentage of Hispanic residents of any city in the United States among its multi-ethnic and multi-cultural population of around 105,000. The Arkansas River runs through the centre of the downtown area of the city, facilitating many recreational pastimes, like kayaking and rafting, fishing and bird watching. The Historic Arkansas River Project was built on the original course of the Arkansas River, before it was diverted following a massive flood in 1921. It features fine restaurants, outdoor art installations, boat rides and one can take a carefree stroll along its length to enjoy the natural beauty of its surroundings. Those moving to Pueblo will also discover a Pueblo State Park, the Steelworks Museum of Industry and Steel, a zoo, numerous museums and art galleries, the historic Union Avenue district and excellent sports facilities (including the Dutch Clark Football Stadium named for Colorado's first Hall of Famer.
History:
It is believed that Pueblo was established by traders and trappers around 1842 and, because of its location, was an important trading station. The original town comprised twelve adobe homes for these traders and, as the town grew, a fort was built to protect the residents but it was attacked in 1854 with the loss of many lives and was abandoned. By 1858, the settlement was re-established and flourished in the midst of the Colorado Gold Rush of 1859 and has continued to do so to the present. As Pueblo was once on the border between the United States and Mexico, the Hispanic influence on the city is palpable as many Mexican traders remained after the formal border was demarcated.
Economy:
Once considered a major economic center in the area, Pueblo's fortunes diminished as a result of the many floods it suffered, the largest being the Great Flood of 1921, whereupon the Arkansas River was diverted to save the city. Besides its history as a trading outpost, the city is one of the largest steel producers in the United States but, with the decline in the steel industry in the 1970s and 1980s, its economic fortunes have further slipped. There are now many news plans being implemented to encourage and bolster its economic stature with, notably, the creation of an industrial park. The city is now a thriving hub to many successful private businesses, with hi-tech establishments, steel suppliers and a Spanish food industry being of note. The world's largest wind turbine facility is to be built in Pueblo and it is considered to be the best location in the US for solar powered installations.