Battlement Mesa, Colorado

Battlement Mesa, Colorado
census-designated place
The Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse in 2021
Nickname:  "The Colorado Dream"[1]
Location of the Battlement Mesa CDP in Garfield County, Colorado.
Battlement Mesa Location of Battlement Mesa, Colorado. Show map of the United States Battlement Mesa Battlement Mesa (Colorado) Show map of Colorado
Coordinates: 39°26′29″N 108°01′30″W / 39.4414°N 108.0251°W / 39.4414; -108.0251[2]
Country	United States
State	Colorado
County	Garfield[3]
Government
• Type	unincorporated community
• Body	Garfield County[3]
Area [4]
• Total	11.684 sq mi (30.261 km2)
• Land	11.459 sq mi (29.678 km2)
• Water	0.225 sq mi (0.583 km2)
Elevation [2]	5,489 ft (1,673 m)
Population  (2020)[5]
• Total	5,438
• Density	474.6/sq mi (183.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−07:00 (MST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−06:00 (MDT)
ZIP Code[6]	81635 and 81636
Area code	970
GNIS pop ID	1867077
GNIS town ID	2407805
FIPS code	08-05120

Battlement Mesa is an unincorporated community, a census-designated place (CDP), and post office in and governed by Garfield County, Colorado, United States. The CDP is a part of the Glenwood Springs, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area. The Battlement Mesa post office has the ZIP Codes 81635 and 81636 (for post office boxes).^[6] At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Battlement Mesa CDP was 5,438.^[5] The Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District provides services.

The community, which bills itself as a "covenant-controlled community", is primarily a group of contiguous subdivisions developed in the later decades of the 20th century, catering to families and retirees. It is located on the flank of a hill on the south side of the Colorado River, across from the older town of Parachute. The two communities together are known as "Parachute-Battlement Mesa". The town takes its name from Battlement Mesa, an 11,000-foot-high (3,400 m) basalt-topped mesa that sits to the south of the town.

The community was first developed by an oil company as a residence for its workers in the expectation that the rising price of oil would make shale oil extraction economically viable. When adjusted oil prices fell, the housing estate was left as a stranded asset, and the oil company marketed it to retirees in conjunction with a real estate firm.

The Battlement Mesa Schoolhouse, located at 7201 300 Road, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The rear portion of the building was built in 1897 with stone from a local quarry. The front portion was added in 1907, also using stone from the same quarry. By the late 1940s, the building was no longer used as a schoolhouse but was used for community gatherings and events. However, the local population declined, and the schoolhouse fell into disuse and was looted and vandalized.^[7] In 2003, the State Historical Fund awarded a grant to The Grand Valley Historical Society to restore the school building.^[8]

Battlement Mesa is located in Garfield County on the south side of the Colorado River. It is bordered to the northwest, across the river, by the town of Parachute. Interstate 70 passes through Parachute, providing access to Battlement Mesa from Exit 75. I-70 leads east 42 miles (68 km) to Glenwood Springs, the Garfield County seat, and southwest 45 miles (72 km) to Grand Junction. Denver is 200 miles (320 km) east via I-70.

At the 2020 United States census, the Battlement Mesa CDP had an area of 7,478 acres (30.261 km²), including 144 acres (0.583 km²) of water.^[4]

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Battlement Mesa has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.^[9]

The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Battlement Mesa CDP for the 1990 United States census.

As of the 2020 census, Battlement Mesa had a population of 5,438. The median age was 34.5 years. 27.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.7 males age 18 and over.^[11][12]

91.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 8.2% lived in rural areas.^[13]

There were 2,109 households in Battlement Mesa, of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.4% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[11]

There were 2,229 housing units, of which 5.4% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.8%.^[11]

Battlement Mesa is served by Garfield County School District 16, which also serves the neighboring town of Parachute.

• Rifle, CO Micropolitan Statistical Area
• List of census-designated places in Colorado
• List of populated places in Colorado
• List of post offices in Colorado

• Battlement Mesa @ Colorado.com
• Battlement Mesa Homeowners Association
• Battlement Mesa Metropolitan District
• Battlement Mesa Service Association
• Battlement Mesa Golf Club
• Garfield County website
• State of Colorado
  • History Colorado