Drug, Alcohol and DNA Testing Centers, Del Norte, CO

Local Area Info: Del Norte, Colorado

Del Norte is named from the river Rio Grande del Norte, "grand river of the north". The Utes were the first people to live here, particularly in the summers because of the abundance of wild game, plants, water, and timber in the area. However, winters were too cold and harsh for them to settle permanently. Under Mexican jurisdiction, some Hispanic families moved into the area in the early to mid-19th century as part of land grants to help the Mexican government occupy the territory, but no large-scale settlements could be established because the Utes were very weary of settlement, and would chase off many people who attempted to do so. The most successful early settlement was called 'La Loma', established a few miles east of where the current town-site is today. This area was chosen because there was a particular section of the Rio Grande here where it could be crossed safely and easily. American settlement began in the early 1870s by prospectors who were searching the nearby mountains for minerals such as gold and silver, particularly near Bennett Peak. The San Juan Mountains were one of the last regions in Colorado where miners were allowed to explore and prospect for minerals, but were finally able to do so after the Brunot Treaty was signed between the U.S. government and the Utes. Once the mines near Summitville proved profitable, Del Norte was officially established around 1874 in order to serve as a base camp for the mines not just in Summitville, but also in nearby Creede and Lake City. Miners quickly moved into the area, and they were followed by ranchers and farmers - many of these original ranching families still operate and live in the Del Norte area to this day. After the Sherman Act was repealed in 1893, mining operations quickly became unprofitable and ceased. The 'glory days' of Del Norte ended as quickly as they began, but the community still survived because of ranching and agriculture. There were talks in southern Colorado throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s to secede from the state of Colorado and create the state of San Juan, with Del Norte acting as this proposed state's capital city, however this secession movement died quickly. Del Norte would see cycles of boom and bust throughout the 20th century, but has recently become a blossoming community due to the abundance of recreational activities provided by the area's unique geography; such as mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, fishing, hunting, camping, etc. Del Norte is also one of the communities which provides lodging for nearby Wolf Creek Ski Area. Grande Avenue, the main street through Del Norte, still has many of the facades on its store fronts from the 1800s, reminding its residents and tourists of the town's historic past.

Del Norte is located at 37°40?44?N 106°21?11?W? / ?37.67889°N 106.35306°W? / 37.67889; -106.35306 (37.679015, -106.352976), where the Rio Grande leaves the San Juan Mountains and enters the San Luis Valley, near its confluences with Pinos Creek and San Francisco Creek, respectively. Del Norte is located on the western edge of the San Luis Valley, which means that a variety of climates, vegetation regions, and ecosystems transition into each other at or near Del Norte. Lookout Mountain, also known to locals as 'D' Mountain, overlooks Del Norte at an official elevation of 8,475 feet above sea level, and is perhaps the most notable landmark of the town.

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,705 people, 657 households, and 446 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,004.4 people per square mile (774.5/km²). There were 736 housing units at an average density of 865.2 per square mile (334.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 66.86% White, 0.12% African American, 1.06% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 27.68% from other races, and 3.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 57.36% of the population.