Garfield

Formed February 10, 1883 (34^th county)

Garfield County (61,688), Glenwood Springs (9,956)

The governmental concrete building of Garfield County was built in 1929.  The courthouse is on 8^th Street between Pitkin and Colorado streets.  Interstate Highway 70 is two blocks north across the Colorado River.  Robert K. Fuller provided the Art Deco designs for the courthouse.  Veteran memorials are on the grounds.  There was an addition in 1984 and a separate County Administration center was built in 2002 across the street.  There is an augmenting courthouse in Rifle.  Garfield County was established on February 10, 1883 from Summit County as the 34^th county.  The county’s namesake is President James Garfield.  The county seat is named for Glenwood, Iowa and the local springs.  Glenwood Springs has always been the county seat.  The center of the county is 36.4 miles Northwest of Glenwood Springs nearer Rifle. 

Garfield County government consists of a sheriff, assessor, manager, coroner, and treasurer (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five District Court Judges serve Garfield, Pitkin and Rio Blanco counties and Two Trial Court Judges, clerk, and county attorney serve Garfield County (judicial.)  Garfield County is in western Colorado touching the border with Utah.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Rio Blanco, Routt, Eagle, Pitkin, and Mesa counties and Utah.  

The area of the county is 2958.2 square miles.  The county is 8 out of 64 in the state.  It ranks 13 out of 64 in population in the state.  It has a density of 20.9 persons per square mile making it 23 out of 64 in the state.  Garfield County has 59.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 70 crosses east to southwest in the county, Eagle County to Mesa County.  United States Highway 6 is joined with Interstate Highway 70 from Eagle County to Mesa County.  The county shape is the number 7 lying on its back.  Glenwood Springs is located in the southeast corner of the county.  Glenwood Springs is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 16.1% of the county population.  The Colorado River flows through the majority of the county.