Art, Culture & History in Grand Junction, Colorado (2024)

FAQs

Why is Grand Junction famous? ›

Nature's Trifecta lives here, which includes Colorado National Monument, known as a mini-Grand Canyon; the Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world bursting with over 300 lakes; and Rattlesnake Arches, the 2nd-most concentration of natural arches in the world.

The Caputa, Mouache and Weenuchiu wintered in northwestern New Mexico; the Tabeguache (Uncompahgre) camped near Montrose and Grand Junction; the Northern Utes would make their winter camps along the White, Green and Colorado Rivers.

Grand Junction has been nicknamed "River City".

Living in Grand Junction offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Grand Junction there are a lot of coffee shops and parks. Many families and young professionals live in Grand Junction and residents tend to lean conservative. The public schools in Grand Junction are above average.

Grand Junction, on the Western Slope, is a Republican stronghold, while Pueblo, a town with a large Latino population and (by Colorado norms) a heavily unionized workforce, provides a base of support for Democrats.

Grand Junction is regarded as the region's commercial center. The primary factors for the economy are healthcare, agriculture, tourism, livestock and oil and gas. The area also includes light manufacturing.

In 1864, the Sand Creek Massacre resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Arapaho and Cheyenne people, and soon after these nations would be relocated out of Colorado. Other indigenous nations native to Colorado include the Apache, Comanche, Shoshone, and Ute.

The Ute Tribe, who happen to be Colorado's oldest residents, were the most populous group of the time. The Ute Tribe's early relationship with Colorado was able to span centuries because of their deep respect for the land. The Ute's relationship with Colorado is intertwined with their creation story.

COMMUNITY PROFILE: The Colorado River Indian Tribes include the Mohave, Chemehuevl, Hopi, and Navajo. The federal government established the Colorado River Indian Tribes Reservation in 1865 originally for the Mohave and Chemehuevl people that had lived along the Colorado River for hundreds of years.

On the east side is the Grand Mesa, on the north is the Book Cliffs, and to the southwest is the Colorado National Monument. Two rivers, the Colorado and the Gunnison, join together in Grand Junction, the largest city in the valley.

What desert is Grand Junction, CO in? ›

The City of Grand Junction is uniquely situated in a semi-arid, high desert region of Western Colorado. In our neck of the woods, precipitation is scarce. Fortunately, Grand Junction is sustained by the largest flat-top mountain in the world, called the Grand Mesa to our east.

Crime Rates in Grand Junction

The average monthly crime rate in Grand Junction has fallen by 3.57% from 7.94 per 1,000 residents in 2010 to 7.66 in 2022. As of 2022, Grand Junction's crime rate is 37.5% higher than Colorado's.

There are an estimated 2,300 people experiencing houselessness in Mesa County, according to a report from the City of Grand Junction. Grand Junction's unhoused population, as a share of the city's total, is 14% higher than people experiencing homelessness in Denver, the study concluded.

Today, tourism and agriculture are the main drivers of the Grand Junction economy as thousands of outdoor recreation enthusiasts visit the city each year to hike, bike, camp, and raft in the area, as well as tour the Grand Valley's fruit orchards and wineries.

The cost of living in Grand Junction, CO is 3% lower than the state average and 3% higher than the national average. Grand Junction, CO housing is 8% more expensive than the U.S average, while utilities are about 9% less pricey.