Situated on the New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas borders, Baca County lies in the crossroads of the history-rich West.
Due to its rapid growth in the 1880s, the Colorado Legislature split off the eastern portion of Las Animas County to create the new county in 1887.
Despite the county’s many booms and busts in the agricultural economy, it continues to remain dependent on it. Perhaps the biggest bust came during the Dust Bowl, which arrived in the 1930s. Baca County was one of the hardest hit counties in the country, and its population declined from 10,570 in 1930 to 6,207 in 1940.
The “Dirty Thirties” prompted soil conservation efforts by the Federal Government centered in Baca County. A part of these efforts included the government’s purchase of cultivated land, which was returned to grassland.
While in Baca County, plan to pause for 64 rustic stone, brick, and concrete New Deal-era landmarks. Love the outdoors? Visitors will appreciate ancient Native American petroglyphs in Comanche National Grassland’s colorful canyons along with the tranquil waters at Two Buttes Reservoir and Turks Pond. Or, get your fill of outdoorsy activities like hunting, fishing, hiking, birding, and more.
