Capitan, New Mexico

Lincoln County

35-11800

Capitan is a town in Lincoln County in the U.S. state of New Mexico in the United States with 1,443 inhabitants ( 2000).

Geography

The city is located in the south of the county in south-central New Mexico and has a total area of 8.3 km ² without significant water surface.

History

Today Capitan has been inhabited since 1884, was after his first inhabitants but known until 1900 under the name " Gray". The railway company El Paso and Northeastern Railroad built a rail line from Carrizozo to one mile west of Capitan nearby coal mines. Around 1905, the mining industry but went there to end and fishing and hunting were the most important source of income in the village.

In the spring of 1950, a young black bear ventured with smoking fur after a forest fire in the city, which was called in the wake Smokey Bear and that was the mascot for the area. The bear was in the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington, DC brought, where he lived the next 26 years. After his death he was buried in Capitan. According to him, the Smokey Bear Historical Park was named and celebrated every year on the first weekend in May, the Smokey Bear Days.

Demographic data

According to the census of 2000, there were 1,443 people in 605 households, and 416 families. The population density was 174.1 inhabitants per km ². The racial the population was composed of 87.53 % White, 0.55 % African American, 1.46 % Native American, 0.55 % Asian, and other groups.

Of the 605 households out of which 26.40 % have children under the age of 18 living with them. 56.00 % were married couples living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband, and 31.20% were non-families, 27.40 % of all households are made and 10.40 % had someone living alone at the age of 65 years or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.

In relation to the entire town the population was spread out with 24.90 % under the age of 18, 5.90 % from 18 to 24, 22.60 % from 25 to 44 years, 29.90 % between 45 and 64 years and 16.60% were 65 years old or older. The average age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 men statistically.

The median income for a household was $ 27,188, and the median income for a family was $ 32,115. Males have a median income of $ 23,500, women $ 16,902. The per capita income was $ 15,062. 8.30% of families and 13.00 % of the population were below the poverty line.