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Phillips County, Colorado

13 topographic sheets cover 4 settlements here, and 10 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

10 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Colorado within the United States
Phillips County within Colorado

What the record shows

  • 28 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 10 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 5 buildings and 5 districts.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 4 populated places in this county; 4 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

10

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Evergreen Corner Rural Historic Districtbuilding201313000960
First National Bank of Haxtunbuilding198686001454
Hargreaves Homestead Rural Historic Districtdistrict201313000873
Harms Farmdistrict201615001010
W. E. Heginbotham Housedistrict198888000170
Millage Farm Rural Historic Districtdistrict201313000874
Oltjenbruns Farmdistrict201615001011
Phillips County Courthousebuilding200707001306
Reimer-Smith Oil Stationbuilding200000000323
Shirley Hotelbuilding200202000263

Wildfire, 2004 to 2020

51 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 51 of them, burning about 2,161 acres. 1 started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined49
Smoking1
Natural1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
30 June 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined750 acresPhillips CountyCOUNTY RD 49
1 July 2020Missing data/not specified/undetermined617 acresPhillips CountyBALI NEIL
9 April 2014Missing data/not specified/undetermined120 acresHolyoke Volunteer Fire DepartmentUNKNOWN
22 March 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined100 acresColorado State Forest Service-State Headquartersnot named
22 March 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined100 acresColorado State Forest Service-State Headquartersnot named
17 March 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined100 acresColorado State Forest Service-State HeadquartersHOLYOKE
13 June 2013Missing data/not specified/undetermined100 acresHolyoke Volunteer Fire DepartmentUNKNOWN
27 June 2011Missing data/not specified/undetermined100 acresColorado State Forest Service-State HeadquartersHOLYOKE

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1953 to 2025

60 of 405 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 405 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 2 injuries and about $2,133,530 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail219
Thunderstorm Wind121
Tornado50
Flash Flood12
Flood2
Heavy Rain1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 1955Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
May 2004Thunderstorm WindHolyoke1 hurtStrong thunderstorm winds flipped over a travel trailer at a mobile home park. One of the occupants had to be treated for minor cuts and bruises. A couple of blocks away, a cover from a skylight was ripped away from the roof of another residence. The strong winds also downed several large branches in the immediate area.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindHolyoke$1,000,000Stong thunderstorm winds ruptured a large storage bin containing 85,000-90,000 bushels of popcorn at Jack's Bean Company southeast of Holyoke. When the large bin ruptured, the collapse damaged two smaller 55,000 bushel bins adjacent to it. In addition, a trailer and shed were extensively damaged.
May 1991Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 1955Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
June 2007Flash FloodAmherst$100,000no account filed
June 1994Thunderstorm WindHaxton$50,000Thunderstorm winds damaged an airplane and two hangers as well as landing lights and a beacon at an airport southeast of Haxton (30 miles east of Sterling).
June 2009Flash FloodHolyoke$30,000Floodwaters up to one foot in depth were reportedly running over U.S. Highway 385. In addition, flash flooding from heavy rains washed out portions of several roads between County Roads 10 and 21.
August 2021Flash FloodHolyoke$25,000Thunderstorms produced very heavy rain in southeast Phillips County. Local law enforcement reported several roads were flooded southeast of Holyoke. Rainfall measurements from 4 to 9 inches were reported. Several houses had water rise up to the front doors. Significant flash flooding was observed 6 miles east of Holyoke on U.S. Highway 6. Widespread flooding of roads, ditches, and fields was reported. At least one road crossing Frenchman Creek was impassable. Frenchman Creek and other streams had significant flooding as well.
June 2010Flash FloodAmherst$25,000Heavy rain washed out sections of 20 country roads in Phillips County.
August 1976Tornadonot stated$25,000no account filed
August 1976Tornadonot stated$25,000no account filed
May 1965Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
August 2021Tornado (EF1)Holyoke Arpt$20,000A tornado touched down and destroyed two outbuildings. It also rolled a semi trailer.
June 2009HailHaxtun$20,000A severe thunderstorm caused extensive damage to wheat and corn crops in the immediate area. Out of 104,000 planted acres of wheat in Phillips County; 3,000 were destroyed. Sixty thousand additional acres were damaged. Out of 102,000 planted acres of corn in the county; 2,000 were completely destroyed and 20,500 were damaged.
August 2003Thunderstorm WindHaxtun$20,000Strong thunderstorm winds downed a tree which crashed on to a home. The force of the blow punctured a hole in the ceiling, and knocked drywall into the laundry room.
June 1995Thunderstorm WindHaxtun$5,500Wet microburst, straight-line winds estimated in excess of 75 knots ripped through the Haxtun vicinity as a second round of thunderstorms moved through the area. The winds flipped two corner irrigation sytems on to the adjacent road, toppled a few grain bins and removed some shingles off of a roof. A 70-foot evergreen tree had been toppled along with some smaller trees.
April 2021FloodHaxtun Muni Arpt$5,000Storm totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches. The flooding forced the closure of State Highway 59 south of Haxtun.
April 2013Thunderstorm WindHolyoke$5,000Severe thunderstorm winds knocked down a telephone pole.
July 1971Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
August 1994Tornado (F0)Haxtun (8NE)$500A tornado, which was estimated to be 50 feet wide and a quarter mile on the ground, passed through a feed lot with damage sustained to cattle buildings and feeders.
July 1953Tornadonot stated$30no account filed
May 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-County dispatch reported two trees down on houses within Holyoke, along with other tree damage and power outages. Time estimated.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindAmherst-The report was from a Weatherlink weather station.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke Arpt-The report was from a weatherlink station.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindPaoli-The report was from a weatherlink station.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-Mesonet station US 385 south of Holyoke.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindHaxtun Muni Arpt-Wunderground weather station.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-Mesonet station along US 385 south of Holyoke.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke Arpt-Awos station HEQ Holyoke Airport.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-The report was received from mesonet station AW276 Holyoke.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke Arpt-The report was from AWOS station HEQ Holyoke Airport.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindPaoli-The report was from WeatherLink station WL-Paoli 3 miles west.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-The report was from mesonet station CO048 US 385 Holyoke.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-CDOT station south of Holyoke on US 385.
August 2024Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-The mesonet station CO048 U.S. 385 Holyoke from CDOT reported the wind gust.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindHolyoke Arpt-Measured gust from KHEQ Holyoke Airport.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-A CDOT sensor on US-385 south of Holyoke reported a wind gust of 74mph and a sustained wind of 57mph.
July 2024HailAmherst-The report was from mping.
July 2024Thunderstorm WindPaoli-A trained spotter reported estimated wind gusts up to 60 mph along with very heavy rain. The wind knocked a few small limbs down.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-This was recorded on a CDOT weather sensor.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-Weather station CO048 US 385 Holyoke.
August 2023Thunderstorm WindHaxtun Muni Arpt-Intense thunderstorm winds destroyed some irrigation equipment.
June 2022Tornado (EFU)Amherst-A landspout touched down in an open field; no damage was observed.
June 2022Tornado (EFU)Holyoke Arpt-A landspout touched down briefly in an open field; no damage was observed.
August 2021Tornado (EF0)Holyoke Arpt-A weak tornado touched down in an open field, but no damage was reported.
August 2021Tornado (EF0)Holyoke Arpt-A tornado touched down briefly in an open field. No damage was observed.
July 2020Tornado (EF0)Amherst-A tornado touched down briefly near the intersection of CO 16 and CO 55. No damage was observed.
July 2020Tornado (EF0)Paoli-A weak tornado touched down briefly in an open field. No damage was observed.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindHaxtun-Macroburst winds downed power lines and damaged several buildings.
May 2019Tornado (EF0)Holyoke-A tornado touched down briefly in an open field. No damage was observed.
May 2019Tornado (EF0)Holyoke Arpt-A tornado touched down briefly in an open field. No damage was observed.
September 2019HailPaoli-The hail damaged broke several windows to a house and damaged vehicles.
September 2019HailAmherst-Hail broke a windshield.
July 2019Tornado (EF0)Holyoke-A small tornado touched down in an open field; no damage was observed.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindAmherst-Intense straight-line winds flipped a mobile home and damaged an adjacent home.
July 2018HailAmherst-Large hail the size of baseballs broke windshields and damaged trees.
June 2016Tornado (EF0)Paoli-A tornado touched down briefly but did no damage.
June 2016HailPaoli-Large hail and strong winds shattered windows to homes and vehicles.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindHolyoke-Intense straight-line winds downed trees. The storm also produced dime size hail.

Mines and quarries

8 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 8 workings inside this county. None of them still produces: all are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Sand and Gravel, Construction8

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Borrow PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnkSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast Producer
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceSedimentary
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceSedimentary
UnknownSand and Gravel, ConstructionOccurrenceSedimentary

Every populated place in the county

4

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.