[Downtown Limon, CO. Photo: ERoss99] Isolated to the east, nearly equal distance between Denver and Colorado, lies Limon, which grants it its nickname: “Hub City of Eastern Colorado”. It features a historic downtown area with a few blocks of businesses.
Limon is located about an hour and a half southwest of Denver.
History
Before Limon, CO became the most populous municipality in Lincoln County, Colorado, it used to be a rural farming town. Just about 100 miles east of Denver, the town’s development is not as hectic as the main Colorado towns famous during the Gold Rush.
The town was named after John Limon (or Lymon), the railroad supervisor assigned in the region. Though Limon was a small town with a simple community, it became popular because it has been known to be the place where one of the “most gruesome lynchings in American history” happened.
Preston Porter Jr. was accused of the murder of a white girl, and he was convicted on Nov. 16, 1990. As punishment, he was held by rope throughout the town and tied toa stake and eventually burned while reading the Bible. Porter reportedly begged the onlookers to shoot him, but the people of the community just added more fuel to the fire, according to an article in the November 17, 1900 edition of “The New York Times.”
Though Limon has had a rough and controversial history, the town has grown to become a more organized town. Its location is a pass by for nearby cities, so trade came in quickly. Interstate 70, U.S. Highways 24, 40, and 287, and State Highways 71 and 86 all pass through the town. Communities began arriving in Limon as heritage sites began to rise. The people wanted to remember its history to learn from it and to move towards their future.
Limon is also home to the Limon Correctional Facility, which is part of the Colorado Department of Corrections system. Now, the Limon is dubbed as the “Hub City” because of its vibrant community, economy and tourism landscape.
Accommodations
Limon Train Depot. Photo: Jim Maurer
Train on Limon’s railroad tracks. Photo: Jim Maurer
Things to do near Limon
Towns:
- Aurora (82mi)
- Burlington (77mi)
- Cheyenne Wells (86mi)
- Colorado Springs (72mi)
- Denver (91mi)
- Kit Carson (62mi)
- Lamar (118)
- Punkin Center (28mi)
Visit the town’s official page.
