Craig, Colorado

The City of Craig is the Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Moffat County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 9,464 at the 2010 United States Census. It is home to Grande Olde West Days, Whittle the Wood Rendezvous, and one of North America's largest elk herds.

History

Founded by William H. Tucker, Craig was incorporated as a city on April 24, 1908. The town was named for one of the town's financial backers, Reverend William Bayard Craig.

Craig became the county seat when Moffat County was created out of the western portion of Routt County on February 27, 1911. In the same area as Craig, at the confluence of the Yampa River (then known as the Bear River) and Fortification Creek, were previous towns known as Yampa (as early as 1885) and Windsor (as early as 1878). In 1878 the area consisted of a number of ranches and at least two businesses: Himley's Ferry (which allowed crossing of the Yampa River) and Peck's Store (a one-room trading post).