Idalia is an unincorporated town and census-designated place (CDP) in Yuma County, Colorado, United States. At the United States Census 2020, the population of the Idalia CDP was 97.

History

Idalia was founded in 1887. Located on the Eastern Plains of Colorado in southern Yuma County, approximately 150 miles east of Denver and 15 miles from the Kansas border, Idalia has been home for many generations of families. The primary industries of the area are farming, ranching, and natural gas production. The community has many amenities for a small rural community, including the Idalia Vision Foundation, Inc., two churches, local Co-Op, convenience store, restaurants, and a motel. A new Kindergarten through grade-12 school building opened in the fall of 2013 providing state-of-the-art educational programs & facilities. The Idalia Post Office has been in operation since 1888. The community derives its name from Edaliah Helmick, a pioneer settler. The Idalia post office has the ZIP Code 80735.

Geography

Idalia is located along U.S. Highway 36 approximately two miles west of U.S. Highway 385. The Idalia CDP has an area of 0.220 km2, all land.

Climate

Demographics

The United States Census Bureau initially defined the Idalia CDP for the United States Census 2010.

Events

Idalia Days Celebration

Community members headed a project aimed at emulating the summer annual town celebrations of neighboring towns. The event, Idalia Days, takes place each summer if enough interest is provided. During its inaugural celebration, Idalia Days provided activities and events in which the community could partake. Drawing on themes used in previous town celebrations, events include bed races, an old-time baseball game, old man six-man football, a melodrama illustrating the history of the towns relocation, a softball tournament, and a town dance, often featuring live music and food.

Education

There is one school, Idalia School, which teaches preschool through twelfth grade. The school mascot is the wolf. The town also has a preschool and daycare. Timeline

Sports

Due to low enrollment of the high school, Idalia, like hundreds of schools throughout Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, and Texas, plays six-man football, a variation of football involving six players on each side off the ball rather than the traditional eleven. Idalia had a dominant program from the late 1990s into the 2000s, winning eight state titles between 1998 and 2010. In recent years, the football program has struggled in the face of low-enrollment and as rival schools have consolidated sports programs in the wake of their own enrollment and budgetary constraints. However, as the football program continues to rebuild, the Idalia girls' sports teams have had some very successful years. In 2015, the Idalia girls' volleyball team advanced to the Colorado Class 1A volleyball championship match, ultimately falling to Otis High School in five sets. In addition, the girls' basketball program won consecutive state championships in 2015 and 2016.