Otero County (Colorado)

OTERO COUNTY (COLORADO)

Origin/meaning

Introduced in June 1983

Otero County, on the high plains of southeastern Colorado, has relied on being part of transportation routes as it has grown. It is along many routes of the 19th century’s Santé Fe Trail Mountain Route trail system, which connected the United States to Mexico.

Agricultural fields surround La Junta, and are the source of Rocky Ford watermelon seeds, cantaloupes, corn, peppers and tomatoes, among other garden vegetables.

An Amtrak route runs daily through the county seat of La Junta and is represented centrally on the county’s logo.

Otero County rarely sees much cloud cover, so the sun looms as large over the seal and it does throughout the county.