Lamar’s rural city has a strong sense of community
Located in the southeastern corner of Colorado, Lamar is considered a rural city center and has a history in agriculture and manufacturing. Farms and ranches create the surrounding landscape, but the Arkansas River adds natural recreation. Lamar’s historic downtown area provides shopping and dining opportunities, and numerous annual events keep the city’s population of over 7,600 people busy. “It’s a small community, but it’s a great area, especially if you’re raising a family,” says Marcia Reiley, a real estate agent with Cruikshank Realty who has over 20 years of experience. “It’s the cheapest corner of Colorado to live in, the crime rate is very low and the people here are very friendly. The sense of community you have here is my favorite part.”
Single-family homes from another century
Homes in Lamar are lined along gridded residential streets and come with small, grassy front lawns. Most properties have alleyway access, though street parking is also allowed. “You can find some pretty new houses here, but the average age for homes is around the 1950s,” Reiley says. “They’re good houses, though. Very structurally sound. If they’ve stood there for a hundred years, they can stand for a hundred more.” Cottage-style bungalows and minimal traditional single-story homes are common close to downtown. These homes were built anywhere between the 1910s and 1950s and cost around $85,000 to $225,000. The city also has a variety of ranch-style homes and split levels from the 1960s to 1980s. Prices for these properties range from $200,000 to $325,000.
Diverse recreational activities at the parks and in nature
Over 200 acres of parks and open spaces are maintained by the city. Willow Creek Park is one of the larger ones, originally built in the 1930s as a Civil Works Administration (CWA) federal relief project. The park now has a playground, two volleyball courts, a disc golf course and a skate park within it. One of Willow Creek’s most notable features is Pike’s Tower, a stone landmark and climbing structure. Escondido Park is another green space that has a soccer field complex. There’s also Merchants Baseball Park and the Lamar Swimming Pool. North Gateway Park has a dog park and access to the Arkansas River.
Additionally, the Lamar Community Building provides indoor recreation with its fitness center and basketball gym. Spreading Antlers Golf Course is a public, 9-hole course directly south of the area. “There are a lot of activities in the city. You’ll need more than one day to visit everything,” Reiley says.
When it comes to natural recreation, kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing are allowed on the Arkansas River. John Martin Reservoir State Park is about 26 miles west and also has non-motorized boating opportunities. Multiple trails wind through the area, and there’s a campground for overnight trips.
Retail and restaurants in Downtown Lamar
Historic Downtown is Lamar’s main area of commerce and has a handful of small businesses on Main Street like Sweet Sage Boutique. “Shopping and dining has improved in the past few years; we have so many more options. We’ve had a few local places pop up, and there’s plenty of Mexican food,” Reiley says. Brew Unto Others is a coffee shop with baked goods, and Farmer’s Country Market is a grocery store. Farther south on Main Street, there are multiple international eateries, such as Peraza’s Tacos and Casa Azteca Mexican Restaurant and Grill. Fast-food options like McDonald’s and Pizza Hut are found north of downtown. There are also auto parts stores, car dealerships and hotels in the area.
As for name-brand retailers, Olive Street branches from downtown and has a Safeway and Walmart Supercenter along it.
Celebrating the community with annual events
Lamar puts on a handful of events to keep the community close. Lamar Days takes place in May and kickstarts with a parade. The Lamar Days Rod Run car show is the main event, and there are also multiple food vendors. During the summer, the Prowers County Fairgrounds will host the Sand & Sage Roundup Fair & Parade, while Willow Creek Park hosts the Wild West Barbecue Cook-Off. The city also celebrates Oktoberfest and has a Parade of Lights in December.
Getting educated in Lamar’s public schools and community college
The city is served by the Lamar School District, which enrolls over 1,500 students. Washington Elementary School earns a B-plus grade from Niche and teaches kindergarten through second grade. Parkview Elementary School, for grades three through five, has a B-minus. From there, students can attend the C-plus-rated Lamar Middle School. Lamar High School receives a B and offers electives in computer science, carpentry and auto mechanics.
Lamar Community College is located in the city and enrolls roughly 700 full-time and part-time students. It is considered a Hispanic Serving Institution and offers both certifications and associates degrees.
Navigating Lamar’s highways and train station
While some of Lamar’s gridded streets are sidewalk-lined, getting around the city typically requires a vehicle. U.S. Highway 385 is the area’s main thoroughfare, traveling north and south. Highway 385 merges with U.S. Highway 50 in Lamar, which heads east and west. The Lamar Amtrak Station can take travelers as far west as Albuquerque and as far east as Kansas City.
Prowers Medical Center is the community hospital, located off Memorial Drive. The Southeast Colorado Regional Airport is about 5 miles west of the city and provides general aviation services.
Southeastern Colorado’s weather extremes and environmental risks
Weather in Lamar varies based on the time of year. The average summer high is around 93 degrees, and the average winter low is about 14 degrees.
Lamar has a history of unique environmental challenges. The area’s dry desert landscape was affected during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s, and the city has flooded a handful of times from the Arkansas River. Lamar also runs the risk of potential wildfires. As such, the Lamar Fire Department provides both fire protection and emergency rescue services to the area.
