Company Profile
City of Pueblo
Company Overview
The City of Pueblo is a Council – Manager Form of government. The seven-member Council is the top governing body in the city; it appoints a manager to oversee daily operations.
The city employs almost 650 persons. Teams of diverse individuals work diligently to accomplish the different objectives that are essential to ensure that the Pueblo community is well represented, served, and protected.
Please visit our web site at www.pueblo.us for additional information about the City of Pueblo.
Company History
The City of Pueblo has a long and colorful history dating back to 1842 when a group of trappers and traders built an adobe fort – El Pueblo.
The ore mines brought our city from a small Fort in southern Colorado, to the backbone of Colorado.
Pueblo was established in 1859 with the coming of the gold rush, along with the many settlements that sprang up all over the west during this period. By the turn of the century, Pueblo had become the smelting capital of the world, refining gold, zinc, lead and silver. Pueblo's population reached almost 35,000, with more than half being immigrants who had come to earn a living in the steel mill.
This area once housed four separate towns: Pueblo, South Pueblo, Central Pueblo and Bessemer. These four towns together now make up the City of Pueblo.
The 20th century brought some tough times which tested the City’s strength and unity.
In the early part of June, 1921 torrential rains caused severe flooding on the Arkansas River which resulted in substantial loss of human life (120 known deaths and 142 missing). Property damage was estimated at $19 million, and 60% of the businesses were destroyed. After the flooding, fires broke out around the city. Puebloans began the clean-up efforts as soon as the waters receded, but it was no easy task. With a strong sense of family, everyone stepped up to the challenge and managed to overcome the adversity and in so doing became more resilient and committed to the community. Pueblo was tested once more in the early 1980’s when the U.S. steel industry collapsed, taking thousands of jobs with it and creating unemployment in the double-digits. Again, the citizens were not ready to give up and leave. Instead, they came together and bounced back with a renewed sense of belonging and pride. In 1983, they formed the Pueblo Economic Development Corporation (PEDCO). Puebloans donated money and time to make their creation succeed. They even voted to tax themselves in support of PEDCO. Today, through a team effort which includes City and County governments, the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce, the Latino Chamber and PEDCO, the city’s economic base has expanded and diversified.
Notable Accomplishments / Recognition
In August 2008, the Pueblo Fire Department achieved distinguished accreditation status through the CPSE.