Otero County, Colorado
Genealogy, History & Facts

County Vital Records ∣ County Census Records ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣
County Societies, Family History Resources and County Genealogy Links

Otero County, Colorado Facts

When was Otero County, CO Created?
Otero County was established on March 25, 1889 from Bent County.

What is the County Seat of Otero County, CO?
The County Seat is located in La Junta and the county government website is http://www.oterogov.com/

What counties are adjacent to Otero County, CO?
Bordering Counties are Crowley County, Kiowa County, Bent County, Las Animas County, Pueblo County.

Otero County, CO Vital Records

Where can find Otero County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?
Otero County vital records can be found at the Colorado Office of Vital Records which has copies of birth, marriage, divorce and death records. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Colorado for current fees and application process.

You can search online for Otero County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Colorado Birth Certificate, Marriage Verification, Divorce Verification, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Otero County, CO Census Records

What Otero County, CO census records are available?
There are many types of census records for Otero County guide you in researching your family tree. Federal Population Schedules are available for 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Otero Co. Union Veterans Schedules can be acquired for 1890. There are free online and printable census forms to aid with your research.

Otero County, CO Societies and Family History Resources

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Otero County, CO?
A list of Otero County Historical  and Genealogical Societies, Libraries, Archives. See also list of Statewide Colorado Archives, Historical & Genealogical Societies.

• Colorado Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
• Colorado State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Southeastern Colorado Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 1407, 100 E. Abriendo, Pueblo, CO 81004-4290
• Otero County, Colorado Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com)
• Otero County, Colorado Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• USGenWeb Archives for Otero County (usgwarchives.net)

Otero County, CO Courthouse and Government Records

Otero County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Otero County Courthouse?

Researchers frequently overlook the great importance of Otero County court, probate, and land records data as a useful resource of ancestry and genealogy information. Buried away in Colorado courthouses and archives everywhere are the ambitions and frustrations of countless Colorado residents.

The possibilities are excellent that your forefathers have left a comprehensive document of at least a number of facets of their lives in the Otero County court records. Even if your forebears is not referred to in a Court case, contemplate all of the other procedures that could have lead to him or her to appear in court records. See Also Colorado Corthouse Records Research Guide.

• Otero County Courthouse (all departments listed below are located here, unless otherwise noted)
  • Address: 13 W 3rd St, La Junta, CO 81050
  • Phone: (719) 383-3020
• Otero County Clerk & Recorder
  • Marriage Records: 1889
  • Land Records: 1889
• Otero County Clerk of Courts
  • Probate Records: 1889
  • Court Records: 1889
• Otero County Health Department (Crowley County Branch)
  • Birth / Death Records: 1889 / 1887–1907 ; at Vital statistics registrar, La Junta.

Where can I connect with other Otero County, CO Researchers through message boards and forums?

What other genealogical resources are available in Otero County, CO?
The following are web links to Genealogy, Records and Resources pertaining to Otero County.

Otero Co. CO Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Colorado Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Colorado historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Colorado (1859–1978) (genealogybank.com)
• Otero County, Colorado Books (amazon.com)
• Search Colorado Obituaries (1985 to current) (genealogybank.com)
• Otero County Genealogy Books (books.google.com)

Otero Co. CO Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• Colorado Divorce Records, Various Sources 1851 – 2004 (archives.com) Various Public Records Sources
• Colorado Marriage Records 1975 – 2004 (archives.com) Colorado State Public Record Offices
• Colorado, Statewide Divorce Index, 1900-1939 (familysearch.org) Colorado Department of Health card index of divorces in Colorado from 1900-1939. The index is arranged in alphabetical order.
• Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 (familysearch.org) Card index created by the Division of Vital Statistics, Department of Health in Colorado. The index is arranged alphabetically by groom’s name providing county, names of husband and wife, age, race, date and place of marriage, certificate number.

Otero Co. CO Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

Otero Co. CO Census Records

• Otero County, CO Census Records Links
• Otero County, CO Census QuickFacts

Otero Co. CO Cemeteries & Church Records

• Otero Co., Colorado Graves (findagrave.com)
• Otero County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Otero Co., Colorado Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Otero Co., Colorado Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Otero County, Colorado Church Books (amazon.com)

Otero Co. CO Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

•  Colorado Family Group Sheet Project (fgs-project.com)

Otero Co. CO General and History Websites

• See Also State History for Colorado
• Otero County, Colorado Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Otero County, Colorado Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Otero Co. CO Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Otero County, Colorado (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Colorado – Counties – Otero (cyndislist.com)
• Otero County Colorado (genealogytrails.com)
• Otero Co. COGenweb (cogenweb.com)
• Otero County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Otero Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Otero Co. CO Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Colorado Links and Information
• Otero County D.O.T. Road and Highway Map (dtdapps.coloradodot.info)
• 1895 Otero County Map (livgenmi.com)

Otero Co. CO Military Records

• Colorado Military Records Research Guide
• Colorado Military Records (fold3.com) offers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents belonging to the Colorado men and women who served. Perfect for Otero County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.

Otero Co. CO Schools & Directories

• Colorado City Directories  (search.ancestry.com) This database is a collection of city directories for various years and cities in Colorado. Generally a city directory will contain an alphabetical list of its citizens, listing the names of the heads of households, their addresses, and occupational information. Sometimes the wife’s name will be listed in parentheses or italics following the husband’s. Often, dates of deaths of individuals listed in the previous year’s directory are listed as well as the names of partners of firms, and when possible, the forwarding addresses or post offices of people who moved to another town. In addition to the alphabetical portion, a city directory may also contain a business directory, street directory, governmental directory, and listings of town officers, schools, societies, churches, post offices, and other miscellaneous matters of general and local interest.
• The Colorado state business directory: 1876, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1887-8, 1889, 1890, 1894, 1896, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1906, 1909, 1910, 1920, 1921, 1923  (search.ancestry.com)