Elbert County, Colorado formed in 1874 from a portion of Douglas County in east-central Colorado, is located in the Arkansas Divide area, which is a ridge between the tributaries of the South Platte and the Arkansas Rivers. The principal industries of the area are grazing and dry-land farming. Kiowa is the county seat. Other incorporated communities are Simla and Elizabeth and unincorporated communities include Elbert, Matheson, Agate, Kutch, and River Bend.