A Boulder Timeline

A Boulder Timeline

1858

Gold is discovered in Dry Creek [Englewood], stimulating the Pikes Peak Gold Rush.
First permanent Anglo-European Settlers arrived at mouth of Boulder Canyon.

A party of gold prospectors led by William Russell entered eastern Kansas territory and set up camp at the confluence of the Cherry Creek and Platte Rivers. They founded the town of Auraria which was comprised of a few log cabins. After initial failure they finally struck gold in the Dry Creek, an offshoot of the South Platte. The site was just northwest of the modern highway intersection of U.S. 285 and Interstate-25. 30,000 prospectors quickly followed in their footsteps.


1859

First reported gold discovery in mountains of Colorado at Gold Run [Gold Hill area].

The Boulder City Town Company was formed on February 10, 1859. A.A. Brookfield, one of the first settlers in the area, was named president and was joined by 60 other shareholders. The land along Boulder Creek was parceled out between them while the rest was divided into lots that sold for $1000 each. The town grew slowly however, with a population of only 324 by 1860.

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The first irrigation ditch in Boulder County dug.

Coal discovered in Marshall area southeast of Boulder.

Jim Baker mined surface coal near Lafayette and sold it in Denver.


1860

The Wellman brothers planted the first wheat crop in Boulder County.

The first schoolhouse in Colorado built strictly for educational purposes was erected in Boulder on the southwest corner of 14th and Front [Walnut]. Schoolteacher and carpenter Abner Brown arrived in Boulder and noted the lack of a schoolhouse for the number of children that lived there. With help from locals, Brown began building a one room schoolhouse on the southwest corner of 15th and Walnut Street. The building was finished by October and became the first structure in Colorado designed specifically for education. It served as Boulder’s schoolhouse until 1872 when a larger school was built. The original frame was relocated to 11th and Walnut and converted to a private residence before being destroyed by a fire in 1890.

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The Ward Mining District was formed; named after Calvin Ward.

Andrew J. Macky erected the first frame building in Boulder on the northeast corner of 14th and Pearl.


1861

Congress voted to create the new Colorado Territory in February of 1861. This decision was the continuation of a vote taken by Colorado settlers in 1859 where they decided to become a territory rather than a state. This meant that the administrative costs of governance would be handled by the federal government until the territory became a state. The admission of new territories was a contentious issue in the House of Representatives until the Civil War began, which cleared the way for the admission of the free Colorado Territory.

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Boulder County was formed on November 11, 1861.

Treaty of Fort Wise signed with leaders of several bands of Arapahos and Cheyennes “extinguishing their land title” in Colorado except for a reserve in Southeast Colorado.


1862

Congress passed the Homestead Act in May of 1862, intending to open up public lands in the West to individual farmers. Adults over the age of 21 were eligible to claim 160 acres of land provided they cultivated the land and improved it with structures. After five years the land was theirs to own for a small filing fee. The act was part of the federal government’s efforts to encourage settlement of the west, but was only nominally successful as it proved extremely difficult for individuals to create productive farms on these small plots of land.

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1864

Joseph Marshall erected a small blast furnace and produced pig iron from the local hematite southeast of Boulder.

Boulder and Longmont’s Company “D” of the 3rd Colorado Volunteer Cavalry involved in the November Sand Creek Massacre.


1865

The town of Valmont [contraction of “valley” and “mountain”] platted; it soon rivaled Boulder in size and commercial activity.


1866

Boulder County’s first newspaper, the Valmont Bulletin, began publication on New Years Day.

The first Congregational Church in Colorado was formed in Valmont in 1864. In 1866 they began building a new church in Boulder on 11th and Pine Street, at the site of what is now the Carnegie Library. The hillside spot was chosen so that the bell tower would be visible to residents for miles around. Construction was completed in 1870 and featured the first church bell tower in Boulder County.

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Valmont Presbyterian Church built.


1867

Boulderites entice editor of Valmont Bulletin to move his newspaper to Boulder where it was renamed the Boulder Valley News.


1869

The Boulder County Pioneer succeed the Boulder Valley News, only to be succeeded by the Boulder County News.

The town of Ryssby formed.

The first county fair in Colorado Territory opened in Boulder on October 12, 1869.

Silver discovered at Caribou re-igniting the mining boom.


1871

Boulder City is incorporated.

Longmont settled by the Chicago-Colorado Colony.


1873

Railroad extended to Boulder.


1874

The first mill and smelter [Boyd Mill] erected in Boulder

Martha Maxwell opened her Rocky Mountain Museum on Pearl Street. Her taxidermy collection became centerpiece of Colorado’s exhibit at 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.


1875

Niwot platted.


1876

The first high school graduation class in Territory of Colorado was in Boulder.

Colorado became the 38th state in the Union on August 1, 1876 with a proclamation by President Ulysses Grant. The process took a number of years as their petitions for statehood were continually vetoed by President Andrew Johnson during his time in office. The statehood bill was ratified by Colorado voters early in 1876 and had passed both the House and the Senate the previous year. Colorado became known as the Centennial State as it was incorporated exactly one hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

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1877

The University of Colorado opened.

State Preparatory School founded as part of University because of a lack of adequately prepared high school graduates.


1878

Mary Rippon appointed first woman professor at CU.


1880

The Boulder telephone exchange opened with 25 subscriptions.


1882

The University’s first graduating class consisted of six members.

The cornerstone for the old Boulder County Courthouse on Boulder’s old town square was laid on July 4, 1882.

Pine Street School [Whittier School] opened.


1883

The Greeley, Salt Lake, and Pacific railroad completed between Boulder and Sunset; extended service to mountain communities.


1884

Joseph B. “Rocky Mountain Joe” Sturtevant began to record the early history of Boulder county by taking photographs between 1884 and 1910.


1887

The Simpson Coal Mine was opened in 1887 on the land of Mary Miller. Lafayette and Mary Miller were homesteaders who moved to Boulder in 1874. Lafayette died in 1878 and Mary moved back to their farm east of town. Coal mining in the area began on her property in 1887 and Mary designated 150 acres of her land for a new town which she named after her husband Lafayette. The Simpson Mine became the largest in northern Colorado until its closing in 1927 and the area’s population grew rapidly as mining brought wealth to the area.

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1889

“Old” Broomfield began to develop when railroad depot and post office were relocated after standard gauge replaced narrow gauge tracks one mile to the east.

Mapleton School in Boulder opened.


1890

New Boulder train depot dedicated at 14th and Water St [Canyon Blvd].

The Boulder Camera was founded by Frederick P. Johnson and Bert Bell. The newspaper covered local news and became a daily in 1891. The paper’s name was changed to The Boulder Daily Camera the same year and today it is known simply as the Daily Camera.

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1892

Mount Saint Gertrude Academy opened.


1894

The Boulder Creek “100-year” flood damaged the town. In May of 1894, 60 straight hours of warm rain combined with a rapid snowmelt to create a 100 year flood that ravaged Boulder. The floodwaters covered most of the town, inundating the area from Walnut Street to Arapaho and from 9th Street to the city limits in the east. In addition it washed out many houses as well as the bridges on 6th street and 12th street. The town was split in two as transportation and communication services were knocked out. Reconstruction began soon after the flood but proved an arduous process.

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1895

State Preparatory School moves into its own building at 17th and Pearl.


1896

Colorado Sanitarium, a branch of Dr. J.H. Kellogg’s Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, dedicated in Boulder.


1898

Boulderites approved $20,000 bond election for Texas-Chautauqua Auditorium opened on July 4, 1898.

The Colorado & Northwestern Railroad route between Boulder and Ward named “The Switzerland Trail of America” by a Greeley man.


1899

Tungsten was discovered in the mountains west of Boulder. Extending in a 9.5 mile strip from Arkansas Mountain to Nederland, it was one of the most productive veins in the region. The discovery coincided with the rising demand for tungsten and a number of eastern financiers began investing in the region. The ore, which sold for $2 per unit in 1901, reached $16 per unit by 1916 as the United States’ entry into World War One greatly increased the demand. By that time Boulder County was the world’s leading producer of tungsten ore.

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Boulder’s request for 1,800 acres of mountain backdrop/watershed extending from South Boulder Creek to Sunshine Canyon approved by U.S. Congress.


1900

The first automobile seen in Boulder was in June, 1900. By 1906, there were 26 registered auto cars, or “mankillers”.

Summer home of John and Kate Harbeck completed; now a Boulder landmark, present-day home of the Boulder Museum of History.

Disastrous fire destroyed central Ward.

Lafayette business district burned.


1904

City ordinance made it “unlawful for any person to ride or drive within Boulder at a rate of speed in excess of 6 miles per hour”.


1906

The Carnegie Library was built with money donated by steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie. Located at 1125 Pine Street the building was modeled after Greek architecture, reflecting Boulderites opinion of themselves as the “Athens of the West.” Originally the Boulder Public Library, the building was renovated in 1981 and became the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History, housing the collections of the Boulder Historical and Genealogical societies.

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Ed Tangen took the first of his 16,000 photographs capturing the history of Boulder County from 1906 to 1951.

Curran Opera House opens at 1132-34 Pearl Street.


1907

Boulder passed anti-saloon ordinance.

Three were killed and the Boulder freight depot blown up when a union brakeman set fire to burn out scab switchmen asleep in a caboose. Fire spread to a freight car loaded with 2,400 pounds of dynamite.


1908

First run of electric Interurban train from Denver to Boulder.

Adolph J. Zang’s 4,000 acre ranch occupied a large percentage of what is now the City of Broomfield and Jefferson County Airport.

World’s largest tungsten mill built north of Nederland.

Ivy Baldwin made a record breaking high wire walk on a cable stretched 565 feet high across Eldorado Springs canyon.

Ten thousand pumpkin pies, thirty thousand sandwiches, and 75 barrels of coffee were served at Longmont’s Annual Pumpkin Pie Days.


1909

The Boulderado Hotel opened for business on New Years Day.

“Baseball Billy” Sunday, the “World’s Greatest” Evangelist, held a crusade in Boulder.

The Union Pacific Railroad introduced a self-contained forty-two passenger rail car on the Denver-Boulder route.

The 78 foot car was powered by a six cylinder gasoline engine, had seats of “unusual width”, oval windows that could be opened for fresh air, and a compartment for smokers.


1910

3,000 coal miners in Boulder County go on strike; lasted five years.


1911

The Boulder Canyon Road was completed in 1871, but it wouldn’t be until 1911 that the first car, a Stanley Steamer, made the difficult trip up the canyon from Boulder to Nederland. The Steamer replaced the daily stagecoach which had made the 18-mile trip for the last 40 years. Nearly abandoned by 1890, Nederland’s population grew to 3,000 in the early twentieth century with the discovery of tungsten in the area.

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Western States Cutlery and Manufacturing Company founded in Boulder.


1914

Charles C. Buckingham family donated Boulder Falls site to the City of Boulder.

US Army occupied Louisville during coal miner’s strike.


1915

William F. Cody met with old friends in Boulder while in town with the Sells-Floto Circus/Buffalo Bill’s Original Wild West Show.

Enos Mills, Father of Rocky Mountain National Park, succeeded in stimulating legislation that resulted in establishing Park.


1916

The Colorado Chautauqua Bulletin reported “We Call it the Colorado Chautauqua, but it might as well be called the Colorado Music Festival”.


1917

The University of Colorado faculty voted to approve one of the first Reserve Officer Training [ROTC] programs in the nation.

With the automobile becoming commonplace, the process of paving Boulder’s streets began in September, at the corner of 18th and Pearl. The paving quickly spread down Pearl Street, the commercial center of town. 15-foot-wide concrete sidewalks were also added on either side of the street, replacing the flagstone walkways.

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1918

Boulder Day Nursery founded as one of the earliest day care centers in the nation.

Spanish influenza resulted in 41 deaths in Nederland and a quarantine in Boulder.


1919

Switzerland Trail train scrapped.

Lions Club erected Panorama Park Shelter House on Flagstaff Mountain and donated it to the City of Boulder; this began a half-century of the Club’s providing park facilities to the city.


1920

Boulder Boy Scouts, led by Ralph Hubbard, performed Indian dances before the British Royal Family, King Albert, and the Olympics in Antwerp.


1921

Hellems was the first building completed in the “Rural Italian” or “Tuscan” style [sandstone and red roof tiles] on the University of Colorado campus.


1922

Florence C. Molloy and Mabel N. Macleay operated a taxi and touring company in Boulder.

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KKK paraded down Pearl Street.


1923

Construction began on the Lakeside [Valmont] Power Plant, the “largest industrial project in the history of Boulder

County”. It is still considered one of the most efficient plants in Public the Public Service Company [now EXCEL].
Police officer, Elmer Cobb, was murdered. Case remains unsolved.

Hygienic Swimming Pool [Spruce Pool] opened using warm water produced from the manufacture of ice at adjacent Hygienic Ice Company.


1924

The University of Colorado Stadium [Folsom Field] completed in time for Homecoming.


1925

Fire destroyed Bleecker and Company plant at 3rd and Arapahoe in Boulder. Plant manufactured luminous paint and “Zero Hour Bombs”.


1927

Fred C. Smith of Boulder set a worlds record for continuous automobile driving of 104 hours and 8 minutes.


1930

Former President of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union arrested for selling homemade intoxicants to university students. She led movement that closed Boulder saloons in 1907.


1931

The last run of Boulder’s electric street cars. Begun in 1901, the streetcars ran the length of Pearl Street, from 12th street all the way to 31st. Pedestrians could hop on and off the cars as they traveled downtown. The streetcar service was even extended to Denver. By 1931 however, many residents had acquired personal automobiles and the streetcar was becoming increasingly obsolete.

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1932

Old Boulder County Courthouse burns down.


1933

The largest still “ever found in Northern Colorado” uncovered on Gunbarrel Hill east of Boulder.


1934

CCC boys finish Flagstaff Mt. amphitheater

First Pay Dirt Pow Wow celebration


1936

On January 20, a stray spark caused a large explosion at Monarch Mine No. 2, a part of Colorado’s northern coal field. The explosion occurred at 6:20 A.M, killing eight miners who were working the graveyard shift. Had the explosion occurred an hour later, over 100 dayshift miners would have been working in the mine. As it was two miners survived, but debris and poisonous gases prevented rescuers from reaching the other victims in time. The mine was permanently closed and a granite gravestone was erected at the current site of the Flatirons Mall.

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The Curran Opera house was renovated and turned into the Boulder Theater. The interior was updated and expanded to make the theater more suitable for film screenings. A number of art deco style changes were also made including the addition of colorful murals and exterior decoration. The theater became a historic landmark in 1980 and incorporated musical acts, making it a national attraction and a staple of Boulder’s entertainment scene.

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1937

First traffic light installed in Boulder at the corner of 12th (Broadway) and Pearl.

New WPA-built Boulder High School opened. Nude sculptures of “Wisdom and Strength” [Minnie and Jake] over entrance allowed to remain despite controversy.


1938

Byron “Whizzer” White, later Rhodes Scholar and U.S. Supreme Court Justice, became CU’s first All-American football player.


1944

Glenn Miller’s plane went down.

Boulder Historical Society organized. History museum proposed in new Municipal Building.


1951

The Denver-Boulder turnpike was completed and opened to traffic in 1952. The highway was the first of its kind in Colorado and preceded the introduction of the Interstate system. It cost 25 cents for a trip from Denver to Boulder and provided a pleasant drive through rolling green farmland. Boulder’s population began to explode around this time and traffic volume so far exceeded expectations that the turnpike fees paid off the $6.3 million in bonds in 15 years. As a result the toll road became a free public road in 1967, becoming the first in the country to do so.

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National Bureau of Standards broke ground for Radio Propagation Laboratories in Boulder.

Construction of CU’s $3,000,000 Student Memorial Center began.


1952

Engine #30 of Switzerland Trail RR placed in Central Park.

Secret Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Factory opens 8 miles south of Boulder.


1953

Water bond issue for $2,000,000 was passed to build Boulder Reservoir in the northeast part of town. It was a part of the Colorado-Big Thompson trans-mountain water diversion project.


1954

Construction of Boulder’s first “skyscraper” began. It was the 9-story $1,000,000 Colorado Insurance Group building at 14th and Walnut.

The $2,000,000 Boulder Canyon highway, an all-paved mountain road between Boulder and Nederland, was officially dedicated.

Dial phone service was inaugurated in Boulder by Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph at a cost of $2,000,000.


1957

Railroad passenger service closed to the old depot in downtown Boulder. It then became a bus depot until 1972 when the city made plans to demolish it at its location on 14th and Canyon. The building was saved by a number of concerned citizens and was relocated to 30th and Pearl Street. Now a historical landmark, the depot was used as an event center until acquired by the city in 2008 and moved to Boulder Junction, near the Northern and Santa Fe railroad. Built by the Union Pacific Railroad in 1890, the structure is a beautiful example of Victorian architecture, something that has helped it survive numerous relocations.

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1959

Boulder became first city in Colorado to have Direct Distant Dialing service enabling customers to dial calls throughout the nation without operator assistance.

PLAN-Boulder organized and secured passage of “Blue Line” to prevent development along mountain backdrop.

Martin Acres subdivision was developing and homes were offered for $700 down FHA and no down G.I. loans.

The average cost of new homes in Boulder soared to a record of $12,755.

Boulder voters adopted a dog-leash law.


1960

A new instrument – the atomic clock – is introduced at the National Bureau of Standards. It is accurate to within a second every 1,000 years.

Skiing at Chautauqua using a rope tow was free for elementary school children.

The Boulder-Longmont Diagonal road (Hwy 119) completed.

Construction begins on the new Boulder Public Library on Canyon after Boulderites pass a library bond.

The Chamber of Commerce estimates the population of Boulder to be at 42,000; more than doubling in size over a ten-year period.


1961

The state of Colorado purchased 565 acres below the flatirons with the intent of turning it over to the federal government for the construction of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. An exception was added to Boulder’s “Blue Line”, a city policy which controlled settlement in the foothills west of Boulder by denying water to these houses. With that out of the way, construction began on the Mesa Lab in 1964. The structure was modeled after the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings in southwest Colorado and the sandstone building material was designed to blend into the flatiron landscape that surrounded it. Today NCAR works closely with the University of Colorado and conducts cutting edge research in the field of atmospheric science.

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A new combined Department of Parks and Recreation was formed and approved in a special election.

Universal water meters monitoring water usage for residents use was proposed.

Traffic code amended to give bicyclists rights as well as obligations under Motor Vehicle regulations.


1962

Valverdan Park renamed Scott Carpenter Park in honor of Scott Carpenter, a NASA astronaut, from Boulder, who manned the Aurora 7.

Orbiting Solar Observatory satellite, that was built and developed in Boulder, was launched.

The annexation of the 575-acre Table Mesa subdivision was approved by the City Council.

Representatives were sent to Washington D.C. to present Boulder’s bid for an All American City award.


1963

Crossroads mall built.

Boulder city council enacted an ordinance requiring city licenses on all bicycles ridden in Boulder whether owned by residents or non-residents.

Enchanted Mesa subdivision condemnation process begins. Although $105,000 was approved by taxpayers for purchase, owners want $876,000.


1964

Building permits worth $3.3 million were issued for 300 new dwellings in Table Mesa. First residents moved into area in May of 1963. Construction for Southern Hills Junior High School also begins.

Boulder’s water was treated fully for the first time in its 92-year history. The new $2.3 million filtration plant capable of treating water from Silver Lake and Barker Reservoir is the first stage of a $7.5 million water improvement system.

The space industry, with the importance of the National Bureau of Standards and Beech Aircraft Corporation in the launching of the Saturn I rocket, had a direct impact on Boulder’s growth. In the last 13 years, population and employment figures doubled while there was a tripling of retail sales and a 400% increase in total assessed valuation of the city.

Blue and white 6 by 24 inch street signs mounted on 7-foot poles began replacing old concrete obelisk markers to facilitate drivers finding their way around the growing city of Boulder.


1965

The IBM plant along the Boulder-Longmont Diagonal triggered growth that is ongoing.


1967

Boulder voters approved the nation’s first tax to preserve open space in the community. The tax increase was used to purchase land around the town and protect it. This has prevented urban sprawl from occurring in Boulder and in turn has raised the quality of life in town. The county now owns 99,000 acres of open space and leases some to local farmers while other land has been turned into public parks for the enjoyment of all.

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Boulder votes approved sale of intoxicating beverages after 60 years.

Regularly scheduled railroad passenger service ends in Boulder.

Denver-Boulder Turnpike became toll free; the debt was paid off early.


1969

Boulder’s Central Park declared health hazard because of transients.

Mount Saint Gertrude Girls School closed.

Celestial Seasonings, now a worldwide tea company, was founded by Mo Siegel of Boulder.


1970

CU’s Regent’s Hall occupied by youthful anti-war demonstrators.


1971

Boulder adopted a fifty-five foot height limitation for new buildings.


1972

Demolition of Central School stimulated growth of Historic Boulder, Inc. and the adoption of a City Landmark Ordinance.

Turnpike interchange at 28th Street occupied by antiwar demonstrators.


1974

Boulder’s Flatirons School bombed.

Bomb explodes in car at Burger King in Boulder killing three.

Bomb explodes in Chautauqua killing three.


1975

Red Zinger Bicycle Classic Race, started by Celestial Seasonings, first raced through Boulder. Lasted 5 years until it became sponsored by Adolph Coors Co.


1976

Boulder votes approved a 2% growth limitation referendum, know as the Danish Plan.

Pearl Street is closed to automobile traffic and the pedestrian mall is opened. With Boulder’s population explosion in the 60’s and 70’s, Boulder’s downtown area was becoming an afterthought as shopping centers sprung up on the outskirts of town. Local architect Carl Worthington proposed the idea of a pedestrian mall modeled after European walking plazas. The city received a grant from the federal government and a number of local organizations worked together to make the plan a reality. The mall revitalized downtown Boulder and is one of the most successful walking malls in the country.

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1978

The forty-five year old Pow Wow Days are held for the last time in Boulder. Moved to Longmont and Louisville before its demise in 1982.


1979

The Bolder Boulder was run for the first time on Memorial Day through the streets of Boulder. 2700 participants competed in the inaugural 10k race which finished at Boulder High School. In 1981 the finish was switched to Folsom Field on the campus of the University of Colorado. This helped facilitate the growth of the event, and today over 50,000 people participate in one of the premier running events in the country.


1980

Kinetics Conveyance Race first held at the Boulder Reservoir


1989

Tom Czech, a CU professor, and Sidney Altman, a CU graduate, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry


1997

The Dushanbe Tea House was erected on 13th street. Beginning in 1987, forty artisans from the city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan constructed the exquisite building in traditional style. It was then disassembled and shipped to Boulder in 200 separate crates in 1990. A lack of funds and arguments over the best location delayed the project over the next seven years. These problems were finally ironed out and construction began on the tea house in 1997 before it opened to the public the following year.


1998

Mount Saint Gertrude Academy reopened as a retirement community.


2001

27.5 square miles (71.2 km2) of Boulder County’s southeastern corner and its approximate population of 40,000 became part of the City and County of Broomfield.


2005

The Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) is held each February by the Colorado Film Society, a nonprofit organization founded by local filmmakers Kathy and Robin Beeck. BIFF is dedicated to providing the urban, film–hip audiences of the Denver/Boulder metro area with an early look at the best new films in international cinema. There also are conversations with directors, producers, and actors; world–class food and parties; and an opportunity to rub elbows with filmmakers in a winter wonderland. BIFF has hosted over 150 filmmakers from around the world since the Boulder–based Beeck sisters led the inaugural event in 2005.


2009

Boulder, Colorado host its 150th anniversary celebration. Check out this video for little history about Boulder over the past century and a half.


2010

On Labor Day a wildfire broke out in Four Mile Canyon northwest of Boulder. A dry August and wind speeds up to 60 mph created conditions ideal for the fire which ripped through the canyon. 6,000 acres were ablaze by the end of the day, forcing the evacuation of 3,000 residents in the area. Firemen contained the blaze a week later but not before 169 homes were destroyed, making it the most destructive fire in Colorado history at the time.


2012

The 25th anniversary of the Boulder Farmer’s Market occurred. In 1986 a group of local farmers decided to organize a farmer’s market to combat the pricing out of small farmers. Markets had occurred informally in the preceding years but had met with little success. This time the farmers secured a permit from the city and set up in Central Park. The following year the market became a non-profit corporation and began collecting a small percentage of food sales to offset operating costs. The market continued to grow and today it is a popular community event in Boulder that helps promote local agriculture.

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A number of athletes with Boulder connections competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Boulder natives Timmy Duggan and Taylor Phinney competed in cycling events, with Phinney coming in fourth in the Men’s Individual Road Race and the Men’s Time Trial. Boulder resident Laura Bennet competed in the Women’s Triathlon while current CU student Emma Coburn finished 9th in the Women’s 3,000 Meter Steeplechase. Former Buffalo Jenny Simpson competed in the Women’s 1,500 Meters. In total eleven athletes with Boulder ties competed in the London Olympics.

Courtesy of boulderhistory.org

 

John Marcotte

720-771-9401

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Boulder History Museum

Boulder History Museum

BoulderHistoryMuseum

 

Mission Statement

The Boulder History Museum provides engaging educational experiences for people to explore the continuing history of the Boulder region. The Museum collects, preserves and presents Boulder history in order to connect them with the past, provide a context for the present and inspire a vision for the future.

Background

The Boulder Historical Society and Museum was founded in 1944 by A.A. ‘Gov’ Paddock, then publisher of the Boulder Daily Camera. The organization, now called the Boulder History Museum, is located in the historic landmark Harbeck-Bergheim Houseon University Hill in Boulder, Colorado. A private-not-for-profit organization, it is governed by a board of trustees of 18 community leaders and has a staff of five. View our timeline for significant dates of the Boulder History Museum.

The Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10-5pm and weekends 12-4pm each week and exhibits artifacts from our collection of over 35,000 objects of historical significance donated by Boulder area families over the past sixty years. The Museum rotates its displays 2 or 3 times a year in hopes of providing new and interesting exhibits to showcase its collection and highlight Boulder’s own unique history for the enjoyment of the general public. It also conducts programsand activities for youth and adults, publishes a bi-annual newsletter with historical research, and produces an annual community event, SummerFest in June. Its collection of over 200,000 photographs and 700,000 historic documents is housed at the Carnegie Library for Local History where it is available to the public and researchers.

 

John Marcotte

720-771-9401

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Boulder County Farmer’s Market History

Boulder County Farmer’s Market History

Historically, there have been few organized markets in Boulder. There was a time when city grocery stores featured locally grown agricultural products. But as fruit and vegetable production centralized, farms grew larger in size and fewer in numbers. Many growers decided to enter the wholesale business and abandon their seemingly less profitable retail outlets. A small Farmers Market had gathered sporadically at the courthouse for ten years, but it had limited success, due mainly to it’s informal structure, lack of parking and nearby competition with the then newly consructed Pearl Street Mall.

In the Autumn of 1986, a small group of local farmers decided to organize a formal Farmer’s Market to be located in downtown Boulder, Colorado.  The group approached the City of Boulder with their idea, and the City agreed to provide staff support, secretarial services, meeting spaces, appropriate permits and a site for the Market. Four University of Colorado students from the Presidential Leadership Program researched background information about other successful markets, site selection, organizational structure, promotional plans, bylaws and rules and regulations. Boulder County lent support through the County Commissioner’s Office and the Land Use Department. The State of Colorado offered assistance through it’s Agriculture Market Development and Extension Service. After many months of planning, site selection became the top priority. The site had to be permanent, highly visible, attractive, accessible and shaded. Boulder’s Central Park, located in the heart of the city, was chosen and the Boulder County Farmer’s Market was off and running!

The Market’s development is a good representation of many different groups working together for a common community goal. The partnership of private individuals and government entities productively laid the foundation for this successful project. In March of 1987, the Boulder County Farmer’s Market became a Colorado non-profit corporation, organized and run by local agricultural producers. A 13-member Board of Directors was formed to oversee the Market’s general operations, including advertising, promotion and management. Under the Board’s governances, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations and schedules were adopted. The Board decided to charge a minimal membership fee and a small percentage of daily sales to help defray Market operating expenses.

Another decision the Board made early on was that any profits greater than necessary to maintain the Market would become available to nonprofit agricultural and community projects. Over the years contributions have been made to 4H, the County Fair, WIC Nutritional Program and Cultiva!, an at-risk teen gardening project. The Market has also held many fundraising events for other agricultural and community oriented nonprofit centers.

The Market has grown in other ways. Select food vendors now sell during Market hours, providing breakfast and lunch fare for shoppers, as well as opportunities for farmers to sell directly to restaurant purveyors. Many agriculturally related organizations are allowed space to recruit for their cause. Special children’s events are scheduled throughout the season. A Chef’s Event, featuring Boulder’s world-famous chefs is a highlight of the year. Freshly baked goods from local bakeries are available. Fresh flowers and crafts (created from things grown or gathered by the seller) are in abundance. The Market employs nine people and contributes sales tax to the City and County coffers. The Market sells t-shirts, canvas shopping bags and other items as a way of generating revenue.

 

John Marcotte

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Outdoor Recreation in Boulder

Outdoor Recreation in Boulder
Recently rated the “#1 Sports Town in America” by Outside Magazine. Boulder is where some of the world’s top runners, cyclists, mBoulder Mountain Bikingountain bikers, and rock climbers choose to call home. It’s also a close-knit community full of residents who embrace an active outdoor lifestyle and who are committed to natural resource conservation. Combine all of that with 300 days of sunshine per year, and it’s clear why Boulder is one of the hottest outdoor destinations in the country.

The surrounding Rocky Mountain landscape beckons visitors with easy-to-challenging hiking trails and unparalleled scenic views. A single day’s itinerary might include watching the sunrise from a hot air balloon; paddling a kayak through the middle of town; rock climbing the nearby peaks; mountain biking over rugged alpine trails; tubing or fly-fishing in Boulder Creek; or teeing off at Flatirons Golf Course.

Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of Boulder’s 300 miles of serene hiking and biking trails, approximately 45,000 acres of unspoiled open space or the Boulder Creek Path, which runs through the middle of town and parallels Boulder Creek. In winter, you can test your snowshoeing or cross country skiing ability on nearby trails. Or, enjoy downhill skiing and snowboarding at Eldora Mountain Ski Resort, just 30 minutes away fromBoulder Hiking - Flatirons downtown Boulder.

If you want to go rock climbing, Boulder is a great place to be! Boulder, Colorado is blessed with some of the best rock and ice climbing in the country, only minutes from local coffee houses, taverns, and restaurants. Climbers, hikers, alpinists and mountaineers from around the world congregate here. From the distinctive Flatirons above town, to Eldorado Canyon in the south and Boulder Canyon in the west, there is a lifetime’s worth of outstanding climbs here.

About an hour out of Boulder, Rocky Mountain National Park, the South Platte and the Indian Peaks Wilderness add enormously to the choices of climbing and mountaineering available. No matter if you’ve only a few hours to find adventure or an entire day to play, there are plenty of mild-to-wild experiences awaiting you in Boulder, Colorado.

Skiing at Eldora Mountain Resort is just 30 minutes away from downtown Boulder up through scenic Boulder Canyon. With 680 acres, 11 lifts and four restaurants, there’s terrain for all skiers. Listen to Eldora’s marketing director talk about what makes it special.

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John Marcotte

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Spring time in Boulder Colorado

Spring time in Boulder Colorado

You’ll find an incredible variety of things to do in Boulder, Colorado. Looking to pamper yourself during a relaxing getaway? In search of an action-packed outdoor adventure? No matter your travel style, you’ll find the perfect activities in Boulder to make your dream vacation a reality.

Recently rated the #1 Sports Town in America by Outside Magazine, Boulder has plenty of outdoor activities to test the limits of your adventurous side. Nestled at the foot of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Boulder boasts hikingclimbing and bikingtrails that will satisfy your need for a casual day trip or a rigorous adventure.

Enjoy an incredible variety of fun things to do in downtown Boulder. Music festivals, art shows, and community events throughout the year make historic Boulder a fun and exciting place to be. Savor the energy of the city after dark with nightlife you won’t find anywhere else.

Come see why Boulder, Colorado is an amazing vacation destination that offers something for every traveler! Once you fall in love with Boulder, let’s find your new home here!

 

 

John Marcotte

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Big plans along FasTrack’s W line

Big plans along FasTrack’s W line

ULC spent almost $14 million acquiring the properties to assure that affordable. Housing and other community services would be available along the line.

ULC used the $15 million TOD Fund to purchase two of the four properties they own along the W Line, which ultimately will include about $70 million in new developments.

Drawing of planned new library at Colfax and Irving.

Drawing of planned new library at Colfax and Irving.

When built-out, the sites will include more than 600 units of housing, 400 which will be affordable; more than 50,000 square feet of commercial space; and a Denver Public library.

Each new rail line is a catalyst for transit-oriented development in metro Denver and ULC has been very strategic in our real estate investments and partnerships and stewardship on the W Line, maximizing and leveraging resources to increase economic opportunities for low-income families, seniors and the community as a whole,” said Aaron Miripol, president and CEO of ULC.

ULC’s four W Line property purchases and their projected development values are:

  • Jody Apartments: This site, next to the Sheridan Station, was purchased in December 2007 in partnership with NEWSED for $3.5 million and currently has 62 units of affordable apartments on two acres. Jody will be redeveloped at a higher density level under Denver’s new zoning code (C-MX-8), preserving and creating permanently affordable housing in a vibrant, mixed-use setting. Because the Jody Apartments will be rebuilt in the same area, residents will not be displaced and can remain in the community. The value of the projected development at this site is $25 million.
  • Mile High Vista: At West Colfax Avenue and Irving Street within a quarter of a mile of both the Knox and Federal/Decatur stations, this two-acre parcel was purchased in March 2011 for $2.14 million. The City and County of Denver purchased 0.84 acres of this site the following year to build a new Denver public library. Del Norte purchased a portion of the site to build 80 affordable homes and 10,000 square feet of community space. ULC is the master developer, completing infrastructure on the entire site and retains land planned for a 20,000 square-foot commercial building. The value of the projected development at this site is $30 million.
  • 11th Avenue TOD: Next to the Sheridan Station at West 11th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard, this 0.83 acre site was purchased for $350,000 in July 2012. ULC is partnering with Rocky Mountain Communities to develop 58 affordable senior housing units. The value of the projected development at this site is $10 million.
  • Villas at Wadsworth Station: At 1330-1337 Yukon St. in Lakewood, ULC preserved 100 units of existing affordable housing when it purchased this site in December 2012. The 2.36 acre property is 50 feet from the Wadsworth Station and was purchased for $7 million.

ULC, a nonprofit organization established in 2003, uses real estate as a tool to enrich urban communities. In much the same way that a land trust preserves open space for future generations, ULC preserves real estate assets in urban areas to ensure their continued community benefit.For more information, please visit Urban Land Conservancy.

 

 

John Marcotte

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New home permits soar 61%

New home permits soar 61%

New home building activity in the Denver area rose 61.2 percent in February compared with February 2012, continuing a trend that is approaching a two-year mark, according to a study released today by the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver.

“If we get to April and we do it again, it will have been two years,” of consecutive month increases from the same month in the previous year, said Jeff Whiton, president of the local trade organization.

This 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom, new homes in Parker is on the market for $849,500.

This 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom, new homes in Parker is on the market for $849,500.

The HBA tracks building permits issued in Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, and Jefferson counties, as well as every municipality within each county. Building permits track future starts.

“The market is improving,” Whiton said.

The report shows that there were 490 permits issued for single-family detached homes in February, compared with 304 in February 2012.

In the first two months of this year, there were 967 permits issued for homes, a 58.4 percent jump from the 623 permits issued in the first two months of last year.

During the Great Recession, when the new housing market fell to the lowest levels on record, new homes accounted for only about 10 percent of all homes sold in the area, Whiton said.

Given the historically low inventory levels of resales on the market, new homes should account for a much bigger percentage of the overall market, Whiton said.

“The market share for new homes is climbing,” Whiton said. “It has been as high as about 20 percent and I think this year it will be at least in the low teens.”

Many more Realtors are focusing on selling new homes, rather than resales, he said.

“There has been a big market shift,” Whiton said. “Not only is there this huge shortage of resales, it is just easier to sell a new home than a resale. A new home is a much better product. Builders just make it easier to buy a new home. They build a better product. They are more energy-efficient and fresh. They can often be customized to the way the consumer wants it.”
 However, builders may not be able to construct enough homes quickly enough to meet demand, he said.

“The existing supply of lots that are ready for building being absorbed quickly,” Whiton said. “Builders are looking for new lots.”

He said new homes prices are beginning to rise. During the tough times, builders weren’t able to charge consumers for things such as lot premiums, but they are today, he said.

“The market dictates what the price levels can be,” Whiton said. “Now, if homes with unique features, such as great views or next to a park or on a golf course, or near a good school, customers are bidding up those prices.”

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John Marcotte

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Luxury home sales soar 45%

Luxury home sales soar 45%

Luxury home sales in the Denver area surged 45 percent in March compared to March 2012, according to a report released today by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage.

The figures are based on Multiple Listing Service data of all homes sold for more than $1 million last month in the metro area. Earlier, independent broker Gary Bauer and Kentwood Real Estate released reports showing similar trends.

A total of 71 homes in the region sold for more than $1 million in March, up from 49 in March 2012, according to Coldwell Banker. Luxury sales last month were up 58 percent from the 45 transactions in February.

Meanwhile, the median sale price of a luxury home edged down slightly to $1.275 million in March, off 2.7 percent from the same period a year ago and 1.5 percent from the median sales price in February.

The high-end of the luxury market showed particular strength with 10 sales over $2 million, up from just four the previous month and year ago. Two other key market indicators also improved in March with homes selling faster on average and sellers receiving a higher percentage of their asking price.

“The Denver metro area’s luxury market has continued its upward momentum with the spring home buying season in full swing,” said Chris Mygatt, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Colorado. “We’re gradually getting more inventory on the market, but it’s still not enough to meet the strong buyer demand.”

Some key findings from this month’s Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage luxury report:

  • The most expensive sale in the Denver Metro Area last month was a six-bedroom, nine-bath approximately 13,000-square-foot home in Cherry Hills Village that sold for $7 million.
  • Denver boasted the most million-dollar sales with 25, followed by Boulder with 10, Cherry Hills Village with eight, and Castle Rock and Greenwood Village with four each.
  • Homes sold in an average of 133 days on the market, down from 186.8 days the previous month ago but up slightly from 129 days a year ago.
  • Sellers received an average of 96.1 percent of their asking price, up from 94.9 percent a year ago and 95.8 percent the previous month.

 

John Marcotte

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RE/MAX names new board member

 

RE/MAX names new board member

Kathleen Cunningham, who has more than 30 years of executive experience at a wide-range of enterprises, has joined the RE/MAX’s 12-member board of managers.

 

“Kathy’s depth of experience and extensive leadership skills, are the reasons we asked her to join our board,” said Dave Liniger, co-founder and chairman of  Denver-based RE/MAX LLC.

“With her finance and governance knowledge, she has been a valued contributor at a number of organizations, guiding them through various stages of growth.”

Cunningham will serve as chair of the audit committee and as a member of the nominating/governance committee for the board.

Currently, she is a member of three corporate boards. Cunningham also has executive experience as CEO, Chief Operating Office and Chief Financial Officer in software, telecommunications and banking companies.

Kathleen Cunningham

Kathleen Cunningham

She also has a background in real estate, working as a financial a financial consultant and board member with Chileno Bay LLC, a resort development company in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Cunningham served as CFO with three Colorado software companies: NxTrend Technology Requisite Technology and Webroot Software.

She also has held and has also held executive positions at U S West (now Century Link) and Intrawest Financial Service (nowWells Fargo).

Cunningham earned an MBA in finance from the University of Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Politics from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is a fellow and past president of the National Association of Corporate Directors, and completed the Harvard Business School’s Audit Committee Governance Program.  She currently lives in the Denver area.

 

 

John Marcotte

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Developers shy away from buying home

Developers shy away from buying home

Highlights:

  • Only one developer bid on mansion overlooking Denver Country Club.
  • Sonja Leonard Leonard believes other developers were scared off.
  • Conservation Fund stands to lose well into six figures because of lack of developer bids.

A number of developers did not make bids for a large home on six city lots overlooking the Denver Country Club, because they feared opposition from neighbors and Historic Denver Inc., according to the listing broker.

Sonja Leonard Leonard is listing the home at 101 S. Humboldt St. on behalf of the Conservation Fund.

Developers were scared to bid for this home listed for $2 million on behalf of the Conservation Fund.

Developers were scared to bid for this home listed for $2 million on behalf of the Conservation Fund.

The 5,198-square-foot home, donated to the Conservation Fund by the late Helen “Prue” Grant, was priced at $2 million.

“None of the bids were high enough for the Conservation fund, so we are going to continue marketing,” said Leonard, who was listing the home for the non-profit group for a 1 percent commission.

“Our problem is that developers or folks who want to tear it down face a huge obstacle in a neighborhood protest and in Historic Denver promising to jump in the minute a demolition permit is pulled,” she said.

Leonard said neighbors and Annie Levinsky, the executive director of Historic Denver, told her they planned to try to save the home, which lacks a historic designation, if a demolition permit is issued by the city. Levinsky could not immediately be reached for comment.

“I’m trying to find out exactly what non-owners can and cannot do,” Leonard said.

In December, the City Council made it more difficult for citizens to seek Landmark status for properties they do not know. The new ordinance, among other things, requires a minimum of three Denver residents or property owners, to seek the designation. Far more neighbors than that oppose the demolition of the home, Leonard said.

Leonard she said she believed the existing home could be razed and the parcel could include three new homes. The home was designed by Denver architect Thomas Moore. Victor Hornbein, another well-known architect, also was involved with the design of the home after it was built.

While about a half dozen developers looked at it, only one, a Texan, made an offer. That offer, she said, had a number of contingencies, such as the ability to allow him to move forward on the demolition, before he would pull the trigger.

A lot of developers were blind-sided by Historic Denver,” she said. “It just scared the living daylights out of them.”

Leonard said she did receive a number of offers for the home and it is possible that it may be placed under contract shortly, although a developer would be willing to pay a higher price.

“I think it will be sold by Sunday,” said Leonard, who held open houses for the property during the previous two Sundays, which together drew about 550 people.

“All of the offers came in within $100,000 of each other,” she said. “We took the one, which was not the highest, but had the fewest contingencies, and made a counter offer. We’ll see what happens.”

She said she can not be specific about the dollar amount of the offers.

Leonard said the irony about the opposition from Historic Denver is that she loves to preserve buildings and if she had her druthers, the home would be saved from the wrecking ball.

 

 

John Marcotte

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