Boulder Celebrates 150 Candles

A group of businessmen formed the Boulder City Town Company 150-years ago in 1859.  They offered 4,044 lots for $1,000 each.  The idea was to establish Boulder City as the supply town for the many miners flockng to the foothills and canyons west of the area.  Initial sales were not brisk.

In 1873, the Colorado Central Railroad arrived in Boulder followed shortly by the Denver & Boulder Valley Railroad.  In 1877, the University of Colorado was founded on the out-skirts of Boulder.  Today it remains the State of Colorado’s premier nationally-ranked university.  Now as then, CU is not a part of the City of Boulder, rather it remains a pseudo-municipality with its own governing infrastructure.

In 1894, Boulder suffered its worst 100-year floor that destroyed much of the fledgling city’s infrastructure. In 1898, Boulder’s Chautauqua opened as part of a national movement to bring culture and social forums to every corner of the United States.  In 1908, the Boulder Creek Path was designated within the city’s overall plan.  The contributing designer of the plan was responsible for NYC’s Central Park.

Jumping forward, in 1954 President Eisenhower dedicated the first of what would be many federal research and technology labs.  In 1965, Ball Brothers Research Corp., attracting the talents of University of Colorado faculty, was opened leading the way in the development of space rocket guidance systems. In 1965, IBM opened a plant in Boulder.  Both Ball Aerospace and IBM remain active employers in the Boulder area.

In 1967, Boulder voters established the first open space tax to buy land.  Today, over 40,000 acres of open space and mountain parks have been purchased.  In 1971, reflecting the civic unrest of the times, student riots caused extensive damage near the University of Colorado campus.

In 1977, the Pearl Street Pedestrian Mall was opened as one of the first pedestrian malls in the United States.  In 1979, the Boulder Bolder running road race was established.  Today, more than 50,000 runners participate in the Memorial Day weekend race.

The pace of change has only quickened over the most recent 25-years.

Happy Birthday Boulder!

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