Timeline of Boulder, Colorado


The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Boulder, Colorado, United States.

19th century

  • 1858
  • * October 17 - A group of gold prospectors from Fort St. Vrain 30 mi. to the east camp in Red Rocks on Boulder Creek in modern-day Settler's Park at the mouth of Boulder Canyon. This was in Arapaho territory, near the camp of Southern Arapaho chief Chief Niwot in Valmont Butte. Chief Niwot rode to their camp to warn them to leave, but changed his mind after being given food and liquor. He welcomed the visitors, but not before uttering the Curse of the Boulder Valley: "People seeing the beauty of this valley will want to stay, and their staying will be the undoing of the beauty."
  • 1859
  • * January 15 - gold is discovered in Gold Hill, Colorado above Left Hand Canyon in NW Boulder.
  • * February 10 - the Boulder City Town Company is formed, and the town laid out into 4,044 lots, offered for $1,000 each.
  • 1861
  • * February 28 - the Territory of Colorado is created by the U.S. Congress, causing Boulder to no longer be part of Nebraska Territory.
  • * November 7 - legislation is passed making way for the state university to be located in Boulder.
  • 1869 - Boulder County News begins publication.
  • 1870
  • *List of [Colorado railroads|Denver and Boulder Valley Railroad] begins operating.
  • * Population: 323
  • 1871
  • * November 4 - town incorporated in violation of the Treaty of [Fort Laramie |Treaty of Fort Laramie].
  • 1873 - Railroad begins operating.
  • 1875
  • * September 20 - the first cornerstone is laid for the first building on the University of Colorado campus.
  • * Colorado Banner newspaper begins publication.
  • * Boulder High School established.
  • 1876
  • * August 1 - Boulder becomes part of new State of Colorado.
  • 1877 - September 5 - The University of Colorado at Boulder officially opens.
  • 1878 -
  • *The first mayor, Jacob Ellison, is elected for a two-month term.
  • *January - Mary Rippon, first female professor at the University of Colorado, joined the faculty.
  • 1880 - The town passes the 3,000 population mark, making it eligible for incorporation.
  • 1882
  • * April 3 - Boulder is incorporated as a 2nd class town, and later that month a new town hall is completed in time for the first meeting of the city council.
  • 1883
  • * The first courthouse is built.
  • * The University of Colorado Medical School opens.
  • 1885 - Denver, Marshall and Boulder Railway begins operating.
  • 1890
  • * Boulder Railroad Depot built.
  • * Boulder Camera begins publication.
  • * Population: 3,300.
  • 1891 - Feeny Opera House active.
  • 1892
  • * Highland School built.
  • * University of Colorado Law School established.
  • 1893 - Philharmonic Club formed.
  • 1895 - Crockett Ricketts elected mayor.
  • 1896 - Colorado Sanitarium in business.
  • 1898
  • * Chautauqua Auditorium built.
  • * Colorado & Southern Railway in operation.
  • * Boulder Citizen's Band established,
  • 1900
  • * Colorado Chautauqua established.
  • * Population: 6,150.

    20th century

1900s-1940s