Boulder, Colorado
Boulder Colorado is a great place to visit and live, for a a variety of different reasons. Much of the population is young, active and accepting of other people's differences. It is the kind of place where a person can learn a lot from the university and from alternative types of sports. Still another reason why Boulder is a great place to be is because the views and scenery are simply incredible.
Boulder Colorado is the home of the University of Colorado. First started in the 1870s, this university has been a home for protests and forward thinking for over a century. In addition, Boulder's culture is one where all kinds of political views come together and can be discussed without one side having an unfair advantage. Furthermore, Boulder is host to a wide range of different types of sports, including being the worldwide home of the semi-professional Ultimate frisbee league. If you love to rock climb, hike, mountain bike or do a lot of other kinds of physical activities set against a backdrop of breathtaking mountains, there are not many places in the world to do so. Simply put, Boulder is a great place for your body and your mind.
Welcome to the city of Boulder, where you will be able to make just about anything happen. There are intriquing options in entertainment, education, affordable living and many other benefits the city offers its residents. Many businesses in the city also thrive.
Boulder History
The City of Boulder was inhabited by people long before European settlers first arrived there. For centuries, Arapaho Native Americans wintered at the base of Rocky Mountain foothills in the area which would one day become Boulder. As time went on, gold drove the earliest round of Europeans who arrived there. When Colorado separated from Nebraska and Kansas, Boulder was among the early places to grow, incorporate and begin its steady march toward prosperity. As the railroads came around, Boulder rode that trend, as well. Colorado University and its energetic, liberal student population also came around to add their energy to the mix. As time went on, mining was gradually replaced by cleaner industries, and the area was on the cutting edge of Prohibition. With the establishment of the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, which became US Highway 36, Boulder's current role as a significant western city was solidified.
European settlers first came around the Boulder area in 1858, looking to find gold in the area like in California. In those days, Boulder was part of the Nebraska Territory, and the city's Baseline Road marks the old boundary between the Nebraska and Kansas territories. In 1859, the Boulder City Town Company was formed, and the first school in the area was built in 1860. Continuing the productive trend, the Colorado Territory was founded in 1861. During the next decade, the area's population grew fairly dramatically. In 1871, Boulder City was made official. In 1873 the railroads reached this city, and in 1890 the locals built a railroad depot. When Colorado became a state in 1876, Boulder was ready.
The liberal history of Boulder goes back to 1861, when Boulder was settled on as the future location of the state's university. While the first building wasn't begun until 1875 and classes didn't begin until 1877, this was a monumental step toward establishing Boulder as a liberal friendly place. The city also witnessed the coal mining strike of 1910 to 1915. However, it became moot in the 1940s, as the importance of mining greatly diminished in the local economy.
In the early years of the 20th century, Boulder was among the first cities to prohibit alcohol. In 1907 the city established an anti-saloon ordinance. Colorado's prohibition of alcohol began in 1916, only ending when nationwide Prohibition ended in 1933. When the Denver-Boulder Turnpike came about in 1952, Boulder became a better thoroughfare through the country. Paid off in 1967, the highway allowed hippies to enter and further infuse the Boulder culture with fresh, liberal ideas.
About Boulder, Colorado
Boulder, Colorado is a very prosperous city with a large population. Ranking as the 11th largest city in Colorado, it sits higher than most cities at over a mile above sea level, and is in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Of course, Boulder is more than just the kind of mega cities with its feet in the clouds. It boasts more than just a colorful history as part of the Old West and a hangout for hippies in the 1960s. Sitting near a creek named Boulder Creek, the rocks are what gave both this tributary of the South Platte River and this city their names.
Boulder has a dry, fairly cool climate, with the highest temperature recorded being 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Even during the summer time, the temperatures only sometimes rise over 90 degrees during the day. Naturally, it cools off substantially at night time. Sitting at a mile in elevation - more specifically 5,430 feet - above sea level also makes Boulder a great place for athletes to train, as the thinner air conditions help them to breathe more efficiently. With this added difficulty plus the gorgeous scenery of the gigantic stones known as Flatirons and the Rocky Mountains off in the distance, Boulder is naturally a hub of people who consider staying physically fit to be an enjoyable part of every day.
Boulder is more than just a great place to train, however. The entire area is a major liberal hub, and it goes a long way back. Sometimes the area is even known derisively as either "25 square miles surrounded by reality" or "the People's Republic of Boulder" due to the locals' intensely liberal nature. However, there have been several notable victories scored by the people in Boulder, including Colorado's first ordinance which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. While the measure originally encountered some resistance, it ultimately won the day a few years after its original overturn.
In addition to this, Boulder was even the first city in Colorado to grant marriage licenses to homosexual couples. The law was ultimately overturned by state laws, which banned the practice of homosexual marriage. Of course, Boulder's liberal tendencies don't just extend into sexuality. It was also the first city in Colorado to enact a ban on smoking in public places, even including bars. While an evangelical organization for men originally formed in Boulder, the energy of the city eventually caused it to leave and go to Denver. Regardless of how many liberals, conservatives and independents there are in the area, Boulder is the kind of city where new ideas happen a lot.
About Boulder County, Colorado
The city of Boulder Colorado is the most populous city located within Boulder County and also the county seat. Boulder County was one of the first counties that the Territory of Boulder created back in 1861. Named after both Boulder City and Boulder Creek, it was all about the massive rocks. Rock climbing is just one of the major sports to be very popular in the area in recent years, and they have always been a major component of the landscape. This is a very dry and land-locked county, and the residents tend to be both a bit younger than the national average and fairly physically active in outdoor sports.
Boulder County was among the first 17 counties created when Colorado originally became a state. Since that time, the county has seen fairly dramatic growth as more and more people discovered that this scenic area was a fun place to live. The Census reports have shown double digit growth each time since the 1940 Census, and on two of those occasions the growth rate was over 50% in ten years. The cities of Denver and Boulder are especially fast-growing, considering their fit and liberal populations and gorgeous backdrops.
The county itself is composed of a fairly young group. The median age throughout the county is only 33 years old, partially because of the extensive university populace in Boulder. Considering that Boulder City was the first in the state to enact legislation such as banning discrimination based on sexual discrimination, it makes sense that such a welcoming environment would be both younger and more inclined to grow in numbers. The racial makeup is almost 90% caucasians, followed with about 5% other races not typically listed in demographics and slightly over 3% Asians.
Boulder County is a slightly affluent area, and the average household income was nearly $56,000 per year as of the 2000 Census. In that same period, the average family income was just over $70,000 per year. With above average incomes being the norm, less than 10% of the total population and less than 5% of families were listed as being below the poverty line.