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History of Broomfield
Over 100 Years of HistoryThe City and County of Broomfield is an exceptionally prized home to her residents who take pride in the hometown values and atmosphere they have worked to create. Born in the latter quarter of the Nineteenth Century, Broomfield began as an agrarian community, with hard-working, community-oriented families who located here on the heels of those adventurous gold-seekers seeking their fortunes and hoping to strike gold in Colorado's wilderness |
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Ultimately, Zang bought 4,000 acres of land in the area for his Elmwood Stock Farm where he bred Percheron horses, and tended fruit orchards. Tenant farmers worked half the land in dryland crops and half in irrigated farming, and there are reports of a large turkey operation on the southwest portion of the property. Zang's land of yesteryear is today's Broomfield. |
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Today's Broomfield looks forward to expanding retail operations, multiple social and cultural activities and a solid economic base in the high-tech industry locating in new and beautiful business parks. |
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The westward migration was on in earnest. Railroad companies gobbled up the West through the beneficence of the U.S. government and Broomfield's destiny was begun. |
![]() The Railroad Arrives |
In 1873 the Colorado Central Railroad brought a line north from Golden. This line ran approximately where the south frontage road of U.S. 36 runs, and swerved south toward Golden east of Wadsworth Boulevard. On the north, it connected with the Union Pacific in Cheyenne, Wyo. The arrival of the Colorado Central connected Broomfield to the world via Denver, where trains departed for all points of the country and, with connections to every major town in the United States and the territories. |
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The Denver, Marshall and Boulder Railway completed a much more direct line through Broomfield in 1886, replacing the route through Golden. The Denver, Utah and Pacific Railroad first laid down rails in 1881 in the area now in the vicinity of 120th Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard. The company completed a line to Lyons, northwest of Boulder, by absorbing the Colorado Northern Railroad line between Erie and Canfield, a small town west of Erie. When the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad began backing the Denver, Utah and Pacific in 1889, the railroad was converted to a standard gauge rail. After years of mergers, acquisitions, name changes and changes in control, the Colorado and Southern was formed in 1899. In 1901, the C&S added a third rail from Denver to Boulder to allow narrow-gauge trains to operate over the existing tracks. |
![]() Passenger Service to Denver and Beyond |
In 1904, the Colorado and Southern formed the Denver & Interurban Railway, and by 1908, the big cars were serving Broomfield on a regular basis, taking passengers to Denver, Westminster, Marshall, Boulder, Superior, Valmont and Louisville on its Main Line. By 1909, Broomfield had 19 passenger trains per day coming through town, prompting construction of a new depot which stood at the corner of present-day 120th Avenue and Old Wadsworth Boulevard. |
By the 1920s, the era of the "horseless carriage" was well underway, and the demise of the Denver & Interurban in 1926 heralded the long decline of passenger service to Broomfield. The last C&S passenger service, Trains 29 and 30 between Denver and Billings, Mont., was discontinued in September 1967. |
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Becoming the 64th CountyIn the late 1990s, Broomfield made history. To help alleviate the problems and confusion in accessing services with the City of Broomfield being the only city in the state to lie in portions of four counties, residents sought relief in a constitutional amendment creating a City and County of Broomfield. The amendment passed on November 3, 1998, giving the city a three-year transition period in which to organize to become Colorado's 64th county. The state's newest county, the City and County of Broomfield, officially took effect on November 15, 2001. |
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Broomfield Stories
"Spirit of the American Dream"Documentary celebrating Broomfield's 50th Anniversary
"Building Community"
At 84-years-old, Joe Weibel is one of Broomfield's most active volunteers and can be found most days at the Broomfield Community Center woodshop
"Grandmother of Open Space"
Calling Broomfield home for more than 47 years, Elenor McKinley is affectionately referred to as the "grandmother of open space."
"Painting History"
Dianna Wilson moved to Broomfield in 1961 and has paintings featured in City Hall and the Veteran's Museum.