Fort Collins Agricultural Colony facts for kids
The Fort Collins Agricultural Colony was a special group created in Larimer County, Colorado in the 1870s. Its main goal was to help new farmers and businesses settle in and around the town of Fort Collins. This colony started in the autumn of 1872. It grew out of the successful Union Colony in nearby Greeley. The Fort Collins colony played a huge part in helping Fort Collins grow. It also helped make the town an important farming center in the Colorado Territory. This was at a time when the region was mostly known for its minerals, like gold and silver.
How Fort Collins Grew
The town of Fort Collins had been started about ten years before the colony. It was built where an old army camp, Camp Collins, used to be. In 1870, the leaders of the territory decided that the Colorado Agricultural College would be built in Fort Collins. However, they didn't give any money to build it yet. A big worry for the town's leaders was that there was no railroad nearby. The railroad finally arrived in 1877, which was a big help for the town.
The Fort Collins colony began two years after the Greeley Colony was set up. The Greeley Colony was located further down the Poudre River. The Fort Collins colony was led by General Robert A. Cameron, who was also an officer in the Greeley Colony. The Greeley Colony was very successful. Its founder, Nathan Meeker, wanted it to be a special community based on religious ideas. Because Greeley did so well, its leaders decided to expand their efforts. The Fort Collins colony wasn't as focused on religious ideas as Greeley. Instead, it was more about helping Fort Collins grow its population.
Besides General Cameron, many other important early residents and business owners of Fort Collins were involved. These included John C. Matthews, Judge A.F. Howes, J.M. Sherwood, Colonel J.E. Remington, N.H. Meldrum, B.T. Whedbee, Benjamin Harrison Eaton, and Joseph Mason.
A New Plan for the Town
The colony's plan was to divide 3,000 acres (about 12 square kilometers) of land right next to the existing town. This land was split into smaller pieces: 10, 20, and 40-acre lots. These new areas were mostly to the west and south of the original Fort Collins town. They connected perfectly with the old town's layout. This meant the colony helped the town spread out away from the Cache la Poudre River.
The older part of Fort Collins was laid out mostly parallel to the old Overland Stage road along the river. But the new lands from the colony were set up facing the main compass directions (north, south, east, west). Important streets like College Avenue and Mountain Avenue, which are still major roads in downtown Fort Collins today, were planned as part of this new colony layout. The older part of town is now known as "Old Town Fort Collins."
Joining the Colony
The colony invited anyone with "good moral character" to join. People could buy a certificate to become a member. These certificates cost between $50 and $250. A $50 certificate gave someone one town lot. Larger certificates allowed people to have both a business and a home in the colony. They also came with certain water rights, which were very important for farming.
At that time, Fort Collins already had a post office, a grist mill (for grinding grain), and many small businesses and stores. The colony specifically asked for new businesses like a "good country newspaper," a hardware store, and a bank. They also wanted more farmers and other "industrious people" to move there. The colony made it clear that they did not want places that sold alcohol or places for gambling.
The first drawing of lots for the colony happened in December 1872. About one-fifth of the lots were given out then. The colony quickly led to hundreds of new people moving to Fort Collins. Many new buildings were also put up. Among those who received lots was Franklin Avery, who later became one of the town's most important citizens. Jacob Welch, who became a very well-known merchant, also received a lot. Both of them got land along College Avenue, which became the main street in the new, bigger town.
