Larimer County, Colorado facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Larimer County
U.S. county
Colorado State University Historic Spruce Hall
Location within the U.S. state of Colorado
Colorado's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Colorado
Founded	November 1, 1861
Named for	William Larimer, Jr.
Seat	Fort Collins
Largest city	Fort Collins
Area
• Total	2,634 sq mi (6,820 km²)
• Land	2,596 sq mi (6,720 km²)
• Water	38 sq mi (100 km²) 1.4%%
Population (2020)
• Total	359,066
• Density	138/sq mi (53/km²)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional districts	2nd, 4th, 8th

Larimer County is a cool place in the state of Colorado, USA. It's a county with a population of over 359,000 people, according to the 2020 census. The main city and county capital is Fort Collins. The county got its name from William Larimer, Jr., who also founded the city of Denver.

This county is part of the Fort Collins area, which is a busy metropolitan region. It's located at the northern end of the Front Range, which is a beautiful mountain area. It also touches the Colorado Eastern Plains and borders the state of Wyoming.

History of Larimer County

Larimer County was officially created in 1861. It was named after General William Larimer.

Unlike many parts of Colorado, which became famous for mining gold and silver, Larimer County grew mostly because of agriculture (farming). At first, people didn't think farming was possible here. The big mining rush mostly missed this area. But then, in the 1860s, people started using irrigation to bring water to the land. This helped many new settlers move in and start farms.

Early Days and Settlements

Wagon trail pass near Fort Collins, Colorado, from a June 7, 1859, sketch

Long ago, before Europeans arrived, Native American tribes lived here. The Utes lived in the mountains, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes lived in the flatter areas near the mountains.

In the early 1800s, French fur trappers came to the area. This was after the land became part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase. In 1828, William H. Ashley traveled up the Cache la Poudre River. The river got its name because French trappers once hid gunpowder along its banks.

In 1848, a group of Cherokee people passed through the county. They were on their way to California using a path called the Cherokee Trail.

The area was officially opened for white settlers after a treaty with the Cheyenne and Arapaho in 1858. The first U.S. settlers arrived that same year. A man named Antoine Janis helped start the first U.S. settlement in this part of Colorado, called Colona. It was near what is now Laporte. Around the same time, Mariano Medina set up Fort Namaqua near present-day Loveland. The first irrigation canals for farming were built along the Poudre River in the 1860s.

In 1862, the settlement of Laporte became a stop on the Overland Stage Route. This route was created because of threats from Native Americans on other trails. Laporte was also chosen as the first county seat for the new Colorado Territory.

Later, the United States Army set up an outpost called Camp Collins near Laporte. But a big flood in 1864 destroyed it. The Army moved their post downstream, and this new spot became the town of Fort Collins. Fort Collins became the county seat in 1873.

In 1870, Fort Collins was chosen to be the home of the state agricultural college. This college later became Colorado State University.

Railroads Arrive

Early citizens of Larimer County really wanted railroads to come to their area. They were disappointed when the first major railroad bypassed them in 1870.

Finally, in 1877, the Colorado Central Railroad built a line through the county. This railroad connected towns like Golden and Longmont to Cheyenne. The town of Fort Collins even gave the railroad permission to build tracks right through the middle of town.

New towns like Loveland and Berthoud grew up along this new railroad line. They were named after important people from the Colorado Central Railroad. Another town, Wellington, was founded in 1903 and named after a railroad worker.

The Greeley, Salt Lake, and Pacific Railroad arrived a few years later. This railroad helped with quarrying stone, which became another important industry for the area. There was also a brief attempt at gold mining in a place called Manhattan, which is now a ghost town.

Farming and Water Projects

Farming in Larimer County got a big boost in 1902. This was when people started growing sugar beets. A large processing plant was built in Loveland by the Great Western Sugar Co.. This new industry brought many German immigrants from the Russian Empire to the county. They helped build new neighborhoods in Fort Collins.

Another major improvement for farming came in the 1930s. This was with the building of the Colorado Big Thompson Project. This project collected water from the western side of the mountains and brought it to Larimer and nearby counties. It also created a huge system to store and distribute water. This meant farmers could grow crops for much longer each year and irrigate much more land.

Geography

Fall colors in Poudre Canyon

Larimer County covers a total area of about 2,634 square miles. Most of this is land (2,596 square miles), and a small part is water (38 square miles).

Neighboring Counties

Laramie County, Wyoming (to the northeast)
Weld County (to the east)
Boulder County (to the south)
Grand County (to the southwest)
Jackson County (to the west)
Albany County, Wyoming (to the northwest)

Main Roads

Interstate 25
U.S. Highway 34
U.S. Highway 36
U.S. Highway 87
U.S. Highway 287
State Highway 1
State Highway 7
State Highway 14
State Highway 56
State Highway 60
State Highway 66
State Highway 392
State Highway 402

Protected Natural Areas

Larimer County has many beautiful natural areas that are protected.

National Protected Areas

Cache La Poudre Wilderness
Comanche Peak Wilderness
Neota Wilderness
Rawah Wilderness
Rocky Mountain National Park
Roosevelt National Forest

State Protected Areas

Boyd Lake State Park
Lory State Park

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1870	838	—
1880	4,892	483.8%
1890	9,712	98.5%
1900	12,168	25.3%
1910	25,270	107.7%
1920	27,872	10.3%
1930	33,137	18.9%
1940	35,539	7.2%
1950	43,554	22.6%
1960	53,343	22.5%
1970	89,900	68.5%
1980	149,184	65.9%
1990	186,136	24.8%
2000	251,494	35.1%
2010	299,630	19.1%
2020	359,066	19.8%
2023 (est.)	370,771	23.7%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2000, there were about 251,494 people living in Larimer County. The population has grown a lot over the years, reaching 359,066 people by 2020.

Cities and Towns

Larimer County is home to several cities and towns.

Cities

Towns

Berthoud (partially in Larimer and partially in Weld county)
Estes Park
Johnstown (partially in Larimer and partially in Weld county)
Timnath
Wellington
Windsor (partially in Larimer and partially in Weld County)

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated.

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not part of any city or town.

Bellvue
Buckeye
Campion
Cherokee Park
Drake
Glendevey
Glen Haven
Livermore
Kinikinik
Masonville
Norfolk
Pinewood Springs
Pingree Park
Poudre Park
Rustic
Virginia Dale
Waverly

Ghost Towns

These are towns that used to exist but are now abandoned.

Education

Larimer County has several school districts:

Park R3 (Estes Park)
Poudre R1 (Fort Collins & surrounding area)
Thompson R2-J (Berthoud & Loveland)

Fort Collins is also home to Colorado State University, a large public university.

Fun Things to Do

Greyrock Mountain trail

Larimer County offers many places for outdoor fun and learning.

Ancient Sites

Lindenmeier Site: This is an important archaeological site where scientists found tools and evidence of early people.

National Trails

These are long trails perfect for hiking and exploring.

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
Greyrock Mountain National Recreation Trail
Mount McConnel National Recreation Trail
Round Mountain National Recreation Trail

Bicycle Routes

There are many great paths for biking in the county.

Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area
Fossil Creek Trail
Great Parks Bicycle Route
Loveland's Recreation Trail
Mason Trail
Poudre River Trail
Power Trail
Spring Creek Trail

Scenic Drives

Enjoy beautiful views along these routes.