Thornton, Colorado facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thornton, Colorado
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Thornton welcome sign on Interstate 25
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 Thornton, Colorado
Location in Colorado
Thornton, Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  Colorado |
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| Counties | Adams County Weld County |
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| City | Thornton | |
| Incorporated | June 12, 1956 | |
| Named for | Daniel I.J. Thornton | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Home rule municipality | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 37.947 sq mi (98.282 km2) | |
| • Land | 35.924 sq mi (93.043 km2) | |
| • Water | 2.023 sq mi (5.239 km2) | |
| Elevation | 5,351 ft (1,631 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 141,867 | |
| • Rank | 6th in Colorado 191st in the United States |
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| • Density | 3,949/sq mi (1,525/km2) | |
| • Metro | 2,963,821 (19th) | |
| • CSA | 3,623,560 (17th) | |
| • Front Range | 5,055,344 | |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (MST) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−06:00 (MDT) | |
| ZIP codes |
Denver 80221, 80229, 80233, 80241, 80260
Brighton 80602 |
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| Area code(s) | Both 303 and 720 | |
| FIPS code | 08-77290 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0181265 | |
| Highways |        |
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| Website | City of Thornton | |
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Thornton is a city in Colorado, United States. It is located in Adams and Weld counties. Thornton is about 10 miles (16 km) north of Denver.
In 2020, the city had a population of 141,867 people. This makes Thornton the sixth-largest city in Colorado. It is also the 191st most populated city in the entire United States.
Contents
History of Thornton
Thornton was mostly farmland until 1953. That year, a man named Sam Hoffman bought land north of Denver. He planned a new community there.
Thornton was the first planned community in Adams County. It was also the first to offer full city services from one tax. These services included things like recreation and free trash pickup. The city was named after Dan Thornton, who was the governor of Colorado at the time.
The Thornton Community Association (TCA) was created in 1954. This group helped guide the city's growth. By the end of 1955, Thornton had 5,500 residents. They lived in over 1,200 homes. The TCA helped Thornton officially become a city in 1956. Oyer G. Leary was elected as the first mayor.
Geography and Location
Thornton is located at 39°54′11″N 104°57′16″W.
In 2020, the city covered an area of about 98.28 square kilometers (37.95 square miles). About 5.24 square kilometers (2.02 square miles) of this area is water.
Fun Things to Do in Thornton
Thornton has many places for fun and outdoor activities.
- The city has 81 parks.
- There are nearly 2,000 acres (8.1 km²) of parks and open spaces.
- You can explore over 80 miles (129 km) of trails.
The city also has great recreation centers. These include the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center and the Thornton Community Center. If you like golf, you can visit Thorncreek Golf Course or Todd Creek Golf.
Getting Around Thornton
Thornton has several major highways that help people travel.
Highways in Thornton
Interstate 25 goes through Thornton. It connects the city to places like Denver and Broomfield.
Interstate 76 briefly crosses the southeastern part of Thornton.
State Highway 7 (East 160th Avenue) runs along the northern part of the city.
State Highway 44 (East 104th Avenue) starts in Thornton and goes east.
State Highway 224 (East 74th Avenue) runs along the southern edge of the city.
E-470 is a toll road that passes through northern Thornton.
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Public Transportation
The Regional Transportation District (RTD) offers bus and train services in Thornton. Commuter train service on the N Line started in 2020. There are three train stations in the city:
- Original Thornton/88th station
- Thornton Crossroads/104th station
- Eastlake/124th station (This is currently the last stop on the N Line.)
Education in Thornton
Thornton has many schools for students. Several school districts serve the city:
- Adams County School District 12
- Adams County School District 14
- Mapleton Public Schools
- Brighton School District 27J
These districts include:
- Eight high schools, like Thornton High School and Horizon High School.
- Eleven middle schools.
- Twenty elementary schools.
There are also special charter schools in or near Thornton. These include Stargate School and Colorado Virtual Academy. Lord of Life Lutheran School is a private Christian school for younger students.
Thornton also has several libraries. They are part of the Rangeview Library District, also known as Anythink Libraries.
Shopping and Retail Areas
Thornton has many places to shop. Some popular shopping areas are:
- Larkridge Mall
- Thornton Town Center
- Thorncreek Crossing Shopping Center
Larkridge Mall has many well-known stores and restaurants. Thornton is also home to DaveCo Liquor Store, which is known as the largest liquor store in the world.
Famous People from Thornton
Many notable people have lived in or were born in Thornton. Some of them include:
- Tesho Akindele (born 1992), a soccer player.
- Josh Bredl (born 1991), a professional wrestler.
- John Denney (born 1978), a football player.
- Dalton Knecht (born 2001), a basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.
- Mike Manning (born 1987), an actor.
- Nikki Marshall (born 1988), a soccer player.
- Neal Ulevich (born 1946), a photojournalist.
Images for kids
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Thornton welcome sign on Interstate 25
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Flag of Thornton, Colorado
