Timeline of Boulder, Colorado facts for kids

This is a timeline of the history of Boulder, a city in Colorado, USA. It shows important events that shaped the city over the years, from its early days as a small settlement to the modern city it is today.

Panorama of Boulder in 1900, showing how the city looked over a hundred years ago.

How Boulder Began: The 1800s

• 1858 – A new settlement was formed in the area.
• 1859
  • The Boulder City Town Company was created.
  • The town's layout was planned.
• 1860 – The first schoolhouse opened, showing the community's focus on education.
• 1869 – The Boulder County News newspaper started publishing.
• 1870
  • The Denver and Boulder Valley Railroad began operating, connecting Boulder to other places.
  • The population reached 1,939 people.
• 1871 – Boulder officially became an incorporated town.
• 1873 – Another railroad started operating, helping the town grow.
• 1875
  • The Colorado Banner newspaper began publication.
  • Boulder High School was established, offering more education options.
• 1876 – Boulder became part of the new State of Colorado.
• 1877 – September 5: The University of Colorado opened its doors.
• 1883 – The University of Colorado Medical School opened.
• 1885 – The Denver, Marshall and Boulder Railway started operating.
• 1890
  • The Boulder Railroad Depot was built.
  • The Boulder Camera newspaper began publishing.
• 1891 – The Feeny Opera House was active around this time, offering entertainment.
• 1892
  • Highland School was built.
  • The University of Colorado Law School was established.
• 1893 – The Philharmonic Club was formed, focusing on music.
• 1895 – Crockett Ricketts was elected mayor of Boulder.
• 1896 – The Colorado Sanitarium opened for health care.
• 1898
  • The Chautauqua Auditorium was built, a place for events and learning.
  • The Colorado & Southern Railway began operating.

Boulder in the 1900s

Early 1900s: Growth and New Buildings

• 1900 – The Colorado Chautauqua was established, offering summer programs.
• 1902
  • The Boulder Oil Field well began operating.
  • The University of Colorado Museum of Natural History was founded.
• 1906
  • The Curran Opera House opened.
  • The University of Colorado College of Commerce was established.
• 1907 – The Carnegie Library was built, providing books and resources.
• 1909
  • The Denver, Boulder and Western Railroad began operating.
  • The Hotel Boulderado opened for business.
• 1910 – The population grew to 9,539 people.
• 1923 – Macky Auditorium opened at the university.
• 1924 – Colorado Stadium opened, a large sports venue.
• 1926 – The Rialto Theatre was built.
• 1929 – Denver Municipal Airport began operating, connecting Boulder to air travel.
• 1937 – Balch Fieldhouse (an arena) opened.
• 1941 – The Civic Symphony Orchestra was founded.
• 1944 – The Boulder Historical Society was established to preserve local history.
• 1947 – KBOL radio began broadcasting.
• 1948
  • Andrews Arboretum was established, a place for plants.
  • The Conference on World Affairs began at the University of Colorado.
• 1949 – The Sommers–Bausch Observatory was built for studying the stars.

Mid to Late 1900s: Modern Boulder Takes Shape

• 1952
  • A U.S. National Bureau of Standards laboratory opened.
  • The Denver-Boulder Turnpike opened, making travel easier.
  • The population reached 19,999.
• 1953 – The Colorado Daily newspaper began publication.
• 1954 – September: A new U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology facility was dedicated.
• 1955 – The Denver Regional Council of Governments was formed.
• 1958
  • The Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra was founded.
  • The Colorado Shakespeare Festival began, bringing theater to the city.
• 1963 – Crossroads Mall opened for shopping.
• 1966 – Attention Homes opened its first home to help young people.
• 1967 – The U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesa Laboratory was built.
• 1969 – The Regional Transportation District (a public transit system) was organized.
• 1970
  • The city created a "comprehensive plan" for its future.
  • Paladin Press began its business.
• 1971 – The Boulder Arts and Crafts Cooperative was founded.
• 1972 – Historic Boulder, Inc. was formed to protect old buildings.
• 1973 – Vajradhatu established its headquarters in Boulder.
• 1974 – Naropa Institute and Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics were established.
• 1975 – KBVL radio began broadcasting.
• 1976
  • The Colorado Music Festival began.
  • An ordinance was approved to manage residential growth.
• 1977
  • The Pearl Street Mall was constructed, a popular walking area.
  • KBCO radio began broadcasting.
• 1978 – Boulder Magazine began publication.
• 1979
  • The Colorado University Events Center (an arena) opened.
  • The Bolder Boulder footrace began, a famous running event.
• 1980 – The Kinetics Conveyance Race began.
• 1983 – January 1: The Polar Bear Plunge began, a fun winter event.
• 1986
  • The Farmer's Market began.
  • Boulder established a sister city relationship with Lhasa, Tibet.
• 1987 – A sister city relationship became active with Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
• 1988 – The Colorado MahlerFest began, celebrating classical music.
• 1989 – Rocky Mountain Spiritual Emergence Network Times began publication.
• 1990 – Radio Reading Service of the Rockies was founded.
• 1991
  • The Culinary School of the Rockies was founded.
  • eTown (radio program) began broadcasting.
• 1993
  • Mountain Sun pub opened for business.
  • Boulder Weekly began publication.
• 1994
  • Denver International Airport began operating.
  • A sister city relationship was established with Yamagata, Japan.
  • Boulder Community Network went online.
• 1996
  • The Boulder Area Trails Coalition was founded.
  • A Smoking ban was enacted in public places.
• 1998
  • October 31: The Naked Pumpkin Run began.
  • Bob Greenlee became mayor.
  • The Dushanbe Tea House opened.
  • Bent Lens Cinema was founded.

Boulder in the 2000s and Beyond

• 2002 – Spot Bouldering Gym opened.
• 2004
  • Mark Ruzzin became mayor.
  • The Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival began.
  • The Boulder Chamber Orchestra was founded.
• 2005 – The Boulder Adventure Film Festival began.
• 2006
  • November: A Carbon tax was approved.
  • The Twenty Ninth Street shopping center opened.
  • Bikes Belong coalition moved its headquarters to Boulder.
• 2007
  • The Communikey Festival began.
  • October: Outdoor gear co-op REI opened a special "green" store.
• 2009
  • Susan Osborne became mayor, followed by Matthew Appelbaum.
  • Jared Polis became Colorado's 2nd congressional district representative.
  • A sister city relationship was established with Kisumu, Kenya.
• 2010 – The population reached 97,385.
  • Radio station KBCO moved its studios.
  • The Fourmile Canyon fire burned over 400 homes.
• 2011
  • November: A municipal electric utility was approved.
  • Boulder Food Rescue became active.
• 2012 – The National Institute of Standards and Technology Precision Measurement Laboratory was dedicated.
• 2013
  • Falling Fruit (an urban agriculture map) was launched.
  • September: Boulder experienced a record-setting major flood.
• 2014 – Galvanize opened its Boulder location.
• 2016
  • October: Senator Bernie Sanders spoke at a rally for healthcare.
  • November 10: US36 was briefly closed due to anti-Trump protests.
• 2017
  • October: The OpenStreetMap State of the Map U.S. conference was held.
• 2018
  • New rules were put in place regarding certain types of weapons.
  • The Boulder History Museum, now called the Museum of Boulder, opened in a new location.
  • Radio station KGNU celebrated its 40th anniversary.
• 2021
  • March 21: A tragic event occurred at a King Soopers supermarket in Boulder.