News Flashbacks

Various local events continue to spark the interest of Fort Collins residents and the worldwide community. Articles pertaining to these events will be featured in this section.

... time was when that lonely spot saw happenings as horrible as any in the mist of civilization. ...more

... seven weeks on the way in our wagons traveling every day except Sundays and reached Fort Collins in December. ...more

Rev. McAdam purchased fourteen thoroughbred mares, together with four mules and a covered wagon to convey our outfit. There were no bridges over the large streams in those days... more

At that time the town was divided into two factions, the "Old Town" faction and the "New Town" faction and for many years a deep seated bitterness existed between the two... more

this year's drought is "the worst in local history. ...more

Cattails grew where the Poudre Valley National Bank now stands and only a few shanties filled the 100 block of South College Avenue. ...more

December 29, 1881
Brown & Law have opened their bottling establishment on Laporte Avenue...They have a refrigerator 18x20 for storing beer during the summer. ...more

These trains carry 20 to 40 cars each, and contain a great variety of merchandise. ...more

The first excursion and first passenger train ever run over the Greeley, Salt Lake and Pacific railway was from Greeley to Collins Sunday."(Oct. 8, 1882.) The train left Greeley at 9 a.m. and arrived in Fort Collins at noon. ...more

The historic "Old Grout" which had served as sutler's store in Army post days and later as post office, courthouse and community house was razed in 1882 and became the site of Stover's City Drug Store. ...more

The going industry of the area was the stone quarries at Stout... Most of the stone was used for building bridges, stations and roundhouses...more

Buffalo Bill Cody was in town in April where he was entertained by his boyhood friend, A. H. Patterson...more

The west side of the 100 block on South College Avenue was something of a swamp and to this day there are sump pumps in the basements of some of the buildings in this location....more

...College and Mountain avenues. There he found a bearded, rough-looking man who had turned his horses loose to graze in the streets, and was pitching his tent and building a camp fire....more

There were three brickyards in the town going full blast with a production of 35,000 to 50,000 per day. One of these was located at the corner of Myrtle and Peterson. ...more

...enjoying the warm sunshine and ... to sit down at a marble-topped table in one of the town's drug stores and sip a cool drink...more

...something can be accomplished in the way of manufacturing that will result in a fair profit to themselves and at the same time benefit the community....more

It would be difficult to find a neater or convenient market than this one. The entire lower part of the building has been refinished...more

Lindenmeier Lake, a mile and a half northeast of the city is a valuable asset to Fort Collins affording a beautiful and healthful resort free to the public. ...more

...how many of us became concerned as to whether Fort Collins or Loveland would be the county seat, for Loveland began to grow like a weed and Fort Collins stood still. ...more

Here, at Fort Collins, is as fine a college as you will find in our eastern states. It is the State Agricultural college. ...more

...young English gentlemen who had come to the American West, either willingly or under parental pressure, "to learn ranching." If they did a lot of hunting and considerable "partying" besides, that was understandable...more