A college town at the foot of the Rockies, Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University, a world-class craft beer scene, and the town that inspired Disneyland's Main Street USA.
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Founded1864|Population171,391|Peak171,391(2024)|CountyLarimer County
Top 10 Most Important Events for Fort Collins, Colorado
1
1864Military Post Established: Camp Collins was established to protect settlers and Overland Trail travelers; it moved to its present location after a flood.
2
1870Agricultural Colony: The town developed as an agricultural colony with irrigation canals feeding the Cache la Poudre valley.
3
1879Colorado Agricultural College: Colorado State University was founded as an agricultural college and grew into a major research university.
4
1995New Belgium Brewing: New Belgium and other craft breweries put Fort Collins on the map as a craft beer destination.
5
2012Best Places to Live: Fort Collins repeatedly topped national best-places-to-live rankings for quality of life, outdoor access, and economy.
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Complete Historical Timeline
1864Government
Military camp established
1870Industry
Agricultural colony develops
1879Culture
Colorado Agricultural College founded
1995Business
Craft beer boom begins
2012Government
Tops best-places-to-live lists
2020Government
Population reaches 169,000
2023Government
Exceeds 171,000
Did You Know?
1
Walt Disney reportedly modeled Main Street USA at Disneyland after Fort Collins' charming Old Town district.
2
Fort Collins has more craft breweries per capita than almost any city in America, including New Belgium (Fat Tire) and Odell.
3
The Cache la Poudre River through Fort Collins is the only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River in Colorado.
Famous People from Fort Collins, Colorado
JL
Jake Lloyd
Actor, Voice Actor · Born Mar 5, 1989 · Age 36
JH
Jon Heder
Actor, Voice Actor · Born Oct 26, 1977 · Age 48
RM
Ross Marquand
Stage Actor, Voice Actor · Born Aug 22, 1981 · Age 44
WA
Wayne Allard
Politician, Veterinarian · Born Dec 2, 1943 · Age 82