A – Z Fort Collins Firsts

A – Z Fort Collins Firsts

“A” – On December 12, 1923 the huge “A” which stands on the foothills near Horsetooth Mountain was placed there by Colorado Agricultural College students. Agricultural Experiment Station – On March 2, 1887 an Agricultural Experiment Station was established...
Chronology of Early Women in Fort Collins

Chronology of Early Women in Fort Collins

At the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the founding of Fort Collins (August 21, 1914), Mrs. D. W. Taft spoke about the women in early Fort Collins. In her words, “As I recall, it seems to me they were women of resource and ability, equal to any emergency,...
Opera House

Opera House

A group of Fort Collins businessmen including Judge Jay Bouton and Franklin Avery began the project of building an opera house in Fort Collins in 1880.  The beautiful 3-story building, which was ahead of its time, opened in 1881 to Fannie Louise Buckingham in the...
Cigar Factories in Fort Collins

Cigar Factories in Fort Collins

“There are plenty of good five cent cigars in the country. The trouble is they cost a quarter. ” — Franklin P. Adams In January 1882 the Courier announced a new cigar business started by Carl Lauterbach opening in town. It was located in the Vandewark Block of...
Gas Stations and Cars

Gas Stations and Cars

County Judge J. Mack Mills drove the first automobile in Larimer County home.  He had not previously seen an automobile but had read literature about horseless carriages and yearned to own one.  In early July, he boarded a train for Denver, shopped two hours. He then...