News Team Boulder

Issue date: 2/10/09 Section: News

Scenes of CU early 1900s

Today February 10, 2009 is the Sesquicentennial Anniversary for the City of Boulder. In its 150 years, the city has seen plenty of interesting history. Here are a few of the more interesting highlights:



1859 - Boulder City Town Company formed on February 10

1861 - Colorado becomes a Territory on February 28; The Territorial Legislature names Boulder as the site of the future State University.

1871 - Boulder City is incorporated on Nov 4; Marinus G. Smith, Anthony Arnett and George Andrews deed the land to establish the location of the University of Colorado.

1874 - The Colorado Territorial legislature appropriates $15,000 for the State University if the citizens of Boulder will match the amount. (They do).


1876 - Colorado becomes the 38th state on August 1.

1877 - The University of Colorado opens its doors to 10 students, with the dedication of Old Main on September 7. Dr. Joseph A. Sewall, President, and Justin E .Dow, Professor, were the only faculty.




1890 - The Boulder Camera is founded as a weekly newspaper. It became a daily paper in 1891.



1898 - Boulderites approve $20,000 in a bond election to build the Texas-Chautauqua Auditorium which opened on July 4. Members lived on the grounds in tents.



1909 - The Boulderado Hotel opened for business on New Year's Day. Rooms at the hotel rented for between $1.00 and $2.50 per day.

1917 - The paving of Boulder streets began on September 11, when the first concrete was poured near the corner of 18th and Pearl.

1921 - Hellems was the first building completed in the "Rural Italian" or "Tuscan" style (sandstone and red roof tiles) on the University of Colorado campus.




1924 - The University of Colorado Stadium (Folsom Field) was completed in time for Homecoming.


1948 - The first World Affairs Conference was held at CU.

1958 - Mr. and Mrs. F. A. Wardenburg give CU $100,000 for a student health center.

Wardenburg Health Center

1967 - Boulder voters were first in the nation to approve a tax to purchase and preserve open space for a greenbelt around the community; Boulder voters approved sale of intoxicating beverages after 60 years.




1969 - Celestial Seasonings, now a worldwide tea company, was founded by Mo Siegel of Boulder.

1976 - The Pearl Street Mall is closed to automobile traffic in favor of a pedestrian mall.



1979 - The Bolder Boulder, a 10-kilometer road running race, held on Memorial Day, ran for the first time through the streets of Boulder ending in the stadium at the University of Colorado.

1989 - Boulder becomes a key player in the home-brewing revolution sweeping the country.

1990 - University of Colorado Buffaloes celebrate first and only National Title in Football


1995 - Boulder passes a city-wide smoking ban in public buildings.

1996 - The murder of six-year old Jon-Benet Ramsey thrusts Boulder into the international spotlight. The case remains unsolved.

1998 - Chautauqua celebrates its 100th Anniversary.

1999 - Money Magazine names Boulder one of the best places in America to live.

2009 - Boulder celebrates its Sesquicentennial

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