Boulder Colorado, in the shadows of the rugged and magnificent Flatirons, was once home to the Arapaho and Ute Indians. They settled because the area was fertile and abundant with game and fresh water. Boulder the town began as a supply center for the mining camps springing up all along the Front Range west of Denver. By 1897, Boulder was home to the University of Colorado and prestigious residential areas such as Mapleton Hill, Goss/Grove, and Whittier. By the turn of the century the railroad was making Boulder accessible for tourists as well as supplies, and Boulder was chosen as a site for one of the national Chautauqua Auditoriums. Boulder’s Chautauqua Auditorium and its dining hall and grounds are beautifully maintained and one of only three year-round Chautauquas still in operation in the Nation. By 1905 the mines were shutting down and the economy was faltering, so tourism was becoming vital to Boulder’s economic survival. With construction financed by subscriptions sold to investors, the Hotel Boulderado opened on January 1, 1909. Mid-century the National Bureau of Standards and the Boulder-Denver Turnpike were established, and the population soared to over 72,000 by 1972. Visionaries in Boulder’s city government, by 1977, were purchasing thousands of acres of open space and passed a building height restriction, a historic preservation code, and a residential growth management ordinance. All contribute to the policy that today allows Boulder to preserve its past while looking toward enough reasonable growth to promote its future. Boulder has something for everyone – friendly, educated people and a myriad of sports and cultural activities. The 10K Bolder Boulder takes place every Memorial Day. This year’s, with over 40,000 entrants, was the 25th. The Colorado Shakespeare Festival, The Boulder Creek Festival, the annual wacky Kinetic Race in the icy waters of the Boulder Reservoir, performances at CU’s Mackey Hall, concerts in Boulder’s beloved Chautauqua Auditorium, shopping and dining on Pearl Street Mall – just a few of the reasons travelers are drawn back to live here. Boulder embraces a diversity of lifestyles and a mild climate summer and winter with sunshine about 360 days a year. Its proximity to some of the best hiking, mountain climbing, kayaking, fishing, and skiing in the world, plus the cultural and educational opportunities make Boulder one of the most unique and sought after little cities in the Nation.
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