LONGMONT COMMUNITY INFORMATION

Longmont, Colorado , located within Boulder County, is a city with 22 square miles, over 300 days of sunshine, and a spectacular view of the Rocky Mountains. Longmont sits at an elevation of 4,979 feet above sea level. With over 1500 acres of parks and open space, Longmont is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Longmont is also home to several high-tech companies and a vibrant restaurant scene. It is conveniently located 37 miles from Denver, 16 miles from Boulder, and 30 miles from the scenic Trail Ridge Road. For in-depth information, including quality of life statistics and employment and income data, see the Longmont Community Profile.

Did you know?

• According to the Software & Information Industry Association, the Boulder/Longmont area has the highest concentration of software-related jobs in the nation.
• Compared to the other cities in Boulder County , Longmont has the highest number of people who both live and work in the city.
• Astronaut Vance Brand was born in Longmont, and graduated from Longmont High School.
• The first store to carry the JC Penney name was located in Longmont.
• An expedition, headed by Major Stephen H. Long, explored the area's St. Vrain River valley in 1820. The word " Longmont" is a combination of his name and " mont" from the French word for mountain.
• The City of Longmont was founded in 1871 by members of the Chicago Colony who settled in the valley.

History of Longmont

Longmont began in an unusual way. In 1870, a group of prominent men in Chicago decided to start a new town in Colorado. To do this, they sold membership in the new town, called "The Chicago-Colorado Colony," and used the money to buy 60,000 acres of land in a carefully chosen site in northern Colorado. They brought people, lumber, and building materials to the barren site, and by 1871, a new town was built. They named it "Longmont," after nearby Long's Peak.

In 1881, Longmont elected it's first Mayor, L.H. Dickson. View a list of all of the Mayors Longmont has had dating back to 1881.

Since then, Longmont has had a long and fruitful history. For the full story, read the history page from the Longmont Museum.

Today, the City of Longmont takes an active interest in preserving historic structures. The Landmark Designation Commission works closely with residents and others who are interested in designating and protecting structures of historical, architectural, or geographical significance.

Did you know that Longmont's oldest church (pictured here) was once scheduled for demolition to create space for a new commercial building? The proposed action ignited the preservation spirit of Longmont residents, and after 5 years of negotiations and fundraising, the building was saved. If you are interested in more information on protecting cultural assets like this one, or if you would like to browse through a list of the designated structures within Longmont, visit our historic preservation site .