Longmont
While the Rocky Mountains rise dramatically to the west of the city and its borders, the Great Plains and agricultural fields stretch endlessly to the east of the city. Longmont itself is the result of a vision shared by railroad investors in 1870 from Chicago, Illinois. These investors sold memberships in the Chicago Colorado Colony to adventurous pioneering families who headed west to find a new utopian society based largely on agriculture. In 1871, these pioneers renamed their small community Longmont in honor of Longs Peak, a 14,252 foot peak visible from anywhere in the city.
In 2006, Longmont was given the prestigious All American City Award and was named one of the "Top 100 Best Places to Live" by Money Magazine in 2008. Quality of life has always been an important goal for Longmont and these recognitions give credence to what the citizens of Longmont already know and enjoy.
Even today, Longmont is driven by an independent and pioneering spirit. While the local economy has shifted from an agricultural base to a more diversified 21st century model , Longmont has retained a classic American small town feel.
Population: 90,219 (2014)
Highlights: Old Town, Main Street, Thompson Park, McIntosh Lake, Union Reservoir, Prospect Neighborhood, and Village at the Peaks Mall