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Fort Collins is a university city in Colorado. We made a quick stop there after we left Rocky Mountain National Park en route to Laramie, Wyoming.
Overview of Fort Collins
The area around Fort Collins was originally inhabited by the Northern Arapaho. The US Army established Camp Collins on July 22, 1862, to protect pioneers on the Overland Trail from attacks by Native Americans. It was named after Lt. Col. William O. Collins (1809–1880), the commander of Fort Laramie.
The original location of the camp — on the Cache la Poudre River near modern day Laporte — was devastated by flooding. It moved to the current location of Fort Collins between August and October 1864, and sat between Jefferson Street and the river. Settlers began arriving almost immediately. A post office opened on June 27, 1865, the first school and church were built the following year, and the fort was decommissioned in 1867. Colorado Agricultural College, which became Colorado State University in 1957, was founded in 1870.
The Town of Fort Collins was incorporated on February 12, 1883. Early on, the major industries were stone quarrying and agriculture, especially beet and chestnut farming. It was a very conservative town, with prohibition enforced between 1896 and 1969. Civil rights and anti-war activism shaped the 1960s, with several buildings burned on the university campus. This was followed by rapid growth near the end of the 20th century.
Fort Collins is a nice city for beer enthusiasts with lots of craft breweries and some good restaurants around town. It also pushes itself as a destination for outdoor recreation. Fishing, hiking, biking, and rafting are among the popular activities in the area.
I enjoyed our brief visit, but I obviously didn’t see enough. I would like to spend more time there to visit some of the breweries and restaurants.
Old Town Fort Collins
In Old Town, the pleasant historic downtown, we found a lot of nice buildings full of shops, restaurants, and more. Fort Collins was one of the models for Disney’s Main Street, USA. There was also some interesting public art on display.
Old Town Square
I especially liked the pedestrianized Old Town Square, which consists of Linden Street and Trimble Court. It’s a block-long brick path with brewpubs, restaurants, and shops on both sides, including the visitor center. The area was under construction during our visit.
Avery Block
The Avery Block, at the northeast corner of College and Mountain Avenues, was designed by architect Montezuma Fuller (1858–1925). The three-sided building was constructed for Franklin C. Avery (1849–1923) between 1896 and 1897. The First National Bank was the main tenant, and Fuller had an office upstairs. A sandstone arch with a lion’s head keystone is one of the most prominent features.
F. Miller Block
The F. Miller Block, at 162 Linden Street, was built in 1888 by Danish-born saloonkeeper Frank Miller. It was the first building in Colorado to use the Howe truss, which supports the ceiling from the roof, leaving the first floor free of posts. The attractive red and gray sandstone building also featured a two-story outhouse, torn down in 1948. Miller’s business went bust when the town went dry in 1896, and after his death, his son ran the building for many years. It later housed The Fair Store, a large department store, for about 50 years.
Antlers Hotel
At 222 Linden Street you’ll find the Antlers Hotel. Fr. Joseph LaJeuness, a priest at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, had it built in 1902. It had 38 rooms and is now an apartment building with retail space on the ground floor.
