Articles
Exploring the stories that have shaped Northern Colorado.
At the Corner of College and Drake – an Auto Dealership
The former Ghent Motor as it looked on June 23, 2025.The post WWII years were a time of explosive growth in Fort Collins. The city's population in 1950 was 14,937. Ten years later it was 25,027, an increase of 40%. And by 1970, it had risen again to 43,337, yet...
At the Corner of College and Drake – a Lamb Farm
William and Nettie Drake used to operate a lamb farm at the corner of Drake Rd. and College Ave. in Fort Collins.
Resources for a Deeper Dive into the Klan in Colorado During the 1920s
In 2019, I wrote seven articles on the Klan in Colorado during the 1920s, plus I put together a timeline (that I need to update, so small caveat there). – An Overview of the Klan in Colorado, Part 1 – Chronological Context– When the Klan Came to Colorado, Part 2 –...
The Mercer Colony
This is a working page. That means I'm using it as a data collection site, but publishing it so that others can see what info I've got so far.Ansel Watrous described the Mercer Colony in his book, History of Larimer County, Colorado (1911). In the summer of 1869,...
The Vandewark House on a Postcard
The Vandewarks moved into this house in 1909. There’s a parking lot there today.
The Town of East Collins
The Town of East CollinsImage from the Archive at FCMoD of the Buckingham District, C01533.On March 18, 1903, the Weekly Courier announced that Fort Collins was growing. A plat map had just been filed with the county clerk for a neighborhood just north of East Lincoln...
Charles T. Birdwhistle
(Image from the Archive at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, M00350.)On April 25, 1898, the U.S. Congress declared war on Spain. Upon hearing the news, a 17-year-old resident of North Topeka, Kansas, by the name of Charles Birdwhistle, along with his good friend,...
A Short History of the Berthoud Historical Society
In 1976, the mayor of the town of Berthoud (along with many other Colorado communities) created a Centennial-Bicentennial committee whose purpose was to plan events and festivities to recognize the Colorado Centennial and the United States Bicentennial. As Northern...
Lincoln Junior High / Middle School 100 Year Anniversary!
Happy Birthday, Lincoln!Lincoln Middle School began on September 5, 1922.In 1921, a northern addition was added to the Fort Collins High School. The plan was to use the space for grade school classes (1st-8th) until the high school needed to expand into the space. In...
Index of posts related to race, inequality, or marginalization
Racial History of Northern Colorado After the events of this past month, I've had several people reach out to me asking about what our local history has been regarding racial issues. So I've put together a collection of links to articles I've written. Racism in Fort...
The Story of Emma Malaby
Passers-by on North Meldrum Street often see the “Emma Malaby Grocery” and they ask with interest who the person actually was whose name is on the front of this old building. Emma Alice Collamer Malaby was born on December 12, 1879 at the Collamer homestead near Ted’s...
History of the Union Pacific Fort Collins Jefferson Street Station
As you sit and enjoy a meal in the Rodizio Grill in Fort Collins, you note that you are in a remodeled train station. There is a great history of this building and the trains that transported passengers to various destinations from this building for almost 50 years....