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History Corner: Happy birthday, Grand County!

Penny Rafferty Hamilton
Historian
Today, Grand County offers scenic beauty and open space for recreation.
Grand County government/courtesy

On Feb. 2, 1874, the Colorado territorial governor, Samuel Elbert, announced the creation of Grand County. It comprised all of current Grand County and parts of Summit, Larimer, Jackson, Routt and Moffat counties on to the Utah border.

Grand County was named for the Grand River, now the Colorado River, and was formed two years before Colorado even became a state.

Today, Grand County is still nestled in Colorado’s north-central Rocky Mountains, encompassing 1,846 square miles of land and 23 square miles water. Grand County is larger than Rhode Island. In July 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a population of 15,935 based on the 2020 census



In the early years, Grand County’s topography led it to be called “An Island in the Rockies” by the noted historian Dr. Robert C. Black.

Grand County grew into a premier destination because of Berthoud Pass, U.S. Highways 40 and 34, two general aviation airports offering important air access and train service. The railroad has been a key element to Grand County’s growth since 1905, when David Moffat built The Denver & Northwestern Pacific Railroad.



Penny Rafferty Hamilton, Ph.D., is the author of “Images of America: Grand County.” Contact her at drpenny1@earthlink.net.

Penny Hamilton
Courtesy photo

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