Boulder, Colorado

In the early to mid 1800s, the nomadic Southern Arapaho Native American tribe frequently wintered at the base of the foothills in the Boulder area. Other nomadic tribes included the Utes, Cheyennes, Comanches, and Sioux. In 1858, the first European settlers arrived at the mouth of Boulder Canyon in search of gold. Although Boulder had formerly been considered an area unfit for settlement, when explorers reported that there was gold in Boulder, miners began to come to the area. By 1860, the population of Boulder was 324. In the 1860’s, Boulder served as a supply base for miners looking for gold and silver in the nearby mountains.Although the Colorado Gold Rush tapered off in the early 1860’s, mining remained an important part of Boulder’s economy through the mid 1900’s. Boulder was originally part of the Nebraska Territory until 1861 when Congress established the Territory of Colorado. By 1867, Boulder became the county seat, and by November of 1871, the town of Boulder was incorporated. The first residential areas in Boulder were in the Downtown, Mapleton Hill, and Whittier Districts. By 1880, Boulder’s population had grown to 3,000. Colorado became the 38th state in 1876.In 1887, electricity was made available to the residents of Boulder. In 1890, the train depot was constructed, and railroads became a new means of transportation in Boulder. The first automobiles were seen in Boulder in 1900. In 1904, it was made illegal to drive over six miles per hour in Boulder. Boulder streets began to be paved in 1917, starting at the corner of 18th and Pearl Street. The first traffic light was installed in 1937 at Broadway and Pearl.Politically, Boulder is more liberal than most of Colorado. Boulder County, which includes Boulder's more conservative suburbs, is 37% Democratic, 27% Republican, and 36% independent. [8] Although in Denver, Democrats hold a virtual monopoly over city politics, Boulder gains more attention for being Colorado's liberal enclave with nicknames like "The Berkeley of the Rockies" and "The People's Republic of Boulder".In 1975, Boulder County's clerk was the second in the United States to ever grant same-sex marriage licenses, prior to state laws being passed to prevent such issuance.In 1996, Boulder was the first city in Colorado to enact a smoking ban that included bars.In 2002, outdoor use of upholstered indoor furniture was banned in the University Hill neighborhood, as couches were often fuel for dangerous bonfires.Boulder is, perhaps, best known for it's infamous stories of hippies, liberalism, dreadlocks, recycling programs, open space preservation, hobos and marijuana.(I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.1