Berthoud, Colorado

The Story of Berthoud, Colorado

Long before the town existed, the Little Thompson Valley was part of the homeland and travel routes of Indigenous peoples, including the Arapaho. In the nineteenth century, the valley became a place of homesteading and agriculture as settlers established farms along the Little Thompson River.

From Little Thompson to Berthoud

Among the early settlers was Lewis Cross, whose homestead became the center of a small community known as Little Thompson. The Colorado Central Railroad arrived in 1877, connecting the valley with larger regional markets. The settlement was named Berthoud in honor of Captain Edward L. Berthoud, the Swiss-born engineer who surveyed the railroad route through northern Colorado.

The Town That Moved

Berthoud has an unusual railroad story: steam locomotives struggled to climb the grade from the original river-bottom settlement. At the railroad's request, the community relocated to higher ground in the winter of 1883–1884. Its former location became known as Old Berthoud, while a new town center developed on land platted by Peter Turner. Berthoud was officially incorporated in 1888.

Farming, Irrigation and the Growth of Downtown

Water shaped the community. Early farmers established irrigation ditches to grow wheat and later alfalfa, and the region became an important center for livestock feeding and sugar-beet cultivation. A grain elevator was built in 1885, followed by a flour mill in 1888. By 1900, the downtown district offered stores, blacksmiths, restaurants, professional services and other businesses serving the surrounding farms and ranches. Sugar-beet farming and regional processing helped sustain the agricultural economy in the early twentieth century.

People Who Shaped Berthoud

Lewis Cross helped establish the early settlement; Peter Turner laid out the relocated town site and supported irrigation development; Edward L. Berthoud lent his name to the community. Another colorful local figure, Floyd Clymer, began selling automobiles in Berthoud as a child in 1906 and later became known for automotive publishing.

Explore Berthoud's Heritage

The Little Thompson Valley Pioneer Museum, at 224 Mountain Avenue, preserves the community's past in historic buildings, including Alfred G. Bimson's 1893 stone blacksmith shop. The Berthoud Historical Society also maintains the McCarty-Fickel Home Museum at 645 7th Street, with visits by appointment. Check the museum website for current visiting information.

Historical Sources

• Berthoud Historical Society — History of Berthoud and the Little Thompson Valley
• Berthoud Historical Society — Early Settlement
• Town of Berthoud — Historical and Community Research
• History Colorado — Bimson Blacksmith Shop