Fort Collins, Colorado

A Brief History of Fort Collins

Fort Collins developed around an Army post established in 1864 after flooding forced soldiers to relocate from the earlier Camp Collins near Laporte. The military post closed in 1867, but a civilian community continued to grow along the Cache la Poudre River. Fort Collins became the Larimer County seat in 1868 and incorporated in 1873. Two events strengthened its future: the Colorado Central Railroad arrived in 1877, opening markets for local agriculture and industry, and Colorado Agricultural College welcomed its first students in 1879. That college later became Colorado State University, a lasting influence on the city’s economy and identity.