Loveland, Colorado

A Brief History of Loveland

Loveland developed along the Colorado Central Railroad in 1877 and incorporated in 1881. Rail transportation connected the settlement with markets beyond the Big Thompson Valley, while agriculture became central to its growth. A major turning point came in 1901, when the Great Western Sugar Company opened its Loveland factory. The plant gave regional farmers a market for sugar beets and employed local residents in growing and processing them. In its first 70 days, the factory processed 42,000 tons of beets. The Great Western Railway, built between 1902 and 1907, strengthened these connections between farms, factories and larger railroads.