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Fort Collins was founded as a military fort in 1864 and was incorporated as a town in 1873. The approximate population (2015) is 155,600. It is nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. It has 40,000 acres of natural areas and maintains 600 acres of parks that are largely bordered by the Cache La Poudre River.
Recreation flourishes in Fort Collins. Tourists and locals can enjoy white river rafting in Poudre Canyon; hiking and biking on 20 miles of trails; playing golf on 3 courses; and swimming at 3 public pools. Ft. Collins’ cultural art center offers ongoing professional theatre, dance, music, arts and children programs.
Fort Collins was named a Preserve America City by the White House in 2005 and the Old Town Fort Collins district was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Old Town bustles with activities throughout the year with shops, galleries, and excellent dining that ranges from casual to fine dining.
A municipal airport, jointly owned by Fort Collins and Loveland, serves the private and corporate needs of the Northern Front Range as well as charter and collegiate football team flights.
Ft. Collins is home to the University of Colorado that per the Chamber of Commerce is the second highest ranked research university in the nation. It also houses other higher education institutions such as IBMC College and Front Range Community College. Students in its excellent Poudre Valley school system perform 9-17 points higher on average than students statewide.
City of Fort Collins
Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce
Poudre Valley Schools