Sparked from the Railroad

William Austin Hamilton Loveland was a merchant and one of the founders of Golden, a Colorado boomtown. Loveland was also a member of the Territorial Legislature and president of the Colorado Central Railroad, and he secured the money to extend the Colorado Central from its terminus Longmont to Cheyenne in 1877 (allowing direct access from Denver).

The new tracks ran through land owned by David Barnes, who reacted immediately to the news of the extension by platting a new town on an 80-acre site. Barnes also donated the land for the railroad’s right-of-way, and chose the name Loveland for the fledgling town. The Colorado Central completed a brick depot in December 1877. Loveland grew at a steady rate, and its population reached 900 by 1885.

For a more extensive look into Loveland’s history, visit the Loveland Museum/Gallery at Fifth Street and Lincoln Avenue.

Contributed by author and commentator Kenneth Jessen.