City of Fort Collins, Colorado
Horsetooth Mountain is often used as a symbol of Fort Collins
Location of Fort Collins shown within the State of Colorado
Coordinates: 40°33′33″N 105°4′41″W / 40.55917, -105.07806
Country	United States
State	State of Colorado
County	Larimer County Seat[1]
Commissioned	1864
Incorporated	February 12, 1883[2]
Named for	U.S. Army Colonel William O. Horsetooth Mountain is a Mountain in the foothills of the Front Range west of the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, from which it is easily visible The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The political units and divisions of the United States include The 50 states (four of these being officially styled as Commonwealths) which are typically The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. See also Geography of Colorado State of Colorado|History of Colorado This is a list of the 64 counties of the U Larimer County is the seventh most populous and the ninth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. Year 1864 ( MDCCCLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to cities, counties, Towns Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Colonel ( RP ˈkɜnəl GA ˈkɜrnəl is a Military rank of a Commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country Collins
Government
- Type	Home Rule Municipality[1]
- Mayor	Doug Hutchinson
- Mayor pro tem	Kelly Ohlson
- City Manager	Darin Atteberry
Area
- Total	47. See also State of Colorado The 271 incorporated municipalities of the State of Colorado operate under one of five types of municipal governing Doug Hutchinson is the mayor of the city of Fort Collins Colorado and the leader of Fort Collins' seven-member city council in a town with a Council-manager Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 1 sq mi (122. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 1 km²)
- Land	46. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 5 sq mi (120. 5 km²)
- Water	0. 6 sq mi (1. 6 km²)  1. 27%
Elevation	5,003 ft (1,525 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	118,652
- Density	2,549. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3/sq mi (984. 4/km²)
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
- Summer (DST)	MDT (UTC-6)
ZIP Codes[3]	80521-80528, 80553
Area code(s)	970
FIPS code	08-27425
GNIS feature ID	0204673
Highways	I-25, US 287, SH 1, SH 14
Fifth most populous Colorado city
Website: City of Fort Collins Ft. Collins Aerial View

The City of Fort Collins, a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache la Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-7) during the shortest days of autumn UTC−7 can be observed in Mountain Standard Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time Zone Canada Daylight saving time ( DST The Mountain Time Zone of North America keeps time by subtracting seven hours from Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC-7) during the shortest days of autumn Areas using UTC−6 Single zone countries Belize Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala The ZIP code is the system of Postal codes used by the United States Postal Service (USPS A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks ImageArea_codes_COsvg|right|thumbs|Map of Colorado area codes in blue (with border states poly 67 8 381 26 380 108 356 107 352 131 343 130 340 107 326 102 320 104 301 104 Federal Information Processing Standards ( FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the United States Federal government for use by all non-military The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout The State highway system in the US State of Colorado is comprised of State Highways (typically abbreviated SH) U In the US state of Colorado, Interstate 25 follows the north-south corridor through Colorado Springs and Denver. US Route 287 is a north-south United States highway. It serves as the major truck route between the Texas cities of Fort Worth and Amarillo State Highway 1 is a State highway of the US state of Colorado. State Highway 14 in the US state of Colorado is an east-west State highway of approximately 237 miles See also State of Colorado The 271 incorporated municipalities of the State of Colorado operate under one of five types of municipal governing The Cache La Poudre River (sometimes called the Poudre River for short is a tributary of the South Platte River in the state of Colorado in the United See also Geography of Colorado The Colorado Front Range is a colloquial geographic term for the most populous region of the State of Colorado in the United A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Larimer County is the seventh most populous and the ninth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[4] Fort Collins is located 57 miles (92 km) north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. This is about the direction for other uses see North (disambiguation. The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver Colorado, is the home of the Colorado legislature and the offices of the The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States With roughly 125,000 residents, it is the fifth most populous city in Colorado, Fort Collins is a large college town, home to Colorado State University. See also State of Colorado The 271 incorporated municipalities of the State of Colorado operate under one of five types of municipal governing Colorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. It was named Money magazine's Best Place to Live 2006. ^[5]

History

Fort Collins was founded as a military outpost of the United States Army in 1864. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. It succeeded a previous encampment, known as Camp Collins, on the Cache La Poudre River, near present-day Laporte. Camp Collins (also known as the Fort Collins Military Reservation) was a 19th century outpost of the United States Army in the Colorado Territory. The Cache La Poudre River (sometimes called the Poudre River for short is a tributary of the South Platte River in the state of Colorado in the United Laporte (also spelled LaPorte) is a Census-designated place (CDP in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Camp Collins was erected during the Indian wars of the mid-1860s to protect the Overland mail route that been recently relocated through the region. Travelers crossing the county on the Overland Trail would camp there, but a flood destroyed the camp in June 1864. The Overland Trail was a pioneer trail beginning at several different points ^[6] Afterward, the commander of the fort wrote to the commandant of Fort Laramie in southeast Wyoming, Colonel William O. Collins, suggesting that a site several miles further down the Poudre would make a good location for the fort. The post was manned originally by two companies of the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and never had walls. ^[7]

Nineteenth-century bird's-eye view of Fort Collins.

Settlers began arriving in the vicinity of the fort nearly immediately. The fort was decommissioned in 1867. The original fort site is now adjacent to the present historic "Old Town" portion of the city. The first school and church opened in 1866, and the town was platted in 1867. The civilian population of Fort Collins, led by local businessman Joseph Mason, led an effort to relocate the county seat to Fort Collins from LaPorte, and they were successful in 1868. ^[7]

The city's first population boom came in 1872, with the establishment of an agricultural colony. Hundreds of settlers arrived, developing lots just south of the original Old Town. Tension between new settlers and earlier inhabitants led to political divisions in the new town, which was incorporated in 1873. The first classes at the new state agricultural college were held in 1870. ^[8]

The 1880s saw the construction of a number of elegant homes and commercial buildings and the growth of a distinctive identity for Fort Collins. Stone quarrying, sugar beet farming, and the slaughter of sheep were among the area's earliest industries. Beet tops, an industry supported by the College and its associated agricultural experiment station, proved to be an excellent and abundant food for local sheep,^[9] and by the early 1900s the area was being referred to as the "Lamb feeding capital of the world. " In 1901 the Great Western sugar processing plant was built in the city. ^[10]

Poudre Valley Bank, now Nature's Own at Linden and Walnut, Fort Collins, Colorado (1908)

Although the city was affected by the Great Depression and simultaneous drought,^[11] it nevertheless experienced slow and steady growth throughout the early part of the twentieth century. ^[12] During the decade following World War II, the population doubled and an era of economic prosperity occurred. Old buildings were razed to make way for new, modern structures. Along with revitalization came many changes, including the closing of the Great Western sugar factory in 1955, and a new city charter, adopting a council-manager form of government in 1954. In the council-manager form of government an elected city council (typically between five and 11 people is responsible for making Policy, passing Ordinances voting Appropriations ^[13] Similarly, Colorado State University's enrollment doubled during the 1960s,^[14] making it the city's primary economic force by the end of the century. Fort Collins gained a reputation as a very conservative city in the twentieth century, with a prohibition of alcoholic beverages, a contentious political issue in the town's early decades,^[15] being retained from the late 1890s until student activism helped bring it to an end in 1969. ^[14] During that same period, civil rights activism and anti-war disturbances heightened tensions in the city, including the burning of several buildings on the CSU campus. ^[16]

During the late 20th century, Fort Collins expanded rapidly to the south, adding new development, including several regional malls. ^[16] Management of city growth patterns became a political priority during the 1980s, as well as the revitalization of Fort Collins' Old Town with the creation of a Downtown Development Authority. ^[17]

Fort Collins, facing west (1875)

In 2006, Money ranked Fort Collins as the best place to live in America,^[18] proclaiming that "great schools, low crime, good jobs in a high-tech economy and a fantastic outdoor life make Fort Collins No. 1. " Fort Collins continues to grow in population at a measured pace, with competition from other development in northern Colorado, debate over future growth patterns and tensions between students and homeowners emerging as dominant local issues in the early 21st century.

For more information on local history see the Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Science Center's local historical archives. The Fort Collins Museum and Discovery Science Center is a partnership of two educational institutions that merged in 2008 to create a combined science and cultural resource for Fort ^[19]

Geography and climate

Fort Collins is located at 40°33′33″N, 105°4′41″W (40. 559238, -105. 078302). ^[20] The city is situated just east of the Rocky Mountain foothills of the Northern Front Range approximately 65 miles north of Denver, Colorado and 45 miles south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Elevation is 5,003 ft (or 1,524 m) above sea level. Prominent geographic landmarks include Horsetooth Reservoir and Horsetooth Mountain—so named because of a tooth shaped granite rock that dominates the city's western skyline.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 1 square miles (122. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 1 km²), of which, 46. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 5 square miles (120. 5 km²) of it is land and 0. 6 square miles (1. 6 km²) of it (1. 27%) is water.

The city experiences about 296 days of sunshine per year and 22 days with 90º + weather. The average temperature in July is 71. 2º. Annual snowfall averages 57. 4 inches, and the snow generally melts within a few days. Average precipitation overall is about 15 inches. The Cache La Poudre River and Spring Creek (Colorado) run through Fort Collins. The Cache La Poudre River (sometimes called the Poudre River for short is a tributary of the South Platte River in the state of Colorado in the United Spring Creek is a tributary of the Cache La Poudre River in the state of Colorado in the United States.

Demographics

Fort Collins is the fifth most populous city in the State of Colorado and the 185th most populous city in the United States. See also State of Colorado The 271 incorporated municipalities of the State of Colorado operate under one of five types of municipal governing The State of Colorado ( or chiefly by nonresidents) is a state located in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States of America. The The United States Census Bureau estimates that in 2005 the population of the City of Fort Collins was 128,026 (185th most populous U.S. city),^[22] the population of the Fort Collins-Loveland Metropolitan Statistical Area was 271,927 (163rd most populous MSA),^[23] and the population of the Front Range Urban Corridor was 4,013,055. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census The The Fort Collins-Loveland Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA located in the Fort Collins Table of United States Metropolitan Statistical Areas|Table of United States Core Based Statistical AreasIn the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB has produced The Front Range Urban Corridor is an oblong region of urban population located along the eastern face of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the U ^[23]

As of the census^[24] of 2000, there were 118,652 people, 45,882 households, and 25,785 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population This was an increase from 108,905 in 1998, 87,491 in 1990, 64,092 in 1980, 43,337 in 1970, 14,937 in 1950, and 8,755 in 1920. The metropolitan statistical area (MSA) includes Loveland. The City of Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. When this city is included, the population increases to 251,494 for 2000. The population density was 2,549. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3 people per square mile (984. 4/km²). There were 47,755 housing units at an average density of 1,026. 0/sq mi (396. 2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82. 4% White, 3. 01% Black or African American, 0. 60% Native American, 2. 48% Asian, 0. 12% Pacific Islander, 3. 61% from other races, and 2. 53% from two or more races. 10. 79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans of Hispanic or Latino descent, which comprises ancestry or origins in Hispanic America

In 2000, there were 45,882 households out of which 29. 0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44. 9% were married couples living together, 7. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43. 8% were non-families. 26. 0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5. 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 45 and the average family size was 3. 01.

In the city the population was spread out with 21. 5% under the age of 18, 22. 1% from 18 to 24, 31. 5% from 25 to 44, 17. 0% from 45 to 64, and 7. 9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 100. 9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99. 7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,459, and the median income for a family was $59,332. Males had a median income of $40,856 versus $28,385 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,133. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country About 5. 5% of families and 14. 0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 3% of those under age 18 and 5. 8% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Fort Collins has a council-manager form of government. Doug Hutchinson is the mayor of the city of Fort Collins Colorado and the leader of Fort Collins' seven-member city council in a town with a Council-manager In the council-manager form of government an elected city council (typically between five and 11 people is responsible for making Policy, passing Ordinances voting Appropriations The mayor, who serves a two-year term and stands for election in municipal elections held in April of odd-numbered years, presides over a seven member City Council. The current mayor of Fort Collins is Doug Hutchinson, first elected in April 2005. Doug Hutchinson is the mayor of the city of Fort Collins Colorado and the leader of Fort Collins' seven-member city council in a town with a Council-manager The six remaining council members are elected from districts for staggered four-year terms; even-numbered districts are up for election in April 2007 and odd-numbered districts in April 2009.

Fort Collins is the largest city in Colorado's predominantly rural 4th Congressional district, and is represented in Congress by Representative Marilyn Musgrave (Republican). Marilyn Neoma Musgrave (born January 27, 1949) American politician has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives On the state level, the city lies in the 14th district of the Colorado Senate, represented by Bob Bacon and is split between the 52nd and 53rd districts of the Colorado House of Representatives, represented by John Kefalas and Randy Fischer, respectively. The Colorado Senate is the Upper house of the Colorado General Assembly, the state legislature of the U Robert 'Bob' Bacon is a Democratic member of the Colorado Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005 The Colorado House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Colorado General Assembly, the state legislature of the U John Michael Kefalas (born December 26 1954 is a legislator in the U Randy Fischer (born c 1951 Biography A third-generation Coloradan he later served on the CSU College of Natural Resources Alumni Board All three of Fort Collins' state legislators are Democrats. Fort Collins is additionally the county seat of Larimer County, and houses county offices and courts. Larimer County is the seventh most populous and the ninth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States.

Culture

The 2004 Colorado Brewers Festival in Fort Collins

Much of Fort Collins' culture is centered on the students of Colorado State University. Colorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. Driven by a large college-age demographic, the city has a thriving local music circuit, and is home to a number of well-recognized microbreweries. Old Town, a historic downtown shopping district, hosts a number of large festivals each year. For example, the New West Fest occurs in late summer, featuring local cuisine, music, and businesses. The Fort Collins Lincoln Center is home to the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra and regularly attracts national touring companies of Broadway plays. The Fort Collins Lincoln Center is the primary performing arts facility of the City of Fort Collins Colorado. Beyond the city limits, the Fort Collins Balloon Festival attracts hot air balloon enthusiasts from around the world.

There is a thriving beer culture in the city. There are three microbreweries, the New Belgium Brewing Company, the Odell Brewing Company, and the Fort Collins Brewery. New Belgium Brewing Company is a regional Brewery located in Fort Collins, Colorado. New Belgium is the largest of the local craft-breweries, with national distribution from California to states east of the Mississippi. There are several brewpubs, including the original C. B. & Potts Restaurant and its Big Horn Brewery and CooperSmith's Pub & Brewing, a local mainstay since 1989. The Colorado Brewer's Festival is held in late June annually in Fort Collins. The outdoor event is held in Fort Collins' old town area and features beers from as many as 45 brewers from the state of Colorado and averages around 30,000 attendees.

The principal venue for the performing arts in Fort Collins is Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St. , at Meldrum Street. Built in 1978, the center includes the 1,180-seat Performance Hall and the 220-seat Mini-Theatre, as well as four exhibit galleries and an outdoor sculpture and performance garden. It is home to many local arts groups, including the Fort Collins Symphony, Opera Fort Collins, Canyon Concert Ballet, Larimer Chorale, Youth Orchestra of the Rockies, OpenStage Theatre, Foothills Pops Band and the Fort Collins Children’s Theatre. Concert, dance, children’s, and travel film series are presented annually. The center is wheelchair accessible and has an infrared sound system for the hearing impaired. Ticket prices vary considerably, but children’s programs are often free or less than $10, and big name acts and Broadway shows are $18 to $36. The center hosts nearly 1,750 events each year.

Old Town

A redbrick pedestrian walkway, flanked by street lamps and surrounding a bubbling fountain, is the focus of this restored historic district, which offers a look at the earliest roots of the city, and has plenty of good shopping opportunities. The main plaza, which covers several square blocks, extends diagonally to the northeast from the intersection of College and Mountain avenues; on either side are shops and galleries, restaurants, and nightspots. Seemingly familiar to anyone who has visited Disneyland, it was the inspiration for several of buildings in Disney's Main Street including the City Hall, Bank, and others. ^[26] Outdoor concerts and a string of special events keep the plaza lively, especially from mid-spring to mid-fall. Self-guided walking-tour maps are available from the Convention and Visitors Bureau, individual merchants, and city offices; and the Fort Collins Museum conducts guided tours of Old Town during the summer on Saturdays at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. You’ll find public restrooms just east of the intersection of South College Avenue and Oak Street, open daily from 8am to 9 pm.

Communications

Two daily newspapers, the Fort Collins Now and the Fort Collins Coloradoan, are published in the city. The Coloradoan is a daily Newspaper in Fort Collins, Colorado. One weekly, the alternative newsweekly Rocky Mountain Chronicle, and several niche publications including the Fort Collins Courier and Fossil Creek Current are distributed for free at local businesses and by mail. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is Colorado State University's student newspaper, and is published each weekday during the fall and spring semesters. The Collegian is the only daily student-run newspaper in the state, and includes a weekly entertainment tabloid called The Verve.

Scene Magazine is a long-time entertainment monthly serving several regional cities. Swift Newspapers introduced NEXTnc, a Northern Colorado weekly entertainment and lifestyles newspaper in March 2006. Rocky Mountain Parent Magazine and Parent Pages are niche publications serving Fort Collins among other northern Colorado community families.

Colorado State University funds a student-run radio station that focuses on underground and local music, KCSU 90.5 FM. Public Radio for the Front Range operates a volunteer-based radio station, KRFC 88.9 FM.

No major television stations broadcast from Fort Collins. CNN Headline News used to provide local news to Fort Collins, but no longer does. Headline News is a Spin-off network from the original Cable News Network ( CNN) television news network in the United States. City Cable 14 is the local government access channel, and broadcasts city and county meetings, as well as studio-produced local programming. Poudre School District and Colorado State University each have public access stations as well.

Education

Old Fort Collins High School, now part of Colorado State University

K-12 public education is provided through Poudre School District, the second-largest employer in Fort Collins after Colorado State University. The Poudre School District ( R-1) is K-12 public School district in Larimer County in northern Colorado. Fort Collins is home to four major high schools and several charter schools with Junior High and High School grades. They include Fort Collins High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Poudre High School, Fossil Ridge High School, Centennial High School, Polaris School for Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound and the Peak School, a small alternative high school that serves at-risk youths [www. Fort Collins High School, located at 3400 Lambkin Way Fort Collins Colorado, is one of four public senior high schools in the Poudre School District. Rocky Mountain High School (abbreviated RMHS is one of four high schools in Fort Collins Colorado Poudre High School, located at 201 Impala Drive Fort Collins Colorado, is one of four public senior high schools in the Poudre School District. Fossil Ridge High School, located at 5400 Ziegler Road Fort Collins CO is one of four public senior high schools in the Poudre School District psdschools. org/schools/peak/], Ridgeview Classical Schools, and Liberty Common School.

Colorado State University heads up the choices in higher education. Colorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. Front Range Community College also maintains a campus in the city, and grants Associate's degrees in arts, science, general studies, and applied science. An associate degree is an Academic degree awarded by Community colleges Junior colleges four-year Universities, Business colleges The college offers 17 high school vocational programs and more than 90 continuing education classes. Additionally, the University of Phoenix and Regis also maintain satellite campuses here.

The Fort Collins Public Library was established in 1900, the sixth public library in the state. The Fort Collins Public Library is the Public library of the city of Fort Collins Colorado, USA and an administrative department of the city government The library maintains the Barton Early Childhood Center and, in partnership with Front Range Community College, the Harmony Library. The library also participates in innovative cooperative projects with the local school district and Colorado State University. The library holds about 270,000 items and has a special local history archive.

Fort Collins has a range of research institutes. Facilities are maintained by the Centers for Disease Control Division of Vector-Born Infectious Diseases, the Center for Advanced Technology and the Colorado Water Resource Research Institute. Other facilities include the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere,^[27] the Institute for Scientific Computing, the U. S. Forest Service Experimental Station, the National Seed Storage Laboratory, and the U.S.D.A. Crops Research Laboratory.

Economy

Major industries and commercial activity

Fort Collins' economy has been described as well-balanced, with a good mix of manufacturing and service-related businesses. Fort Collins has a strong manufacturing base; it is home to such firms as Hewlett Packard, Teledyne Water Pik, Woodward Governor, and Anheuser-Busch. Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc ( (ˈænhаɪzər bʊʃ is the largest Brewing company in the United States with a 48 Many high-tech companies have relocated to Fort Collins because of the resources of Colorado State University and its research facilities.

The largest employers of Fort Collins residents at the turn of the century were the following:

1. Colorado State University (6,694 employees)
2. Poudre Valley Health System (4,200)
3. Poudre School District (3,000)
4. Hewlett Packard (3,000)
5. Eastman Kodak (3,000)
6. Celestica (1,800) (Intel moved into the Celestica building in late 2006)
7. Agilent Technologies (1,200)
8. Advanced Energy (825)
9. Anheuser-Busch (750)
10. Center Partners (700) in 2006
11. LSI Corporation (650)
12. Woodward Governor Company (500)
13. Teledyne Water Pik (500)
14. Intel

Since that time, the Celestica factory has shut down and Agilent has cut its workforce by about 350 people. Colorado State University is a public institution of higher learning located in Fort Collins, Colorado in the United States. Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH located in Fort Collins Colorado, serves northern Colorado southern Wyoming and western Nebraska The Poudre School District ( R-1) is K-12 public School district in Larimer County in northern Colorado. Eastman Kodak Company ( is an American multinational Public company which produces imaging and photographic materials and equipment Celestica Inc () is a multinational Electronics manufacturing services (EMS company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Agilent Technologies ( or Agilent, is a measurement and instrument company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Advanced Energy ( is an American company that develops power and control technologies for the manufacture of semiconductors flat panel displays data storage products solar cells and Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc ( (ˈænhаɪzər bʊʃ is the largest Brewing company in the United States with a 48 LSI Corporation is an electronics company based in Milpitas California that designs ASICs Host bus adapters RAID adapters Storage The Woodward Governor Company is the world's oldest and largest independent Designer, Manufacturer, and service provider of energy control solutions for Also, other companies, such as AMD and Intel, have moved in and added to the high-tech work force.

Small businesses, entrepreneurship

Fort Collins is also home to many small businesses and entrepreneurial ventures. The Fort Collins/Larimer Small Business Development Center has been a strong contributing force in helping small businesses in the area get started and become profitable. Another factor in the entrepreneurial climate of Fort Collins is Colorado State University's College of Business and its Entrepreneurship Center, which has spawned such ventures as Optibrand, a unique method of tracking livestock with retinal scans, and Revolution Donuts, a donut/pastry shop with a new approach - late night hours in addition to the usual morning hours.

Items and goods produced

Pharmaceuticals, electronic components and accessories, aircraft and parts, scientific instruments, measuring and controlling instruments, radio and TV equipment, industrial chemicals, engines, turbines, and communications equipment.

Local incentive programs

The City of Fort Collins has established an economic development policy that allows the rebate of use taxes paid by qualifying firms on qualifying equipment. On a case-by-case basis, the county will consider negotiating financial incentives, giving up to a 50 percent credit towards a company's personal property tax liability for up to four years. As of 1997, the community created the Fort Collins' "Virtual Incubator," a cluster of programs designed to nurture start-up businesses much like a concrete incubator does. The virtual incubator, rather than being based in one building, is a clearinghouse of information to focus help already available to new businesses and will obtain reduced-fee services from local experts to help launch new businesses.

The Fort Collins Economic Development Corporation supports existing employers and recruits new ones to the city. It assists local companies to grow and expand and, in partnership with Colorado State University, encourages technology transfer to nurture local start-up companies. Fort Collins can negotiate with individual taxpayers who have qualifying new business facilities an incentive payment equal to not more than the amount of the increase in property tax liability over pre-enterprise zone levels; and a refund of local sales taxes on purchases of equipment, machinery tools, or supplies used in the taxpayer's business in the Enterprise Zone.

Transportation

Allegiant Air.com^[28] offers regular passenger airplane service into the nearby Fort Collins / Loveland Airport. Allegiant Air ( is an American low-cost Airline, owned by Allegiant Travel Co Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport is a public Airport located nine miles (14 km) southeast of Fort Collins and northeast of Loveland Denver International Airport, which is 70 miles to the south, is served by nearly twenty airlines. Denver International Airport, often called DIA, is by land size at, the largest international Airport in the United States, and the second largest Fort Collins can be approached from Denver by car via Interstate 25. In the US state of Colorado, Interstate 25 follows the north-south corridor through Colorado Springs and Denver.

Fort Collins' downtown streets form a grid with Interstate 25 running north and south on the east side of the city. U.S. Highway 287 becomes College Avenue inside the city and is the busiest street; It runs north and south, effectively bisecting the city. US Route 287 is a north-south United States highway. It serves as the major truck route between the Texas cities of Fort Worth and Amarillo

The city bus system, known as Transfort,^[29] operates more than a dozen routes throughout Fort Collins Monday through Saturday, except major holidays. A transit bus (US (also known as a commuter bus, city bus, or public bus) is a Bus used for Public transport purposes Most routes run from about 5:30am to 6:30pm, and additional runs are made, including some on Sundays, when CSU is in session. All buses have bike racks. There are fares for adults, for seniors 60 and older and those with disabilities; youths 17 and under ride free.

Taxi service is provided 24 hours a day by Shamrock Yellow Cab. ^[30] Bicycling is a popular and viable means of transportation in Fort Collins. Just about the only place you can’t ride is College Avenue (Highway 287). There are more than 75 miles of designated bikeways in Fort Collins, including the Spring Creek and Poudre River Trails, both paved. There’s also a dirt trail, the 5. 8-mile Foothills Trail, parallel to Horsetooth Reservoir from Dixon Reservoir north to Campeau Open Space and Michaud Lane.

Fort Collins also once had a trolley service with three branches from the intersection of Mountain and College Avenues. The Fort Collins Municipal Railway operated streetcars in Fort Collins, Colorado. It was torn out after ceasing to be profitable in 1951. Currently, the Mountain Avenue branch has been reconstructed and provides weekend and holiday service.

Commercial shipping

Parcel service for Fort Collins is provided by Federal Express, Airport Express, DHL, Burlington Air Express, Emery, UPS, Pony Express, and Purolator. DHL (originally standing for Dalsey Hillblom and Lynn) is a Deutsche Post World Net company of Germany that provides international mail BAX Global is an international Shipping company that is headquartered in Irvine, California, and has other major offices in Australia, Singapore Emery Worldwide was a Cargo airline, once one of the leading carriers in the cargo airline world United Parcel Service Inc ( commonly referred to as UPS, is one of the world's largest Package delivery companies The Pony Express was a fast Mail service crossing the North American continent from St Purolator Courier Ltd is a Canadian Courier that is 91% owned by Canada Post. Fort Collins has two-day rail freight access to the West Coast or the East Coast and has eight motor freight carriers. Many local industrial sites have rail freight spur service. The city is served by Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads.

Facilities

• NIST time signal transmitters WWV and WWVB. A time signal is a visible audible mechanical or electronic signal used as a reference to determine the time of day WWV is the Callsign of NIST 's Shortwave Radio station located in Fort Collins Colorado. For the Virginia based broadcast radio station please see WWVB-FM.
• Poudre Valley Hospital has helped make Fort Collins into a regional health care center. Poudre Valley Hospital (PVH located in Fort Collins Colorado, serves northern Colorado southern Wyoming and western Nebraska
• The National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation (NCGRP)(Human Genome Project)
• The city is the headquarters of Roosevelt National Forest. The Roosevelt National Forest is a National Forest located in north central Colorado.
• Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Laboratory
• Center For Disease Control: Vectorbourne Illness Laboratory
• USDA Seed Lab Storage
• Headquarters for SCUBA Schools International (SSI)

Notable natives

• Isaac Adamson, author. Isaac Adamson, born in Fort Collins Colorado in 1971 is the American author of a series of mystery Novels set in Japan and featuring
• Frank Caeti, current repertory cast member on the late night sketch comedy series,Madtv. Frank Caeti (born August 11, 1973) is an American actor He joined the cast of MADtv in 2005 as a featured player MADtv, is an American Sketch comedy television series based on the humor magazine Mad.
• Jon Heder, title character in 2004's Napoleon Dynamite
• Jake Lloyd, Anakin Skywalker in 1999's Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
• David Mattingly, science fiction illustrator
• Pete Monty, line backer for the Minnesota Vikings
• Ryan Sutter, bachelor chosen as a groom by Trista Rehn in 2003's "The Bachelorette"
• Byron Raymond White, associate justice of the Supreme Court
• Harper Goff, artist, musician, and actor. Jonathan Joseph Heder (born October 26 1977) is an American Actor and filmmaker The year 2004 in film involved some significant events Major releases of sequels took place Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 independent Film co-written and directed by Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess and stars Jon Heder Jacob Christopher "Jake" Lloyd (born March 5, 1989) is an American actor who gained worldwide fame when he was chosen by George Lucas The year 1999 in film involved some significant events and was arguably the most successful year for films released in the 1990s Star Wars Episode I Phantom Menace is a 1999 military sci-fi film written and directed by George Lucas. David Burroughs Mattingly (born June 29, 1956, Fort Collins Colorado) is an American Illustrator and painter Peter Monty (born July 03, 1974 in Fort Collins Colorado) is a former American football Linebacker in the National Football The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based out of Minneapolis Minnesota. Ryan Allen Sutter (born on September 14, 1974 in Fort Collins Colorado) was the "winner" (final bachelor chosen by Trista Rehn on Trista Nicole Sutter (née Rehn) (born October 28, 1972 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA is a prominent former participant in the The year 2003 in television involved some significant eventsBelow is a list of Television -related events in 2003. The Bachelorette is a Spin-off of the American competitive reality Dating game show, The Bachelor. Byron Raymond White ( June 8, 1917 &ndash April 15, 2002) won fame both as a football Running back and as an associate justice of Harper Goff ( March 16 1911 – March 3 1993) was an artist musician and actor
• Carol Berg, fantasy author. Carol Berg is the Author of several fantasy Novels including the books from the Rai-Kirah series Song of the Beast, and the books
• Wayne Allard Senior U. Alan Wayne Allard (born December 2, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Colorado and a member of the Republican Party. S. Senator from Colorado

Notable residents

• Hattie McDaniel, first African-American to win an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress 1939)
• L. Neil Smith, libertarian science fiction author
• Thomas Sutherland, Colorado State University professor and former Beirut hostage
• Pat Stryker, Billionaire heiress and philanthropist
• John Ashton, Actor

See also

• State of Colorado
  • Colorado cities and towns
    • Colorado municipalities
  • Colorado counties
    • Boulder County, Colorado
  • Colorado metropolitan areas
    • Fort Collins-Loveland Metropolitan Statistical Area
    • North Central Colorado Urban Area
    • Front Range Urban Corridor
• United States Forest Service
  • Roosevelt National Forest

References

External links

• City of Fort Collins website
  • CDOT map of the City of Fort Collins
• Fort Collins Nightlife
• Rocky Mountain Chronicle Fort Collins' Alternative Newspaper
• NEXTnc weekly entertainment newspaper
• Fort Collins Now - News, Entertainment from Fort Collins, CO
• Downtown Development Authority: Old Town information and Events
• The Rocky Mountain Collegian
• Fort Collins Coloradoan
• Fort Collins Community Portal
• Colorado State University
• Fort Collins Website Directory
• Fort Collins Municipal Railway
• Fort Collins Aerial - including fun 'easter eggs' (this has been online for several years and is still higher resolution than Google Maps, TerraServer, Mapquest and others)

• Fort Collins, Colorado is at coordinates 40°33′33″N 105°04′42″W / 40.559238, -105.078302 (Fort Collins, Colorado)Coordinates: 40°33′33″N 105°04′42″W / 40.559238, -105.078302 (Fort Collins, Colorado)