Fort Collins: A History

While today's Fort Collins is a popular destination for foodies and weekend adventurers, it was once a lonely military outpost poised on the nation's frontier. Cattle rustlers and trigger-happy cowboys walked an uneasy line between saloon doors and the hangman's noose. By 1895, Fort Collins had lost some of its gritty edge, and it became a dry town full of churches, sheep ranches and sugar beet farms. The city was again transformed over the past century into a community that embraced a thriving beer culture and green living. Local historian Barbara Fleming traces the story of the Choice City from its early pioneer days through its modern renaissance.