Until November 15, 2001, the City of Broomfield sat in four counties at once: parts of it were in Adams, Boulder, Jefferson and Weld. On that date the city's territory was detached from all four and consolidated into a single government: the City and County of Broomfield. Sunday marks 25 years.

How it happened

The change took an amendment to the Colorado Constitution. Colorado voters approved the ballot issue on November 3, 1998, and the amendment set November 15, 2001, as the date the consolidation took effect, giving the city three years to prepare. Under the amendment's text, the existing city charter became the charter of the new city and county, and the new government took over the city's property, water rights and contracts, along with its share of the four counties' debts.

The full text, sections 10 through 13 of Article XX of the state constitution, is posted on the City and County of Broomfield's history pages.

A year of anniversaries

The 25th is one of four anniversaries Broomfield is marking this year under a shared banner, Broomfield 2026!, organized by a group of local nonprofits and government representatives. According to the Broomfield Historical Society, which moderates the group's monthly planning meetings, 2026 is:

  • the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
  • the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood
  • the 65th anniversary of the founding of the City of Broomfield
  • the 25th anniversary of the City and County of Broomfield

Broomfield City Council passed a proclamation supporting the effort. Over the year it has included history banners on Community Park Road, monthly history talks (mostly at the Broomfield Grange), history trivia nights at local bars and taverns, Civic Conversations at the Broomfield Library, an Apple Cider Fest and an expanded historic sites tour of 12 locations.

Who keeps the history

The Broomfield Historical Society itself dates to 1976, when residents organized to save the town's railroad depot from demolition by the Union Pacific. The local Jaycees bought the building for $1 and moved it to an empty field north of the tracks, which later became Zang Spur Park. The depot is now the Broomfield Depot Museum, which the society supports with grants and program help. The volunteer group also publishes a quarterly newsletter, the Broomcorn Express, and records oral histories of longtime residents.

In October, the city reported that the Depot Museum and the Bay Aquatic Park were both runners-up in Broomfield County Gold resident voting.

Two events left on the calendar

  • Olde Time Holiday Market: Saturday, December 5, 1 to 4 p.m. The society lists the market at the Brunner Farmhouse and Gardens; check its event page for final details.
  • People of the Sacred Land: The Untold History of Colorado: Thursday, December 10, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Crescent Grange, 7901 W. 120th Ave. Presented by Richard Williams, the talk covers the Cheyenne and Arapaho nations' recognized title to this land under the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act of 1834.

The full Broomfield 2026! calendar is on the historical society's website, and organizers can add their own events through a form there.

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