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Fort Collins was founded as a military outpost
and stayed that until Colorado State University
(then Colorado A&M) was established in the
1870s. Today, CSU is Colorado's second
largest university system and brings an eclectic
mixture of people to the area.
With a population of about 100,000, Fort
Collins is a nice compromise between small town
and large city. There are plenty of
amenities here, from art galleries and theater
to hiking in stunning Rocky Mountain National
Park. Downtown has a classic main street
and is an historic district. This is an
outdoor-oriented city (as is most of Colorado),
so people considering moving here might keep
that in mind. For serious shopping, dining
or theater, Denver is just 60 miles to the
south.
Growth management is taken seriously, which
keeps skyscrapers to a minimum (no one wants to
block the mountain views). This attention
to city planning should keep Fort Collins a
livable city well into the future.
Overall, the cost of living is slightly
higher than the national average.
Housing prices have shot up within the last
few years (as they have most everywhere), but
condominiums and town homes are less expensive
and available. Rental units are usually
taken up by students.
Poudre Valley Hospital, with 250 beds, is
here. Major health care facilities of all
kinds are in Denver, about an hour away.
Summer temperatures are usually in the 80s
and 90s with very little rain. Falls are
cool with shimmering blue skies. Winters
are relatively mild, with temperatures ranging
from the 30s to 50s. It can get very
cold but doesn't often. It does snow, but
often the snow has melted by the next day.
Occasionally, there are heavy snowstorms or
blizzards, but again, the snow doesn't stay
around very long. Colorado has
nearly 300 days a year of sunshine.
The
Evergreens at Smith Run |
Residences
at Bulle Rock
| Sunrise
Bluffs
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