Discover Historic Boulder Colorado by doing what the town does best, embrace the outdoors and walk it!
Boulder Colorado known for many things…the gorgeous historic Victorian homes, the university, the massive outdoor culture, beer, and if you are old enough to remember, Mork and Mindy! What you might not know is the rich history that Boulder has sought to preserve.
From its humble beginning as a farming and mining town, Boulder has actively sought out ways to stand out as a truly unique city. Being on the forefront of all things activist, lifelong learning opportunities, and building a sustainable outdoor culture are just a few ways how Boulder has accomplished this.
Being the outdoor mecca that Boulder is, This Family decided to build a walking tour through the poignant moments and places that have made Boulder this unique Colorado town, FULL of history and surprises and quite different from surrounding towns.
Discover Historic Colorado
First Stop of Walking Tour: Settlers’ Park
First stop of our walking tour is Settlers Park!
Native peoples inhabited the area long before the first white man settled in what would become Boulder, Colorado. This was Arapaho country, although other tribes such as the Ute and Cheyenne passed through with frequency. They wintered here so in essence, a walking tour of their own. 😉
The first location established by European settlers was about the junction of modern day Pearl Street and Canyon Boulevard. Today it’s known as Settlers Park and it marks the spot where Captain Thomas Aikins and his compadres made camp in search of gold. The year was 1858. They called it Red Rocks because of appearance of the sandstone cliffs.
In addition to some rather spectacular red rock fins you can hike to, there is access to fresh water via Boulder Creek (which would become the town’s name sake). To truly understand Boulder, it’s a must see and natural first stop or our tour.
Today Settlers Park offers a network of trails that vary from perfectly flat to very steep. It’s dog friendly but also has frequent visitors of black bear and mule deer so keep you dog leashed and be respectful to the natural inhabitants.
Note: Although this is the first stop on the walking tour, you may want to spend some time here walking the trails so plan accordingly.
Walking Tour Second Stop: Boulder Creek Path
Today it’s a biking and walking path with over 5 miles of stops or leisure. The path follows Boulder Creek and along the way there are about ten different stops that highlight various points of Boulder history. Truly, Boulder Creek Path could be its own stand alone walking tour.
If you’ve parked at Settlers Park, it’s a natural next step to cross the creek to the Eben G. Fine Park. Mr. Fine earned the moniker Mr. Boulder due to his photographs of the area. By his sheer love of the area, he served as an early ambassador to Boulder, traveling with the railroad to encourage tourists to come experience Boulder, Colorado!
Note: If you’ve printed the Walking Tour of Historic Boulder (below) then this is stop two of twelve possible stops on the Boulder Creek Path. 🙂
Colorado Train Museum
There are so many informative stops along the path. My personal favorite was The Hanging Tree (just south of the Municipal Building) and the story of William Tull, the man who fell to mob justice and was hanged despite him being innocent. Seven years later, three key folks involved in his untimely death were subsequently haunted. I won’t spoil it by telling all the details…it’s a good story and worth sleuthing out yourself.
Ghost Tours of America
There are a total of twelve stops on this trail. These are just a couple to whet your appetite. Whether you take in one or the entire thing, it’s a great walk filled with great id bits of history and some very personal Boulder stories.
Walking Tour Third Stop: Pearl Street
Pear Street Then
It was named in an act of love for one of the founders wives, Pearl. She loved to garden and beautify and her traditions of planting color and and smiles is alive and well in beautiful foliage (meticulously maintained) all up and down the street.
At one time it was the main street of the town. It began at Settlers Park and spanned the length, boasting banks and necessary commerce of the time. Today the history is a little hidden because the bustle of modern Boulder is so robust. If the sensory feast is a little overwhelming, just look up. Most of the original buildings are actually intact and the roof line is littered with hints of stories past with names and dates and in some cases original signage etched into the rock and brick. Modern Pearl Street is closed off to vehicles so you can stand, gaze , and imagine as long as you wish.
Pearl Street Now
Pearl Street is still very much the heart of the town, featuring shops, award winning restaurants, and a plethora of street performers and well, all kinds of things. In our trip alone we saw vampires, protests, singers, students, tourists, locals, oh, and the nearly naked bikers screaming ‘Freedom from clothes!’ as they rode past. Pearl street does not allow skateboards or wheels of any kind so that it can serve as the gathering place for the many different people of Boulder to come together for food and festivities. There is one exception however…. and although we didn’t witness it personally, life is just magical knowing about it. That exception is this: the only wheels allowed on Pearl Street are on Roller skates BUT the skater must be in full Mork from Ork outfit. This is a real thing. See! Life is just a little better now, isn’t it?!
If you are old enough to remember, you smiled. 🙂 If you aren’t old enough to remember please watch this amazing show. It’s a classic. Seriously, you won’t regret it! You too may be inspired to throw on some skates and rainbow suspenders and roll through town.
Note: With so many places to stop and eat or grab a cold drink, this is the perfect time and place to do so before we move on.
Fourth Stop(s) on the Walking Tour: Historic Churches of Boulder
Just a couple blocks off Pearl Street lie some remarkable architecture that is not to be missed. If you are staying at Hotel Boulderado it’s an easy after dinner walk to see several of these beautiful churches from the time of Boulder’s beginings. Most are open and welcome respectful visitors. It’s worth the time to go see these as they all have elements of the original structure as well as modern build ons. They’ve all gone out of their way to honor original architecture and each has a unique story to tell. (which can often be found on historic placards in the area)
Trinity Lutheran Church: Founded 1896
First Congregational Church: 1864
First United Methodist Church: 1859
St John’s Episcopal Church: 1873
Walking Tour Fifth Stop: Museum of Boulder
True to the uniqueness of the town, the museum of Boulder is an eclectic mix of old and new with a strong emphasis on local storytelling and a point to be interactive. We really enjoyed the exhibit dedicated to the first peoples of the area. That’s a piece of history or every town often overlooked. It was a lovely surprise to see what a nice job they did with that. Other exhibits exemplified Boulder history in unique ways, be in mountaineering, civil rights, or organic farming. All of these lenses are very different and very appropriate to telling the story of Boulder.
Sixth Stop of Walking Tour: Chautauqua, National Historic Landmark
This is a stop that will require a little extra transportation as Chautauqua is actually located just on the outskirts of town (so a wee far for a continued walk). We recommend you plan to spend half a day here, longer if you are partaking in any of the events or workshops. So think of this as Walking Tour of Boulder Part Two/Day Two.
Founded in 1898, this particular Chautauqua (there are/were multiple) is considered the representation of the cultural movement that was popular throughout the US in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Chautauqua sill maintains its original ideals of lifelong learning, love of nature, voluntary simplicity, and music/oration/the arts. They do this by offering educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities open and encouraged to all.
Overwhelmed and not sure where to begin? Well, we have some ideas on different ways to partake in this extraordinary place.
Mobile Phone Audio Tour
Nine stops of historical narrative throughout the property. Simply dial 303.952.1600 and type in the corresponding tour stop. History at your own pace.
Hike
Over 48 miles of hiking trails through wide open space. It’s peaceful, thought provoking, and a superb way to exhale.
Dine
The Chautauqua Dining Hall has been around since the 1898 founding. Serving Colorado bistro cuisine there is something for everyone here and it will always be fresh, likely organic, and absolutely full of flavor. 303.440.3776 for reservations.
Stay
Original visitors stayed in canvas tents but it didn’t take long for rustic peaceful cottages to spring up. Those cottages are super charming and the perfect place to unplug, connect, or write the great American novel. They are available by the night or month. 303.952.1611 for reservations.
Learn
Chautauqua hosts a myriad of classes, workshops, cultural events, and concerts. There is always something going on and the ways to connect are endless. Yoga, Science, an Indigo Girls concert, Greek comedy, or just read a book and enjoy the views of Boulder, of the Flat Irons, or the 1940’s windmill.
Thirsty for more to add to your tour? We don’t blame you. So here are a few more stops to work into your itinerary, depending on the interests of you and your traveling companions. All of them are within walking distance of each other.
Unique Boulder History and Character
Hotel Boulderado
From its humble beginnings, Boulder has always prided itself on being unique. So much so in fact, there was a great town controversy on what to call the town’s first luxury hotel. After many choices (and many passionate arguments) the name was decided to reflect the uniqueness of the place it would represent. (Boulder + Colorado = Boulderado) In 1909, on New Year’s Eve, Hotel Boulderado opened its doors, not to business, but to the people of the town. Business was for the next day. It was to be the Peoples’ Hotel, and indeed, it was. Hotel Boulderado is FULL of local Boulder stories that are a testament to the character of the town and the personalities that have made it so.
Discover Hotel Boulderado
Unique Dining in Boulder
Four of the top twenty five restaurants in Denver are actually in Boulder. Top Chef Season 5 Champion owns Blackberry. Frasca Food and Wine holds a AAA four diamond rating and James Beardaward. Oak is a James Beard nominee. Cafe Aion’s chef was a champion on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen, and Bramble and Hare also boasts a James Beard nominee. Not too shabby for a town with a population under 100,000.
We were told that Boulder actually has the most James Beard award nominees and winners. I couldn’t find the actual documentation of that but if you simple google James Beard award and Boulder, the results lend me to believe this is probably the case.
We ate at a variety of places and we were continually surprised at a couple of things. How fresh everything was. (Boulder is very big on locally sourcing) and what care there was given to the menus. If you are vegan, keto, celiac, IBD, etc. etc. it doesn’t matter. The restaurants of Boulder have you covered. It was truly unique.
Personalities of Pearl Street
I touched on it earlier but it’s worth mentioning again. Pearl Street is like if LA and Portland had a love child. It’s an explosion of art, culture, people of every of life framed by amazing food and local brews. Name a subculture and you’ll likely find it there. Name a type of art or music and it will likely be performed there.
I’m sad we didn’t see a Mork from Ork. Personally, I think Boulder should sponsor the occasional Mork sighting but even without him it’s very colorful, in every sense.
Boulder, a Town of Connection
Three Leaf Farm
One of our favorite stops was a tour of Three Leaf Farm. This family owned and operated organic farm was extraordinary. Of course, Sage was very taken with the on site apothecary where people could take classes and learn all things herbal. But Josh and I were very impressed with the organic farming that supplied several area restaurants, TWO of which we had eaten at and at the time remarked at how fresh and lovely the produce was. (Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse and Chautauqua Dining Hall)
So many ways to experience this unique farm and feel connected to the town. We recommend a workshop, a farm dinner, or a tour (if you aren’t tired of walking yet). www.threeleaffarm.com
Tea House
This extraordinary structure was built as a symbol of peace and global friendship with Boulder’s sister city, Dushanbe Tajikistan. This is a truly amazing story that you can discover for yourself when you attend afternoon tea service there. It’s a little like sitting inside a rainbow. The photos I took simply do not do it justice. The cuisine is traditional tea faire but the real star of the show is the variety of teas that you get to drink throughout the experience. I think we tried everything on the menu and we even ended up bringing a couple home. https://www.boulderteahouse.com
Note: The Tea House is right off Boulder Creek so an easy stop on your walking tour through town.
University of Colorado, Boulder and Chautaqua
Both these places serve to inspire lifelong learning. Many workshops, guest speakers, and concerts are hosted in both these places. Both the University and Chautauqua have become part of the DNA of Boulder itself and they draw unique speakers and presenters. Definitely worth checking out. www.cupresents.org www.chautauqua.com
Other Fun Ways to Explore Boulder Colorado
Beer Trail…Farm Trail…Walking History Trail ALL THE TRAILS!!!!! So many different ways to theme your visit to Boulder Colorado! Click on either of these photos to learn more. Download and print the Walking Tour checklist.
BONUS: Every stop has perfect IG friendly spots to pose! 😉
Final Notes
Boulder Colorado. It’s unique, BOLD, colorful. It’s Boulder!!
What we discovered in Boulder, Colorado is there are a lot of different ways to experience it. It’s an ever changing town and yet there are pillars of history that stand tall and hold up the framework. The result is a space where thoughts, experiments, and actions and can collide to create new and discover old. Boulder is a place that prides itself on being unique but truly embraces that message. It’s a different Boulder than I experienced twenty years ago and I expect being the dynamic place it is, it will continue to change giving way to fresh experiences, all the while holding up the pillars exemplified in Chautauqua. We look forward to seeing what that will mean in the future and hope you get a chance to discover that for yourself. How will you experience Boulder?
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