Westminster Colorado History

With a population of 1,686 in 1950, Westminster was still a quiet rural town northwest of Denver. That all changed when the Colorado State Highway Department began construction of the Denver-Boulder Turnpike, now known as US-36, a toll-road that operated between the City of Boulder and the Valley Highway (I-25).

Completed in 1952, the Turnpike bisected Westminster and brought approximately 7,000 people by the City every day. By 1966, the traffic had risen to over 13,500 drivers per day. Due to the high volume of traffic, the toll-road became a freeway in 1967, 15 years ahead of schedule. Today, the highway is one of the busiest in the state, contributing to the growth of Westminster and other cities in the northwest quadrant of the Denver metropolitan area.

Of course there is a the full Wikipedia history of Westminster that is also detailed and interesting reading.

Another factor in the rapid growth of Westminster in the 1950s was the need to provide housing for the veterans of World War II. Veterans from all parts of the United States swarmed to Colorado, remembering the beautiful Colorado scenery and climate, and the warmth of the people they had met during their service stints in the state. Residents of Colorado came back home to stay. All wanted a place to live and raise their families, and developers prepared to meet the challenge.

Dow Chemical opened the Rocky Flats plant in 1951, creating more jobs and demand north and west of Denver for homes for the workers and their families. In 1953, over 2,500 people called Westminster home. By 1960 the population reached 13,850. With so many moving into the City, the people of Westminster needed more control over their destiny.

Westminster Colorado Homes