SPOTLIGHT
Thornton
County: Adams
Elevation: 5,351
Population: 111,786
Named: In honor of Gov. Dan Thornton, who was in office at the time the town was established.
Brief history: The town originally was a housing development by builder Sam Hoffman in unincorporated Adams County. Many of the new residents were World War II veterans.
To promote the new houses, Hoffman invited actress Jane Russell – whose three brothers worked construction for him – to the grand opening of the model homes. Thousands of people visited to get her autograph and see the new homes. She also decorated the interior of two of the show homes.
On Jan. 31, 1954, the first 40 families moved into the new homes in a community that had no schools, phones, paved streets or street lights. A women’s club was formed that raised money to buy an ambulance and to start a library fund. The fire and police departments were volunteer. The first shopping center, which included a grocery store, opened in 1955.
On May 26, 1956, the town was officially incorporated as a “home-rule” city, with the first municipal building constructed in 1958.
In 1965, a contest was held for all Thornton public high school students to design a city seal. The winner was a 17-year-old Mapleton High School student who entered a seal with the motto “City of Planned Progress.”
In June 1981, a few days before the city was going to celebrate its silver anniversary, several tornadoes touched down in the metro area, with Thornton being one of the hardest-hit cities. Fifty-three people were injured and sent to hospitals, 25 homes were destroyed and 239 structures were damaged. Although the cleanup would take months, residents spent the Saturday after the storm celebrating the anniversary with the Thornton Festival Parade.
In August 1986, Russell was once again a special guest of the city for the opening of the Thornton Parkway Interchange. Russell and Mayor Margaret Carpenter were chauffeured across the new overpass in a 1930s automobile for the official opening.
50th anniversary: Activities focused on the anniversary will be scheduled throughout the year, including the annual Thorntonfest, May 20-21; a celebration at the Civic Center on May 26, the anniversary of incorporation; and the Harvest Fest on Sept. 9.
Sources: City of Thornton (www.cityofthornton.net/50th_Anniversary/home.asp); USGS; US Census Bureau; “Colorado Place Names” by William Bright
– Compiled by Bonnie Gilbert
REGIONAL NOTES
ROXBOROUGH
Neighborhood library opens doors
The Roxborough Neighborhood Library will open with a ribbon-cutting at 11 a.m. Saturday. The library is in the Roxborough Marketplace next to the Safeway at 8357 North Rampart Range Road.
The library will offer an intimate space overlooking the Front Range with services that include multiple copies of the most popular fiction, nonfiction, magazines and audiovisual materials.
The library also features technology including wireless routers and Internet stations, as well as a “Children’s Forest” for younger patrons.
Douglas County Libraries is looking for volunteers to help with the festivities. Volunteer hours can be applied to high school graduation requirements or used to fulfill community service obligations. For more information, contact Paula Standen at 303-688-7632 or pstanden@dclibraries.org.
DENVER POST STAFF REPORTS
