SPOTLIGHT ON TRI-TOWN AREA
Towns of Dacono, Frederick, Firestone
Population: About 3,700 in Dacono; 6,800 in Frederick; and 6,410 in Firestone
Elevations: Dacono, 5,029 feet; Frederick, 4,894; and Firestone, 4,970
County: Weld
Brief history: The three communities of Dacono, Frederick and Firestone, which make up the Carbon Valley, were all incorporated in 1908 primarily as underground mining areas. Some mine shafts can still be found under the streets of Frederick. Now, the towns are mostly bedroom communities that have experienced rapid growth over the past several years because of their proximity to metro Denver. The three towns are only a couple of miles from one another.
Dacono – Coal mine owner Charles Baum named the city by choosing the first two letters of the names of his wife, Daisy, and probably two of her friends, Cora and Nora.
Frederick – In its early years, the town of Frederick attracted immigrants from Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, several Slavic countries and Latin America to work in the mines. The town was named for the owner of the land, Frederick A. Clark, by three women, Mary M. Clark, Maud Clark Reynolds and Mary Clark Steele.
Firestone – The town was founded by the Denslow Coal and Land Co. and named for Jacob Firestone, who owned the townsite land.
Ground breaking ceremony: The ceremony for the construction of the Evanston/Firestone section of the St. Vrain Legacy Trail (located between Weld County roads 16 and 18, just east of Weld County Road 13) will be at 10 a.m. Friday, near the southeast corner of the intersection of Weld County roads 13 and 18 (south of the Safeway parking lot). The St. Vrain Legacy Trail runs north and south alongside Weld County Road 13 in Frederick and connects to other trail systems in the area. The Legacy Trail is part of the Colorado Front Range Trail System that runs from Wyoming to New Mexico. The project is funded mainly from a grant that was jointly applied for by the tri-towns as well as Weld County, with Frederick as the lead agency.
Sources: Town of Frederick (www.frederickco.gov); town of Dacono (www.ci.dacono.co.us/); Weld County (www.co.weld.co.us/about/communities.html); Carbon Valley Chamber of Commerce; “Colorado Place Names” by William Bright; “1001 Colorado Place Names” by Maxine Benson; USGS; U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimates
REGIONAL NOTES
AURORA
Nuggets to shoot hoops with kids
The Denver Nuggets will give 150 Aurora Public Schools students the chance to play basketball with some members of the team Friday.
Players and assistant coaches will offer tips from their “Read to Achieve Program,” conduct mini-clinics and pose for pictures. Students also will receive “goody bags” filled with school supplies, notebooks and Nuggets’ memorabilia.
Students are selected to attend the “rewards” event based on attendance, citizenship and scholarship.
The event is from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Aurora Central High School, 11700 East 11th Ave.
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