Weld County 165

Since its establishment in 1861, Weld County has grown from frontier prairie into one of Colorado's most dynamic and productive regions. Over the last 165 years, generations of residents have helped shape the county's communities, industries, traditions, and way of life. As Weld County celebrates its 165th anniversary alongside the America 250 and Colorado 150 commemorations, residents and visitors are invited to explore the people, places, and stories that have helped define the county's history.

Did you know?

Before the county of Weld was established, the area was home to the Ute and Arapahoe. In fact, Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley was a known camping area for both tribes in addition to the Cheyenne and Sioux tribes.

Weld County was named after Lewis Ledyard Weld, the first secretary of the Colorado Territory, who may never have actually lived in present-day Weld County. Weld served as the first secretary of the Colorado Territory and helped shape early territorial government, but historians believe he spent most of his time in Denver rather than the county that now carries his name. A monument in his honor also stands in the Old North Cemetery in Hartford, Connecticut (where Weld was born).

In the early 1900s, sugar beets — often called “white gold” — helped transform Weld County’s economy and communities. Children sometimes missed school during harvest season because entire families worked the beet fields by hand.

Benjamin Harrison Eaton, namesake of the Town of Eaton and former Colorado governor, is one of only 16 historical figures featured in the stained-glass portraits beneath the Colorado State Capitol dome.

The No. 3 Ditch Company, established in the 1870s, became the first irrigation system in northeastern Colorado, and in the United States, built specifically to grow food.

Union Colony, now present-day Greeley, was one of the earliest master-planned communities in the American West, featuring wide streets, a central park and an organized grid system designed by Union Colony founders.

Hidden across Weld County's prairie are the remnants of communities that have all but disappeared from modern maps. St. Vrain, Weld County's first county seat, was once a bustling settlement before the title moved elsewhere and the town gradually faded from existence.

Explore Weld County History

Interested in learning more? Explore stories, photographs, historic documents, and community histories through the Weld County History website.

Explore Weld County history

Community Events

Weld County's communities are home to a variety of events throughout the year, including town appreciation days, live entertainment, historical celebrations, and family-friendly activities.

View community events