Named for Horace Greeley who urged young Americans to “Go West,” the city of Greeley Colorado was one of the first stops for settlers who aimed for the Rocky Mountains but decided not to actually cross them.
That early pioneer spirit still pervades the college town about 50 miles northeast of Denver, and this spirit can still be seen in numerous ways.
The most impressive attraction has to be the Centennial Village museum, a collection of old homes, a church and schoolhouse, as well as other buildings that date back to the days of the early settlement in 1870. It's open mainly April-October, and it's worth planning a visit to town just to see it. Also visit the historic home of Nathan Meeker, credited with being the town's founder. The 1835 Fort Vasquez will also give you a good idea of what life was like here before western civilization arrived.
Another famous name attached to the town is that of author James A. Michener, who got his master's degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1935, taught there for several years, and eventually used the setting in his historical Colorado novel, Centennial.
The university draws an array of guest artists and speakers who brighten the cultural landscape here. Each spring, one of the nation's largest jazz festivals has the whole town tapping its toes.
Greeley Convention & Visitors Bureau
902 7th Avenue
Greeley, CO 80631
800-449-3866 |
