Most of the West was divided up into straight-edged, boxy regions and subdivisions (take a look at poor Yuma County). Boulder County escapes the purely rectangular form of other counties in Colorado, and today we will tell you why. Plus, we will tell you why it’s named Boulder (but we bet you can guess). The need for Colorado to become a territory coincided with the secession of several southern states from the Union in 1861. Colorado applied for statehood that year, and offered the Union secure access to precious mineral deposits. Boulder County was one of the original 17 counties of... Read More

There is an argument to be made that architects don’t get their due. For every household name, such as Frank Lloyd Wright, there are thousands of people who spend their careers under the radar. Yet even lesser known architects literally and figuratively shape people’s lives by influencing the built environment in which they take place. Charles Haertling is a perfect example of such. His name is one many won’t recognize, but over the course of his life he left an indelible mark on our region. Born on October 21, 1928 in St. Genevieve, Missouri, Haertling joined the Navy in 1946, straight out... Read More

A typical night in a typical haunted hotel begins with a gorgeous moon for atmosphere. As the sun sets on the horizon, the shadows of the famous Haunted Castle near Boulder grow longer and darker. This is also the second most haunted hotel in Colorado. For years, locals have whispered tales of paranormal activity within its walls, but no one has ever been brave enough to venture inside and uncover the truth. Until now. Join us as we take an intrepid adventure into the unknown, and uncover the mystery of the Haunted Castle near Boulder in this first-hand account of our investigation into the paranormal. Exploring... Read More

Coffee; the sweet, dark ambrosia that keeps us going throughout the day. In recent years, coffee has become a phenomenon that has seen the proliferation of Starbucks on seemingly every busy street corner, and Boulder has been no exception. However, luckily enough, Boulder possesses it’s more eclectic, independent coffee shops that have proven to be more popular hotspots for locals.           First, a brief history of coffee: Coffee drinking is thought to date back to the 15th Century in Ethiopia. Legend goes that a healer was exiled from his city and sent to live in... Read More

Maybe you already know that the comfortable (and allegedly edible) innovation; the Crocs shoe, was created in Boulder County. Today we’re checking out some less explosive, but equally clever, Boulder-based inventions. This is one smart city, and the products created here prove it! Nimbus Cloud Dome The Nimbus Cloud Dome is a deceptively simple invention created by Boulder resident Cindy Litchfield. As a jewelry maker, she struggled to create close-up, glare-free photos of her products. No one had addressed the problem before, so she took on the challenge. The result was the Nimbus Cloud... Read More

Students and professors at the University of Colorado, Boulder have been studying the effects of black carbon on ice and snow in ecosystems around the world. Black carbon is the byproduct of fossil fuels and wildfires and can be carried long distances via atmospheric transport. Researchers use molecular analysis and have so far proved that Greenland’s ice sheet has been effected by wildfires burning all the way in the Canadian Arctic. Wildfires are predicted to increase in the future, threatening to negatively impact other ice sheets across the globe. According to Scientific America, climate... Read More

Meet “Buddy Boulder,” the mascot proving that even the gleaming citizens of Boulder sometimes make bad decisions. Or eerie ones at the very least. How was this grinning stone created? Well, in 1984 the Boulder Hotel and Motel Association had a “Mascot Mania” event whereby people were allowed to submit mascot ideas for the city of Boulder. The winners received cash prizes. You would think money would be incentive to create something inviting and recognizable. Sure, Buddy has the Flatirons on his head, but we just can’t stop looking at his cold, shifty, doll eyes. The... Read More

When I initially started to brainstorm ideas about what my first article for About Boulder should be, my mind crafted all manner of different approaches: football analysis, social commentary, feature piece etc. etc. However, I decided that instead of delving into something multi-layered and thought provoking, to start with something light: a list of 10 things. Judging by the amount of the traffic Buzzfeed and Facebook achieve with these types of articles, if I can’t craft something where you won’t even click the link for a lists article, even if it is out of sheer curiosity to see what it is,... Read More

Even if you’ve been around Boulder County just a little while, you probably have noticed a lot of places and businesses called Left Hand: Left Hand Brewery (a favorite of the writer’s), Left Hand Creek, Left Hand Canyon, etc. These places and the town, school, and mountain called Niwot are named in honor of the Arapahoe Native American, Chief Niwot; Niwot when translated means “left hand.” Chief Niwot and his people wintered in Boulder Valley and he welcomed those coming to Colorado for the Gold Rush, and he played a key role in attempting to keep the peace between the white settlers and... Read More

Inspiration can connect the most far-fetched or opposite ideas and come from the most unlikely of places. To give it further jolt, necessity is indeed the mother of invention. Put the two together and see what curious results give light. So, let’s play a little trivia. What do Boulder High School and beer brewing have in common? No, I’m not talking about teenage alcoholism so cross that snarky answer off the list. What they do both have in common are some interesting ties through both historical and modern day Boulder in a unique way: Crystal Springs Brewing Company. Some people search their... Read More