Fort Collins - The heartbeat of Northern Colorado

By Kris Grant

Welcome to the city that Travel & Leisure has dubbed to be one of the happiest cities in the USA. It’s not surprising, as this welcoming family-friendly town, “FOCO” as locals call it, offers endless recreational pursuits on a canvas of rolling hills that serve as the gateway to the Rocky Mountains.

Add in a spirited craft-brewing scene, the youthful vitality of a college town (Colorado State University) and one of the most bike-friendly communities in America, and you do indeed have the makings for happiness.

Speaking of that other happiest place on earth, we’ll take a look at how this Rocky Mountain high city (4,982 feet high to be exact) found its way onto Disneyland’s Main Street.

Along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains’ northern Front Range lies a pretty little town that traces its history to 1864 when a military fort called “Camp Collins” was established along the banks of the Cache la Poudre River. The fort, named after Lt. Col. Williams O. Collins, a popular commander of the Ohio Cavalry troops, was established supposedly to protect emigrant trails and overland stage lines from growing hostile attacks of the Plains Indians.

The fort was not barricaded but largely open to its surroundings and never engaged in major military actions. In fact, relations with the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes in the vicinity were largely peaceful. The fort’s major battle, which it lost, was against Mother Nature when the swollen Poudre River overflowed and devastated the camp in June 1864. The fort was moved to higher ground shortly thereafter, adjacent to what is now Fort Collins’ vibrant town center, Old Town Square.

By 1865 hostilities with Native Americans in Colorado subsided (sadly, because we had driven many of the tribes north to the Dakotas, but that’s another story…). By 1867 when the fort was abandoned, settlers had moved into the area, primarily raising sugar beets and sheep on the fertile lands bordering the Poudre, and were quick to take possession of the former fort’s structures. In 1877, the Colorado Central Railroad laid tracks to Fort Collins. In 1870, Colorado Agricultural College was founded, although first classes weren’t held until 1879. (The school was renamed Colorado State College in 1957.)

Fort Collins was incorporated in 1873. By the 1900s, the town was filled with grand Victorian and Italianate structures.

Fort Collins’ Old Town Square, site of the former Linden Hotel, is now a vibrant intersection of shops, restaurants, and breweries.

Photo by Tim O’Hara, courtesy of Visit Fort Collins

Main Street - From Fort Collins to Disneyland

Fort Collins’ Old Firehouse was previously its City Hall. It bears a striking resemblance to the Firehouse on Main Street, Disneyland, thanks to Fort Collins’ native son, Harper Goff.

Photo by Kris Grant.

If you ever walk down Main Street in Disneyland and you hail from Fort Collins, you might do a double take. Many of the buildings along the famous avenue look very familiar. Coincidence? Not!

It turns out that one of Fort Collins’ native sons, Harper Goff, born March 16, 1911, designed much of Main Street, Disneyland, drawing inspiration from his boyhood home.

Goff’s family owned the local newspaper in Fort Collins, which was then (and is today) the quintessential American small town. When he was a teen, Goff and his family moved to Santa Ana, California, and young Harper took classes at the renowned Choinard Art Institute (now CalArts) in Los Angeles.

He moved to New York and worked as an illustrator for several magazines including Collier’s, Esquire and National Geographic, then came back to California and worked as an art director for films for Warner Brothers, including Casablanca.

During his World War II military service, Goff first worked with the Army, designing a set of paint colors that became the standard for camouflage. Near the end of the war, Goff transferred to the Navy, where his painting techniques helped camouflage Navy war ships.

In 1951, after leaving Warner Brothers, Goff and his wife went on a vacation to London. The Walt Disney Family Museum records Goff’s memory of that trip:

“I was always a miniature train fan, so I went to Bassett-Lowke, Ltd. … I was trying to find something I could bring back as an antique. I found one and the man said, ‘There’s a gentleman coming in this evening who’s shown some interest in that. I can’t sell it to you because I think he may think it’s being saved for him.’”

The Miller Block is one of Old Town’s premier structures, a building of Italianate red sandstone and buff sandstone trim that faces both Linden and Walnut streets. Danish immigrant Frank C. Miller built this structure, which originally housed his saloon. That business evaporated in 1896 when Fort Collins went dry, so Miller took part ownership in the Fair Store, a home furnishings and dry goods store, and leased out portions of the block to other businesses. The Miller Building is the main reason Fort Collins has a historic downtown district today – it was slated to be demolished in 1970 to make way for a highway bypass but downtown business owners banded together to save it and subsequently established a nationally recognized historic district.

Photo by Kris Grant.

The gentleman was none other than Walt Disney, who returned that evening and met Goff. While Walt prevailed in the train acquisition, more importantly, he had just stumbled upon a talented art director who would be a valuable asset to him in future endeavors. Upon learning of Goff’s art background, Walt said he wanted to hire him and urged him to get in touch when he returned to the states.

So Goff did just that and began work for Disney Studios with his first project designing sets for what was to be a film-short entitled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. But when Walt beheld Goff’s 4-by-8-foot compelling storyboard panels, he quickly changed direction: the short morphed into Disney’s first live-action full feature, a blockbuster produced in 1954.

Then Goff set to work on a project that never came to fruition: it was to be called Disneylandia, a novel concept that combined Disney’s love of trains with a bit of nostalgia. Walt asked Goff to create miniature, fully animated scenes of Americana on train cars that would visit hometowns throughout America. That assignment brought Goff back to Fort Collins to photograph many of the city’s historic buildings. Alas, the train project was scrapped as rail lines became less accessible and costs mounted. But, never mind that, Walt had an even more ambitious project in mind for Goff: he asked him to draw concept plans for “Mickey Mouse Park,” an amusement park filled with Americana that Disney first planned to be built across from the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. Disney historian Jeff Kurrti dubbed Goff “the second Imagineer” (after Walt Disney, of course).

A mural of Harper Goff is located at the entrance to Harper Goff Alley in Old Town Fort Collins. From afar, it appears to be a portrait of Goff above the old firehouse. But up close you’ll find it is made up of doodles depicting key moments from Goff’s life — such as film canisters and the Nautilus submarine from 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

When Walt decided on Anaheim for the location for Disneyland, Goff continued to design that park, drawing inspiration from Fort Collins’ buildings, much as Disney also drew inspiration for structures from his boyhood home of Marceline, Missouri.

And when Walt was planning an elaborate river ride, it was Goff who steered him to the African jungle, and then designed the entire ride, complete with hippos and Congo boats, drawing inspiration from the film, The African Queen.

A man of many talents, including acting in television and film, Goff also played the banjo. He was part of the Dixieland jazz band, “Firehouse Five Plus Two,” made up of various Disney artists. They performed on opening day of the park and often in front of the Main Street firehouse, a dead ringer for Fort Collins’ firehouse. And just like the fire fighters who slept at the original firehouse, Disneyland’s firehouse also had an upstairs apartment – it’s where Walt would often enjoy an afternoon nap in his Magic Kingdom.

The same year that Goff died, 1993, he was given the highest honor bestowed by the Disney Company: Disney Legend.

Fort Collins: The Napa Valley of Beer

Today Fort Collins is a town of 174,000 and together with neighboring town of Loveland to the south, the metro area tips the scale at 310,000 residents. And the region is growing – there’s a lot of thirsty souls out there.

Fort Collins produces 70 percent of the craft beer made in Colorado, which is ranked fourth in the nation for the number of microbreweries per capita. It’s no wonder that Fort Collins is now known throughout the region as the Napa Valley of Beer. That’s quite a feat for a city that remained a dry town until 1969!

Anheuser-Busch opened a Fort Collins plant in 1988, brewing 33 different beer brands. You can visit the brewery and its famous Clydesdale horses. But I preferred to visit a few of FOCO’s 20 craft breweries. Here’s where I went:

Odell Brewing Company

Photo by Kris Grant.

Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing is the oldest of FOCO’s craft breweries. It was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Thirty-four years later, its culture of family and collaboration still thrives.

Kids are welcome and seemed quite at home at this brewery that feels like family. In fact, in 2015, the Odell family founders sold the majority of the company to its co-workers (now co-owners) in a combined management buyout and an Employee Stock Ownership Program.

I sampled five Odell brews, all clearly labeled for my drinking pleasure. The Drumroll Hazy Pale Ale was juicy and citrusy; so was the maltier Easy Street – I found them both refreshing. The India Pale Ale was quite hoppy and bold, and a bit much for my untrained palette. But I loved

90 Shilling, Odell’s flagship brew. This medium-bodied amber ale was smooth with a burnished copper color.

A recent addition at Odell’s is the OBC Wine Project. Odell sources grapes from Washington, Oregon and Colorado, and then crushes, ferments and bottles at their Fort Collins winery. There were ten wines on tap on the day I visited, although I didn’t taste any, this being a beer adventure for me. So, whether you prefer to taste beer or wine, Odell has you covered!

It was raining the day my Fort Collins friend Rachael Dohrn and I visited Odell Brewing, so most folks including us stayed inside. But on a sunny day, Racheal says their patio is a happening spot, where locals and visitors alike come to enjoy beer, wine, music, offerings from local food trucks, and each other.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Maxline Brewing

Maxline’s Cathy Morgan and Kevin Gearhardt.

Photo by Kris Grant.

“Craft – Community – Culture” are the watchwords etched on the chalkboard at Maxline Brewing, Rachael’s favorite neighborhood microbrewery. Located in FOCO’s Midtown, I immediately sensed this brewery is one of those places where “everybody knows your name.” It features community tables where Bingo is played on Mondays and Tuesday is Trivia Night. Play is free and you might just win a beer with each round played.

Husband-wife team of Cathy Morgan and Kevin Gearhardt opened the brewery in 2012. After all, it was well past time: Kevin had been home brewing ‘Big Butt Beer” with friends from his garage two or three times per month for over two decades. I’m just glad they didn’t adopt that name for the brewery!

Maxline, named for its adjacency to FOCO’s Max Bus corridor, has a focus on supporting the community, with four cents from each beer sold dedicated to community nonprofits. And each member of the company volunteers six hours (plus!) monthly at local nonprofits and sustainable farms. I’ll drink to that, and I did, particularly enjoying five of its flagship beers, ranging from a light-bodied, slightly spicy and citrusy Witbier to a rich and chocolatey Coffee porter. Well done, Maxline!

New Belgium Brewing Company

Surely you’ve heard of New Belgium! The brewery is considered a pioneer in bringing Belgian influences to an American beer industry long dominated by English and German beer styles. And you might say this company promotes biking nearly as much as it does beer.

It all started when Fort Collins resident Jeff Lebesch, then an electrical engineer, made a summer cycling trip to Belgium in 1988. Jeff had already been home-brewing German and English style beers (after all, he was from Milwaukee, so he ought to know…) but he was knocked sideways when he tasted the far more sophisticated Belgium-style beers. As he pedaled the Belgian countryside, Jeff picked the brains of brewers and bartenders. When Jeff returned home to Fort Collins and his wife Kim Jordan, he started trying to recreate the flavorful Belgian-style beers, adding fruits, spices and small amounts of hops. He had a breakthrough when he used some imported yeast from a Belgian beer company.

New Belgium Brewing Company has always championed bike riding. Many locals ride to its headquarters in Fort Collins, where food trucks offer great accompaniments to the main attraction – beer, of course!

Photo by Kris Grant.

Jeff and Kim began commercially producing in March 1991, installing brewing equipment in the basement of their Fort Collins home. They also trekked into the Rocky Mountains where they established core values for their new company, which were inspired by Kim’s career as a social worker.

Two of their early recipes were the original amber ale, Fat Tire, and the Trappistinspired beer, a dubbel, called Abbey. (Thirteen Trappist monasteries, including six in Belgium, currently produce beer.) Both of the New Belgium beers were sold for the first time at the annual Colorado Brewers Festival.

With brewing underway, Kim became a jack-of-all-trades, handling bottling, distribution, marketing, financial planning and serving as company CEO.

In October 1995, New Belgium moved to its present facility where tours are offered daily, including a free 45-minute “Tour Teaser” with beer tastings and a 90-minute brewery tour for $10. Tours are limited to 25 people and fill up quickly during the summer; you can make reservations online.

In 1999 the company introduced a new tradition that remains to this day: on an employee’s first anniversary they are presented an Electra cruiser. (After five years, they get a trip to Belgium and on 10 and 20 year anniversaries, they get to take a sabbatical, with a six-pack of beer for each week on leave).

In 2009, Kim and Jeff divorced and Kim purchased Jeff’s portion of the business.

In 2012, the company became 100 percent employee-owned with a total of 457 co-workers. And in 2020, the employees voted to sell the company to Lion Little World Beverage, with a commitment to continue New Belgium’s “force for good” mission.

Our tour guide, Dave Ponceby, a former high school teacher, has been with New Belgium for 14 years. “Here’s where I am ‘til I drop,” he told me.

New Belgium Brewery tours take place several times a day.

Photo by Rachael Dohrn.

Downtown Fort Collins – heart of the city

Flowers and fountains along Old Town Fort Collins’ sidewalks and medians bring color and life into the historic district.

It wasn’t until the late 1970s that Fort Collins realized what Harper Goff had figured out years before: Downtown Fort Collins was a gem. But in the 1970s, it was a diamond in the rough. Blame the automobile that drove residents away from the city center and caused a steady gradual decline in occupancy, store facades, and upkeep.

Making way for vehicular traffic almost forced the demolition of some of Old Town’s most iconic structures, including the Italianate Miller block. When a four-lane bypass was proposed, it came within a few votes of passage. So when the townsfolk emerged victorious in this one battle, they pushed for more protection, finding it in 1978 when the Old Town Historic District was approved as a National Historic District. That paved the way for merchants and developers to secure loans and grants to preserve and beautify their buildings and for the city to pitch in with beautification projects. Today, the district features sidewalks and medians with plants and water features.

In 1981, the city created the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) that uses tax increment financing to stimulate development in the central business district, typically partnering with developers, business or property owners.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Old Town Square appeals to families with permanent play features, a central fountain and stage.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Alleys became focal points of Old Town Fort Collins beginning in 2005, with additions of flowers, murals, vintage lamps and hardware. Retailers followed.

Photo by Kris Grant.

In the heart of the district lies Old Town Square, a colorful pedestrian-only shopping, dining and entertainment district with 84 businesses. The DDA enhanced the Square in 2015. Today its outdoor stage features entertainment nearly every day during the warmer months of the year. There’s also a vibrant Sculpture-inthe-Square program that brings in juried sculptures on a rotating basis.

Even the town’s historic alleyways are bustling with activities – they were identified in 2004 as areas of untapped potential and now are filled with dynamic art installations, multiple murals, abundant flowers and flower baskets and special events.

But in looking ahead, it’s also fun to look back in time. That’s what I did when I joined the Fort Collins Ghost Tours, a walking tour that took me back to the days of the city’s founding, with enchanting stories of the people who brought Fort Collins to life. We left from Old Town Square, near the fountain.

History and yesteryear’s scandals come alive on Fort Collins ghost tours.

Photo by Kris Grant.

You’ll find lots of great shops, including candy and cheese purveyors, and restaurants and breweries throughout the downtown district.

A favorite for over 90 years is the Silver Grill Café. It began as a single “bay” shop and over the course of four owners, gradually expanded into three more storefronts. Its menu (breakfast and lunch only) is amazing. Rachael and I made a beeline for breakfast there, and I ordered a (huge) pecan cinnamon roll, while she (wisely) opted for a more substantial egg dish.

On my next visit, I’m heading there for lunch and one of its malts, featuring locally made Walrus ice cream (We visited Walrus ice cream’s basement on our ghost tour.)

Silver Grill’s lunch menu strangely features a full line-up of cocktails to accompany their burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and chilies. Maybe I’ll order the French dip and change that malt into a “boozy milkshake.”

Walrus Ice Cream: You can sample one or all of Walrus Ice Cream’s flavors, made right on the spot since 1987.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Photo by Kris Grant.

The Silver Grill Café is a bustling place, and has grown ever larger and more popular with locals and visitors over the course of its 90 years.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Artisanal cheese and candy shops are finds in the Old Town district.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Gateway to the Great Outdoors

Horsetooth Reservoir overlooks Fort Collins and offers a myriad of outdoor adventures. Photo courtesy of Visit Fort Collins.

Between the Cache la Poudre River — Colorado’s only designated ‘Wild & Scenic River’ — and Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins offers paradise found for outdoor fun.

Rachael took me on a drive to Horsetooth Reservoir, one of Colorado’s most scenic outdoor utopias. It’s located just minutes from the heart of Fort Collins and as we ascended up to the giant outcropping that looks much like a horse’s tooth, I had a panoramic view of the city below.

The 6.5-mile-long reservoir is a favorite recreation spot with lots of activities, including boating, paddle-boarding, fishing, swimming and camping. You can rent boats and SUP boards at the marina.

For anglers, Fort Collins has 20 natural areas that allow fishing. The Poudre is perfect for fly-fishing, though there are a few spots where you can bait fish. At Horsetooth, you might catch smallmouth bass or walleye from the shore or a boat.

Colorado State University’s Trial Gardens are a favorite destination for hikers and bikers.

Photo by Rachael Dohrn.

Poudre River Whitewater Park, a city park completed in 2019, is a perfect spot for kayakers, tubers and kids of all ages to enjoy the Poudre River. The park brought the river back to a more natural state, helps connect the river to downtown, provides safe access to the river, and improved the river floodplain. A pedestrian bridge connects to the Poudre Trail.

Photo by Kris Grant.

Of course, the number one recreational activity in Fort Collins is biking – the city is one of only five Platinum-rated bike cities in the nation! You’ll find all kinds of bike tours offered along 19 miles of wide paved bike lanes. On a warm summer day, it’s almost a civic duty to bike from brewery to brewery!

For more extensive bike or hiking treks, the outdoor areas in and around Fort Collins offer 285 miles of mostly flat trails and paths. The Horsetooth Falls hike is a

family-friendly 2.5-mile round-trip hike west of Fort Collins in the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space. For a bit more of a challenge, head to Arthur’s Rock Trail in Lory State Park for a moderate 2-mile hike that rewards hikers with incredible views of Horsetooth Reservoir and Fort Collins below. Greyrock, in the Cache la Poudre River Canyon, is another beloved local hike with two trail options, the moderate Meadows trail or the more challenging Summit trail.

The Armstrong Hotel

I enjoyed my stay immensely at the Armstrong Hotel, where guests and visitors enjoyed sidewalk entertainment, and the Ace Gillett supper club down under was a rich experience of fine crafted cocktails, comfort food and music.

Photos by Kris Grant.

The Armstrong Hotel is the last remaining historical hotel in Old Town Fort Collins. It was founded in 1923 by Charles and Carolyn Mantz and named after Carolyn’s father, Andrew Armstrong, whose house once stood on the property.

At the time of its construction, the hotel was the tallest building in Fort Collins, with two elegant dining halls, 41 guest rooms, and retail shops.

During World War II, the hotel was used as a barracks for the U.S. Army and, with America’s burgeoning love for automobiles, the hotel housed one of the first American Automobile Association chapters. As previously mentioned, those autos also drew business away from Old Town in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the hotel gradually fell into disrepair, finally closing in 2000. But in 2002 local entrepreneurs Steve and Missy Levinger purchased the historic building and preserved and restored much of its former grandeur and the hotel re-opened in 2004. Fourteen years later the Levingers sold the hotel to Jackson, Wyoming-based Crystal Capital Investments.

The property underwent an extensive remodel in 2019, creating a refined and luxurious atmosphere that still pays homage to its rich history. I loved my suite at the Armstrong and heartily recommend a stay here.

And it was so convenient to dine and drink “down under” at the elegant and yet cozy Ace Gillett’s, modeled after a former speakeasy, where I met Rachael for cocktails and dinner. Ace Gillett was a real person, a former owner of the hotel during Fort Collins’ era of prohibition, which continued until 1969. Was this basement supper club a true speakeasy, where one could imbibe in an illicit drink? It’s your guess!

IF YOU GO…

Visitor Information

Visit Fort Collins

The destination management organization has a great website, complete with special events, restaurants, accommodations, a link Colorado State University and suggested itineraries.

www.VisitFtCollins.com

The trial gardens at Colorado State University bloom from May through October. Photo by Rachael Dohrn.

Recommended Hotels

The Armstrong Hotel

The hotel, recently renovated, is celebrating its Centennial this year!

www.thearmstronghotel.com

The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection

The Elizabeth Hotel, just off FireHouse alley in Old Town captures FOCO’s fun-loving and light-hearted vibe. You know when you enter the lobby, with its spiral staircase and embossed ceiling, that the hotel speaks luxury, but then you spy the musical instrument lending library of keyboards and guitars (including a ’52 Fender) plus a curated vinyl record collection of 1,000 albums and you know it’s edgy-elegant. The 164 guest rooms have all the luxury amenities you’d expect along with in-room Crosley record players. www.theelizabethcolorado.com

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Fort Collins

If you’re bringing the family, this hotel with its indoor pool, daily buffet breakfasts, spacious guests rooms, and free parking is a good choice. www.ihg.com

(Under locations, enter Ft. Collins)

Breweries

New Belgium Brewing Company

www.newbelgium.com

Odell Brewing Company

www.odellbrewing.com

Maxline Brewing

www.maxlinebrewing.com

(Find a complete list of breweries at www.Visitftcollins.com.)

Photo by Rachael Dohrn

Restaurants and Entertainment

Ace Gillett’s Ace Gillett’s supper club and lounge pairs craft cocktails, reimagined comfort foods with live music and spinning vinyl favorites.

www.acegilletts.com

The Silver Grill Café

Now celebrating its 90th year, the Silver Grill Café is a neighborhood staple in FOCO. And oh those cinnamon rolls! Open for breakfast and lunch, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. www.silvergrill.com

The Magic Rat

The Magic Rat at the Elizabeth Hotel regularly hosts budding musicians and big-name acts. The popular Old Town Fort Collins bar and live music venue is open Tuesday through Saturday. www.theelizabethcolorado.com

The Sunset Lounge

This rooftop bar atop the Elizabeth Hotel overlooks Downtown Fort Collins and offers panoramic Front Range views. The venue serves craft cocktails, local craft beer, wine and small appetizers and desserts. Live jazz piano on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Reservations aren’t taken except for High Tea on Sunday. www.theelizabethcolorado.com

Fort Collins Ghost Tours

www.fortcollinstours.com

Bike Rentals and Bike Tours

Beer and Bike Tours

For this self-guided tour, you’ll be provided a custom five-speed bike with a basket, helmet and lock, and a digital guide to breweries. Beer at the breweries is not included. $75 per day.

Recycled-Cycles

Rentals start at $30 a day with two locations for pick-up/drop-off.

www.recycled-cycles.com

Pedago Electric Bikes

Rental prices range from $40 for two hours to $100 for a day. Pedago also offers two tours, one along Spring Creek and the Poudre River and the other throughout town.

www.pedagoelectricbikes.com

Distinctive bike racks are present throughout Downtown Fort Collins.

Photo by Kris Grant.