Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Wheat Ridge

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
C+History
History · Wheat Ridge

Wheat Ridge dates to 1859, and 5 of its places are on the National Register

More historic than 38% of U.S. towns · #62 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it

Most of Wheat Ridge was built recently: 4% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1965. 5 places in town are on the National Register, among them two historic districts with 2 buildings between them. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1941 on, and the census since 1960.

1859founded
5on the National Register
4%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
19famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Wheat Ridge’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Wheat Ridge began

When was Wheat Ridge founded?

1859

Wheat Ridge dates its founding to 1859 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1960.

First census: 21,619 in 19602020 census: 32,398167 years

How historic is Wheat Ridge?

C+

More historic than 38% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1892.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Wheat Ridge’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wheat Ridge is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #62 of 159 in Colorado. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its share of homes from before 1940 pulls it down.

C+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wheat Ridge’s overall grade.
Founding era1859, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19404.2% of homes (±1.1) · typical CO town 2.5% · U.S. 8.4%CNational Register5 listings, 6 historic buildings, 1.9 per 10,000 residents · typical CO town 1.1 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 38%
NewerOlder
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 61%

Few Colorado towns list much on the Register (a typical Colorado town has 1.1 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Wheat Ridge’s 1.9 sits near the middle of its state (54% of Colorado towns have fewer) while its 6 historic buildings outnumber those of 72% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1859.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C− to B−. The pre-1940 share (±1.1 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Wheat Ridge’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Wheat Ridge, and 14 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Landmarks on the Register5 places on the National Register.Famous sons and daughtersMatthew Dominick, Nick Stabile and 17 more were born here.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Wheat Ridge’s post office has been open since 1913. Another post office, Lakeview, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Lakeview
1892–1894
Wheat Ridge
1913–today
18901960today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Applewood VillageCambridge ParkGreen ValleyHappy Valley GardensHighland GardensHillcrest HeightsLakeviewMelroseNorth Green ValleyOlinger GardensParamount HeightsRolling HillsWesthavenWildwood
Gone or out of use
Columbia Heights SchoolschoolFruitdale SchoolschoolSands House SanatariumhospitalWest Lake Pitmine

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Wheat Ridge’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Wheat Ridge’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewAIN 47-45 - DPLA - 85e57adc7a67c6b78c8a…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the National Register

5 historic places in Wheat Ridge

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

places listed
5
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
6
each building in a district counts
first listed
1973
Pioneer Sod House
Pioneer Sod HouseJames H. Baugh HouseRichards MansionCrown Hill Burial ParkFruitdale Grade School
BuildingsDistricts

Architectural styles listings

Late Victorian1
Pioneer Log1
Greek Classic Revival1
Italianate1
Pioneer Sod HouseBuilding
James H. Baugh HouseLate Victorian
All 5 listings
Richards MansionBuilding · listed 1977Crown Hill Burial ParkDistrict · listed 2008Fruitdale Grade SchoolBuilding · listed 2013

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

The story

How Wheat Ridge came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Wheat Ridge.

Read it all →

Wheat Ridge grew from a popular rest stop for travelers during the Gold Rush of the late 1850s to become an agricultural and suburban community known as the “Carnation City” in the mid-1900s. As the residential areas of unincorporated Jefferson County grew during the 1950s to provide housing to the Denver workforce, the major transportation corridors extending from Denver developed with commercial services. During that era, the formation of numerous utility and fire protection districts provided these unincorporated areas with urban services. Eventually, due to the increasing annexation pressure from nearby municipalities, Wheat Ridge incorporated in 1969.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Wheat Ridge, 1859 to 1993

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1859
    FoundingWheat Ridge is established
  3. 1892Post officeThe Lakeview post office opens
  4. 1894Post officeThe Lakeview post office closes
  5. 20th century
  6. 1913Post officeThe Wheat Ridge post office opens
  7. 1937In the archiveAIN 47-45 - DPLA - 85e57adc7a67c6b78c8a83e708f2e339
  8. 1941On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  9. 1971Born hereNick Stabile is born here
  10. 1981Born hereMatthew Dominick is born here
  11. 1981Born hereCassie Bernall is born here
  12. 1993Born herePaige Spiranac is born here
By decade

Wheat Ridge, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s1 item
AIN 47-45 - DPLA - 85e57adc7a67c6b78c8a83e708f2e3391937AIN 47-45 - DPLA - 85e57adc7a67c6b78c8a83e708f2e339
1940s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today10 recent
Beautiful Sunday Morning2020Beautiful Sunday MorningMultiple road signs, I-70 E entrance, Youngfield St2016Multiple road signs, I-70 E entrance, Youngfield StColorado Guard aircrews participates in annual medical disaster exercise 160817-F-RN654-4762016Colorado Guard aircrews participates in annual medica…Wheat Ridge Fire, Tower 71, right side2015Wheat Ridge Fire, Tower 71, right sideFurr's Family Dining sign2014Furr's Family Dining signAT&T cell phone tower, 4836 Van Gordon St2014AT&T cell phone tower, 4836 Van Gordon StWheatridgehailstorm2009WheatridgehailstormStarbucks coffee grounds and beans in a Safeway supermarket, Wheat Ridge, 20092009Starbucks coffee grounds and beans in a Safeway super…CityofWheatRidgesign2009CityofWheatRidgesignClearCreekTrailKiplingTrailhead2008ClearCreekTrailKiplingTrailhead
On the map

Wheat Ridge on the map, 1941 to 1994

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Wheat Ridge. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Wheat Ridge on the 1941 USGS mapWheat Ridge on the 1950 USGS mapWheat Ridge on the 1965 USGS mapWheat Ridge on the 1971 USGS mapWheat Ridge on the 1980 USGS mapWheat Ridge on the 1994 USGS map1941Arvada sheet · 1:31,680

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Wheat Ridge.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

AIN 47-45 - DPLA - 85e57adc7a67c6b78c8a83e708f2e339
Retake this viewAIN 47-45 - DPLA - 85e57adc7a67c6b78c8a83e708f2e339, 1937

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Wheat Ridge’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Wheat Ridge, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,0001960198020002020Peak: 32,913

Between 21,619 and 32,913 people in every census since 1960.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Wheat Ridge’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

19 famous people were born in Wheat Ridge

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Matthew DominickAmerican engineer, test pilot and astronaut for… · b. 1981
Nick StabileAmerican actor · b. 1971
C
Cassie BernallVictim of the Columbine High School Massacre · b. 1981
Paige SpiranacAmerican model and golfer · b. 1993
Todd DunivantAmerican soccer player · b. 1980
Mark MelanconAmerican professional baseball player · b. 1985
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Arvada6 historic placesC+Fairmount5 historic placesC+EdgewaterIts storyCLakewood7 historic placesC+Applewood3 historic placesCMountain ViewIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Wheat Ridge’s history

What year was Wheat Ridge founded?

In 1859, according to Wikidata. Wheat Ridge’s post office opened in 1892, and the census of 1960 counted 21,619 people here.

How does Wheat Ridge rank for history?

Wheat Ridge is more historic than 38% of U.S. towns, #62 of 159 in Colorado. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Wheat Ridge?

5 listings: 3 buildings, among them the Pioneer Sod House (listed 1973, the first), and 2 historic districts, the James H. Baugh House and the Crown Hill Burial Park, with 2 contributing buildings. 6 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Wheat Ridge?

4% of Wheat Ridge’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.1 points), against a typical 2.5% for a Colorado town; the median home was built in 1965.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.