Westminster

Westminster

In 1858, the area known as Westminster today saw a dramatic rise in settlers coming from the East due to the discovery of gold in the South Platte River Valley, an area that spans from downtown Denver to the Eastern border of the state. This exciting discovery, along with the Homestead Act of 1862, which gave everyday citizens the ability to own land if they live on it and improve it, brought many pioneers to the area, thus giving rise to the bustling state of Colorado we know and love today. One unique aspect of Westminster, Colorado is the 14-story bell tower located at Westminster City Hall. This watchtower is a tribute to Elizabeth Tower – more commonly known as Big Ben – the clock tower located at the Palace of Westminster in London, England. When this bell tower was unveiled in 1986, the mayor of Westminster, England, was in attendance. In recent years, construction began on building a new community hub located right at the heart of downtown Westminster, located directly halfway between Denver and Boulder. This new downtown area features over 18 acres of parks and open space, an Alamo Drafthouse movie theater, as well as many hotels and restaurants. Today, Westminster is the seventh most populous city in Colorado, with a population just over 110,000.