Commerce City Colorado

Commerce City Colorado has been growing rapidly in recent years, and along with the population growth, the area has seen improvements and growth in community activities. Once known primarily for Mile High Greyhound Park dog track and the Suncor oil refinery, now Commerce City’s expansive land provides a variety of opportunities for a healthy lifestyle.  Commerce City boasts 18 parks and 27 miles of trails to explore. Some paths connect to larger, regional trails, others are loop trails that meander through native prairie land. Come visit the Prairie Gateway Open Space for yourself.

Among the many other activities to explore in Commerce City include a professional soccer team, the “Colorado Rapids”, Dick’s Sporting Good Stadium, the 18,000-seat home stadium of the Colorado Rapids and its surrounding 24-field, fully-lit soccer complex.  Other attractions nearby include the 15,000-acre Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and Barr Lake State Park.  The city sponsors many fun activities throughout the year and from the beginning of summer and one of the largest Memorial Day Parades in the nation to the largest July fireworks show in the state and much more – Commerce City strives to entertain and involve everyone in the community.

More Town Facts

As with many Colorado areas, the Plains Indian tribes first lived on this land and hunted native Bison in the shortgrass prairies of the area. Then, during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush of 1859, prospectors working their way up the South Platte River Trail would pass a trading post, hotel and ranch in Arapahoe County called Henderson Island. It was built by John D. Henderson, who sold provisions to these men. This was the first permanent settlement in the South Platte River Valley and today is the site of Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds.

By 1871, homesteaders and families were moving into the area, and the first one-room schoolhouse was constructed. In 1876, the first cemetery was built and can be found in the city’s southwest corner at E. 52^nd Avenue and Brighton Blvd. The area was largely agricultural, dairy and pig farms until around the 1930’s when the refinery was constructed and the Rocky Mountain Arsenal was then founded in 1942. It wasn’t until 1952 that Commerce City (then Commerce Town) was incorporated.

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