Morrison Colorado

The town of Morrison Colorado is in Jefferson County, just outside the city of Denver. It sits in a beautiful green valley with striking rock formations all around the area. This creates the feeling of being far removed from urban life in Downtown Denver, and so the town motto:  Morrison “The Nearest Faraway Place”. What the locals know as “The (Dakota) Hogback” is a small section of mountainside intersected by Interstate 70 which separates the cityscape from the countryside of Morrison. The Hogback includes Dinosaur Ridge and is the home of many geologic wonders.

More Town Facts

Dinosaur tracks can easily be seen from the east side base to the top of Dinosaur Ridge with well placed plaques to explain the many features. It’s amazing to see Jurassic footprints which were originally on flat ground – now on the steep side of a rock wall, along with other fossils of the time. At the top, the little road drops down to the next geologic spectacle: Red Rocks Amphitheatre. A famous and well known attraction, Red Rocks has been the venue of some of the greatest music concerts in the country. The natural acoustics of the rocks, and the spectacular beauty of the setting keep audiences coming back, and performers eager to book their concerts there.

The Jefferson County Open Space Parks which surround Morrison are wonderful for exploring the countryside, trails and seeing wildlife that reside in the area. Horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking are popular ways to enjoy the surroundings. Well maintained trails and rest areas provide additional comfort and safety for the less experienced hiker. Bear Creek runs along through Morrison, and provides good fishing, rafting and fun for visitors. As you drop into the small and quaint town of Morrison, you can appreciate the way this town has maintained it’s identity. The founder of this town was a builder and stone mason, and the architecture in the town has the beautiful stone features that have lasted since 1874.

History of Morrison

George Morrison, a builder and businessman left a mark not only on the town that now bears his name, but on the history of the entire area. Morrison was a stonemason who founded the Morrison Stone, Lime and Town Co. He worked along with then Governor John Evans to bring the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad to Morrison in 1874. The beautiful stone he worked with was used in the construction of three buildings he built in town as well as the Mt. Vernon House – which are still standing and were registered by the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Cliff House, built in 1893, is now a Bed and Breakfast and welcomes guests to the area. Some of the historic and famous Denver landmarks were built using stone quarried near Morrison at the far end of “the Hogback”. The Brown Palace and Union Station in downtown Denver are two such structures, as are many of the Governors Park Mansions that still stand in Denver.

Behind the town is the area known as the Morrison Formation, famous as the first discovery site of three Jurassic residents; Apatosaurus, Diplodocus, and the Colorado state fossil, Stegosaurus. Those who want to see more of the dinosaur history can visit The Morrison Natural History Museum which has fossils and rare adult Stegosaurus tracks as well as hatchling tracks on display. With all that Morrison has to offer historically, it also provides great recreation, world class restaurants, hospitality and fine shopping. Come visit this “faraway place” so close by.

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