About Arvada, Colorado

On June 22, 1850, a Georgia prospector named Lewis Ralston discovered gold at the mouth of Clear Creek; Ralston returned home. During the 1858 “Pikes Peak Gold Rush,” Ralston returned to his original gold strike along with a new gold seekers.

Unfortunately, he returned to Georgia before enjoying the great bonanza. In 1859, the “Fifty Niners” and “Pikes Peak or Bust” was on!

In the 1860s, Ralston’s Point became popular with new settlers engaged in agriculture. Benjamin Wadsworth and Louis Reno began platting a town and sought a new town name. Wadsworth’s wife suggested Arvada; Arvada was the middle name of her brother-in-law Hiram Arvada Haskins. It is believed Hiram’s mother found the name on a map of the Holy Land.

Colorado Central Railroad Depot 1903

Colorado Central Railroad built their Golden-to-Denver route through the settlement in 1870. A post office was established and farming became the area’s economic base.

Today, Arvada is ranked #7 in population with over 110,000 people. A beautiful urban renewal, light rail and home to many businesses and entertainment makes Arvada a desirable community to raise a family.

Arvada has three museums sharing stories about her people, places and events in Arvada history. They are:

• Arvada Flour Mill Museum,
• Arvada Historical Museum, and the
• McIlvoy House

Clive Eric Cussler, an American adventure novelist and underwater explorer, owns the popular “Cussler Museum.” Fans of Clive Cussler’s bestselling Dirk Pitt series know that his hero has a soft spot for rare and classic automobiles. His museum features over 50 magnificent classic vehicles.

Rocky Flats Plant

The fifth museum is “Rocky Flats Cold War Museum.” The Rocky Flats Plant was a nuclear weapons facility. Museum staff has recorded video interviews with many previous Rocky Flat’s employees. The museum presents a 50 year history of this contentious facility that stopped production in 1989.