The legacy of Boulder’s Open Space dates back over a century, when, in February of 1898, the Texas-Colorado Chautauqua Association and the City of Boulder entered into an agreement to locate the Chautauqua near Boulder. A city bond election was held in April of that same year, and the necessary bonds and expenditures were approved to purchase the land and build the first buildings. The following year, Congress approved the allocation of 1,800 acres of mountain backdrop/watershed, extending from South Boulder Creek to Sunshine Canyon.

In July 1959, the creation of the Blue Line restricted water lines from being extended beyond an elevation of 5,750 feet. In November of 1967, Boulder made history by passing the nation’s first voter-approved sales tax for open space and the creation of the Greenbelt. Another critical vote was passed when, in 1971, a 55-foot building height limit was set, ensuring views of the foothills and Flatirons will always endure. A historic preservation code was passed in 1974 and a residential growth management ordinance in 1976. Today, Boulder has preserved the largest per capita of open space in the country—over 4,500 acres and 148 miles of trails within the city. With your help, we will continue this legacy and keep Boulder Open Space forever open.