Legendary Locals of Broomfield

by Carol Turner

The city of Broomfield had its beginnings in the “howling wilderness” of the late 1850s. At first, the settlement was little more than two stage stops along a treacherous route to California. The Church family operated Church’s Crossing Stage Stop, a day’s ride from Denver on the Overland Trail. Over many years, other pioneer families settled the Graves and Crooks families, the Browns, Nissens, Wrights, Koziseks, Archers, Hansens, Shaws, Brunners, and more. Some of these families claim five or six generations in the area. A century passed before Broomfield began to grow into the city it is today. In the late 1950s, a group of investors began building Broomfield Heights. As young families began moving in, the farm community was transformed into a suburban city, guided by local notables such as Don DesCombes, George Di Ciero, and others. Perhaps the most admirable aspect of the city’s history is the enormous amount of work done by community-minded volunteers. Their story is one of selfless enthusiasm, of hard work with no reward except a better place to live.

131 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2014

About the author

Carol Turner was born and raised in Colorado and lived for many years in Northern California. She has a BA in English from Sonoma State University and an MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from Bennington College. Her short fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines. She lives in Port Angeles, Washington.