Why Loveland
Situated in northern Colorado's Front Range region, Loveland rests at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills near the entrance to the Big Thompson River Canyon. Positioned roughly 46 miles north of Denver and immediately south of Fort Collins, the municipality spans 25.5 square miles at the junction of U.S. Highways 34 and 287. Prominent mountain vistas, including Longs Peak, define its western skyline. Because the city sits along a primary corridor leading to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park, the area experiences high volumes of pass-through travel, particularly during summer months.
The surrounding region initially served as a center for French fur trappers during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, followed by the construction of Fort Namaqua in 1858, a stage station and trading post located at present-day Namaqua Park. Formally established in 1877 along the Colorado Central Railroad, the town took its name from railroad president William A. H. Loveland. Historically dependent on agriculture—specifically sugar beet processing and sour cherry production—the local economy later shifted toward tech manufacturing, healthcare, and commercial development. A major business and retail center named Centerra sits near the intersection of Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 34, containing shopping venues, medical facilities, and the Blue Arena.
Loveland is widely recognized for its artistic community and extensive public art program. The municipal collection includes 475 pieces of art, primarily made up of sculptures along with murals and flat works. More than 150 of these sculptures are installed within Benson Sculpture Garden. Supported by local foundries and an art museum, the city hosts the annual Sculpture in the Park exhibition every August, bringing together works from national and international artists.
A long-standing civic tradition is the Valentine Re-Mailing Program, which began in 1947. Each year, the local chamber of commerce holds a contest to select a unique verse and hand-stamped cachet, re-mailing more than 160,000 greeting cards to recipients worldwide. Large wooden hearts with personal messages are also installed along city streets as part of the celebrations. For outdoor recreation, Lake Loveland provides public fishing access along Southshore Parkway and North Lake Park, while serving as a primary water supply reservoir for the neighboring municipality of Greeley.
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