When the Colorado Central began construction of a railroad to connect Longmont with Cheyenne, residents of this area might have guessed that the tracks would pass through the existing town of St. Louis, approximately a mile southeast of Loveland. Instead, the railroad’s survey went through a wheat field owned by David Barnes.

Barnes was a friend of Golden businessman William Austin Hamilton Loveland, president of the Colorado Central.

In 1877 to solidify the railroad’s future location, Barnes donated the right of way and laid out a new town. It could have been called Barnesville, but Barnes named the town Loveland.

Loveland was a prominent businessman, having come to Colorado in 1859 at the age of 33.

Raised on the Illinois frontier, he joined the Army and fought in the Mexican War at Chapultepec. After returning home, was one of many in the 1849 California gold rush.

After returning from the gold fields, he sailed to Nicaragua to build canals. Loveland was attracted by the Pikes Peak gold rush of 1859 and traveled back to the United States settling in Golden.

Golden was along Clear Creek and then nothing more than a crude tent camp filled with prospectors headed into the mountains to places like Central City and Black Hawk.

From his experience as a prospector in California, Loveland knew that riches were not in mining, but in the mercantile business. Loveland helped organize the tent camp into the town of Golden.

A businessman named George West had hopes of constructing the first store in Golden. West quickly discovered that Loveland was working toward the same end. A friendly rivalry developed. Both men hastened construction of their respective log structures and wagered on who would complete the task first.

Previously, West had traded Loveland for some shingles. This left Loveland too few to cover his roof. One evening, after West retired for the evening, Loveland appropriated the necessary shingles. The next morning, West discovered that Loveland’s store was complete. West also found a five-gallon keg of whiskey with an apologetic note. As a result, Loveland opened the first business in Golden.

Out of all of Loveland’s achievements, he is best noted for pioneering a transportation network in Colorado. It started with a right of way for a wagon road in Clear Creek Canyon and was amended to create the Colorado Central Railroad. This led to the construction of a narrow gauge line to Central City and Georgetown.

At the time Loveland charted his railroad and planned web of railroads radiating in all directions, his efforts made Denver businessmen uneasy. Golden was Territorial Capital of Colorado from 1862 to 1867 and rivaled Denver in size. As Denver grew, however, the capital was moved to the Queen City.

The Union Pacific, using its great power and wealth gained during the construction of the transcontinental railroad, dominated Western transportation.

Not to be denied an opportunity to expand, it viewed Loveland’s narrow gauge railroad as a valuable feeder line.

Loveland struggled financially to raise the money for the Colorado Central through the sale of bonds. Union Pacific stepped in and donated rails, locomotives, cars and other material in exchange for control over the Colorado Central.

Jay Gould, the Union Pacific’s president and chief executive officer, plotted to force the Colorado Central into bankruptcy. The Union Pacific could then purchase the line and merge it into their system, but for a while, Loveland managed to elude their efforts.

The Colorado Central reached Longmont in 1873 and there it stalled. Using his personal appeal, Loveland visited Union Pacific officials and eventually came to an agreement where he was given money and equipment in 1877 to extend the railroad from Longmont to Cheyenne.

Jay Gould eventually won and took control of the Colorado Central and as for Loveland, there wasn’t any room for him in Gould’s plans. After two decades of work developing the Colorado Central, Loveland was cast aside.

In 1878, he moved to Denver and purchased the Rocky Mountain News. At the age of 68, Loveland passed away.

Other than rail transportation, Loveland’s contributions to Colorado included chairman of the Territorial Council from 1861 through 1867. Loveland went on to become active in one of the first attempts to gain statehood for Colorado, and at one time, he ran for governor.

Kenneth Jessen has lived in Loveland since 1965 and has contributed to area newspapers for more than four decades. He has written more than 2,000 illustrated articles published along with 20 books. Jessen is in his third year teaching adult education at Colorado State University (OSHER program) and has lectured in Northern Colorado.