The city that rejected its own name to avoid confusion

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1969, Lakewood, Colorado, was officially incorporated as Jefferson City. However, residents quickly grew to dislike the name, fearing it would be confused with other communities in Colorado and Missouri. The decision to rename the municipality was driven by an overwhelming public dislike of the original title.

Urban expansion led by W.A.H. Loveland and Charles Welch in 1889 shaped Lakewood's current identity. Loveland. Loveland, who served as the former president of the Colorado Central Railroad, chose to retire to this new community after years of living in nearby Golden. While the city's development was underway, the local post office did not open until April 21, 1892. The community's initial urban development was platted along Colfax Avenue. This specific area originally consisted of just thirteen blocks.

Situated within the Colorado Piedmont on the Great Plains' western margin, the city lies just east of the southern Rocky Mountains' Front Range. This location places it within the watershed of the South Platte River, a network fed by several tributaries including Bear Creek, Lakewood Gulch, and Turkey Creek. One of the area's prominent landmarks is Green Mountain, which reaches an elevation of 6,854 feet. The local landscape is further defined by the presence of several reservoirs and lakes. These include the Soda Lakes and the various bodies of water clustered near the city centre.

Today, Lakewood is the most populous municipality in Jefferson County, with a population of 155,984 recorded at the 2020 U.S. census. It serves as a vital part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor. Apart from its residential areas, the city features the Denver Federal Center, home to more federal agencies than any location outside Washington, D.C. The region's history is deeply rooted in the indigenous culture of the Ute people. Additionally, the city's diverse economy supports several major employers, including Einstein Bros. Bagels and FirstBank.

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