Thornton, Colorado is located in both Weld and Adams counties. Officially, it is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Approximately 10 miles southwest of the city of Thornton lies the city of Denver, the state's capital. The United States Census Bureau recorded the population as being 118,772 on the 1st of April, 2010. This is about 44% increase from the 2000 census, where the population was 82,384. The city of Thornton is the 6th most populous city within Colorado and the 213th most densely inhabited city within the US.
Until 1953, the city of Thornton was just a farmland. Sam Hoffman changed that when he purchased a piece of land approximately seven miles north of Denver and laid out a completely planned community. It was the very first of its kind in Adams County, as well as the first which provided full municipal services off a single tax levy. The name of the city was selected to honor Dan Thornton, Former Colorado Governor.
The Thornton community Association (TCA) was formed to help guide the community through its growth. There were almost 5,500 individuals resided in the city of Thornton in roughly 1,200 houses during the year 1955. In the year 1956 the city was incorporated, due mostly in part to the TCA. The first mayor of the city was a City Council candidate, G. Leary. Brian Thornton, is not related to the Governor.
There are more than 80 parks situated all around the city of Thornton and around 2,000 acres of land dedicated to open spaces and parks. There are some trails running throughout the city of Thornton. Combined together they stretch more than 80 miles. There are numerous recreational complexes in the city, including the Margaret Carpenter Recreation Center and the Thornton Community Center. There are likewise three main golf courses within Thornton: Heritage Todd Creek Golf Club, Riverdale Knolls Golf Course and Thorncreek Golf Course.
There are numerous historic locations that are situated within the nearby Denver, like for example the Colorado Governor's Mansion, the Denver Mint and the Colorado State Capitol. There is also the Forney Museum of Transportation, that showcases a variety of antique automobiles, carriages, bicycles, and trains. A few of the other nearby attractions consist of Park Hill Golf Park, Denver Zoo and Grasmer Lake and Holly Park. During September, the city of Thornton hosts the Harvest Fest and the Winterfest during the month of December.