The Great Western Railroad ran a line between Johnstown and Longmont to transport sugar beets to the sugar factory in Longmont. The railway passed through Paul Mead’s property. His uncle, L.C. Mead, had homesteaded nearby and founded the neighboring town of Highlandlake. When it was determined the railroad line would not cross through Highlandlake, Paul Mead platted a new town in 1906 adjacent to the tracks, naming it Mead for his father, Dr. Martin Mead. Mead was incorporated in 1908.
At its peak, the town of Mead had a couple dozen businesses and stores, including a hotel, two saloons, a filling station, two auto garages, two doctors’ offices, a bank, a newspaper (Mead Messenger), a pickle factory, a hay mill, and a pea-hulling factory. Two of the churches in existence then are still active today!
Source: Weld County 150, City of Greeley Museums staff, Nancy Lourine Lynch.
- Location/
Transportation - Education
- Housing
- CommunityAmenities
- Utility
Providers - Retail Climate/
Opportunities - Economic Development/Business Assistance
Location/Transportation
Mead is one of the most strategically located towns in Colorado. The Interstate 25 and Highway 66 intersection affords traffic counts in excess of 80,000 daily. As Interstate 25 serves as the main north/south corridor along the Colorado Front Range, one can travel to Denver and Fort Collins in 30 minutes time, or Colorado Springs and Cheyenne in just over an hour. Additionally, Highway 66 serves as one of the main arterials for folks traveling to Rocky Mountain National Park, proving ideal for not only resident-based patrons but year-round travelers as well.
South Weld County
With a population estimated to reach 82,435 by 2020, the southern region of Weld County has experienced some of its fastest growth recently. Offering an attractive small town/rural quality of life with abundant new homes, excellent schools, and majestic mountain views, the region is strategically located just north of metro Denver and east of Boulder, which has fueled booming residential growth. With 23,764 households who have an average median disposable income of $55,028, the region is poised to see continued growth. The average median household income is $68,011, the average median home value is $243,539, and the subregion offers a wide range of educational opportunities, sport venues, and recreation. Commercial and industrial sites are available, and large tracts of undeveloped land provide opportunity for future growth. East/west access is provided by Colorado Highway 52, which connects to Interstate 76 and Interstate 25. North/south access is provided by Interstate 25 and U.S. Highway 85, which connects to Interstate 70 in Denver and Interstate 80 in Wyoming. Denver International Airport is 20-30 minutes away.
Major Highway Access
North/South demand: Interstate 25 and Colorado Highway 287
East/West demand: Colorado Highway 66
| Population 25+ by Educational Attainment, 2015 | |
| Total | 2,914 |
| Less than 9th Grade | 1.9% |
| 9th-12th Grade, No Diploma | 7.4% |
| High School Graduate | 20% |
| Some College, No Degree | 20% |
| Associate Degree | 6.5% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 24.5% |
| Graduate/Professional Degree | 15.8% |
| St. Vrain Valley RE-1J District Statistics ENROLLMENT BY SCHOOL: 2016-2017 |
|
| Highland Elementary | 401 |
| Highland Middle | 216 |
| Highland High School | 241 |
| STAFFING INFORMATION: 2014-2015 | |
| Average Teacher Salary, Fall 2014 | $48,975 |
| Average Student/Teacher Ratio | 19.8/1 |
| Community College Enrollment Fall 2016 | |
| Aims Community College | |
| All Campus Locations | 7,107 |
| Front Range Community College | |
| Boulder County Campus | 5,406 |
| Larimer County Campus | 5,321 |
| University Enrollment Fall 2016 | |
| University of Northern Colorado | 12,260 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | 30,789 |
| Colorado State University | 33,198 |
Median Home Value- $319,708
Key Residential Subdivisions/Home Builders
- information coming soon
Water – Town of Mead Public Utilities
Sewer – Town of Mead Public Utilities
Electric Power – Town of Mead Public Utilities
Gas – Town of Mead Public Utilities
Trash – Town of Mead Public Utilities
Key Retailers
information coming soon
Key Traffic Counts
- Interstate 25 and Colorado Highway 66 intersection affords traffic counts in excess of 80,000 daily
Unique Needs/Opportunities
information coming soon
The town of Mead is pro-growth and prepared to handle company needs, and will do what can reasonably be done to reduce development/start-up costs of businesses looking to locate or expand. Mead considers each business, commercial, and industrial opportunity on an individual basis.
For additional information, contact:
Dawn M. Adams
Economic Developer
Phone: 970-535-4477
dadams@townofmead.org
Upstate Colorado information