City: Boulder, CO

Category: Relocation

Address: 12 miles from Boulder

Description: Longmont, named after Longs Peak, which in turn was named after Major Stephen Long, started as a 30,000-acre farming community and sugar beet center. The city celebrated its 135th anniversary in 2006. It is the county’s second-largest town and is sometimes called Boulder’s twin. Sure enough, it offers many services similar to Boulder’s, including a hospital, school district, daily newspaper, branch of the County Clerk’s Office, state Motor Vehicle Division office, and other services. But these twins are not identical. For one thing, Longmont is kind of modest about how pretty it is, and publicity for local events is often low-key. For another, the two towns come from opposite ends of the political spectrum.From the old Main Street shopping district to the Boulder County Fairgrounds at 9595 Nelson Road, which hosts dog shows, antiques shows, and the Boulder County Fair in August (see the Festivals and Annual Events chapter), Longmont retains a conservative farming-town hospitality even as it grows and grows. With the exception of Boulder, more homes were sold in Longmont during the first half of 1996 than in any other town in the county, and sometimes it seems that the fields surrounding the town have been planted with house seeds instead of grain. This house crop is sprouting overnight, with town houses here, single-family homes there and a naked, surprised look to many of these late-20th-century homesteads, as they wait for the saplings in their front yards to catch up and shade their peaked roofs.To reach Longmont from Boulder, head northeast on Highway 119 (also called the Diagonal Highway or just the Diagonal for short). Except during rush hour, it’s about a 20-minute drive.To get a feeling for the Victorian houses and tree-canopied streets near Main Street and Third Avenue, check the Callahan House. New houses are in developments all around town. Municipal offices (303-776-6050) are at the Civic Center, at Third Avenue and Kimbark Street. The Longmont Chamber of Commerce (303-776-5295) is at 528 Main Street.