Hidden in the hogbacks of Jefferson County lie dinosaur fossils, attesting to some of the earlier occupants of this area 150 million years ago. In modern times it was the Ute, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe Indians who called the county home. They traveled to the area in the 1700's and shared it with Spanish and French explorers and fur traders until the mid-1800's.

The news of gold brought the first influx of settlers to the county in the 1850's. Those who came seeking gold found instead a land rich in beauty and in business, farming, and ranching opportunities. Golden was settled by these immigrants and became the County Seat when the region was organized as Jefferson County in 1861.

Within Jefferson County's 780 square miles, there are a great variety of topography including hogbacks, valleys, mountains, and plains. The county is chiseled by five canyons and their creeks that flow to the South Platte River to the east. Elevations vary from 5,000 feet to over 11,500 feet above sea level.

Jefferson County’s Open Space program, funded by ½ percent sales tax, is nationally recognized and has preserved 34,456 acres of open space and developed 41 miles of off-park trails.

The estimated population as of January 1^st, 1998, was 515,200 of whom 178,203 live in unincorporated areas of the County.

COMPILED BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY. USED WITH PERMISSION.