Once an agricultural and mining area, Jefferson County, Colorado is a thriving suburban, business, industrial, recreational, and residential community. The county, formally organized in 1861 by the Colorado Territorial Legislature, takes the name of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. Jefferson County is a place where the great plains meet the Rocky Mountains with some of the most magnificent scenery in the country. It features rolling grasslands and craggy rock formations, natural foothills, rugged mountains, and tumbling mountain streams. Jefferson County is filled with magnificent wonders only nature can provide. Not ignoring its agricultural and mining roots, Jefferson County has worked to create a delicate balance between that past while supporting a thriving business community and providing for safe neighborhoods. The county has a first-class public school system, Jefferson County R-1 School District. Residents also have access to at least a dozen institutions of higher education.
Jefferson County encompasses approximately 773 square miles along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. Outdoor lovers have many Jefferson County Open Space Parks, three national forests and two state parks from which to choose. Pike, Roosevelt and Arapahoe national forests, Golden Gate Canyon State Park and Chatfield State Recreation Area are all partially located in Jefferson County. The county's nationally recognized open space program offers a variety of outdoor activities.