Morrison, Colorado

Morrison, Colorado

Morrison is a small town in Jefferson County, Colorado, in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 396 people. It is classified as a home rule municipality, meaning it can govern itself under state laws. Located near famous natural and historical sites, Morrison provides a quiet community feel while being close to larger attractions.

History

Morrison is a small town named after George Morrison, a builder and businessman who came from Canada in 1859. He helped create the town of Mt. Vernon and built important buildings there. Later, he moved to Bear Creek and started a company, founding the town of Morrison in 1874. With Governor John Evans, he helped bring a railroad to Morrison.

George Morrison was known for his work with stone. He built several stone buildings in Morrison and Mt. Vernon, and some of these still stand today. Stone from his quarry was used in famous buildings in Denver, like the Brown Palace Hotel and Union Station.

Mount Morrison and the Morrison Formation, a layer of rock famous for dinosaur fossils, are also named after him. In 1877, important dinosaur fossils were found near Morrison by Arthur Lakes.

The town of Morrison became official in 1906 after an election. In recent years, plans were approved for a new hotel called The Red Hotel, set to open in 2026.

Geography

Morrison is a small town that covers 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²). It is all land. The town is about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Denver. You can get there using State Highway 470 and Morrison Road.

The postal code for Morrison, called ZIP code (80465), covers a larger area west up Turkey Creek Canyon and south of the town. This means the post office helps about 5,000 addresses beyond the town’s borders. So, many events and people linked to Morrison are actually in parts of Jefferson County that are not inside the town itself.

Demographics

Government

The local government of Morrison has a mayor, a town manager, and a board of trustees.

Morrison used to give out many traffic tickets, which helped pay for the town's expenses. Before the police department closed in 2025, most of their work was giving tickets for speeding. Now, the town uses the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for police services.

Notable people

Morrison is home to many famous people. Adolph Coors III was the leader of the Coors Brewing Company. Margaret Feinberg is a writer. Pete Morrison acted in old movies. Patrick Park is a singer. Trey Parker helped create the show South Park. Ricky Rahne helped plan games for Penn State football. Jim Suttle was the past mayor of Omaha, Nebraska. Robert Hall Tinker was the past mayor of Rockford, Illinois.