A Hidden History: What Lies Beneath Northern Colorado
There are pieces of history that become forgotten, overlooked, or slowly transformed into legend, making it nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction. Yet each of these stories has helped shape the communities we call home, becoming part of the fabric of Northern Colorado. Each season, Discover NOCO will uncover one of these hidden stories, from little-known moments in local history to the events that helped define our region in ways many of us have never even heard of. Welcome to A Hidden History.
You may have heard the rumor that tunnels run beneath Northern Colorado. In Fort Collins specifically, you've probably heard stories that the tunnels were built to heat downtown from below, or to secretly transport everything from illegal alcohol to bodies from the morgue. But what is actually true? What really lies beneath Northern Colorado, and what were our towns built upon? For our first installment of A Hidden History, we're heading underground to uncover what's really beneath NOCO.
To begin our search, we joined the Fort Collins Ghost Tour to separate history from legend. While we set out hoping to confirm or deny the existence of the city's underground tunnels, we were caught off guard by just how much we learned and how much fun we had along the way.
Did you know Fort Collins is said to have the third most reported hauntings in the United States? Second only to Savannah, Georgia, and New Orleans, the Choice City is filled with fascinating history and plenty of former residents who, according to local lore, may not have been quite ready to leave.
The tour perfectly blended documented history with ghost stories, and our guide even asked whether our group preferred more history or more hauntings. Thankfully, we all agreed that a healthy combination of both was the way to go. We learned how the Avery brothers helped shape Fort Collins, including Franklin Avery's famously poor steering, which supposedly gifted the city its extra-wide streets, along with the story of one brother's untimely death. We even had the chance to "meet" the brothers ourselves...or so some would say.
We also learned about James Howe and his wife, Eva, whose tragic story has been documented in podcasts, books, and publications including the Coloradoan. Thanks in part to the efforts of the Fort Collins Ghost Tour, Eva now has a proper headstone marking her resting place. Visitors are encouraged to pay their respects at Grandview Cemetery and perhaps leave a little less respect for the unmarked grave beside hers where James was buried.
So, are there really tunnels beneath Old Town Fort Collins?
The answer is yes.
We can confidently say that there are tunnels weaving beneath our feet while we enjoy a night out downtown. Their exact origins remain somewhat unclear, and most have since been sealed or walled off. One section is still accessible on the Fort Collins Ghost Tour, where we even had a non-paranormal visitor, a poster from Nico's Catacombs. Longtime Fort Collins residents will remember Nico's restaurant. Nico himself was a longtime friend and colleague of David Massey, the previous owner of Discover Magazine, making it especially meaningful to see that piece of local history for Discover NOCO Magazine.
If you'd like to hear the full stories, risk meeting a few of Fort Collins' founding residents in ghostly form, and experience the city's last accessible tunnel, you'll have to experience the Fort Collins Ghost Tour for yourself. Fort Collins Tours also offers a traditional history tour for those less interested in ghosts, along with its Brothels & Bootleggers tour for guests 18 and older. During the fall, they also feature specialty tours that make for the perfect spooky-season adventure. No two tours are exactly alike, so even returning visitors are likely to discover something new, hear a different story, or perhaps even experience something unexplained.
But Fort Collins isn't the only place where Northern Colorado's underground tells a fascinating story.
In Greeley, what lies beneath the surface isn't surrounded by mystery or ghost stories. Instead, it represents one of the most significant chapters of Cold War history in Northern Colorado.
While much of NOCO's underground remains wrapped in legend, this story is undeniably true, even if it sounds like something straight from a history novel. Today, Missile Site Park is a peaceful place to enjoy a picnic while taking in sweeping views of Northern Colorado. During the 1960s, however, this bluff looked very different.
Missile Site Park earned its name by serving as one of five Atlas missile sites that formed part of America's intercontinental ballistic missile defense system. Constructed in 1961 and operated under Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, the site stood ready during one of the most tense periods in world history. Fortunately, the missiles were never launched. The site was decommissioned in 1965, and the missiles were removed. (Source: Weld County.)
Although the underground facility is not currently open for tours, the Greeley History Museum offers visitors an opportunity to explore this remarkable chapter of local history through its exhibit, 13-Minute Warning: Weld County in the Atomic Age. The exhibit examines what life was like for Weld County residents living with the knowledge that one of these missile sites sat just outside their community, always prepared for the possibility that it might one day be called into action. The exhibit is on display through May 10, 2027, and admission to the museum is free.
The deeper we dig into Northern Colorado's history, the more we discover that what lies beneath our feet is often far more interesting than we ever imagined. Sometimes it's a forgotten tunnel, sometimes it's a Cold War missile silo, and sometimes it's a story that's been waiting decades to be told. As you explore NOCO, remember that every street, park, and building has a history beneath it.
We'll be back next season to uncover another chapter of A Hidden History
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