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, which means it has the power to govern itself under specific state laws. Located near famous natural and historical sites, Morrison offers 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 as historic sites. 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. These discoveries were part of a competition between two scientists in the 1800s known as the Bone Wars.

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 with a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), and it is all land. The town is about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Denver. You can reach it 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 serves around 5,000 addresses beyond the town’s official borders. So, many events and people linked to Morrison are actually in parts of Jefferson County that are not within the town itself.

Demographics

Government

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

Morrison was known for having many traffic tickets, which made up a large part of the town's budget. Before the police department closed in 2025, most of their work was giving out tickets for speeding. Now, the town works with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office for police services.

Notable people

Morrison is the home of several well-known people. Adolph Coors III was the CEO of the Coors Brewing Company. Margaret Feinberg is a Christian writer. Pete Morrison was a silent film actor. Patrick Park is a folk singer. Trey Parker co-created the show South Park. Ricky Rahne was the offensive coordinator for Penn State football. Jim Suttle served as the former mayor of Omaha, Nebraska. Robert Hall Tinker was the former mayor of Rockford, Illinois.