The origins of Arvada can be traced back to 1850 when travelling prospector Lewis Ralston made an unexpected gold discovery in a local mountain stream.
The city of Arvada has a total area of 25,325 acres, including 422 acres of water.
Arvada is predominately a commuter town to Denver and Boulder, at the edge of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.
Arvada is twinned with the following sister cities Jinzhou, China & Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan and Mechelen, Belgium.
Arvada is located in northeastern Jefferson County at 39°49′12″N 105°6′40″W (39.819962, -105.110975).
Annual events in Arvada include the yearly Harvest Festival, held every September in the city’s Olde Town area. The Festival, a city institution since 1925, recalls the time when Arvada was primarily a farming community.
The estimated population of Arvada is 124,402, as of 2020, making it the seventh most populous city in Colorado.
Arvada became a Statutory City on October 31, 1951, and a Home Rule Municipality on July 23, 1963.
Notable individuals who were born or have lived in Arvada include Roc Hillman; Clive Cussler; Joe King; Roy Halladay; Isaac Slade; Babe Didrikson Zaharias.
Arvada is the western terminus of Interstate 76, which begins at the intersection of Interstate 70 and State Highway 121.
