Discover the Smallest Town in Colorado — Everyone Could Fit In a Limousine!

Colorado has a lot of small towns. In fact, there’s even a place called Tiny Town nestled in Morrison, CO, where everything is kid-sized! However, there’s one town that’s tinier than all the others: Lakeside.

As of 2021, Lakeside had a population of 17. There are quite a few Colorado towns that have 300 or fewer inhabitants, but Lakeside doesn’t even have 20! All the residents of this town could fit in a limo together. They could fit around one big table. This statutory town is in a league of its own.

So how does a town so tiny come to be, and what occupies it?

Let’s find out about Colorado’s littlest town. 

History

This tiny town was born in 1907 and, at the time, saw a population of just over 100 inhabitants. The town’s namesake is Lake Rhoda, which is in the center of the town. In fact, Lake Rhoda makes up about 25% of the area of Lakeside!

Located just west of Denver, Lakeside is nestled between Wheat Ridge and the Berkeley neighborhood of Denver. Lakeside is home to one of Colorado’s historic amusement parks, Lakeside Amusement Park. This park, established in 1908, is still up and working today. 

Adolf Zang was one of the early owners of Lakeside Amusement Park but was also involved in the establishment of the town of Lakeside. He migrated to Denver in the late 1800s and became a prominent businessman. He was a brewer and a scholar, and the location of Lakeside was chosen because it was just outside of the rule of Denver’s liquor laws and could, therefore, make their own liquor rules. 

In 1956, a shopping mall was built in Lakeside, which took up most of the remaining land. Between the shopping mall, the lake, and the amusement park, there were hardly any spots available for homes. To this day, there are only a handful of residences in the town.

The shopping mall did not bring as many visitors to the town as hoped. In 2010, the mall was torn down and a Walmart and a separate strip mall were erected. Staying close to its brewer roots, Lakeside is home to Molly’s Spirits, a large alcohol superstore. There’s also a Planet Fitness, a Popeye’s, and a Petco! These stores bring traffic from Wheat Ridge, Denver, and Arvada, which all neighbor the town of Lakeside.

Population

While Lakeside’s history isn’t too complex, it’s interesting to learn how much of what was originally established is still around today. There aren’t many amusement parks that date back to being over a hundred years old! 

The population of Lakeside as of 2021 is 17 people. They reside in the handful of houses that exist on the southwest corner of the town, right next to the Lakeside Amusement Park. Generally, those who reside in these homes also work at Lakeside Amusement Park. Talk about an easy commute!

Lakeside’s population hit its all-time low from 2010-2020 when only eight people resided in the town. The biggest loss of population in a decade, however, was from 1910 to 1920. When it was established, Lakeside had just over 100 residents. In 1920, however, the town only saw 36 residents. That’s a significant loss for such a small time frame. 

The town of Lakeside does not appear to be concerned about residency. Most of the land in the Lakeside municipality is occupied by the amusement park, Lake Rhoda, and shopping. There are only five or six homes and no known movement towards new construction. Lakeside provides services and amenities to nearby towns, so the emphasis is not on housing. The town sees hundreds of daily visitors to its strip mall, so there’s no shortage of people in Lakeside!

Size

Lakeside has a tiny population, but it also has a tiny size! The entire spread of the town is only 0.26 square miles. Of that 0.26 square miles, 0.06 is water, while the remainder is land. To have such a small town be 25% water is quite a feat!

One interesting thing about the Lakeside municipality is that it is located right next to the largest municipality in Colorado: Denver. These two are starkly different from one another, with Denver having a population of over 700,000 in 2021. Denver is also 154 square miles. Size-wise, Denver could contain over 592 Lakesides! 

The town is contained within Jefferson County, which is the fourth-most populous county in Colorado. Jefferson contains Golden, Lakewood, and Wheat Ridge, among others. Jefferson County is also the home of the famous Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, located in the town of Morrison. Despite its small fingerprint, Lakeside is in brilliant proximity to surrounding cities and nature. Jefferson County houses many amazing parks, some of which are only a couple of minutes outside of Lakeside’s town lines. 

Lakeside Amusement Park

Amusement Park History

The town of Lakeside is most known for its historic amusement park. Lakeside Amusement Park was called White City when it was established, due to its architectural style. While the park was purchased soon after by Adolf Zang, it was founded by the Denver Tramway.

Lakeside Amusement Park, then, was actually a trolley park! In the 1800s, the end of public transit lines often had trolley parks. Folks could take the tram all the way to the end and then enjoy a day of celebration and merriment at the park. 

These parks didn’t feature the adrenaline-inducing thrills we see at amusement parks today. Instead, there were classic rides such as the carousel and the simple roller coasters. Trolley parks declined as automobiles gained popularity and are now a phenomenon of the past. The park is now one of only thirteen of these original trolley parks still in operation today!

The Park Today

However, Lakeside Amusement Park has seen some significant changes in its 100+ years of life. Thirty years after the park’s establishment, The Cyclone Coaster was built on the property. The Cyclone is an iconic wooden roller coaster, visible from the highway nearby. It has won recognition by the American Coaster Enthusiast organization (ACE) as being a Classic in American roller coasters. Unfortunately, The Cyclone is presently standing but not operating (SBNO) due to maintenance. It’s hard to keep a rollercoaster that’s 83 years old operating!

This amusement park has expanded and swapped out rides throughout its century of life. In 2001, a kiddie coaster was added, and in 2023, a brand new unnamed roller coaster hit the property. The park has also mourned some losses, such as the Shoot-the-Chutes and the Tumble Bug. While Lakeside has seen a lot of change, it has also seen a lot of life and regularly hosts crowds of families throughout the summer season.

The park is open from May through September, primarily in the evening and on weekends. Check out their site for a detailed breakdown of hours. After Labor Day, Lakeside Amusement Park’s hours tighten, so make sure to get your summer fun in early!

Conclusion

In all honesty, many Colorado residents don’t know that Lakeside is even its own town. It’s known best for the amusement park; everything else about the municipality is generally associated with Wheat Ridge.

But Lakeside, as we now know, has its own rich history. Lakeside has seen growth, decline, and development in its 106 years of life. While it doesn’t have a long list of residents, it has been home to passionate amusement park visitors, shoppers, and lake lovers alike.