1880
Carbonate, on the Flat Tops, was settled by
miners looking for silver.
1880
Defiance camp was set up at Grand Springs, now
Glenwood Springs.
1881,
September 4
Ute Indians were moved to reservation lands in
Utah. Western Colorado was opened to entry and
settlement by the white man.
1882
Isaac Cooper came to the area by way of Aspen.
Cooper dreamed of a resort for the hot springs.
1883,
February 10
Garfield County was established and Carbonate was
named county seat.
1883,
November 6
Voters approved changing the Garfield County seat
from Carbonate to Glenwood Springs when it became
apparent that winters were too harsh in
Carbonate.
1884
Hotel Glenwood opens to guests.
1885,
August 25
Glenwood Springs was platted and incorporated.
Isaac Cooper or his wife Sarah renamed Defiance
"Glenwood Springs" for their hometown
of Glenwood, Iowa.
1885
First Presbyterian Church was established. The
church building was constructed on Cooper Avenue
and is still in use today.
1885
Ute Chief and Glenwood Echo newspapers were
established.
1886
Glenwood Light & Water Company was organized
by Walter B. Devereux with British investors and
a hydro-electric plant was built near where the
bathhouse for the Hot Springs Pool currently
sits.
1887
First National Bank was established.
1887,
October 5
Denver and Rio Grande Railroad came to Glenwood
Springs on a narrow-gauge bed through Glenwood
Canyon.
1887,
November 8
John Henry "Doc" Holliday died of
tuberculosis in the Hotel Glenwood. He was buried
in Linwood Cemetery but the exact location of his
gravesite is unknown.
1887,
December 12
Colorado Midland Railroad came to Glenwood
Springs via the Roaring Fork and Frying Pan River
valleys.
1887
Cardiff townsite was established south of
Glenwood Springs.
1887
Weekend "Laundry Trains" came from
Leadville and Aspen bringing miners down to bathe
and do laundry in the hot springs and enjoy
Glenwood's bawdy pleasures.
1888
The Natatorium and Pool, fed by the Yampah Hot
Springs, were completed.
1888
The new Glenwood Light and Water Company
hydro-electric plant was built and still stands
today, currently housing the Glenwood Springs
Center for the Arts.
1886
1887
1887,
November 8 
1888
1888