Grand Junction was selected, located, staked and founded as a townsite under and by virtue of the laws of the United States, September 26, 1881, by and in the names of George A. Crawford, Richard D. Mobley, M. Rush Warner, James W. Bucklin and their associates, Allison White and H.E. Rood, who, pursuant thereto, on October 10, 1881, incorporated “The Grand Junction Town Company.”
June 22, 1882, a vote was taken to incorporate the municipality by the name of the “Town of Grand Junction,” which incorporation was completed July 19, 1882.
February 14, 1882, the town was made the county seat of the new county of Mesa.
April 20, 1891, the town was graded into a city of the second class.
April 6, 1909, Grand Junction became a Charter city by vote, pursuant to the State Constitution, and on June 8, 1909, the 21 Charter delegates were elected who completed and filed the Charter on August 7, 1909.
September 14, 1909, the election to adopt or reject the Charter took place, and it was adopted, the first election thereunder occurring November 2, 1909. On November 8, 1921, the Charter was amended, adopting the city manager form of government.
The population of Grand Junction as shown by official census was, in round numbers, in 1885, 500; in 1890, 2,030; in 1900, 3,503; in 1910, 7,754; in 1920, 8,665; in 1930, 10,147; in 1940, 12,479; in 1950, 14,454; in 1960, 18,559; in 1970, 20,170; in 1977, 25,385; in 1980, 28,000; in 1990, 29,034; in 2000, 42,666; in 2010, 58,566.
The elevation as fixed by the U.S. government is 4,592.497 feet above sea level, as measured at the NAVD benchmark (1988 North American Vertical Datum), at 402 Rood Avenue.