Why Is Grand Junction Called ‘River City’? The History Behind the Name

If you've spent enough time in Grand Junction, you have probably heard some refer to our corner of Colorado as the 'River City.' Why is this such a popular nickname for the largest city on the Western Slope, and where did it come from?

Some think Grand Junction is a name that comes from the railroads. While trains made the Grand Valley what it is today, our name (and most popular nickname) was inspired by the two rivers that unite in Mesa County.

Why Grand Junction Is Called “River City”

Read More: The Longest River in Colorado May Surprise Many People

The Grand Junction refers to the meeting or joining of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers. It's important to note that for 50 years from 1861 to 1921, the Colorado River was known as the Grand River.

Thus, the place where the Grand and Gunnison met would be the "Grand Junction". The Grand River also passed by an incredibly large flat-top mountain in Mesa County, which became the Grand Mesa. It's all about the river, folks.

The Rivers That Define Grand Junction

Grand Junction's nickname of “River City" became more common in the 1980s with the opening of River City Sportplex. Grand Junction's Daily Sentinel used this term early and often while promoting the sportsplex as a recreation hub. By the 1990s, River City Real Estate also began to adopt the description. The brokerage used the name to reflect Grand Junction’s location at the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Grand Junction used ‘River City’ to describe the river corridor cleanup days and the development of the Riverfront Project (now One Riverfront).

Phrases such as "River City Clean-Up Draws Volunteers" or "River City Pride on Display at Recreation Expo" were used more and more by the local media, including this radio station. River City became a way to promote summer concerts, rafting, and the river lifestyle as belonging to Grand Junction.

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The Origins of the ‘River City’ Nickname

By 2010, the city would sometimes include "River City" in newsletters, and social media used by the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce and Visit Grand Junction. The phrase also appears in tourism literature, often with "Grand Valley" and "Colorado's Wine Country."

Why It Works: It's appealing as a marketing hook, and it's geographically accurate (junction of two major rivers). It connects us to the rafting, tubing, fishing, and paddleboarding lifestyle, and it helps us to stand out from other “Junctions” and the ski-resort branding of other Western Slope towns.