Ault, Colorado
Ault is a statutory town located in Weld County, in the state of Colorado, United States. The 2020 census recorded 1,887 residents here. It's a small agricultural community with real historical roots, situated on Colorado's northeastern plains. The town started in the late nineteenth century as a railroad waypoint and eventually became an incorporated municipality with its own civic identity, postal service, and local institutions. Today, Ault's still a functioning small town, deeply tied to Colorado's ranching and agricultural heritage.
History
Early Settlement and Naming
The settlement that's now Ault went by different names in its earliest days. People called it High Land at first. That name made sense for the elevated, open terrain of northeastern Colorado's plains. Later it became Burgdorff Siding, a designation tied to railroad infrastructure that was absolutely fundamental to frontier-era development across the region.[1]
In 1897, the town got renamed Ault in honor of Alexander Ault, described as a local hero at the time.[2] Historical records show that Alexander Ault lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, and owned a flour mill. A business like that was essential to agricultural communities that depended on grain production in the region.[3]
Postal History
Getting a post office was often the moment that really mattered for frontier American towns. It signaled that federal authorities recognized the community and that settlement could actually stick around. The Ault, Colorado post office opened on March 29, 1898. That was roughly a year after the town got its current name.[4] Postal services helped Ault's residents stay connected with the wider world, which supported growth in commerce, agriculture, and community organization.
Agricultural and Ranching Heritage
Ault developed within the broader context of Colorado's agricultural economy. Livestock raising and crop cultivation dominated the expansive plains of Weld County. The region surrounding Ault has always been associated with cattle ranching, and that tradition continues today.
Early twenty-first century reports highlight something interesting. Ault and surrounding western areas experienced periodic cattle rustling. It's an old frontier crime that resurged in more recent decades.[5] Livestock officials in western states, including Colorado, documented cattle theft cases. This reflects how ranching remains economically important to communities like Ault, where losing even a small number of animals hits hard financially.
Geography and Location
Ault sits in Weld County, one of Colorado's largest counties by area and among its most productive agricultural counties. The town occupies the northeastern Colorado plains, where you'll find broad, relatively flat terrain well suited to both livestock grazing and dryland farming. Weld County's agricultural output is notable within Colorado, and smaller towns like Ault have historically contributed to that broader regional economy.
The surrounding landscape is characteristic of the High Plains region. Open skies. Horizons that stretch across grassland and cultivated fields. The proximity to Fort Collins and Greeley has allowed Ault to stay connected to regional commerce and services while keeping its character as a small rural community.
Demographics
The 2020 United States census reported 1,887 residents in Ault. This represents positive change from earlier census counts. It's modest growth consistent with broader demographic trends in northeastern Colorado communities within commuting distance of larger regional centers. Despite its small size, Ault functions as a genuine municipality with local governance, municipal services, and civic institutions that serve its population and surrounding rural areas.
Government and Civic Life
Ault operates as a statutory town under Colorado law. It's incorporated and governed according to state statutes for municipalities of its type. The Town of Ault maintains an official government presence and provides municipal services to its residents.[6] Like many small Colorado towns, local government here manages basic infrastructure including roads, utilities, and community facilities while engaging with county and state authorities on broader regional matters.
Education
Educational institutions in Ault are part of the broader public school system in Weld County. Highland High School serves students from Ault and the surrounding area. The school maintains a community remembrance program through which alumni and community members can honor those who've passed. That reflects the close-knit nature of small towns where school connections often define lasting community bonds.[7]
Notable Events and Media Coverage
Landfill Search Investigation
Ault gained brief national media attention in connection with a law enforcement investigation. Investigators, working with a sanitation company, determined that trash from a specific container was transported to a landfill located in Ault, Colorado.[8] Authorities organized a search of the landfill site. The operation covered an area approximately 25 yards wide and 100 yards long, with trash material about 15 feet deep. Investigators noted the search could take several weeks to complete given the scope of the site.[9]
The incident originated in Wyoming. Police identified a baby believed to have been buried and charged a suspect. Their investigation traced relevant materials through the waste management system, which led them to Ault. The landfill's involvement in such a significant investigation briefly brought the small town into national news coverage. It's a striking reminder that even small towns' infrastructure can become central to complex law enforcement matters originating far from their borders.
Cattle Rustling Coverage
November 2011 brought national reporting about cattle rustling across western states. Reuters covered the broader phenomenon, and Ault appeared in that coverage. Livestock officials from multiple western states documented what they called a resurgence in cattle theft, and Ault was included in photographic reporting as an example of a community embedded in Colorado's ranching landscape.[10] The attention given to livestock crime in communities like Ault underscores how central cattle ranching remains to the local and regional economy of northeastern Colorado.
Community Resources
Obituaries and Memorial Services
Many small Colorado communities, including Ault, have established resources for commemorating residents' lives. Obituary records for Ault are maintained and made accessible through regional publication networks. This allows community members to stay informed about the passing of neighbors, friends, and family members.[11] The existence of dedicated obituary listings for a town of Ault's size reflects the importance placed on community memory and mutual recognition in small rural municipalities throughout Colorado.
Highland High School also maintains a memorial listing. Former students and community members can be remembered there, demonstrating how local schools serve as lasting institutional anchors for community identity long after graduation.[12]
Summary
Ault is a statutory town with roots in late nineteenth-century settlement of northeastern Colorado's agricultural plains. Named in 1897 after Alexander Ault, a Fort Collins flour mill owner, the town developed from an unnamed rail siding into a functioning incorporated community with its own postal service, local government, schools, and civic institutions. With a population of 1,887 as of the 2020 census, Ault remains a small community shaped by its surroundings in Weld County and by the agricultural and ranching traditions that continue to define the region. Despite its modest size, Ault has periodically come to the attention of state and national media in connection with issues as varied as livestock crime and major law enforcement investigations. That demonstrates how even small towns occupy meaningful roles within larger state and national narratives.