The institution that today is known as Red Rocks Community College was established in 1969 as one of three new campuses of the Community College of Denver. The new CCD west campus first opened its doors at a temporary site on West Quail St. in Jefferson County. The Colorado legislature soon appropriated funds for the construction of a permanent campus. In 1971 ground was broken for construction of the present facility on 140 rolling acres with a panoramic view of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, in what was then unincorporated Golden.
