What’s the Real Story Behind ‘70s Movie About Colorado?

If you grew up in Colorado in the late 1970s, you likely found yourself watching the TV miniseries Centennial. Not only was the series filmed in the Centennial State, but it was based on a novel of the same name that was set at various points in Colorado's history.

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While the miniseries is rather campy by today's standards, it was a big deal in the 1970s and the impact of the project can still be felt today.

Centennial Miniseries: Based on Fictional Novel Based in Colorado

The basis for the miniseries was a novel of the same name written by author James Michener in 1974 and released in conjunction with the state's upcoming 100th anniversary that took place in 1976.

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Town of Centennial Was Filmed in Morgan County, Colorado

The namesake town of the miniseries itself was filmed in rural Morgan County beginning in 1978 near the town of Orchard, Colorado.

Centennial Colorado Was a Fictional Town

Michener's novel and the subsequent miniseries were based in the fictional town of Centennial, Colorado. Michener placed the fictional town in northeastern Colorado, specifically in Weld County between the Cache la Poudre River and the South Platte River.

Since the release of the miniseries, fans have traveled to this remote location between Greeley and Kersey, Colorado in search of Centennial but to no avail.

You Can Visit Some of Centennial Today in Greeley Colorado

While the town of Centennial remains a work of fiction, the Centennial Village Museum in Greeley, Colorado serves as a home to numerous items from the film set.