Among the first establishments in the modern Commerce City were cemeteries. Riverside Cemetery, founded in 1876, is located in the city's southwest corner at East 52nd Avenue and Brighton Boulevard. Rose Hill Cemetery, in the heart of historic Commerce City, was established in 1892 on what at the time was an open plain by the United Hebrew Cemetery Association. The first school in the area began in 1871 as a one-room schoolhouse, with other schools added in 1899 and later in 1907. This latter school is now part of the North Building at today's Adams City High School. Several towns were founded in this part of Adams County in the 19th century. Derby, a Burlington Northern RailroadBurlington Railroad station in 1887, was laid out as a town in 1889, although it was largely vacated by 1891. Irondale was first settled in 1889, named after a foundry that was opened that year. It was incorporated as the Town of Irondale in 1924, but unincorporated in the 1930s due to increasing vacancy. Meanwhile, Adams City was laid out in 1903, with developers hoping the county seat would be established there; however, Brighton, ColoradoBrighton was elected county seat in 1904 and Adams City was vacated in 1922. Until the late 1920s, the area was devoted to agriculture, including wheat fields, dairies, and pig farms. Industry moved in, with a refinery established in 1930 and grain elevators built in the late 1930s. Rocky Mountain Arsenal was founded in 1942 due east of the growing community. In 1946 and 1947, Adams County School District 14 was formed from surrounding schools, and Adams City was redeveloped about that time. In 1951, as Denver, ColoradoDenver was considering annexing the area, a plan to incorporate all of southern Adams County was developed. A group of about 300 residents of the area voted for incorporation, and Commerce Town was incorporated in 1952, comprising neighorhoods such as Rose Hill and southern Adams City. Commerce Town annexed part of Derby in 1962, increasing the poulation over fourfold, enough for the town to gain the status of a city. The name was duly changed to Commerce City. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commerce_City%2C_Colorado