Imagine Denver in 1858. It was a rough and tumble place. It was filled with shacks shanties and log cabins. This was a wild west settlement.
Denver started as a small town. It was in the middle of nowhere. Rose Kingsley wrote of Denver that the angels accidentally dropped it there.
Denver is the capital of Colorado. It is a consolidated city and county. Denver is the most populous city in Colorado. The city was named after James W. Denver. He was the governor of the Kansas Territory. Denver was founded in 1858. This was during the Gold Rush era.
Denver’s downtown lies east of the Rocky Mountains foothills. Denver is nicknamed the Mile High City. Its official elevation is one mile above sea level. That is 5280 feet. Denver is a principal commercial hub. It serves the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain West.
Denver is a major cultural hub. It has museums and cultural institutions. Denver has teams in major professional leagues. In 2016, U.S. News and World Report named Denver the best place to live in the United States.
Several Indigenous peoples lived in the greater Denver area. These included the Apaches, Utes, Cheyennes, Comanches, and Arapahoes. The 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie defined Cheyenne and Arapaho territory. It included modern Metropolitan Denver. The 1858 discovery of gold brought a flood of white immigration.
In the summer of 1858, gold prospectors established Montana City. It was a mining town on the South Platte River. This was the first settlement in what became Denver. By 1859, it was abandoned for Auraria and St. Charles City.
In 1858, General William Larimer staked a claim. It was on the bluff overlooking the South Platte River and Cherry Creek. He named it Denver City. He wanted to gain favor with Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver. The location was accessible to trails. It was across the South Platte River from Cheyenne and Arapaho encampments.
Larimer sold parcels to merchants and miners. He intended to create a major city. Denver City was a frontier town. Its economy served local miners. This included gambling saloons and livestock trading. In 1859, residents donated lots to secure the region’s first wagon route. In 1863, Western Union chose Denver for its regional terminus.
In 1861, six Cheyenne chiefs and four Arapaho chiefs signed the Treaty of Fort Wise. They ceded over 90 percent of their lands. This included the area of modern Denver. Some Cheyennes opposed the treaty. They said it was signed without tribal consent.
In 1861, the Colorado Territory was created. Also, Arapahoe County was formed. Denver City was incorporated. In 1867, Denver City became the acting territorial capital. In 1881, it was chosen as the permanent state capital. Denver City shortened its name to Denver.
Denver’s residents established a vibrant supply and service center. The transcontinental railroad was routed through Cheyenne City instead of Denver. Citizens built a railroad to connect Denver to it. In 1870, the Denver Pacific completed the link. This ushered in a new age of prosperity for Denver.
Denver grew as a service and supply center. Millionaires built mansions. Crime and poverty also increased. Horace Tabor built a business block and the Tabor Grand Opera House. Luxurious hotels followed.
Between 1880 and 1895, corruption rose in Denver. Crime bosses worked with officials to control elections and gambling. The Silver Crash of 1893 caused a depression. In 1887, the precursor to the United Way was formed in Denver. By 1890, Denver was the second largest city west of Omaha Nebraska.
Denver adopted home rule in 1902. The City and County of Denver was separated from Arapahoe and Adams counties.
Denver faced environmental issues. From 1953 to 1989, the Rocky Flats Plant produced plutonium pits for nuclear warheads. A fire and leakage contaminated parts of Denver with plutonium-239.
In 1970, Denver was selected to host the 1976 Winter Olympics. But voters declined public funds for the high costs.
Denver adopted a comprehensive update of its zoning code in 2010.
Denver hosted the Democratic National Convention twice in 1908 and 2008. In 1993, Denver hosted the Catholic Church’s World Youth Day.
Denver has been known as the Queen City of the Plains and the Queen City of the West. This is because of its role in the agricultural industry.
Denver is located in the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor. It lies between the Rocky Mountains and the High Plains. Denver’s nickname is the Mile-High City. Its official elevation is one mile above sea level. This is defined by a benchmark on the State Capitol building steps.
Denver has 78 official neighborhoods. Denver has a continental semi-arid climate. It receives sunshine for around 3100 hours per year.
Denver’s story is one of resilience ambition and transformation. From its gold rush origins to its modern status as a cultural and economic hub, Denver continues to evolve. Its residents shaped it into the city we know today.