A breathtaking panorama unfolds before you. This is the Signature Overlook of Denver. From this vantage point the Mile High City stretches out like a tapestry woven with history.
Imagine the scene in 1858. A handful of rough camps clustered along Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. St Charles Denver and Auraria. These were the humble beginnings of Denver. William McGaa a mountain man of questionable reputation played a part. He claimed authority over the land. This was a blatant lie. It was Indian land guaranteed under the Treaty of Fort Laramie. Yet the white settlers didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps they were blinded by the promise of gold.
The discovery of gold along the rivers changed everything. A rush began. Tents and crude cabins sprang up. Law and order were often dispensed by a citizens’ jury. A man named Vincent shot John Atwell for his gold dust. Atwell survived. Vincent was punished. He was given ten days rations and banished. This was justice in early Denver. A harsh justice but justice nonetheless.
Life was hard. The Overland Trail was perilous. Libeus Barney an early Denverite wrote of his journey. He described hardship. He wrote of emigrants dying of starvation and exhaustion. He recounted the horrifying tale of the Rule family. They resorted to cannibalism to survive. These were not easy times.
Denver grew rapidly. Auraria and Denver City competed for dominance. Whiskey flowed freely. The quality was terrible. Coffin Varnish Family Disturbance Rotgut and Taos Lightning were common names. These were the intoxicating spirits that fueled many a brawl.
In 1864 a terrible flood wiped out much of the city. In 1863 a devastating fire destroyed many buildings. Denver endured. It rebuilt. It continued to grow. The arrival of the railroads in 1870 transformed Denver. It linked the city to the rest of the nation.
From the Signature Overlook you can see the legacy of these events. You can see a city forged in hardship. A city built by miners prospectors and dreamers. A city that persevered through fire floods and the challenges of the frontier. You are standing on the very ground where this epic tale unfolded. Take a moment. Breathe in the air. Feel the history. This is Denver.