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| I. History of Denver
Denver has long been a gathering place for all kinds of people. First were the high plains Native Americans, including tribes of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Apache, Ute, and Crow. Then came Spanish explorers searching for treasure. Because of the brilliant red rocks found here, they named the area "Colorado" meaning reddish.
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| The confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River became a meeting spot for mountain men, who traded furs with the Indians. When flakes of gold were found in Cherry Creek in 1858, it unleashed the great "Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush." |
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Thousands of men crossed the Great Plains, some pushing their belongings in wheelbarrows, and overnight the little tent city of Denver became a boomtown. Saloons, gambling halls and wagon trains lined the mud-filled streets and every outlaw, desperado and gunman in the West made a visit to the Mile High City.
The early years were hard and the city survived a flood, several fires, Indian wars, and even raised a Union army that defeated an invading force of Confederates from Texas during the Civil War.
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With the discovery of more gold in the mountains, Denver obtained its first railroad and respectability came to the West. The wealth of the mountains was poured into elaborate mansions on tree-lined boulevards. Denver boasted the finest stores, restaurants and theaters between St. Louis and San Francisco and became known as the "Queen City of the Plains." |
People came west too, looking for land, freedom, money, and hope that they would find paradise on the high plains of the frontier. More than a third of the cowboys in this area were African-Americans and many of them settled in Denver. Hispanic Americans had long inhabited the region, and when Asian immigrants worked on the railroad, they, too, added their distinct culture to the city.
Following World War II, the city boomed with new growth, doubling in population since 1960 to the current population of 2.3 million people living in a massive six-county area.
II. Interesting Facts about Denver and Colorado
• The city of Denver has over 300 days of sunshine a year - more than San Diego or Miami.
• It is the most educated city in America, with more high school and college graduates than any other metropolitan area.
• Denver is one mile above sea level. Because of the high altitude water boils at 202° instead of 212° - that means it takes 4 minutes to boil a 3-minute egg.
• Denver has the nations largest city park system with 200 parks within the city limits and 20,000 acres in the nearby mountains.
• It is also the thinnest city in the U.S. with the nations smallest percentage of overweight adults.
• Although recently selected as the nations # one sports town, more people go to the cultural events annually than to all 4 professional sports teams combined.
• The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the largest in the world under one roof with 8 theatres seating more than 10,000 people.
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a 9,000-seat arena carved out of massive sandstone boulders, is one of the most spectacular theatres in the world. It has hosted everyone from the Beatles to top symphony orchestras.
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