Things to know about Denver

Denver was named for Gen. James W. Denver, governor of Kansas Territory.

People came to the Denver area with the discovery of gold in Cherry Creek in 1858. The area was already a stopping place for trappers, traders and Native Americans. By 1860, two towns, Denver and Auraria, were combined to create the larger town of Denver. It was only seven years later that Denver was named the capital of the Colorado Territory. Bad luck arrived in 1863 when a fire nearly destroyed the city. If that wasn't enough, a year later a flash flood descended on Denver, sweeping away many of the buildings in town, including the city hall. Growth slowed during this time as the Indian wars raged. People were hesitant to come west.

By 1870, the population in Denver soared from 4,759 in 1870 to 106,713 in 1890. The large growth was due mainly to the arrival of the railroad. The people of Denver started their own railroad company when the Trans-Continental Railroad bypassed the town. They connected with the Union Pacific at Cheyenne, Wyoming. Denver was named the capital city of the new state of Colorado in 1876.

Gold remained important to the economy of Denver up until 1880, with silver passing up gold in the later years. Many people amassed a great deal of wealth during these boom years. In 1893, the silver market collapsed causing widespread economic disaster in the Denver area. Many of the "new rich" became poor once again. Agriculture and new gold discoveries helped to prevent a major downturn in the economy.

The city has has a boom-bust cycle during the 20th century. Because of this cycle, community leaders have made considerable effort to diversity the foundation of Denver's economy. The success of their effort may be seen in the stable and sustained economy of the present-day city of Denver.

Nicknames for Denver include The Mile High City, Queen City of the Plains
and Gateway to the Rockies

The population of Denver is approximately 501,700 (2000).
The approximate number of families is 239,636 (1990).

The amount of land area in Denver is 397.2 sq. kilometers.
The amount of land area in Denver is 154.9 sq. miles.
The amount of surface water is 4.143 sq kilometers.
The distance from Denver to Washington DC is 1581 miles.

Denver is positioned 39.76 degrees north of the equator and 104.87 degrees west of the prime meridian.

Denver elevation is (1 mile) 5,280 feet above sea level.
Denver per capita income is $24,101 (2000).
Denver median income is $42,370 (2005).

The Denver median home price is $231,900 (2005).

(source: usacities.com)