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Denver History continued...
Denver was first settled by a party of prospectors in 1858. Gold had been discovered where the Cherry Creek and South Platte River merge. The town was named after James W. Denver, who, at the time, was governor of the Kansas Territory. Colorado was then part of that territory. In 1859 and 1860, other major gold discoveries took place. This caused a mass migration to Denver. Some 100,000 people came to Denver, seeking riches. This migration led the federal government to establish the Colorado Territory in 1861. Before the gold discoveries, the only thing that Rocky Mountains had to offer was beaver pelts that were prized by fur trappers. These pelts were known as “hairy bank notes.” These pelts were worn by fashionably dressed gentlemen in Eastern America and Europe. Denver's new, aggressive leadership, which consisted of William N. Byers and John Evans, insisted that the Native Americans in the region must relocate. Byers was the editor of the Rocky Mountain News and Evans was the Territorial Governor. After the Native Americans were gone, the railroads came. The railroads caused Denver to become the banking, minting, supply and processing center not only for Colorado, but also for neighboring states.
Denver is home to many fine museums and other various attractions. The United States Mint is located in Denver. The Black American West Museum is a museum that is dedicated to telling the story of African American cowboys. The Colorado History Museum traces the colorful history of the Native Americans, explorers, gold miners, cowboys and pioneers that have all inhabited the region. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is the fourth largest science museum in the nation. The Denver Art Museum has over 40,000 works of art, as well as an extensive dinosaur collection. The building itself could be considered a work of art, as it has 28 sides. The Colorado State Capital stands one mile above sea level. It has a plaque on the fifteenth step in the front of the building to mark the spot that is exactly 5280 feet (one mile). Its beautiful golden dome can be seen from a distance of nearly 150 miles. Other attractions include the Molly Brown House, which pays tribute to the “Unsinkable Molly Brown.” Brown was a heroine from the Titanic disaster. The home includes mementos from her life preserved in her home on Capitol Hill.
Besides the Rocky Mountains and its high elevation, Denver is also known for its beer. After all, Denver's first permanent building was a saloon. Lower Downtown, which the locals call “LoDo,” is on the northern edge of downtown Denver. This is the center of the city's brew pubs. This area contains six large brew pubs and micro breweries, each brewing six to eight exclusive beers. Although hundreds of breweries used to be located here, only one major brewery has stood the test of time, the Coors Brewery. The Coors Brewery is now the largest single brewery in the world.
Denver is also the home to many professional sports teams. The Colorado Rockies, of Major League Baseball, play their home games in Coors Field. Denver is also the home of the Denver Broncos of the NFL, the Denver Nuggets of the NBA and the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL.
Another popular myth about Denver is that it never has pleasant weather. However, nothing could be further from the truth. With over 300 days of sunshine a year, Denver outshines San Diego and Miami Beach. With its pleasant weather, numerous attractions and professional sports teams, Denver truly is a city that has it all.
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