Denver History

Denver was born during the great “Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush” of 1859 when some flakes of placer gold were found where the South Platte River meets Cherry Creek. In its first few years, the city survived a flood, two major fires, several Indian attacks and even raised an army that defeated an invading force of Confederates from Texas during the Civil War.
With the discovery of more gold in the mountains, Denver became a boomtown. Saloons, gambling halls and wagon trains lined the mud-filled streets, and every outlaw, lawman and desperado in the West made a visit to the Mile High City.

The turn-of-the-century brought respectability and the wealth of the mountains was poured into parks, fountains, statues, tree-lined streets and elaborate mansions. Denver became the most elegant city in a thousand mile radius -- the “Queen City of the Plains.”
The building boom in recent years has seen Denver more than double in population since 1960. In 1983 alone, as much office space was added to the city as already existed.
Recession and a drop in the energy industry caused Denver to slow down in the late 1980’s, but in 1997, the city experienced its highest hotel occupancy in eight years and the highest average room rate ever, a sure sign that the economy in Mile High Denver had recovered once again.