The History of Denver
The history of Denver is filled with people and events that shaped the city. From the gold rush to the revival of Denver following the oil spill.
Early Denver was a place of crossroads for people who travelled between the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Evidence from archaeology at ancient indigenous sites suggests that people of different cultures interacted and interacted here.
Gold Rush
The Gold Rush of 1849, or the first gold boom in Denver was a significant moment in the city's history. Many people flocked to the region hoping for fortune and a new beginning in life.
The first gold discoveries were discovered in Gilpin and Clear Creek Counties, west of Denver. Numerous prospectors struck gold in that area, including George Jackson in Idaho Springs and John Gregory in Cherry Creek.
These discoveries did not suffice to revitalize the gold mining. A good deal of publicity was required to attract new miners. William N. Byers, editor at Denver's first newspaper Rocky Mountain News, launched campaigns to draw those who were looking for gold.
Over 100,000 men had already left their homes in Kansas and Nebraska to cross the plains to Colorado's mountain region by spring 1859. These men were called "Fifty-Niners."
Some were looking for gold in gulches like Clear Creek or Gold Run in Boulder County. Others were more determined and sought hidden gold in the mountains of Colorado.
John Gregory, a Georgian, made the first major gold discovery in the area that was Central City. He was a wiry red-haired cracker with keen eyes for gold in his native land.
Gregory was followed by many other prospectors who struck gold strikes in Clear Creek and Gold Run. Those who continued their explorations in the mountains were rewarded by the discovery of gold in the form of placer gold.
In the wake of the gold rush, Colorado developed into a mining mecca and a railroad-borne city. The city expanded rapidly and was declared the capital of the Colorado Territory in 1881. Today, Denver is a vibrant city with numerous museums, parks and other attractions that celebrate its rich history.
Silver Rush
Mining for silver and gold was the primary economic engine of Colorado in the 19th century. It brought in more than $1 billion in revenue and produced a number of early millionaires among them Horace Tabor and Nathaniel Hill.
In 1849, a group California prospectors headed west to search for their fortune. They found some gold near Arvada and then discovered placer gold (veins embedded in the rock) at Cherry Creek. These discoveries were just teasers, but they did spark interest in a few Midwestern investors as well as Eastern investors, who swiftly joined the fray and began exploring the area further.
As the word spread, hundreds of thousands of people headed to northeastern Colorado to seek their fortune. They were driven by a variety of motives, such as wanting a new start or having been involved in the conflicts between the North and South.
Some were motivated by the promise of wealth, as a result of their exposure to promotional literature, like Horace Greeley's "Go West, Young Man." These men also had an insatiable need for adventure.
No matter the reason they were drawn to the wilds of Colorado, the vast majority of them discovered their fortune in silver and gold mining. The discovery of silver in the 1860s together with the Bland-Allison Act of 1878, which required Congress to buy 4.5 million pounds of silver each month, raised the price of the metal considerably and allowed for the development of additional mines throughout the state.
The economy plummeted after the silver boom and many mining districts were unable to survive. Some towns held on, such as Durango and Ouray in southwest Colorado and others such as Creede and Silverton in the San Juan Mountains, floundered and had to close their mines.
Culture Rush
Denver is a cultural hub. Denver is home to some of the top art institutions in the country as well as museums that are world class and celebrate the past and present.
A visit to the Denver Art Museum, for instance, is bound to impress with its collection that spans prehistory through the 21st century. It's also located across from the Clyfford Still Museum that houses the largest collection of art by an American abstract expressionist.
Denver transformed its status from a frontier city to a modern, prosperous metropolis as the craze for culture continued. A new train line linking Denver to other towns and cities across the nation enabled this.
This new route also brought in more money for the city, which in turn led to an increase in population growth. Denver was the third largest city in the United States at the start of World War II, with a population exceeding 322,000.
The US Mint was another factor that contributed to Denver's growth. It was established in Denver in 1878. The mint is now an extremely popular tourist attraction, and tours are available every day.
It is a must to visit the Molly Brown House, the former residence of Denver's first woman mayor. The restored Victorian-style home provides an insight into the lives of its inhabitants and is a fascinating glimpse into the history of Colorado.
While the Gold Rush helped Denver to become its identity but it wasn't without its challenges. Many of those who fled their homes in eastern America to find the riches of the west weren't well-prepared for the journey. They often traveled in wagons and were susceptible to starvation, dehydration, and even death. These conditions caused widespread xenophobia which led to the creation of the Ku Klux Klan.
Oil Boom
The oil boom of 1849 was the catalyst that brought Denver City into a new time. This was a time when people moved from all over the nation to work in the oil fields. The boom created a huge demand for housing, restaurants and hotels, as well as water systems, to support the growing number of workers in the western part of Colorado.
Several new towns sprung up in the area to accommodate visitors and workers. Some were small communities with a few shops and restaurants, while others were oil towns with hotels, restaurants and recreation facilities.
One of the most popular was Gearhart located half a mile south of the Patterson well. There were many businesses in the town, including general shops, a grocery and a bar/poolhall, machine shops, and other services.
Workers from other areas loved the town because it was affordable and easy to get to. It also had an outdoor dance hall that was a place where laborers and guests could dance.
The boom was a good time for certain however it also brought a lot of hardship to Denver and the surrounding communities. Certain towns and families would lose their homes while others would be into bankruptcy or struggle to come up with the money.
Additionally the towns were faced with a shortage of workers as people from other parts of the country were attracted by the high-paying opportunities for employment in western Colorado. People who weren't employed in the mines faced difficulties finding housing, constructing water lines made of wood to handle higher flows, and serving meals in restaurants that were packed with workers and tourists.
Today, the Denver-Julesburg Basin is one of the largest oil shale plays in the world. While the state's oil industry remains a significant part of the economy, it's not the only one. Companies are focusing their efforts on other industries, such as cleantech and finance, to drive economic growth, and the production of oil and natural gas is not expected to increase as fast as it did before the law was first passed.
Boom and bust cycle
Boom and bust cycles are a pattern of economic growth and fall that occurs in capitalist countries. In boom times economic expansion as jobs are plentiful and investors earn high returns on their investments. When the boom comes to an end and the economy begins to shrink, people lose their jobs and investors lose money.
The central bank lends money at low interest rates to both businesses and individuals during the boom. They can use the funds to invest in houses, technology stocks or businesses and expect high returns.
Related: Denver Car Accident Attorney
Once the economy starts to slow, companies start to reduce their spending, and employees begin to lose their jobs. During the downturn business owners begin to sell their possessions, including houses and stock portfolios, in order to raise funds to pay the payroll.
Colorado's history has been marked by boom-and-bust cycles, ranging from the gold rush in 1849 until the panic of 1893. But the state's economy has shifted and is no longer reliant as much on mining.
In the 1980s the energy boom transformed Denver into a metropolis with tall skyscrapers. The "Mile High City" was given to the city.
But the frenzied construction industry proved to be one of the largest negatives for Denver's economy. During the boom in energy, developers built a number of projects just because they had money.
This trend has returned in the current real estate boom, especially along the Front Range. It's possible that the Colorado economy will once again slip into the traditional boom-and-bust cycle.
Denver, Colorado Car Accident Resources:
