History

You may have guessed that Colorado got its name from the Colorado River. If so, you’d be right; early explorers believed that the river began in Colorado, though it was later discovered to be Wyoming.

Denverites just voted to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. How did “magic mushrooms” spread their spores in America to start?

In the late 1880s, an American mogul named Zalmon Simmons scaled Pikes Peak by mule. Wishing more people could enjoy the view without the miserable trip, he funded a railway to the top.

In 1970, the International Olympic Committee awarded the ‘76 Winter Olympics to Denver. Stakeholders rejoiced; the city had been trying to win the bid for 20 years. So why didn’t it happen?

Though a staple of today’s headlines, dirty politics is far from a modern innovation. During Colorado’s 1904 gubernatorial election, both Democrat Alva Adams and Republican James H. Peabody deployed unsavory strategies to edge ahead.

Wildfires have already caused damage to communities in Colorado this year. Three 2018 fires rank among the 20 largest in state history.

Feeling patriotic after your July Fourth celebrations? Here’s a fun fact: One of America’s most popular patriotic songs was inspired by Pikes Peak.

At The Colorado 100, we love all things 100. When we heard about the exhibition at the History Colorado Center, “Zoom In: The Centennial State in 100 Objects,” we had to check it out.

The National Archives has launched a Citizen Archivist program, enlisting virtual volunteers to improve the accessibility of its records.

When he was 15, Jim Bishop spent $450 on a parcel of land in southern Colorado. Years later, after getting married, he decided it was time to start building a family cabin in the woods on this same piece of land.

Immortalized on stage and screen, the “unsinkable” Molly Brown is a legendary figure best known for surviving the Titanic disaster.

Throughout history, activism has appeared in many different forms. Although many associate activism with marches nowadays, one of the most influential protests in history was Martin Luther’s 95 Theses in 1517, which led to the Protestant Reformation.

When thinking of Labor Day you often picture picnics, barbecues and parades. However, Labor Day, celebrated the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to social and economic achievements of American workers.

If you’ve ever driven up I-70, there’s no doubt you’ve seen signs for Black Hawk.

In the 1950s the Smaldone name was notorious in Denver’s mob scene and Gaetano’s was the family’s crime headquarters. Though their money was made by breaking the law, it was notoriously used to benefit the community, from helping with groceries to secretly paying college tuitions. For some, the Smaldones were simply local philanthropists, with a dark side.

Hiking recently with family, we paused to look towards the city. It was a beautiful, blue-sky day, and I remarked that Queen City of the Plains was a fitting nickname. They agreed.

Each December there is a harsh reality that our freedoms are ever so fragile.

Pearl Harbor Day gives us cause to pause and think about the many heroes who fought for our freedoms.

“Daddy Bruce” Randolph was born in Arkansas in 1900. Cotton-picker, water boy, bootlegger and bill collector among other things, he eventually migrated to Denver and opened his famous Daddy Bruce’s Bar-B-Q in 1963 on the corner of Gilpin Street and East 34th Avenue.

Incorporated in 1877, The Denver Press Club is the oldest press club in the country. Membership soon outgrew the basement of Wolfe Londoner’s grocery store on Larimer and eventually moved to the current location at 1330 Glenarm Place.