The History of Denver
The history of Denver is filled with people and events that shaped the city. From the gold rush to its revival following oil.
Early Denver was a crossroads for those who traveled between the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. Evidence from archaeology at prehistoric indigenous sites suggests that people of different cultures interacted and interacted in this area.
Gold Rush
Denver's first gold boom the Gold Rush of 1849 was a significant historical event. It brought many people to the city who were looking for fortune or a new start in their lives.
Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties were the first counties to discover gold west of Denver. Numerous prospectors were successful in this region, such as George Jackson of Idaho Springs and John Gregory of Cherry Creek.
But these discoveries were not enough to revive the gold rush. A lot of publicity was required to attract new miners. Promoters such as William N. Byers, editor of Denver's first newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News, started campaigns to draw gold seekers.
In the spring of 1859, over 100,000 men had left the Missouri River towns of Kansas and Nebraska to travel across the plains and into Colorado's mountain range. These were the men known as "Fifty-Niners."
Some sought the gold found in gulches such as Clear Creek or Gold Run in Boulder County. Others were more determined and searched for the gold that was buried in the Colorado mountains.
John Gregory, a Georgian was the first major gold discovery in the region around Central City. He was a red-haired, wiry cracker with keen eyes for gold in his home country.
A number of other prospectors followed Gregory's lead and made gold strikes in the Clear Creek and Gold Run area. Those who continued their explorations in the mountains were rewarded by the discovery of rich placer gold.
Due to the gold rush, Colorado developed into a mining mecca as well as a railroad-based city. The city expanded rapidly and became the capital of the Colorado Territory in 1881. Denver is a bustling city with many museums, parks and attractions, among other attractions that celebrate its rich history.
Silver Rush
In the 19th century, Colorado's primary economic engine was silver and gold mining. It generated more than $1 billion in revenue and produced a number of early millionaires, including Horace Tabor and Nathaniel Hill.
In 1849, a group of California prospectors set out west to find their fortune. They found gold near Arvada and then discovered placer gold (veins embedded in rock) at Cherry Creek. These discoveries were teasers, but they piqued the interest of a few Midwestern and Eastern investors who joined the bandwagon and began to investigate the area more.
The word spread and hundreds of thousands of men came to the northeastern part of Colorado to seek their fortune. They were driven by a variety of reasons, including wanting to get a new beginning or being involved in the conflicts between the North and South.
But some of them were motivated by the promise of wealth, because of their exposure to advertising literature, such as Horace Greeley's "Go West Young Man." They were also motivated by an insatiable need for adventure.
Whatever the reason for why they were drawn to the wilderness of Colorado, the majority of them discovered their luck in silver and gold mining. Combining the Bland-Allison Law of 1878 which required Congress to purchase 4.5 million ounces of Silver per Month and the discovery of silver in the 1890s, significantly increased the cost of silver and allowed for the development of more mines throughout the state.
The economy plummeted following the silver boom and many mining districts were unable to survive. Durango and Ouray, in southwest Colorado were able to hold their own while others, such as Creede or Silverton in the San Juan Mountains, floundered.
Culture Rush
Denver is a major cultural center. Denver is home to some of the most important art institutions in the United States and is home to world-class museums which celebrate the past and present.
A visit to the Denver Art Museum, for instance, is certain to impress with its collection that spans prehistory to the 21st century. It is also across the street from the Clyfford Museum, which houses the largest collection of American abstract expressionist art.
As the frenzied culture of the time continued, Denver began to transform its status from a frontier town into a modern and flourishing city. A new train line connecting Denver to other cities and towns across the nation enabled this.
This new route also resulted in more money for the city, which resulted in a rapid increase in population growth. Denver was the third-largest city in the United States at the start of World War II, with an estimated population of 322,000.
The US Mint was another factor which contributed to the development of Denver. It was established in Denver in 1878. Today, the Mint is a popular tourist destination, and tours are available every day.
It is a must-see to visit the Molly Brown House, the home of Denver's first female mayor. The Victorian-style house that was renovated in Victorian style, provides an interesting look into Colorado's history and present.
Though the Gold Rush helped to shape Denver's image however, it wasn't without difficulties. Many of those who fled their homes in eastern America to search for the riches of the west weren't prepared for the journey. They frequently traveled in wagons and were at risk of starvation, dehydration, and even death. These conditions led to widespread xenophobia, which led to the formation of the Ku Klux Klan.
Oil Boom
The 1849 oil boom brought Denver City into a new time. It was a time in which people travelled from all over the world to work in the oil fields. The boom resulted in a huge demand for housing, restaurants hotels, water systems, hotels and more, all of which were required to accommodate the increasing number of workers in the western part of Colorado.
Numerous towns have sprung up in the region to accommodate workers and visitors. Some towns were small and had few shops and restaurants and others were large oil towns, with restaurants, hotels, and recreation facilities.
One of the most renowned was Gearhart in the town of Gearhart, which was about a half mile south of the Patterson well. The town had a number of businesses , including a general store and a grocery store and a barbershop/poolhall as well as machine shops, and other services.
People from other regions loved the town as it was affordable and easy to get to. It also had a dance pavilion, where guests and laborers could dance.
While the boom was a positive time for certain people however, it also brought many hardships to Denver and its surrounding communities. Certain families and towns were forced to leave their homes, others would fail or be in financial difficulty.
Many towns also had to contend with a shortage in workers because people from other parts the country were drawn by the high wages and numerous opportunities for employment in western Colorado. Those who did not work in the mines required housing, upgrade wooden water lines to accommodate the increased flow, and prepare meals in restaurants packed with tourists and workers who had just arrived.
The Denver-Julesburg Basin has become one of the largest oil shale plays in the world. While the state's oil industry is still a significant part of its economy, it's not the only one. Companies are focusing their efforts on other industries, such as cleantech and finance to boost economic growth. However, the production of oil and gas is not expected to increase as fast as it did when the law was passed.
Boom and bust cycle
The boom and bust cycle is an alternating phase of economic growth and decline that occurs repeatedly in capitalist societies of the present. During a boom when the economy is growing, jobs are plentiful and investors reap high returns on their investments. The boom comes to an end and the economy begins to shrink. People lose their jobs, and investors lose their money.
During the boom of the current economic crisis, the central bank makes it easier for individuals and businesses to borrow money by lending it at low interest rates. They can then invest in technology stocks, houses or businesses and anticipate high returns.
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When the economy begins to slow, companies begin to cut back on their spending and employees start losing their jobs. In order to get payroll funds businesses, owners of businesses sell their assets, which include houses, stock portfolios, and other assets.
The history of Colorado is characterized by boom-and–bust cycles. These include the gold rush of 1849 and the 1893 Panic. However, Colorado's economy has changed and is no longer reliant as much on mining.
In the 1980s, the energy boom transformed Denver into a metropolis with tall skyscrapers. The city became known as the "Mile High City."
However, the frenzied construction sector 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 is resurfacing in the current real-estate boom, especially along the Front Range. As a result, it's possible that the Colorado economy will once more fall into the typical boom-and-bust cycle.
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