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Place Name
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Denver
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Place Status (Type)
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city
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Capital Of
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of state and of Denver County
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Population
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467,610 (1990)
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Location
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Denver County, Colorado (CO), United States, North America
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Latitude
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39°46'N
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Longitude
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104°52'W
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Denver
, city (1990 pop. 467,610), N central Colo.;  of
state and of Denver co., 39°46'N 104°52'W. Elev.
5,280 ft/1,609 m. City limits coextensive with
Denver co. boundary except for new annexation into Adams, Arapaho, and
Jefferson cos., which remain in those cos. until decennial
years, when Denver co. is adjusted to conform with city units, reducing
land areas of neighboring cos. (recent extension by city to Denver
Internatl. Airport to NE, opened in 1995, to be bounded by year 2000).
On the South Platte R. at the mouth of Cherry Creek. It is the largest
city in the state, a port of entry, and a processing, shipping, and
distributing point for an extensive agr. area. It is also the
financial, administrative, and transportation center of the Rocky Mt.
region, and the location of numerous Federal agencies. Denver area has
many electronics plants and is a major livestock market; foremost among
its mfg. aeronautics and other high-technology prods. Mfg.
(transportation equip., electronic equip., computers, food, printing
and publishing, chemicals). With the famous ski resorts of Aspen and
Vail within easy driving distance, Denver is an important tourist
center. The city was made territorial capital in 1867. The rich gold
and silver strikes of the late 1870s and the 1880s brought prosperity
to the city, and it became the metropolis for bonanza kings such as
H.A.W. Tabor, who built the Tabor Grand Opera House. In the late 1890s,
Denver's development as an important metropolis began. After World War
II, Denver experienced rapid growth; a 23% increase in pop. in the
1950s and 1960s. This sudden growth combined with the city's high
elev. created environmental problems, and by the late 1970s Denver had
one of the worst smog problems in the nation. Denver boomed again
during the oil shocks of the late 1970s and early 1980s when the city
became the center of oil shales exploration and the city quickly built
many new office bldgs. in anticipation of further growth in
this field. But when oil prices fell dramatically in the early 1980s,
Denver was hard hit economically and experienced outmigration. The
metropolitan area (especially the suburbs) has continued to grow
however, the city center underwent a renaissance in 1990s with
construction of new office bldgs., and the opening of a new
baseball stadium, mus. and public library. In 1995, a huge new airport
NE of the city was completed. The previous airport, Stapleton, has been
redeveloped for warehouses, food production, and a
video/film studio. Among the city's educational
institutions are the Univ. of Denver, Loretto Heights Col., Regis Col.,
Colo. Women's Col., Metropolitan State Col., and the Univ. of Colo.
Medical Center. Points of interest include a park system with many mt.
areas; the Denver Art Mus., new public library (1994); the Colo. State
Historical Mus.; Denver Mus., of Natural History and Denver Zoo are at
City Park E of downtown, Denver Botanical Garden SE of downtown; a
performing arts center; the state capitol; Lower downtown (LoDo), the
skidrow area, now gentrified, is site of Coors Field (1995), home field
of major league Colorado Rockies baseball team. W of downtown is Mile
High Stadium, home of the Broncos, Denver's Natl. Football League
team; and the zoological gardens. The U.S. Denver mint is downtown, the
Rocky Mt. Arsenal is to NE, and the U.S. Army Fitzsimmons General Hosp.
(scheduled to close) are there. In E part of city is Lowry Air Force
Base. Referred to as the Mile High City and Gateway to the Rockies
located just E of the front Range, Denver is both a major tourist
attraction and gateway to Rocky Mt. Natl. Park, several natl. forests
and ski resorts located in the nearby mts. Denver Federal Center is to
W in Lakewood. Cherry Creek State Park to SE, Barr Lake State Park to
NE, Chatfield State Park to SW. Black American West Mus., Childrens
Mus., Colo. Convention Center all near downtown. Denver Coliseum and
Natl. Western Stock Show Complex both N of downtown. Inc. 1861.
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