By Robert Killam
While people might know Colorado is popular for its skiing and other outdoor activities, how familiar are they with the history of the "Centennial State?" Check out these fun-filled facts about the country's 38th state, which should be a lot easier to do than attempting to climb one of its famous mountain peaks.
Before Statehood
Though Lt. Zebulon Pike never climbed Pikes Peak, he did write a report in 1806 that attracted people to the area. In 1858, the state's first military post was established and headed by a gentleman known to history as Kit Carson. The following year, John Gregory found "the Gregory Lode," which established the Colorado Gold Rush on Jan. 7.
Early Statehood
Colorado became the 38th state on Aug. 1, 1876, the same year as the Battle of the Little Bighorn and the patent of the telephone. Seventeen years later, women won the right to vote in the state; Colorado was the first state to grant that right through popular election. The Colorado Silver Boom began in 1879 out of Leadville, named that because there were already many "silver" towns.
Up to World War II
By 1900, gold production had peaked at $20 million each year in Cripple Creek, making it the second-richest gold camp in the world. Three years later, the first juvenile court in the United States opened in Denver.
World War II
In 1941, Denver recruiting offices reported more than 2,000 enlistments in December alone. During the U.S. involvement in the war, the agriculture industry saw the greatest production in Colorado history. In 1942, the federal government founded Amache, a Japanese-American internment camp in Granada, located 140 miles east of Pueblo in the southeastern part of the state.
Professional Sports
In 1960, pro football's Denver Broncos were created, followed by pro basketball's Rockets in 1967. The Rockets were renamed the Nuggets in 1974. Also that year, desegregation of schools began, and Denver turned down the honor of hosting the 1976 Winter Olympics because of pollution concerns.
1980s and '90s
In the 1980s, Colorado coal-mining peaked, though thousands were laid off in 1982 as a result of Exxon's closure of oil shale fields in three counties. By the 1990s, technology saw a boom in Colorado. In 1998, Coloradans elected BIll Owens as their first Republican governor since 1974.
About the Author:
Rob Killam has been a freelance writer since 2009. His work has been published on eHow.com and Poetry.com. Killam attended Pikes Peak Community College, where he pursued a degree in criminal justice.
