Denver

Denver, Colorado 

At the western end of the Great Plains and immediately east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains is Denver, the city and county seat of Colorado and the country's capital. In 1902, the city and county were combined to form a single administrative entity. At the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River is Denver. Its elevation, which earned it the moniker "Mile High City" (1,609 meters above sea level at the State Capitol), and its pleasant, sunny, dry environment are its defining features.

Arvada, Aurora, Brighton, Broomfield, Cherry Hills Village, Englewood, Lakewood, Littleton, Northglenn, Thornton, Westminster, and Wheat Ridge are among the suburban communities that were formed as a result of post-World War II metropolitan growth. Golden, located about 12 miles (19 km) to the west of Denver, and Boulder, located about 25 miles (40 km) to the northwest, are also included in the metropolitan area. From Fort Collins in the north to Pueblo in the south, the Front Range is dotted with metropolitan districts, with Greater Denver as its center. Inc. 1885. City's area is 155 square miles (401 square km). Population: 600,158 (2010); 2,543,482 in the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield metro area; 715,522 in the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area (2020).

The Contemporary City 

The modern Denver metropolitan region extends widely beyond the city's western foothills and the high plains on its other three borders. Additionally, a practically continuous built-up suburban corridor now connects Boulder, the location of the University of Colorado's main campus, to the city. The majority of Denver's residents are of European descent, but Hispanic people—particularly those of Mexican descent—make up an increasing third of the city's population. African Americans make up a relatively small portion of the city's population (about one tenth), and Asians and Native Americans are even rarer.

Since 1950, the area has experienced tremendous growth, which has put more strain on the region's infrastructure, particularly its water and transportation systems. The majority of Denver's water supply is obtained from springtime mountain snowmelt that is either diverted from the South Platte River and other streams or is kept in huge reservoirs. Sometimes it's vital to limit water use during dry spells. The vast majority of Denver residents rely on cars for mobility, and smog occasionally blocks people' views of the mountains. Other persistent issues include traffic congestion and pollution from vehicle emissions. The construction of a light-rail transportation system, the first line of which opened in 1994, has been one strategy for minimizing the usage of automobiles.

Denver acts as a transportation, commercial, industrial, and industrial hub and is a center of high-technology companies. It is the main city of a huge territory between the Missouri River and the Pacific states. Telecommunications, aviation and aerospace, software, financial and commercial services, and health care are among the major industries. One important economic factor is tourism. Electronics, computers, rubber products, luggage, medicines, medical equipment, and packaging are among the manufactured goods, and Golden, close by, also has a sizable brewery. The Denver branch of the U.S. Mint, which first operated as a mint in 1906, is the country's second-largest gold repository and produces roughly half of the coinage now in circulation. One of the biggest airports in the nation, Denver International Airport, opened in 1995 and is roughly 23 miles (37 km) northwest of the city.

The University of Denver was founded in the city in 1864, along with Regis University in 1877, the Iliff School of Theology in 1892, Metropolitan State University of Denver in 1965, as well as a satellite campus and the University of Colorado's Health Sciences Center. The 272-foot (83-meter) gold-leafed dome on the State Capitol, which was constructed in the Corinthian style between 1887 and 1895, is located there, along with Civic Center Park. The weather and geography of Denver make outdoor recreation a particularly well-liked activity. A few kilometers to the west of the city, the Rocky Mountains offer chances for mountain biking, hiking, and skiing. There are numerous ski facilities nearby, including Winter Park Resort, which is a part of the city's park system. In warmer months, rafting is popular on neighboring Clear Creek and the Arkansas River further to the southwest. Additionally, there are bike lanes set all around the city. In addition to the more than 200 parks already present in the city, the Denver Mountain Parks are dispersed across a huge picturesque area and extend into the mountains.

Hockey, football (soccer), basketball, gridiron football, and baseball are all played professionally in Denver. The Colorado History Museum, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) Denver, and the Denver Botanic Gardens are a few of the city's attractions. Nearly 4,000 species can be seen at the Denver Zoo in City Park, and Colorado's Ocean Journey is the only aquarium in the West that is not located on the Pacific coast. Known for its collection of Native American and Western art, the Denver Art Museum erected a new wing in 2006, which was created by Daniel Libeskind. The Denver Performing Arts Complex is the home of the state ballet, opera, and symphony orchestra, while Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, an outdoor venue in the foothills just west of the city, hosts musical and theatrical performances. A rodeo, along with livestock and horse shows, are all part of the annual National Western Stock Show, which takes place in January. Northwest of the city is Rocky Mountain National Park. 

Climate 

Although humid microclimates can be found nearby depending on specific location, Denver has a continental semi-arid climate (Köppen climatic classification: BSk) with typically low humidity and about 3,100 hours of sunshine per year. It experiences four distinct seasons, with April through August seeing the heaviest precipitation. The area is prone to abrupt weather fluctuations because of its inland location on the High Plains, at the base of the Rocky Mountains. 

With an average high temperature of 89.9 °F (32.2 °C), July is the warmest month. The summers are generally mild to hot with sporadic, occasionally violent afternoon thunderstorms with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or 100 °F (38 °C) on 38 days a year. The average daily high temperature in December, the coldest month of the year, is 44 °F (6.7 °C). Due to the warming impact of Chinook winds, winters are composed of bouts of snow and extremely low temperatures alternated with times of milder weather. When it's freezing outside, daytime highs in winter occasionally go over 60 °F (16 °C), but they also frequently fall short of 32 °F (0 °C). On rare occasions, arctic air masses might prevent daytime highs from rising above 0 °F (18 °C). Lows on the coldest nights of the year can drop as low as 10 °F (23 °C). Snowfall is frequent in the late fall, winter, and early spring, with an average of 53.5 inches (136 cm) during the years 1981 to 2010. However, in the winter of 2021, Denver experienced its first-ever December without any snowfall. Although measurable snowfall has been recorded as early as September 4 and as late as June 3, the average window for measurable snowfall (0.1 in or 0.25 cm) is from October 17 to April 27. On January 9, 1875, temperatures reached a low of 29 °F (34 °C), and as recently as June 28, 2018, they reached a high of 105 °F (41 °C). The city's high elevation and aridity cause a significant diurnal temperature variance throughout the entire year.

The F3 tornado that struck 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south of the city center on June 15, 1988, was a remarkable exception to the rule that tornadoes are uncommon west of the I-25 corridor. On the other hand, due to the expansion of the Denver Convergence Vorticity Zone in June, a few tornadoes, often minor landspout tornadoes, can be seen in the suburbs east of Denver and the city's east-northeastern extension (Denver International Airport) each spring and summer (DCVZ). The Denver Cyclone, also known as the DCVZ, is a storm-forming air flow variable vortex that is frequently located north and east of downtown and frequently encompasses the airport. Airport operations may be affected by severe weather from the DCVZ. Denver was discovered to be the tenth most vulnerable city in the continental United States to hailstorms in a study that examined hail incidents in locations with a population of at least 50,000. In fact, three of the ten most expensive hailstorms to hit the United States have struck Denver; they happened on July 11, 1990; July 20, 2009; and May 8, 2017, respectively.

Denver was classified as the 18th coldest major U.S. city as of 2014 by Weather Channel, using 30-year averages for the months of December, January, and February that were acquired from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center. 

The official weather station for Denver is located at the airport, which is about 20 miles (32 km) from the city center. According to a 2019 investigation, the average temperature at Denver International Airport was much lower than the city's average, which was 53.0 °F (12 °C), at 50.2 °F (10 °C). There is debate over where the official temperature readings are taken, and several suburbs experience warmer temperatures. 

Economy 

The Denver MSA was the 18th largest metro economy in the United States in 2010 with a gross metropolitan product of $157.6 billion. Denver's location and proximity to several of the nation's main transportation networks play a role in its economy. Denver has developed into a natural location for storage and distribution of goods and services to the Mountain States, Southwest states, as well as all western states because it is the largest metropolis within 500 miles (800 km). Denver's proximity to major Midwest towns like Chicago and St. Louis as well as certain major West Coast locations like Los Angeles and San Francisco provides another advantage for distribution.

Denver has been a significant commerce hub for the nation as other significant firms in the central United States have called the city home throughout the years. Numerous well-known businesses were founded in Denver or moved there. The Denver Instrument Company was founded in 1895 by William Ainsworth to produce analytical balances for gold assayers. Now, Arvada is home to its manufacturing. With its headquarters in Denver and around 3,500 employees, AIMCO (NYSE: AIV) is the largest owner and operator of apartment communities in the United States, with roughly 870 communities totaling nearly 136,000 units in 44 states. The largest luggage manufacturer in the world, Samsonite Corp., was founded in Denver in 1910 as Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company. However, in 2001, Samsonite shuttered its NE Denver factory and relocated its headquarters to Massachusetts following a change of ownership in 2006. The Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company, which was established in Denver in 1911, is today a division of Lumen Technologies, a global leader in communications (previously CenturyLink).

Continental Airlines, now known as United Airlines, relocated its headquarters to Stapleton Airport in Denver, Colorado, on October 31, 1937. (before United Airlines later moved to its current home in Chicago). Robert F. Six orchestrated the relocation of the airline's headquarters from El Paso, Texas to Denver because he thought the location should be in a major city with a sizable potential customer base. Later, Continental relocated from Denver to Houston, but in 2013, it merged with United Airlines. In the Denver region, where the United Airlines Flight Training Center is currently located in the Central Park neighborhood, the business maintained a sizable staff base for the duration of that time.

The Denver-based MediaNews Group acquired the Denver Post in 1987. In 1919, South Denver saw the founding of The Gates Corporation, the largest manufacturer of automotive belts and hoses in the world. In Denver in 1923, Russell Stover Candies produced its first chocolate confection before relocating to Kansas City in 1969. Since 1925, the NE Denver location of The Wright & McGill Company has produced fishing equipment under the Eagle Claw brand. 1950 saw the founding of the original Frontier Airlines, which was reborn in 1994 at Denver International Airport (DIA). Since 1954, Scott's Liquid Gold, Inc. has produced furniture polish in Denver. In 1958, Denver's first Village Inn restaurant was a single pancake house. In 1962, Denver-based Big O Tires, LLC opened its first franchise. In Denver in 1971, The Shane Company offered its first diamond jewelry for sale. Re/Max established its headquarters in Denver in 1973. In 1972, the insulation and roofing materials maker Johns Manville Corp. moved its corporate headquarters from New York to Denver. In 1980, the engineering and building company CH2M Hill moved from Oregon to the Denver Technological Center. The Ball Corporation, which has multiple businesses in the greater Denver area, sold its glass business in Indiana in the 1990s and relocated to the suburb of Broomfield. 

Although it announced its departure from Denver in 2019, Molson Coors Brewing Company established its U.S. headquarters there in 2005. Coors Distributing Company, a regional wholesale distributor and its subsidiary, is located in northwest Denver. The Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the largest in the world and the second-largest gold producer in North America, has its headquarters there. The headquarters of MapQuest, a website that provides maps, directions, and business information, is located in Denver's LoDo neighborhood. Lockheed Martin Corp., United Airlines, Kroger Co., and Xcel Energy, Inc. are a few significant employers in the Denver region with corporate headquarters in other cities.

Denver has a sizable government presence thanks to development in the thriving Union Station neighborhood of downtown Geography, where numerous federal agencies are housed or have offices. Many businesses involved in US defense and space projects join the government agencies in the city, and the fact that it serves as the state capitol of Colorado adds to the number of jobs there. Rocky Flats, a former nuclear weapons facility, the Denver Federal Center, the Byron G. Rogers Federal Building and United States Courthouse, the Denver Mint, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are all located in the Denver metropolitan area.

The Colorado Convention Center's $310.7 million addition, which doubled its capacity, was finished in 2005. It was hoped that the center's development would propel the city into the top ten U.S. cities for conference hosting. 

Denver's proximity to the mineral-rich Rocky Mountains spurred the establishment of mining and energy businesses in the region. Booms and busts in the price of gold and silver during the city's early years had a significant impact on the city's prosperity. Due to the American energy crisis and the high oil prices that resulted, Denver saw an energy boom in the 1970s and early 1980s that was shown in the television series Dynasty. Many new downtown skyscrapers were built during this time, significantly increasing Denver's population.

The Denver economy also suffered when the price of oil dropped from $34 per barrel in 1981 to $9 per barrel in 1986, leaving nearly 15,000 oil industry workers in the region without work (including former mayor and governor John Hickenlooper, a former geologist), and the state with the highest office vacancy rate (30%) in the country. 700 petroleum engineers are engaged in the area as a result of the industry's recovery. Due to developments in hydraulic fracturing, the DJ Basin in Colorado is now a viable and accessible oil play. With organizations like Ovintiv, Halliburton, Smith International, Rio Tinto Group, Newmont Mining, and Chevron Corporation as headquarters or major operations, mining and energy are still crucial to Denver's economy today. In terms of how much it costs to do business in the US, Denver comes in 149th.

The original Chipotle Mexican Grill is located close to the University of Denver campus. 

The telecommunications sector benefits from Denver's west-central geographic location in the Mountain Time Zone (UTC-7), which enables contact with both North American coasts, South America, Europe, and Asia on the same working day. Denver is the largest city in the United States to give a "one-bounce" real-time satellite uplink to six continents within the same business day thanks to its placement on the 105th meridian at a height of over one mile (1.6 km). Among the numerous telecommunications firms with operations in the Denver region are Comcast, Dish Network Corporation, Starz, DIRECTV, and Qwest Communications, which is now a part of CenturyLink.

Denver saw a boom in the middle to end of the 1990s for these and other high-tech businesses. Denver's unemployment rate recovered from a spike during the Great Recession to reach 2.6% in November 2016, one of the lowest rates in the country. The Denver-Aurora-Broomfield MSA's unemployment rate as of December 2016 is 2.6%. Since 2010, numerous new skyscrapers have been built in the Downtown area, and there has been significant development near Denver Union Station. Many well-known national chain restaurants were created and have their headquarters in Denver, which has contributed to Denver's success as a pioneer in the fast-casual food sector. Denver is the birthplace and corporate headquarters of Quiznos and Smashburger. With their roots in Denver, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Noodles & Company, and Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard have all relocated to the suburbs of Wheat Ridge, Broomfield, and Golden, respectively. Despite having its origins in Denver, Chipotle Mexican Grill relocated its headquarters to Newport Beach, California, in 2018. 

On Forbes' list of the Best Places for Business and Careers in 2015, Denver came in first place. 

Culture 

Apollo Hall held numerous shows for excited inhabitants soon after the city's establishment in 1859. The first opera theater in Denver was erected by Horace Tabor in the 1880s. Many of the city's parks, parkways, museums, and the Municipal Auditorium—which hosted the 1908 Democratic National Convention and is now known as the Ellie Caulkins Opera House—were were built as part of the city's beautification drive after the turn of the 20th century. Denver and the surrounding cities continued to promote culture.

The World Theatre Festival, held in Denver in July 1982 at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, featured 114 performances of 18 plays over the course of 25 days by theater companies from 13 different nations. 

The Scientific and Cultural Facilities Tax, or SCFD, was established by voters in the Denver Metropolitan Region in 1988. It is a 0.1% (1 penny per $10) sales tax that provides funding to several cultural and scientific institutions and organizations throughout the Metro area. Voters extended the tax in 1994 and 2004, allowing the SCFD to continue operating through 2018. Voters in the Denver metro region approved ballot item 4B, which would have extended the SCFD sales tax until 2030, by a margin of 62.8 percent to 37.2 percent in 2016.

Numerous museums may be found in Denver. Denver is home to numerous internationally renowned museums, including a brand-new wing for the Denver Art Museum designed by world-famous architect Daniel Libeskind. It also has the second-largest performing arts center in the country after Lincoln Center in New York City, as well as vibrant neighborhoods like LoDo that are teeming with restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Due in part to this, Denver was named the best city for singles in 2006 for the third consecutive year. While the city's cultural institutions expand and flourish, various individuals and businesses continue to move into Denver's neighborhoods. In 2004, the city purchased the estate of Clyfford Still, an abstract expressionist painter, and constructed a museum to display his artwork close to the Denver Art Museum. The Denver Museum of Nature and Science is home to specimens of the state mineral, rhodochrosite, as well as an aquamarine specimen worth over $1 million. A gem and mineral show is held at the Denver Mart, located at 451 E. 58th Avenue, every September. The History Colorado Center, the state's history museum, debuted in April 2012. It offers educational programs, artifacts, and interactive exhibits about Colorado history. It was listed as one of the top 10 "must see" history museums in the nation in 2013 by True West Magazine. The Molly Brown House and Byers-Evans House Museum in History Colorado are close by. There are many art districts in Denver, including the River North Art District and the Denver Art District on Santa Fe (RiNo).

Denver boasts a vibrant pop, jazz, jam, folk, metal, and classical music culture that has helped various artists and genres gain local, national, and even international recognition, despite the fact that it may not be as well known for its historical musical prominence as some other American towns. Denver's significance in the folk scene of the 1960s and 1970s is noteworthy. During this time, prominent folk musicians like John Denver, Judy Collins, and Bob Dylan all resided in Denver and gave performances at neighborhood clubs. Denver is also home to three of the members of the hugely popular band Earth, Wind, and Fire. The Lumineers, Air Dubai, The Fray, Flobots, Cephalic Carnage, Axe Murder Boyz, Deuce Mob, Havok, Bloodstrike, Primitive Man, and Five Iron Frenzy are some more recent Denver-based musicians. 

Denver has developed a reputation as being a very active, outdoor-oriented city due to its closeness to the mountains and typically sunny climate. Many Denver locals go skiing on the weekends and go hiking, climbing, kayaking, and camping on the weekends in the mountains.

Numerous regional and national breweries can be found in Denver and the nearby areas. Numerous restaurants in the area have their own breweries on-site, and some larger breweries, like Coors and New Belgium Brewing Company, give tours. Every fall, the city hosts the Great American Beer Festival, which draws tourists from all over the world. 

When ranchers would drive (or later transport) cattle to the Denver Union Stockyards for sale, Denver used to be a significant trading hub for beef and livestock. Since more than a century ago, Denver has played host to the annual National Western Stock Show, which can draw up to 10,000 animals and 700,000 spectators. Every January, the exhibit is hosted at the National Western Complex, which is northeast of the city center.

One of the largest concentrations of Mexican Americans live in Denver, which also hosts four significant Mexican American celebrations: the annual Lowrider show, the Dia de los Muertos art exhibitions, and the El Grito de la Independencia in the Highland neighborhood of North Denver and the Lincoln Park neighborhood in the original part of West Denver. Cinco de Mayo, with over 500,000 attendees, is celebrated in May; El Grito de la Independencia is celebrated in September.

Denver is renowned for its devotion to chile and New Mexican food. The Colorado burrito, Southwest (Denver) omelette, breakfast burrito, empanadas, chiles rellenos, and tamales are its most popular dishes. In addition, Denver is also recognized for other sorts of cuisine, including the Denver sandwich, rainbow trout, and Rocky Mountain oysters. 

For the Chinese and Asian-American populations in Denver, annual festivities include the Dragon Boat Festival in July, the Moon Festival in September, and Chinese New Year. Restaurants serving Korean BBQ and Chinese hot pot (huo guo) are becoming more and more well-liked. The Chinese American Post and the Colorado Chinese News are two Chinese newspapers published in the Denver region. 

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community has long been accepted in Denver. South Broadway and Colfax Avenue both have a large number of gay bars. Denver has the largest LGBTQ Pride festival in the Rocky Mountain region, Denver PrideFest, every June in Civic Center Park. The Bill Engvall Show, Tim Allen's Last Man Standing, and the 18th season of MTV's The Real World all take place in Denver. From 1981 through 1989, it served as the backdrop for the primetime program Dynasty (although the show was mostly filmed in Los Angeles). The Animal Planet series Emergency Vets, which gave rise to three documentary specials and the current Animal Planet series E-Vet Interns, was filmed from 1998 to 2002 at the city's Alameda East Veterinary Hospital. The Disney Channel sitcom is also filmed in the city. Wishing Charlie luck. 

Sports 

Denver is one of 13 American cities with teams from the four major league sports and is the home to a number of sports clubs (the Denver metro area is the smallest metropolitan area in the country to have a team in all four major sports leagues). It is also one of 10 American cities with five major sports franchises, including MLS soccer. 

Since their inception in the early 1960s, the Denver Broncos of the National Football League have attracted crowds of over 70,000, and they still do in their present home, Empower Field at Mile High. Since 1970, every home game for the Broncos has been sold out (apart from games that make up for strikes).

The Broncos have made it to eight Super Bowls and have won consecutive championships in 1997 and 1998 before winning it all again in 2015. In 1993, the Colorado Rockies were founded as an expansion franchise, and Coors Field debuted a year later. That year, the Rockies made it to the postseason but were eliminated early. The Boston Red Sox swept them in four games in the 2007 World Series despite the fact that they had progressed to the playoffs as a wild-card entrant, won the NL Championship Series, and brought the World Series to Denver for the first time. 

Two National Hockey League teams have called Denver their home. From 1976 until 1982, the Colorado Rockies were in play; however, they later relocated to the New York metropolitan area and became the New Jersey Devils. After moving from Quebec City, the Colorado Avalanche joined in 1995. They have won three Stanley Cups in Denver, in 1996, 2001, and 2022. Both the American Basketball Association and the National Basketball Association welcomed the Denver Nuggets in 1967 and 1976, respectively. Ball Arena (formerly known as Pepsi Center) has hosted games involving the Avalanche and Nuggets since 1999. Dick's Sporting Goods Park, an 18,000-seat soccer-specific stadium built for the 2007 MLS season in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, is home to the Major League Soccer team Colorado Rapids. In 2010, the Rapids won the MLS Cup. 

Top 2 News Websites in Denver, Colorado 

#1. The Denver Post 

On any platform you want, whenever you want, The Denver Post gives you access to the most pertinent, up-to-date news and information about Denver, Colorado, and the Rocky Mountain West. The Denver Post provides the most recent news about Denver, the state of Colorado, and regional breaking news. This news includes sports, weather, traffic, business, politics, photographs, and video. 

#2. Denver7 News 

Denver7 News provides you the latest local news as it happens from Colorado's whole state as well as the Denver metro area. 

Government 

Denver is a combined city-county with a 13-member city council, an auditor, and a mayor chosen on a nonpartisan ballot. The Denver City Council, which consists of two at-large council members and is elected from 11 districts, is in charge of passing and amending all laws, resolutions, and ordinances, usually following a public hearing. The council also has the authority to request investigations into the conduct of Denver departmental employees. All elected officials serve staggered four-year terms with a cap of three. Michael Hancock is the mayor at the moment.

Denver has a strong mayor and a mediocre municipal council. The mayor is in charge of the municipal budget, approves or vetoes all ordinances and resolutions passed by the council, ensures that all contracts with the city are upheld and carried out, signs all bonds and contracts, and can name individuals to serve on a variety of city boards and commissions. The city budget must be approved and can be altered by a simple majority vote of the council, however the council can overcome the mayor's veto with a majority of nine out of the council's thirteen members. The auditor examines every expense and has the right to reject to approve certain of them, usually for financial reasons. The Denver Police Department, Denver Fire Department, and Denver Sheriff Department are under the control of the Denver Department of Safety. The Colorado County Court and Municipal Court are combined into the Denver County Court, which is run by Denver rather than the state. 

Current City Mayor 

Michael B. Hancock, an American politician and author born on July 29, 1969, has been Denver, Colorado's 45th mayor since 2011. He was a Democratic Party member who, at the time of his election as mayor, was serving his second term as an 11th district councilor for Denver. Hancock spent two stints as the council's president between July 20, 2003, and July 18, 2011, the last of which ended in 2008. After defeating Chris Romer in a runoff election on June 7, 2011, he was sworn in as Denver's mayor on July 18. Hancock was easily reelected in 2015 with little to no competition, and he won a third term in 2019. After Wellington Webb, he is the second African American mayor of Denver.