It is now a ghost town, but in 1861, Nevadaville outside Central City was larger than Denver.
When Denver built the Denver International Airport (DIA) it required the moving of 110 million cubic yards of earth even though it's on a relatively level site. That is approximately one-third the amount of earth moved to build the Panama Canal. The airport is the largest airport in the country (53 square miles).
Colorado is ranked #8 in the nation for high school graduation with 81.9% of its receiving their diplomas.
More than 1/3 of Colorado adults hold at least a bachelor's degree, and metro Denver boasts the second-highest percentage of college graduates in the country. Of the adult population, 87.8% are high school graduates and 38.5 percent have college degrees. (maybe split this one up??)
Denver boasts 85 miles of off-road trails for bikers and runners and is Bicycle Magazine's top city for bicyclists. Bike paths link the city's 205 parks and many streets have bike lanes. More than 130 miles of designated bike paths and lanes.
National Jewish Medical & Research center has been named the best hospital in the country for the treatment of respiratory disease for past 8 years running.
Nationally known Craig Hospital was named 7th for rehabilitation.
Children's Hospital of Denver is ranked 7th in the country in pediatric care.
Colorado has the lowest obesity rate of the 50 states, according to the Trust for America's Health, 2004.
Metro Denver's climates is best described as "semi-arid", averaging just under 16 inches of precipitation annually.
Average annual maximum temperature: 64 degrees
Average annual minimum temperature: 36 degrees
Denver's average winter high temp: 37.9 degrees
Denver's average winter low temp: 21.6 degrees
Denver's average summer high temp: 83.7 degrees
Denver's average summer low temp: 54.6 degrees .
Colorado's sunny, temperate climate makes year-round outdoor recreation possible. With 40 state parks and 3 national parks in metro Denver's back yard, prime recreation opportunities abound for biking, hiking, camping, fishing, or skiing.
More than 75 public and private golf courses are located in Metro Denver. 25 world-class ski resorts are within 100 miles of the metro Denver area.
The city and County of Denver has the largest city park system in the nation with 205 parks within the Denver city limits. Over 20,000 acres of parks are located in the nearby mountains. counties throughout metro Denver have preserved over 100,000 acres as open space for future generations to enjoy.
The stegosaurus was designated as the official state fossil on April 28, 1982 by executive order of Governor Richard D. Lamm.
The invention of the world's first "cheeseburger" belongs to Louis Ballast, who, in 1935, grilled a slice of cheese onto a hamburger at his Denver Humpty Dumpty drive-in.
The Mile High City really is a mile high. Denver's State Capitol building has a spot on the west steps that is 5,280 feet above sea level.
Denver receives 300 days of sunshine a year!!! That's more sun than San Diego or Miami Beach.
As the "Baby Boomer" capital of America, Denver has the highest percentage of boomers than any major U.S. city.
Denver is built on high planins and is one of the flattest of all American cities.
The entire world's supply of Colorado onyx, a rare stone found near Beulah, Colorado is used as wainscoting inside the Denver State Capitol.
Denver is built on high plains and is one of the flattest of all American cities.
The largest of the hundreds of natural lakes in Colorado is Grand Lake, which is almost one full square mile! There are also nearly 2000 larger man-made lakes in Colorado.
Colorado earns its nickname "Mother of Rivers" because more major rivers have their source in Colorado than in any other state.
John Henry "Doc" Holliday's brief and tumultuous existence led him to Glenwood Springs where he succumbed to tuberculosis and died at the Hotel Glenwood on November 8, 1887.
Colorado's southwest corner borders Arizona, New Mexico & Utah, the only place in America where the corners of four states meet.
The world's largest natural hot springs pool is located in Glenwood Springs.
Colfax Avenue in Denver is the longest continuous street in America.
With an average elevation of about 6800 feet, Colorado is the highest of all the states.
Great Sand Dunes National Monument, near Alamosa, contains some of the largest and highest sand dunes in North America.
