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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Denver Fun Facts and Lots of Blue

Fun Facts about Denver from www.movoto.com

1. Louis Ballast, who operated the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In in Denver, was the first person to trademark the cheeseburger.
a. Lionel Sternberger was 16 years old when he was credited with inventing the first cheeseburger in 1926 in Pasadena, California
Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user santheo
2. The first permanent structure in Denver was not a hospital, bank or house—it was a saloon.
b. Saloons were popular in the  Wild West.

3. Denver brews more beer than any other city in the nation, with over 200 different beers brewed daily.
c. The Coors Brewing Co. is locally owned and operated. The brewery in  Golden, Colorado is the world's single largest brewery.   Founded in 1873 and producing over 5 billion dollars in U.S. sales annually.
Denver Facts
Source: Wynkoop Brewing Co.
4. In Denver’s rarified air, golf balls go about 10% farther than they would at sea level.
d. Since there is less air resistance at higher altitude everything goes farther fastest .

5. Because of Denver’s air and altitude, it’s also easier to get drunk. Alcoholic drinks can sometimes feel 1.5 to 3 times more potent in the Mile High City.
e. The 23rd G8 World Summit was held in Denver in 1997.  The Russian president was rushed to a local emergency room. Fearing he was having a heart attack, the staff had a good laugh, as his private stock of Russian Vodka made him drunk faster in the high altitude and caused his heart to  beat more quickly!

6. The 1976 Winter Olympics were originally going to be held in Denver. However, after the community voted against it, the city withdrew their bid, making it the first place to ever turn down hosting the Olympics.
f. Personally, I am happy when event like this pass us by. Colorado is one of the most heavily taxed states in the USA. We constantly are picking up the tab for everybody else. Recently the Republican National Convention passed Denver over for their upcoming convention. After the mess the Democrats made here, I say Amen and go somewhere else!

7. Famed music group Led Zeppelin played their first show in America at the Denver Auditorium Arena on December 26, 1968.  If my memory serves me correctly, yes, I was there!

Denver Facts
Source: Jim Summaria via Wikimedia Commons
8. In 1902, the police at Denver Union Station started enforcing a “no kissing” rule on platforms because it slowed down the trains.
f. Today it seems no one has any boundaries about much of anything.

9. William McGaa, one of the first settlers of Denver, named several downtown streets, one of which was called Wewatta for his original Sioux wife. However, he also named another street, Wazee, after his mistress. Talk about awkward.
g. Well, when I travel on these streets, and I do often, I will always remember this!

10. Denver is one of the 12 US cities to have teams from four major sports (baseball, hockey, football and basketball).
h. This is fun for me because at my house, we love sports! When the hubby and I were dating and when we were newly married we often attended Denver Nugget basketball games. We were thrilled to watch the likes of David Thompson, Dan Issel, Kiki Vandeweghe and so many other wonderful "old school" players play the game because they loved the sport and not the money!

11. The National Western Stock Show, held in Denver, is the largest stock show in the world. The National Western Rodeo is also one of the biggest rodeos on earth.
i. As much as I love country music, attending the stock show once  in my life time was plenty. I always preferred the rodeo at the Colorado State Fair in my hometown of Pueblo.
Denver Facts
Source: Facebook user National Western Stock Show
12. Denver has been named the “Baby Boomer Capital of America,” boasting a higher number of baby boomers than any other US city.
j. Many of us baby boomers are natives too! We love our great state.

13. The dome of the Colorado state capitol is plated with real 24K gold.
k. Now I know where all those tax dollars go! Hmmmmm..........
Denver Facts
Source: Wikimedia Commons user Hustvedt
14. However, the real rarity of the Colorado state capitol is on the inside because the building’s interior has large amounts of Colorado Rose Onyx. The world’s entire known supply of the material was used on the building.
l. Another fun fact to know.Here's one more for you, my oldest brother and his wife live in a home built with stone from the Royal Gorge.

15. Denver was rated as the healthiest city in the country for pets by Purina, ranking high in categories like veterinarian to pet ratio and low number of fleas.
m.  Denver boast lots of doggy daycare centers too! People love their pets and dog parks are big business here as well.

16. Denver has the largest city park system in the nation, with 14,000 acres of mountain parks and 2,500 acres of natural areas.
n. Northglenn where I live boast many trails for walking, running and biking. Within its borders, the city oversees 25 parks and open spaces that cover more than 250 acres. These parks are connected by the 28 miles of the Greenway Trail System, which criss-cross the city and connect with some of the major trail systems of the Denver area.

Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user ladybugbkt
17. Denver collects more money for the arts per capita than any other US city.
o. And they say the arts are dead! Ha! Not in Denver.

18. Except for Calvin Coolidge, every US President since Teddy Roosevelt has visited Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel and Spa.
p. Former governor Roy Romer ate breakfast daily at the Brown Palace and demanded fresh raspberries. Hmmmm.....more tax dollars hard at work.  A friend of ours was a chef there for many years and told us this fun act!
Denver Facts
Source: Facebook user Brown Palace Hotel and Spa
19. Denver’s nicknamed the Mile High City because it sits at an elevation of exactly one mile, or 5280 feet.
q. This is a true fun fact. Now if you really want to breathe God's private stock of crystal clear air travel just a little higher to the city of Leadville. It sits at 10,152 feet above sea level! A Leadville fun fact, unless you were born and raised in Leadville, as a competitive athlete  you can not train there.

20. Denver has the 10th largest downtown in America.
r.  Do you live in or near the largest city?

21. The iconic Blue Mustang sculpture, near the main road into airport, is rumored to be cursed. Its sculptor, Luis Jimenez, died in a freak accident while creating it when a piece of the 9000 pound sculpture fell on his leg and severed an artery. The stallion is now known as the “Devil Horse” and “Blucifer.”
s. This piece of art has always creeped me out personally. But a fun fact for Denver Bronco fans and those who remember "Bucky" gracing the old Mile High Stadium, he was  sculpted from Roy Rogers BBF "Trigger"

Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user Sirqitous
22. Denver is ranked among the best cities for singles in the nation.
t. There is a lot of night life here. Lots of fun activities for everyone and something for each individual.

23. Denver currently has more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks stores.
u. Not a favorite fact that is fun for me! I think these places have zero class and most of the folks supporting them are unemployed and using government tax dollars to buy their stash!  Do you really believe that if this was a cure all the government would not already have patented it and raked in the money for their own pockets? Let's not forget the small child who perished in a house fire after ingesting the stuff. His parents, sitting on government aid. A sad fact and a sad world.

24. The 16th Street Mall in Denver was designed by master architect I.M. Pei, who also created the glass pyramid outside of the Louvre in Paris
v. A fun place to visit.  Lots of interesting people to see. A large homeless problem as the government sees it! I am stunned how we live in a country with so much and have people, particularly runaways and our military roaming these streets. It is a sadness I pray about daily.
Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user ShinShin56
25. When viewed from above, the 400,000 pieces of granite paving on the pedestrian walkway of the 16th Street Mall resemble the skin of a western diamondback rattlesnake.
w. I bet this fun fact  caught you off guard. I think it is a very interesting little fact and I am not a lover of snakes by any means.

26. 200 named peaks are visible from Denver. 32 of them tower at 13,000 feet and above.
Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user NathanF
x. Our mountain range boast many beautiful peaks including  54 fourteeners, peaks that tower of 14,000 feet above sea level. I have been to the summit of Pikes Peak in the middle of July and let me tell you, it can get mighty cool up there.

27. Elvis Presley once flew in his private jet from Memphis to Denver’s Stapleton Airport just for a sandwich. He ordered 22 Fool’s Gold Loafs, a sandwich containing a jar of peanut butter, a jar of grape jelly and one pound of bacon, from the Colorado Gold Mine Company Steakhouse for him and his friends. They dined on the sandwiches with champagne and then returned home.
y. Ah....Elvis! He was some kinda guy! He also loved pb and banana sandwiches. Many times while visiting Denver he bought dozens of cars for many random folks.  Eat your heart out Oprah!
Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user Thuany Santana
28. The population in Denver has more than doubled since 1960.
z. The current population in Denver is approximately 600,158

29. In Denver’s old west days, the city had a performance of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” before it had a school or hospital.
aa. East High School is a Denver landmark and boast many celebrity alumni. They rarely have trouble raising money for any projects because of those generous folks. They include Pam Grier, actress, David Oliver, professional track athlete, Jack Swigert, astronaut and member of the Apollo 13 crew, Sidney Sheldon, an Academy award winning American writer and Mamie Eisenhower, wife of  former US president Dwight D. Eisenhower. The list is long and accomplished.

30. Denver was home to the very first Chipotle Mexican Grill.
bb. This was a fun fact I did not know! I am not a big fan of this eatery but rather I prefer original Mexican dishes and Denver has many of these fine establishments.

Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user Danielle_blue
31. Denver was named after Kansas Territorial Governor James Denver in hopes of gaining political favor. However, by the time the town was named, Governor Denver had retired.
cc. Leave it to a politician. Hee Hee

32. But it wasn’t difficult to convince others to name the city after the political leader. The alternative names for Denver were dropped for a shared barrel of whiskey.
dd. The bartering system. It was a good way to do business.

33. During the Denver Broncos’ AFL years, they had the worst record of any AFL team. However, they were also the first AFL team to beat an NFL team.
ee. Do you know who that team was? Hee Hee

Denver Facts
Source: Facebook user Denver Broncos
34. Denver is one of the few cities in the country that wasn’t built on a road, railroad, lake or navigable body of water. Settlers were attracted to the spot because of the gold found there.
ff. The expression "There's gold in them there hills", rang true during the height of the gold rush. Both my maternal grandfather Joseph and my mother's older brother Tony died in a mining accident in February, 1927. They worked in a gold mind in Victor, Colorado.

35. Denver is one of the sunniest cities in the US, with 300 annual days with some sunshine each year.
gg  This is a true fact and a very fun one too! We boast many glorious days of sunshine and clear blue skies. As a native, I know that the weather can change as quickly as a sunny day filled with rain showers, thunder, lightening and hail. The sun will automatically shine as if on cue.

36. The Denver Performing Art Complex is the 2nd largest performing arts center in the world.
hh. Denver boast a very impressive arts! If you have nothing going on during the weekend evenings you can head down to Santa Fe Avenue, in downtown Denver and browse in many  of the art galleries that line the street.

Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user Jim Nix / Nomadic Pursuits
37. According to USA Today, Denver is one of America’s top 10 “thinnest” cities. The ranking is based on only 19.3% of its population being obese, which is low compared to other locations.
jj.  Probably because of all the wonderful outdoor trails we have!

38. The original founder of Denver’s oldest restaurant, the Buckhorn Exchange, met Buffalo Bill when he was 10 years old and, within two years, was riding with both Buffalo Bill and the great Indian Chief, Sitting Bull. The later even gave him the nickname, “Shorty Scout,” because of his small stature.
kk. The Buckhorn Exchange is still a thriving restaurant in the downtown Denver area.
Denver Facts
Source: William Notman studios via Wikimedia Commons
39. At just over 26 miles long, Colfax Avenue is the longest continuous street in America.
ll. I drove this avenue from one end to the other when I first moved to Denver in 1983 and that is how I learned to maneuver the streets here.

40. Colorado Rockies’ Coors Field is one of the best ballparks in the nation for home runs. Because of its high elevation and the dry air, the balls fly much farther when hit than in other stadiums. The field has twice broken the record for major league home runs hit in a single ballpark in one season.
mm. The baseballs are kept in a humidor because of the dry air .

41. Denver is home to the Great American Beer Festival, the American brewing industry’s top beer tasting opportunity and competition.
nn. People love their brews here! Lots of events related to this growing industry too.
Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user deege@fermentarium.com
42. There are also more than a dozen wineries in the Denver metro area.
oo. I guess you could say people love their spirits here! In recent years wineries have grown quite popular. If you ever want a sip of a good local wine, try some Colorado Peach wine.

43. Although today Denver is the largest city and the capital of Colorado, the city’s first settlement, Montana City, was quickly abandoned. Minors favored Auraria, a more prosperous gold-mining settlement a few miles away.
pp. Auraria is the campus on which the Metropolitan State University sits and where three of our children attended college.

44. The Denver mint is the single largest producer of coins in the world. You can tell if a coin is made in Denver by a D mark.
 qq. When you visit the Denver Mint, you can hear all the rattling of the coins as they are processed. My friend Dr. T worked there administering hearing tests for workers for a while. I would imagine   that could cause a few hearing problems like working in a cannery.
Source: Flickr user Mark Morgan Trinidad B
45. In Denver, it is unlawful to lend your vacuum cleaner to your neighbor.
rr. I am glad I do not reside in Denver proper!  With our oldest daughter just two doors away we are constantly borrowing things from each other!

46. Contrary to popular belief, Denver is not within the Rocky Mountains. Instead, it’s near them, lying at the base of the mountain range. In fact, it was built on the high planes and is one of the flattest cities in America.
ss. A true but seemingly silly fact!

47. Bob Dylan lived at 1336 East 17th Ave. in Denver for a short amount of time in the 60s, while doing a series of gigs at the Satire Lounge.
tt. Ah...Bob Dylan is a very talented singer/songwriter. The Satire Lounge is still located at 1920 e. Colfax Avenue and has boated some of Denver's best Mexican food for the past fifty years.

Denver Facts
Source: Wikimedia Commons user Stoned59
48. Denver’s bright blue sky really is bluer than many other cities’. Because of Denver’s elevation, the air has less water vapor than it would at a lower altitude, making for a gorgeous sky!
uu. Science, don't you just love it! Another fun but truthful fact! We really do have some blue skies.

49. Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the country in terms of land area. It’s so huge that the four busiest airports in the US (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, O’Hare International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport) could fit into Denver Airport’s 53-square miles of land.
vv. My middle brother worked on the airport and currently has his job there. It is uniquely designed and I am proud to know my brother was part of the team that designed and built it. I think it is very easy to get around it as well. Probably from all the trips taking Nick back and forth!
Denver Facts
Source: Flickr user David_jones
50. There were originally three different towns with three different names where Denver stands today.
 ww. Oh these fun facts are really fun! One more bit of info for you and than head over to wish Sally and the Blue Crew a blue ti ful day!

The mountainous area of Colorado is six times the size of Switzerland, containing 9,600 miles (15,449 km) of fishing streams, 2,850 lakes, and more than 1,000 peaks two miles (3,218 km) high.
The road to the top of the 14,260-foot (4,346 km) peak of Mount Evans is the highest paved road in North America and is maintained and operated by Denver City Parks Department.
In 1893, while on top of nearby Pikes Peak, Katharine Lee Bates was inspired to write the words to "America the Beautiful."
Central City, located about 45 minutes west of Denver, is known as the "Richest Square Mile on Earth" due to the half billion dollars of gold that was mined there.
The Pikes Peak Railway (515 Ruxton Ave., Manitou Springs), located about an hour and a half south of Denver, is the highest cog railway in the world, traveling 8.9 miles from 6,571 feet to the summit at 14,110 feet.
The Colorado Trail is a 500-mile-long hiking trail, stretching from Durango to Denver, and crosses eight mountain ranges, seven national forests, six wilderness areas, and five river systems.

Thanks to Stacey Donaldson who use to be a weather girl on one of our local Denver channels. She sent this great fun fact over and I added my own secondary comments to it. Sorry it was so long but I love living here I live and am proud of all that Colorado has to offer.
What's your favorite Denver fun fact? Tell me in the comments below!

 


11 comments:

Magnus said...

Great story and photos

Little Wandering Wren said...

Wow that is a very impressive, comprehensive list about Denver I feel sorry that I have never been - next time!
Wren x

SmilingSally said...

Morning Anne,

You filled me in with a bunch of information! I've been to Denver, and I've even been to Pike's Peak Rodeo. Beautiful country. Thanks for making Blue Monday special.

Have a Happy Blue Monday!

Edna B said...

Wow, so much wonderful information. I've never been to Colorado, but I do have a relative who lives there. It sounds like such a fabulous place to live and raise a family.

We are having a spell of warm, sunny summer weather here. No rain in sight till next weekend. It's a great week to spend lots of time outdoors.

I love the oldies too, and dancing was one of my favorite things to do (when my legs behaved better). Today is nap and rest day, so Pogo and I will be settling down to watch some TV. You have a fabulous day. Hugs, Edna B.

Sue McPeak said...

A great post with fantastic photos and information. You Go Colorado Gal! Happy Blue Monday!
Sue at CollectInTexas Gal

Ann said...

Well the fact that stood out to me is that the state is named after a Kansas Governor. I know it seems everyone in Colorado exercises-my realities are always biking, hiking, kyacking or something outside. Elvis was and is my favorite singer so that was pretty fun fact too.
Ann

GranthamLynn said...

Interesting facts. I love the blues of course my favorite one is the Rodeo. I posted but my link wouldn't work. I hope you come by.
Have a great 4th.

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

Lots of fun facts about Denver! I've been through once - on my way to Washington State from Tucson with my parents and all our worldly goods, including a horse trailer with 3 horses. I've always loved the airport and the beautiful sails as you fly in. We almost moved there, but the Northwest won out. I think I would have been happy there, judging by the wonderful things you have written here. Sounds like a wonderful place to live. xo Karen

Mevely317 said...

Now I'm missing Colorado all over again! Tho' I never lived there, some of my best memories center around the tiny community of Bailey where I spent 2 summers at horse camp. (I've a first cousin who lives in downtown Denver, but we rarely communicate.)

Lots (well, most) of these facts surprised me, and I laughed aloud at it being against the law to lend your vacuum cleaner. Whaaaat?

Hope you all are enjoying a great holiday weekend!

Hugs,
Myra

BECKY said...

Hello Anne! I haven't stopped by in way too long, but so glad I did today. What a plethora of information! Thank you for writing all that for us readers. And how fun to see my friend, Myra, left a comment right above mine! Wishing you a beautiful, blissful week!

Theresa said...

I just returned from a tournament in Boulder! We flew into and out of Denver but didn't spend any time there! I wish I had planned ahead of time to have lunch with you:) I will next time! Have a blessed week ahead dear friend, HUGS!