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Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital Capital

In politics [i], a capital is the principal city [i] or town [i] associated with a country's government [i] ... 

 and largest city of the U.S. state U.S. state

A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state [i] ... 

 of Colorado Colorado

Colorado is a state [i] in the western United States [i]. ... 

. It is located on the plains Great Plains

The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie [i] and steppe [i] which lies east of the Rocky Mountains [i] ... 

 just east of the Rocky Mountain Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range [i] in western North America [i] ... 

s and forms the heart of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area

The Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan statistical area [i] defined by the United States Census Bureau [i] ... 

. The central downtown district is on the east side of the South Platte River South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River [i] and itself a majo ... 

, near its confluence with Cherry Creek, approximately fifteen miles from the foothills. Denver is the county seat of, and shares the same borders with, Denver County — one of the few consolidated city-counties in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

.

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Timeline

1899   Three Denver, Colorado newspapers publish a story that the Chinese government under the Guangxu Emperor Guangxu Emperor

The Guangxu Emperor, born Zaitian, was the tenth emperor [i] of the Manchu [i] Qing dynasty [i] ... 

 is going to demolish the Great Wall of China Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a Chinese [i] fortification [i] built from the 3rd century BC until the ... 

 - later proved to be a fabrication.

1970   United States Postal Service United States Postal Service

The United States Postal Service is an "independent establishment of the executive branch" of the United States Government [i] ... 

 workers in New York City New York City

[i] in the [[United States]... 

 go on strike Strike action

Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by employee [i] ... 

; the strike spreads to the state of California California

California is a state [i] spanning the southern half of the west coast [i] ... 

 and the cities of Akron Akron, Ohio

The city of Akron is the county seat [i] of Summit County [i] in the U.S. [i] ... 

, Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, colloquially referred to as Philly, and known as The City of Brotherly Love i... 

, Chicago Chicago

Chicago is the largest city [i] in the U.S. state [i] of Illinois [i], as well as the third-most populous [i] ... 

, Boston Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is the capital [i] of the Commonwealth [i] of Massachusetts [i] in the United States [i] ... 

, and Denver Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital [i] and largest city of the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

; 210,000 out of 750,000 U.S. postal employees walk out. President Nixon assigns military units to New York City post offices. The strike lasts two weeks.

1993   The inaugural Ultimate Fighting Championship Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship is a U.S. [i]-based mixed martial arts [i] organization, cu ... 

 is held in Denver, Colorado.

1995   In Denver, Colorado, the old Stapleton Airport Stapleton International Airport

Stapleton International Airport was Denver [i], Colorado [i]'s primary airport [i] from 1929 to 1995. ... 

 closes; it is replaced by a new Denver International Airport Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport , often called DIA, is a major international airport [i] located in n ... 

, the largest airport in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

.

2001   A plane crashes 40 miles east of Denver, Colorado, killing 2 players of the Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University System

The Oklahoma State University System is comprised of five educational institutes across Oklahoma [i]. ... 

 basketball team, 6 team staffers, and the 2-person crew.

2001   The Colorado Avalanche Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey [i] team based in Denver, Colorado [i]. ... 

 wins their second Stanley Cup Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy [i] of the National Hockey League [i] , the major professiona ... 

 Championship 3-1 in Game 7 over the New Jersey Devils New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey [i] team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey [i]. ... 

 at the Pepsi Center Pepsi Center

Pepsi Center is an arena [i] located in Denver, Colorado [i], USA [i]. ... 

 in Denver Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital [i] and largest city of the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

. This series is highly anticipated as longtime Boston Bruins Boston Bruins

The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey [i] team based in Boston, Massachusetts [i]. ... 

 star turned Colorado Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey [i] team based in Denver, Colorado [i]. ... 

 defenseman Ray Bourque Ray Bourque

Raymond Jean Bourque is a Hockey Hall of Fame [i]r who currently holds the records for most goals, assis ... 

 wins the Stanley Cup Stanley Cup

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy [i] of the National Hockey League [i] , the major professiona ... 

 for the first time in his illustrious 22 year NHL career; a few days after the team's victory, Bourque Ray Bourque

Raymond Jean Bourque is a Hockey Hall of Fame [i]r who currently holds the records for most goals, assis ... 

 announces his retirement.



Encyclopedia

The City and County of Denver is the capital Capital

In politics [i], a capital is the principal city [i] or town [i] associated with a country's government [i] ... 

 and largest city of the U.S. state U.S. state

A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to as a state [i] ... 

 of Colorado Colorado

Colorado is a state [i] in the western United States [i].... 

. It is located on the plains Great Plains

The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie [i] and steppe [i] which lies east of the Rocky Mountains [i] ... 

 just east of the Rocky Mountain Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range [i] in western North America [i] ... 

s and forms the heart of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area

The Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan statistical area [i] defined by the United States Census Bureau [i] ... 

. The central downtown district is on the east side of the South Platte River South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River [i] and itself a majo ... 

, near its confluence with Cherry Creek, approximately fifteen miles from the foothills.

Denver is the county seat of, and shares the same borders with, Denver County — one of the few consolidated city-counties in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

. According to 2005 Census United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is a part of the United States Department of Commerce [i]. ... 

 estimates , the city has a population of 557,917 and ranks as the 25th-largest List of United States cities by population

This is a list of the 200 largest incorporated places in the United States.... 

 in the United States United States

The United States of America, also known as the United States, the U.S., the U.S.A., a... 

 and the sixth-largest state capital. The population of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area is about 2,330,146 According to Demographia, it is the 20th largest metropolitan area Metropolitan area

A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large city and its adjacent zone of inf... 

 in the United States by 2000 population . The city claims to have the tenth largest downtown in the United States .

Denver is nicknamed "The Mile-High City" because its official elevation, engraved on the fifteenth step of the state capitol building Colorado State Capitol

The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 E Colfax Ave in Denver, Colorado [i], is the home of ... 

, is one statute mile Mile

[i], usually used to measure [[distance]... 

  above sea level. The city's elevation, as surveyed at Denver International Airport Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport , often called DIA, is a major international airport [i] located in n ... 

, is 5,431 ft .

Denver has also been known historically as the Queen City of the Plains because of its important role in the agricultural industry of the plains regions along the foothills of the Front Range. Other nicknames that Denver has had include The Rail City, for the city's importance as a North American rail hub, and Capital of the Rocky Mountain Empire, for the city's preeminence in the Rocky Mountain region. Several US Navy United States Navy

The United States Navy is the branch of the United States armed forces [i] responsible for conducting naval [i] ... 

 ships have been named USS Denver in honor of the city.

History



Denver was founded in the Kansas Territory Kansas Territory

Kansas Territory was an organized territory [i] of the United States [i] that existed from May 30 [i], 1854 [i] ... 

 in 1858. That summer a group from Lawrence, Kansas, arrived and established Montana City on the banks of the South Platte River South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River [i] and itself a majo ... 

. This was the first settlement in what was later to become the city of Denver. The site faded quickly, however, and was abandoned in favor of Auraria and St. Charles City by the summer of 1859. The site is now Grant-Frontier Park and includes mining equipment and a log cabin replica.

Larimer Party

On November 22 of 1858, General William Larimer, a land speculator from eastern Kansas Kansas

Kansas is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the Central [i] United States [i] ... 

, placed cottonwood Cottonwood

The cottonwoods are three species of poplar [i]s in the section Aegiros of the genus Populus, na ... 

 logs to stake a square-mile claim on the hill overlooking the confluence of the South Platte River South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River [i] and itself a majo ... 

 and Cherry Creek, across the creek from the existing mining settlement of Auraria.

The location was accessible to existing trails and had previously been the site of seasonal encampments of the Cheyenne Cheyenne

The Cheyenne are a Native American [i] nation of the Great Plains [i] ... 

 and Arapaho Arapaho

The Arapaho tribe of Native Americans [i] historically living on ... 

. Larimer, along with associates in the Denver City Land Company, sold parcels in the town to merchants and miners, with the intention of creating a major city that would cater to new emigrants. The name "Denver City" was chosen to honor Kansas territorial governor James W. Denver James W. Denver

James William Denver was an American [i] politician and lawyer. ... 

, in order to ensure that the city would become the county seat of then Arapaho County, Kansas. Ironically, when Larimer named it after Denver, he was unaware that the latter had already resigned as governor. After statehood, Denver remained the seat of Arapahoe County Arapahoe County, Colorado

Arapahoe County is a county [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

 until the creation of Denver County in 1902.

The Rail City


In the first few years, while the town grew, land parcels were often traded freely for grubstakes and in the course of gambling by miners in Auraria. The city was incorporated on November 7, 1861, several months after the formation of the Colorado Territory Colorado Territory

The Colorado Territory was a historic, organized territory [i] of the United States [i] that existed bet ... 

. In 1865, Denver became the capital of the Colorado Territory, and in an 1881 state election, that distinction became permanent . The mid 1880s saw a huge rise in city corruption, as crime bosses, such as Soapy Smith Soapy Smith

Jefferson Randolph Smith II was an American con artist [i] and gangster [i] who had a major hand in the ... 

, worked side-by-side with elected officials and the police, to control the elections, gambling, and the bunko gangs. By 1890, Denver had grown to be the second largest city west of Omaha, Nebraska Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha is the largest city in the U.S. state [i] of Nebraska [i]. ... 

, second only to San Francisco San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

. . It would lose the title at the turn of the century to Los Angeles, however.
In 1887, the precursor to the international charity United Way United Way

The United Way of America is a coalition of charitable organization [i]s that have traditionally pooled ... 

 was formed in Denver by local religious leaders who fundraised and cordinated various charities to help Denver's poor .
The era of the 1890s played an important role in Denver's history, as this is when the city began to take on a "big city" image. The 1908 Democratic National Convention Democratic National Convention

The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions [i] ... 

 was staged to promote Denver's prominence, and to signify the city's participation on the national political and socioeconomic stage.

Beat Generation and the Olympic Games


Denver was selected to host the 1976 Winter Olympics to coincide with Colorado's centennial anniversary, but Colorado voters struck down ballot initiatives allocating public funds to pay for the high costs of the games, so they were moved to Innsbruck Innsbruck

Innsbruck is a city in western Austria [i], and the capital of the federal state of Tyrol [i]. ... 

, Austria Austria

Austria is a landlocked [i] country in central Europe [i]. ... 

. The movement against hosting the games was based largely on environmental issues and was led by then State Representative Richard Lamm. Lamm was subsequently elected as Colorado governor in 1974.

Denver was an important place for the "beat generation Beat generation

The Beat Generation was a group of American writers [i] who came to prominence in the late 1950s [i] and ... 

." Beat icon Neal Cassady Neal Cassady

Neal Cassady was an icon of the Beat Generation [i] of the 1950s and the psychedelic movement of the 196 ... 

 was raised on Larimer Street in Denver, and a portion of Jack Kerouac Jack Kerouac

Jack Kerouac was an American [i] novelist [i], writer [i], poet [i], artist [i], and pa ... 

's beat masterpiece On the Road On the Road

On the Road is a novel by Jack Kerouac [i], published by Viking Press [i] in 1957 [i] ... 

 takes place in the city, and is based on the beat's actual experiences in Denver during a road trip. Beat poet Allen Ginsberg Allen Ginsberg

Irwin Allen Ginsberg was an American [i] Beat poet [i] born in Newark, New Jersey [i]. ... 

 lived for a time in the Denver suburb of Lakewood Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood is a city in Jefferson County [i], Colorado [i], United States [i]. ... 

, and he helped found the Buddhist Buddhism

Buddhism is a dharmic [i], non-theistic [i] religion [i], a way of life, a p ... 

 college, Naropa University or the "Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at Naropa" in nearby Boulder Boulder, Colorado

Boulder_region:US}}, Mountain Time Zone [i]) is a city in Boulder County [i], Colorado [i] ... 

.

Geography


Denver is located at in the Colorado Front Range region, between the Rocky Mountains Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range [i] in western North America [i] ... 

 to the west and the Great Plains Great Plains

The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie [i] and steppe [i] which lies east of the Rocky Mountains [i] ... 

 to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is a part of the United States Department of Commerce [i]. ... 

, the city has a total area of 401.3 km² , of which 4.1 km² , or 1.03%, is water.

Adjacent and Metro Area Counties

  • Adams County, Colorado Adams County, Colorado

    Adams County is a county [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

     - northeast
  • Arapahoe County, Colorado Arapahoe County, Colorado

    Arapahoe County is a county [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

     - east
  • Jefferson County, Colorado - west
  • Douglas County, Colorado - southwest
  • Broomfield County, Colorado Broomfield, Colorado

    The City and County of Broomfield lies in the northern tier of the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area [i] i ... 

     - northwest

Climate


Denver has a semi-arid climate with four distinct seasons. While Denver is located on the Great Plains Great Plains

The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie [i] and steppe [i] which lies east of the Rocky Mountains [i] ... 

, the weather of the city and surrounding area is heavily influenced by the proximity of the Rocky Mountains Rocky Mountains

The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range [i] in western North America [i] ... 

 to the west. The climate, while generally mild compared to the mountains to the west and the plains further east, can often be very unpredictable. Measurable amounts of snow have fallen in Denver as late as Memorial Day Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a United States [i] federal holiday [i] that is observed on the last Monday of May . ... 

 and as early as Labor Day, and trace amounts have been recorded in every month of the year.

The average temperature in Denver is 50.1 °F , and the average yearly precipitation is 15.81 in . The season's first snowfall generally occurs around October 19, and the last snowfall is about April 27, averaging 61.6 in of seasonal accumulation. Although Denver's Convention and Visitor Bureau claims Denver receives over 300 sunny days a year , the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a scientific agency of the United States Department of Commerce [i] ... 

 places that figure at about 250 days of sunshine a year .

Denver's winters can vary from mild to cold, and although large amounts of snow can fall on the mountains just west of the city, the effects of orographic lift Orographic lift

Orographic lift occurs when an air mass [i] is forced from a low elevation [i] to a higher elevation as ... 

 dry out the air passing over the Front Range Front Range

The Front Range is a mountain range [i] in the United States [i] on the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains [i] ... 

, shadowing the city from precipitation for much of the season. Additionally, warm chinook winds Chinook wind

Chinook winds, often just called chinooks, are a variety of Fhn wind [i]s pattern observed in the interi ... 

 can occasionally be felt as air passing over the mountains heats as it descends. Nevertheless, winters are generally mild, with the coldest temperature ever recorded in Denver was recorded on January 9, 1875 at -29 °F , though the last time Denver recorded a temperature below -20 °F was in 1990.

Spring brings with it significant changes as Denver can be affected by air masses on all sides, whether arctic air from the north, which occasionally combines with Pacific storm fronts bringing snow to the city. In fact, March is Denver's snowiest month, averaging 11.7 in of snow. Additionally, warm air from the Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is a major body of water [i] bordered and nearly landlock [i]ed by North America [i]. ... 

 can bring the first thunderstorms Thunderstorm

A thunderstorm, or an electrical storm [i], is a form of weather [i] characterized by the presence ... 

 of the season, and continental warm air can bring summer-like warm and dry conditions.
Starting in mid-July, the monsoon Monsoon

A monsoon is a wind pattern that reverses direction with the seasons.... 

 brings tropical moisture into the city and with it come frequent short late-afternoon thunderstorms. However, despite this tropical moisture, humidity levels during the day generally remain very low. The average high during the summer is 85 °F and the average low is 56 °F .

In the autumn, the tropical monsoon flow dies down and as arctic air begins to approach, it can combine with moisture from the Pacific Northwest Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest in its broadest definition is an area that includes part of the west coast of United States [i] ... 

 to bring significant snowfall to the city – November is Denver's second snowiest month, and Denver's greatest recorded snowfall from a single storm, 45.7 in , fell in late autumn from December 1 to December 6, 1913.


JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Extreme Daily Maximum°F 767784909510410510597907979
Average Daily Maximum°F 434754617182888677665244
Average Daily Minimum°F 151925344453595747362416
Extreme Daily Minimum°F -29
1930424017
Data recorded from Downtown Denver , Stapleton Airport , and Denver International Airport . Averages 1971-2000.



>!
!!
!!Jan!!Feb!!Mar!!Apr!!May!!Jun!!Jul!!Aug!!Sep!!Oct!!Nov!!Dec
|-
!align=left|Average Precipitation
|align=center|in
| 0.51||0.49||1.28||1.93||2.32||1.56||2.16||1.82||1.14||0.99||0.98||0.63
|-
!align=left|Average Snowfall
|align=center|in
| 7.7||6.3||11.7||9.1||1.3||T||0.0||0.0||2.1||4.1||10.7||8.7
|-
|colspan=14 align=center bgcolor=#f0f0f0 style="font-size:67%;line-height:1em;"| Precipitation data recorded from Stapleton Airport , and Denver International Airport . Snowfall data recorded from Stapleton Airport . Averages 1971-2000. . Energy and mining are still important in Denver's economy today, with companies such as EnCana EnCana Corporation

EnCana Corporation is one of the largest independently owned oil [i] and gas [i] companies [i] ... 

, Halliburton Halliburton

Halliburton Energy Services is a multinational corporation [i] with operations in over 120 countries. ... 

, Newmont Mining, Patina Oil and Gas, and Western Gas Resources.

Denver's west-central geographic location in the Mountain Time Zone also benefits the telecommunications industry by allowing communication with both North American coasts, South America, Europe, and Asia in the same business day. Denver's location on the 105th meridian at over 1 mile in elevation also enables it to be the largest city in the U.S. to offer a 'one-bounce' real-time satellite uplink to six continents in the same business day. Qwest Communications Qwest

Qwest Communications International Inc. is a large telecommunication [i]s carrier. ... 

, EchoStar, Starz-Encore, and Comcast Comcast

Comcast Corporation, based in Philadelphia [i], Pennsylvania [i], is the larg ... 

 are just a few of the telecommunications companies with operations in the Denver area. These and other high-tech companies had a boom in Denver in the mid to late 1990s, but the technology bust in the new millennium caused Denver to lose many of those technology jobs. Recently the Denver area has started making a comeback, with the October 2005 unemployment at 4.7% the lowest since September of 2001 . Denver government and industry leaders are attempting to diversify the Denver economy so that it is less susceptible to boom and bust cycles.
See also: List of companies with Denver area operations

Trade Shows

Denver's location at the center of what is considered the "Napa Valley" of craft-brewing has led the American Brewer's Association to hold its annual Great American Beer Festival at the Colorado Convention Center. Denver is also the site of the annual National Western Stock Show National Western Stock Show

The National Western Stock Show is held every January at the National Western Complex [i] in Denver [i] ... 

 due to its ranching and agricultural roots.

Law and government


Denver is a consolidated city-county with a non-partisan elected mayor , a 13-member city council and an auditor. The Denver City Council Denver City Council

The Denver City Council is the legislative branch [i] of government [i] for the City and County of Denver [i]... 

 is elected from 11 districts with two at-large council-members and is responsible for passing and changing all laws, resolutions, and ordinances, usually after a public hearing. They can also call for misconduct investigations of Denver's departmental officials.

Denver has a strong mayor/weak city council government. The mayor can approve or veto any ordinances or resolutions approved by the council, makes sure all contracts with the city are kept and performed, signs all bonds and contracts, is responsible for the city budget, and can appoint people to various city departments, organizations, and commissions. However, the council can override the mayor's veto with a nine out of 13 member vote, and the city budget must be approved and can be changed by a simple majority vote of the council. The auditor checks all expenditures and may refuse to allow specific ones, usually based on financial reasons.

All elected officials have four year terms, with a maximum of two terms. While Denver elections are non-partisan, Democrats have long held a virtual monopoly on Denver politics with all elected officials having Democratic Party affiliation. In federal elections, Denverites also tend to vote for Democratic candidates, voting for the Democratic Presidential nominee in every election since 1960 . The office of Denver's Mayor has been occupied by a Democrat since the municipal general election of 1963, including the current mayor, John Hickenlooper. Denver is represented at the federal level by congresswoman Diana DeGette Diana DeGette

Diana Louise DeGette, is a politician [i] from the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

, a Democrat representing Colorado's 1st congressional district Colorado's 1st congressional district

The 1st Congressional district of Colorado is located in central Colorado [i], encompassing the city of ... 

, which includes all of Denver and parts of Arapahoe County Arapahoe County, Colorado

Arapahoe County is a county [i] located in the U.S. state [i] of Colorado [i]. ... 

.

Notable political action and events

During the 1960s and 70s, Denver was one of the epicenters of the Chicano Movement. The boxer-turned-activist Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales Rodolfo Gonzales

Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales was an American [i] boxer [i], poet [i], and politi ... 

 formed an organization called the Crusade for Justice, which battled police brutality, fought for bilingual education, and, most notably, hosted the First National Chicano Youth Liberation Conference in March of 1969.

In recent years, Denver has taken a stance on helping people who are or become homeless Homelessness

Homelessness or transience is a situation in which a person does not have a long term residence, a... 

, particularly under the administrations of mayors John Hickenlooper John Hickenlooper

John Wright Hickenlooper is Mayor of the City and County of Denver [i], Colorado [i]. ... 

 and Wellington Webb. Denver's homeless population is considerably lower than many other major cities, but residents of the city streets have suffered during Denver's winter Winter

Winter is one of the four season [i]s of temperate [i] zones. ... 

s. Although mild and dry much of the time, Denver's winters can have brief periods of cold temperatures and varying amounts of snow. As a result, the city has set a national precedent on homeless services, with the creations of a ten-year plan to end homelessness , a task force and commission to end homelessness, and an expansion of human and civil services through the Denver area.


In 2005, Denver became the first major city in the U.S. to make the private use of less than an ounce of marijuana Cannabis (drug)

The drug [i] cannabis, also called marijuana, is produced from parts of the cannabis [i]... 

 legal for adults 21 and older. The city voted 53.49%-46.51% in favor of the marijuana legalization Cannabis rescheduling in the United States

Cannabis rescheduling in the United States is the proposed removal of marijuana [i] from Schedu ... 

 measure. It should be noted that this initiative does not usurp state law, which currently treats marijuana possession in much the same way as a speeding ticket, with fines of up to $100 and no jail time .

Denver is competing with St. Paul Saint Paul, Minnesota


Saint Paul is the capital [i] and second-largest city [i] of the state [i] of Minnesota [i] ... 

/Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis.
  • Minnesota State Highway 65 [i] follows Central Avenue through Northeast Minneapolis, and ... 

     and New York New York City

    [i] in the [[United States]... 

     to host the 2008 Democratic National Convention 2008 Democratic National Convention

    The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be the 2008 United States presidential nominating convention [i] ... 

    , which would coincidentally be the centennial of the city's first hosting of the landmark 1908 convention. It also hosted the G7 G8

    The Group of Eight consists of Canada [i], France [i], Germany [i], Italy [i], Japan [i], Russia [i], t ... 

      summit between June 20 and June 22 in 1997.

Media

Denver is served by a variety of media outlets in print, radio and television. Denver is the #18 market in the country for television, according to the

Television

  • KWGN KWGN-TV

    KWGN-TV, channel two, is the CW Television Network [i] affiliate in Denver, Colorado [i], USA [i] ... 

     2 Owned and operated by the Tribune Company Tribune Company

    Tribune Company is a large American [i] multimedia [i] corporation [i] based in Chicago, Illinois [i] ... 

     of Chicago Chicago

    Chicago is the largest city [i] in the U.S. state [i] of Illinois [i], as well as the third-most populous [i] ... 

  • KCNC KCNC-TV

    KCNC-TV is the CBS [i] owned-and-operated television station [i] in Denver, Colorado [i]. ... 

     4 Owned and operated by CBS CBS

    CBS is one of the largest television network [i]s, and formerly one of the largest radio network [i]s, ... 

  • KRMA Rocky Mountain PBS

    The Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Network, known on-air as Rocky Mountain PBS, is the flagshi... 

     6 Community owned
  • KMGH KMGH-TV

    KMGH-TV is the ABC [i] television affiliate in Denver, Colorado [i].... 

     7 Owned and operated by McGraw-Hill McGraw-Hill

    [i] headquartered in [[New York City]... 

  • KUSA 9 Owned and operated by Gannett Communications
  • KBDI 12 Community Owned
  • KDEN 25 Owned and operated by NBC Universal NBC Universal

    NBC Universal is a media [i] and entertainment [i] conglomerate [i] formed in Ma ... 

  • KTVD KTVD

    KTVD is a television station [i] on UHF [i] Channel 20, based in Denver, Colorado [i] ... 

     20 Owned and operated by Gannett Communications
  • KDVR KDVR

    [i] Channel 31 based in [[Denver, Colorado]... 

     31 Owned and operated by Fox Fox

    A fox is a member of any of 27 species [i] of small omnivorous [i] canid [i]s. ... 



Popular Radio

Denver is served by over 40 AM and FM stations, covering a wide variety of formats. Denver radio is the #22 market in the United States, according to Arbitron ratings.

Primary Newspapers

The Denver Newspaper Agency consists of the two main newspapers in Denver:
  • The Denver Post
  • The Rocky Mountain News Rocky Mountain News

    The Rocky Mountain News is a daily morning tabloid [i]-format newspaper [i] published in Denver, Colorado [i] ... 



Secondary/Alternative Newspapers
  • Westword
  • Outfront Colorado
  • Denver Daily News

Transportation


Grid system

Most of Denver has a straightforward street grid Grid plan

The grid plan or gridiron plan is a type of city [i] plan in which street [i]s run at right angle [i] ... 

 oriented to the four cardinal direction Cardinal direction

In geography [i], the four cardinal directions are north [i], east [i], south [i] and west [i]. ... 

s. Blocks are usually identified in hundreds from the median streets, identified as "0", which are Broadway and Ellsworth Avenue . Colfax Avenue Colfax Avenue

Colfax Avenue is the main street that runs east and west through the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area [i] ... 

, the major east-west artery through Denver, is 15 blocks north of the median. Avenues north of Ellsworth are numbered , while avenues south of Ellsworth are named.

There is also an older downtown grid system that was designed to be parallel to the confluence of the South Platte River South Platte River

The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River [i] and itself a majo ... 

 and Cherry Creek. Most of the streets downtown and in LoDo LoDo

LoDo is the lower downtown area of Denver, Colorado [i], the oldest and original settlement of the city ... 

 run northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast. This system has an unplanned benefit for snow removal; if the streets were in a normal N-S/E-W grid, only the N-S streets would receive sunlight. With the grid oriented to the diagonal directions, the NW-SE streets receive sunlight to melt snow in the morning and the NE-SW streets receive it in the afternoon. The NW-SE streets are numbered, while the NE-SW streets are named. The named streets start at the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Broadway with the block-long Cheyenne Place. The numbered streets start underneath the Colfax and I-25 viaducts. There are 27 named and 44 numbered streets on this grid. There are also a few vestiges of the old grid system in the normal grid, such as Park Avenue, Morrison Road, and Speer Boulevard.

All roads in the downtown grid system are streets. Roads outside of that system that travel east/west are given the suffix "avenue" and those that head north and south are given the "street" suffix. . Boulevards are higher capacity streets and will travel any direction. Smaller roads are sometimes referred to as places, drives or courts. Most streets outside of the area between Broadway and Colorado Boulevard are organized alphabetically from the city's center.


Confusion may arise where the two grid systems meet, especially given downtown Denver's one way streets. The system can be easily navigated with the help of directional signs. The mountains to the west also offer a great compass-point for those attempting to drive in the Mile High City.

Highways

Denver is primarily served by the interstate highways I-25 Interstate 25

Interstate 25 is an interstate highway [i] in the western United States [i]. ... 

 and I-70 Interstate 70

Interstate 70 is a long interstate highway [i] in the United States [i] that runs from Interstate 15 [i] ... 

. The intersection of the two interstates is referred to locally as "the mousetrap." I-70 runs east-west from Utah Utah

Utah is a U.S. state [i] located in the western [i] United States [i]. ... 

 to Kansas Kansas

Kansas is a Midwestern [i] state [i] in the Central [i] United States [i] ... 

. I-25 runs north-south from the New Mexico New Mexico

New Mexico is a southwestern [i] state in the United States of America [i]. ... 

 border through Denver to the Wyoming Wyoming

Wyoming is a state [i] of the western [i] United States [i]. ... 

 border. I-225 Interstate 225

Interstate 225 is a spur route [i] of Interstate 25 [i] in Colorado [i], traversing Aurora [i] ... 

 traverses neighboring Aurora and connects with I-25 in the southeastern corner of Denver. Additionally, I-76 begins from I-70 just west of the city in Arvada Arvada, Colorado

Arvada is a city in Jefferson [i] and Adams County, Colorado [i] and part of ... 

. It intersects I-25 north of the city and runs northeast to Nebraska where it ends at I-80 Interstate 80

Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway [i] in the United States [i]. ... 

. U.S. Route 6 U.S. Route 6

rticle_route=6|
map=US 6 map.png|
... 

 connects downtown Denver to the suburb of Golden Golden, Colorado

Golden, Colorado lies at the mouth of Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range [i]. ... 

.

A highway expansion and transit project for the I-25 Interstate 25

Interstate 25 is an interstate highway [i] in the western United States [i]. ... 

 corridor, dubbed T-REX , will be completed in November 2006. The completed portion installed wider and additional lanes, easier and more efficient access, and better drainage. The project also included installing light-rail lines. The project spanned almost 16 miles, from Douglas County, Colorado to downtown Denver. Part of T-REX also encompassed the southern section of I-225 Interstate 225

Interstate 225 is a spur route [i] of Interstate 25 [i] in Colorado [i], traversing Aurora [i] ... 

, a major highway through Aurora, Colorado.

Mass transportation


Mass transportation Public transport

Public transport, public transportation, public transit or mass transit comprises all ... 

 throughout the Denver-Aurora metropolitan area Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area

The Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan statistical area [i] defined by the United States Census Bureau [i] ... 

 is managed and coordinated by the Regional Transportation District Regional Transportation District

The Regional Transportation District otherwise known as RTD, is the regional authority operating public ... 

 . RTD currently operates more than 1,000 buses Bus

A bus is a large automobile intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver [i] and... 

 serving 10,000 bus stops in 38 municipal jurisdictions. Additionally, RTD operates two light rail Rail transit in metropolitan Denver

The Denver metropolitan area [i] in Colorado [i] has a light rail [i] system with two lines currently in opera ... 

 lines with a total of 15.8 miles of track and serving 24 stations. Current RTD local fare is $1.50 with disabled residents who have an RTD disabled discount card being charged 75¢. FasTracks, an expansion project approved by voters in 2004, will allow light rail to serve cities such as Lakewood Lakewood, Colorado

Lakewood is a city in Jefferson County [i], Colorado [i], United States [i]. ... 

, Golden Golden, Colorado

Golden, Colorado lies at the mouth of Clear Creek at the edge of the foothills of the Front Range [i]. ... 

, and Aurora. Commuter rail lines will serve the northern section of the metropolitan area, in addition to Boulder Boulder, Colorado

Boulder_region:US}}, Mountain Time Zone [i]) is a city in Boulder County [i], Colorado [i] ... 

, Longmont Longmont, Colorado

Longmont, Colorado
|-
| align=center colspan=2 | |-
... 

, and Denver International Airport Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport , often called DIA, is a major international airport [i] located in n ... 

.

Trains

Amtrak Amtrak

Amtrak is the brand name [i] of the United States [i]' intercity [i] passenger train [i] system created ... 

, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Denver, operating its California Zephyr California Zephyr

The California Zephyr is a 2,438-mile passenger train [i] route operated by Amtrak [i] in the Midwest [i] ... 

 daily in both directions between Chicago and Emeryville, California Emeryville, California

Emeryville is a small city located in Alameda County, California [i], in the United States [i]. ... 

, across the bay from San Francisco San Francisco, California

The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth-largest city in California [i] and the fourteenth-lar ... 

. Additionally, there is the Ski Train operated by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad

The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad generally referred to as the Rio Grande, became the Denver an... 

, which takes passengers between Denver and the Winter Park Winter Park, Colorado

Winter Park is a town [i] in Grand County [i], Colorado [i], United States [i]. ... 

 Ski Resort. Denver's early years as a major train hub of the west are still very visible today. Trains stop in Denver at historic Union Station, where travelers can access RTD's 16th Street Free MallRide or use light rail to tour the city.

Airports


Denver International Airport Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport , often called DIA, is a major international airport [i] located in n ... 

 , commonly known as DIA, serves as the primary airport for the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan area. It is the eleventh busiest airport in the world and ranks sixth in the United States, with 43.4 million passengers passing through it in 2005. It covers more than 53 square miles , making it the largest airport in the United States by land area. In the past, Denver has been home to other airports that are no longer operational. Stapleton International Airport Stapleton International Airport

Stapleton International Airport was Denver [i], Colorado [i]'s primary airport [i] from 1929 to 1995. ... 

 was closed in 1995 when it was replaced by DIA. Lowry Air Force Base was a military flight training facility that ceased flight operations in 1966, with the base finally being closed in 1994.

Although not located within Denver's borders, Centennial Airport, Front Range Airport and Jef