108-556: Fort Logan was a military installation located eight miles southwest of Denver, Colorado . It was established in October 1887, when the first soldiers camped on the land, and lasted until 1946, when it was closed following the end of World War II . After the fort closed the site was used as a mental health center and part of the land was set aside for the Fort Logan National Cemetery . Initially named Fort Sheridan , in 1889
216-687: A mining town on the banks of the South Platte River in what was then western Kansas Territory , on traditional lands of Cheyenne and Arapaho . This was the first historical settlement in what later became the city of Denver. But the site faded quickly, and by the summer of 1859 it was abandoned in favor of Auraria (named after the gold-mining town of Auraria, Georgia ) and St. Charles City. On November 22, 1858, General William Larimer and Captain Jonathan Cox, both land speculators from eastern Kansas Territory , placed cottonwood logs to stake
324-801: A 187-space mobile home park. Other added facilities included a youth center, a child-care center, a chapel (in addition to the 1941 chapel), and a new Airmen's Open Mess. In 1976, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (formerly Air Force Accounting & Finance Center) & the Air Reserve Personnel Center opened in the Gilchrist Building (Building 444). The AFAITC school remained at Lowry from 1963 to 1988, before moving to Goodfellow AFB, in San Angelo, Texas. US Navy intelligence training for both junior officers and enlisted personnel
432-550: A bid. The City of Denver purchased the sanatorium for an airfield after a 1935 municipal bond vote. On 27 August 1937, the Denver Branch, Air Corps Technical School , was formed with Departments of Photography and Armament ("photography training moved from Chanute Field"), and the WPA converted the sanatorium grounds into a Colorado military airfield . In February 1938 the airfield being installed adjacent to Fairmont Cemetery
540-594: A change of ownership in 2006. Qwest Corporation , founded in Denver in 1911 as Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company, is now a part of Lumen Technologies (previously CenturyLink ). On October 31, 1937, Continental Airlines , now United Airlines , moved its headquarters to Stapleton Airport in Denver, Colorado (before United Airlines later moved to its current home in Chicago ). Robert F. Six arranged to have
648-569: A claim on the bluff overlooking the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek , across the creek from the existing mining settlement of Auraria, and on the site of the existing townsite of St. Charles. Larimer named the townsite Denver City to curry favor with Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver . Larimer hoped the town's name would help it be selected as the county seat of Arapahoe County , but unbeknownst to him, Governor Denver had already resigned from office. The location
756-513: A fort north of Chicago and on 5 April 1889, had the camp designated "Fort Logan" after John Alexander Logan , who led Union Army volunteer forces during the Civil War. Logan was the head of the post-war organization Grand Army of the Republic and issued General Orders No. 11, establishing May 30 as "Decoration Day", now called Memorial Day , to honor the Civil War dead. In 1889, the town of Fort Logan
864-589: A manufacturer of insulation and roofing products, relocated its headquarters to Denver from New York in 1972. CH2M Hill , an engineering and construction firm, relocated from Oregon to the Denver Technological Center in 1980. The Ball Corporation sold its glass business in Indiana in the 1990s and moved to suburban Broomfield ; Ball has several operations in greater Denver. Lowry Army Airfield Lowry Air Force Base ( Lowry Field from 1938–1948)
972-460: A mixture of crime and poverty of a rapidly growing city. Denver citizens were proud when the rich chose Denver and were thrilled when Horace Tabor , the Leadville mining millionaire, built a business block at 16th and Larimer, as well as the elegant Tabor Grand Opera House. Luxurious hotels, including the much-loved Brown Palace Hotel , soon followed, as well as splendid homes for millionaires, such as
1080-598: A place in the top two in terms of affordability and quality of lifestyle. According to the 2020 United States census , the racial composition of Denver was as follows: Approximately 70.3% of the population (over five years old) spoke only English at home. An additional 23.5% of the population spoke Spanish at home. In terms of ancestry, 31.8% were Hispanic or Latino , 14.6% of the population were of German ancestry, 9.7% were of Irish ancestry, 8.9% were of English ancestry, and 4.0% were of Italian ancestry. There were 250,906 households, of which 23.2% had children under
1188-597: A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association , residents of Denver had a 2014 life expectancy of 80.02 years. The Denver MSA has a gross metropolitan product of $ 157.6 billion in 2010, making it the 18th largest metro economy in the United States. Denver's economy is based partially on its geographic position and its connection to some of the country's major transportation systems. Because Denver
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#17328869082581296-608: A revival of the Ku Klux Klan attracted white, native-born Americans who were anxious about the many changes in society. Unlike the earlier organization that was active in the rural South, KKK chapters developed in urban areas of the Midwest and West, including Denver, and into Idaho and Oregon. Corruption and crime also developed in Denver. Between 1880 and 1895, the city underwent a huge rise in corruption, as crime bosses, such as Soapy Smith , worked side by side with elected officials and
1404-479: A scheduled stop at Lowry on 1 September 1927 during his 48 state sponsored tour. Jack Taylor died on the maiden voyage of the Cheyenne-Pueblo-Denver contract airmail route from Lowry to Cheyenne when his aircraft exploded on 10 December 1927. He was flying a large Douglas mail plane for Western Air Express Inc. near Lowry. During the latter part of 1937 the name "Lowry Field" was transferred from
1512-410: A temporary barracks and guardhouse while permanent buildings were constructed. Initially, the post responded to local civil and labor disputes. The camp was a treeless plateau located about eight miles southwest of the city. Unofficially the local citizens began to refer to it as "Fort Sheridan" after General Philip Sheridan who had selected the site. Sheridan preferred having his name associated with
1620-461: Is a former United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) training base during World War II and a United States Air Force (USAF) training base during the Cold War . From 1955-1958, it served as the initial site of the U.S. Air Force Academy . It is a U.S. Formerly Used Defense Site (B08CO0505). The City of Denver, Auraria, and Highland was chartered as the 1859 territorial capital after the start of
1728-435: Is at Denver International Airport, roughly 20 miles (32 km) from downtown. A 2019 analysis showed the average temperature at Denver International Airport, 50.2 °F (10 °C), was significantly cooler than downtown, 53.0 °F (12 °C). Many of the suburbs also have warmer temperatures and there is controversy regarding the location of the official temperature readings. See or edit raw graph data . As of
1836-474: Is large throughout the year. Tornadoes are rare west of the I-25 corridor; one notable exception was an F3 tornado that struck 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south of downtown on June 15, 1988. On the other hand, the suburbs east of Denver and the city's east-northeastern extension ( Denver International Airport ) can see a few tornadoes, often weak landspout tornadoes, each spring and summer, especially during June, with
1944-717: Is surrounded by three other counties: Adams County to the north and east, Arapahoe County to the south and east, and Jefferson County to the west. Denver's nickname is the "Mile-High City", as its official elevation is one mile (5,280 ft; 1,609 m) above sea level, defined by the elevation of the spot of a benchmark on the steps of the State Capitol building. The elevation of the entire city ranges from 5,130 to 5,690 feet (1,560 to 1,730 m). The City and County of Denver has 78 official neighborhoods used for planning and administration. The system of neighborhood boundaries and names dates to 1970 when city planners divided
2052-599: Is the largest city within 500 miles (800 km), it has become a natural location for storage and distribution of goods and services to the Mountain States , Southwest states , as well as all western states . Another benefit for distribution is that Denver is nearly equidistant from large cities of the Midwest , such as Chicago and St. Louis and some large cities of the West Coast , such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Over
2160-467: The 0-19 E variant and gaining enough flying time to earn his instructor’s rating. Lowry Field was assigned to the new Army Air Field on 11 March 1938. Photographic courses began prior to the field's completion and runway paving. The paved runway opened on 4 April (first used by a B-18 Bolo ). The sanatorium's main building became the Army post's headquarters, and the largest single barracks (3,200 men)
2268-476: The 18th most populous U.S. metropolitan area . Denver is the most populous city within a radius centered in the city and of 550-mile (890 km) magnitude. Denverites is a term used for residents of Denver. According to the 2020 census, the City and County of Denver contained 715,522 people and 301,501 households. The population density was 3,922.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,514.5 inhabitants/km ) including
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#17328869082582376-463: The 1976 Winter Olympics to coincide with Colorado's centennial celebration, but in November 1972, Colorado voters struck down ballot initiatives allocating public funds to pay for the high costs of the games. They were moved to Innsbruck , Austria. The notoriety of being the only city ever to decline to host an Olympiad after being selected has made subsequent bids difficult. The movement against hosting
2484-436: The 2020 census , the population of the City and County of Denver was 715,522, making it the 19th most populous U.S. city . The Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated 2013 population of 2,697,476 and ranked as the 21st most populous U.S. metropolitan statistical area , and the larger Denver–Aurora–Boulder Combined Statistical Area had an estimated 2013 population of 3,277,309 and ranked as
2592-492: The 2151st Air Rescue Unit delivered 115 blankets and 30 cases of C rations on 4 January to 482 people at Rockport, Colorado .) By 25 August 1949, the 3903rd Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron had a unit based at Lowry which operated a Strategic Air Command radar station ( Lowry's radar annex was at Genesee Mountain Park .) In 1951, plans called for the headquarters of Technical Training Air Force to be at Lowry and after expansion at
2700-635: The A-10 Thunderbolt II , and the B-1 Lancer . After being considered for closure in 1978 and since "Lowry lacked a runway" (all runways closed and all USAF flight operations terminated, July 1966), Lowry AFB was designated for closure by BRAC 1991 . The 3400th Technical Training Wing inactivated on 27 April 1994, and the base officially closed on 30 September 1994. The National Civilian Community Corps used Lowry facilities from 1994 until 2004; and Space Systems Support Group Detachment 1 "located at
2808-500: The Barksdale Field bombardier school. Lowry training for Boeing B-29 Superfortress pilot qualification and for B-29 operational crew readiness began in 1943, and the base had a July 1943–Jan 1944 clerical school. In 1944 expansion of Lowry's airfield was planned and Lowry gained B-29 Flight Engineer training. Lowry transferred under Technical Training Command in mid-October 1945 ( Air Training Command on 1 July 1946) and by
2916-578: The Central Park neighborhood. MediaNews Group purchased the Denver Post in 1987; the company is based in Denver. The Gates Corporation , the world's largest producer of automotive belts and hoses, was established in S. Denver in 1919. Russell Stover Candies made its first chocolate candy in Denver in 1923, but moved to Kansas City in 1969. The original Frontier Airlines began operations at Denver's old Stapleton International Airport in 1950; Frontier
3024-598: The Colorado Territory was created, Arapahoe County was formed on November 1, 1861, and Denver City was incorporated on November 7, 1861. Denver City served as the Arapahoe County Seat from 1861 until consolidation in 1902. In 1867, Denver City became the acting territorial capital , and in 1881 was chosen as the permanent state capital in a statewide ballot . With its newfound importance, Denver City shortened its name to Denver. On August 1, 1876, Colorado
3132-614: The Five Points neighborhood; Alamo Placita , the northern part of the Speer neighborhood ; Park Hill , a successful example of intentional racial integration; and Golden Triangle , in the Civic Center. One of Denver's newer neighborhoods was built on the site of Stapleton International Airport , named after former Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton , a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In 2020,
3240-537: The High Plains , at the foot of the Rocky Mountains , the region can be subject to sudden changes in weather. July is the warmest month, with an average high temperature of 89.9 °F (32.2 °C). Summers range from warm to hot with occasional, sometimes severe, afternoon thunderstorms and high temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on 38 days annually, and occasionally 100 °F (38 °C). December,
3348-568: The Mace missile course at Lowry graduated from the " G.L. Martin factory training course in Baltimore MD in 1960" and by early 1961, Lowry's personnel course moved to Greenville AFB . By 1962, Lowry's Department of Missile Training was graduating over 1,000 trained missile specialists per year, and the "Tactical Missile School at Lowry" (e.g., for Matador missile training) in January 1962 "was located in
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3456-449: The Rocky Mountains to the west and the High Plains to the east. Its topography consists of plains in the city center with hilly areas to the north, west, and south. It is the only state capital in the United States that is a consolidated city-county. At the 2020 United States census , the City and County of Denver had an area of 99,025 acres (400.739 km ), including 1,057 acres (4.276 km ) of water. The City and County of Denver
3564-557: The South Platte River in 1858 during the Gold Rush era. Nicknamed the "Mile High City" because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5280 feet or 1609.344 meters) above sea level, Denver grew beyond its prospecting origins to become the principal commercial and transportation hub for a broad region spanning the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain West. The 105th meridian west of Greenwich ,
3672-585: The Stanley British Primary School . A dormitory and a former medical building on the east end of the base are owned by the state as part of the Higher Education and Technology campus. The last remaining military facility at the former Lowry base was the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Finance Center ( 6760 E Irvington Place), which had its own USAF Base Facility identifier in 2004 (08002D). The Lowry Community Master Association (LCMA)
3780-415: The continental United States . In fact, Denver has had three of the top 10 costliest hailstorms in U.S. history, on July 11, 1990; July 20, 2009; and May 8, 2017. Based on 30-year averages obtained from NOAA 's National Climatic Data Center for the months of December, January and February, Weather Channel ranked Denver the 18th-coldest major U.S. city as of 2014 . Denver's official weather station
3888-412: The 10-county Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 2,963,821 and the 12-county Denver–Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area had a population of 3,623,560 at the 2020 United States census , Denver functions as the principal city of the 18-county Front Range Urban Corridor , an oblong urban region stretching across Colorado and Wyoming with a population of 5,055,344 at
3996-495: The 1858 Pike's Peak gold rush . In 1887, Fort Logan was established in the modern Denver Metropolitan Area . East of the state capital, military training at Montclair, Colorado , began at the future airfield when the 1887 Jarvis Hall Military School opened. Montclair was incorporated into Denver in 1903 and Jarvis Hall burned down in 1904. At the military school site the Agnes Phipps Memorial Sanatorium
4104-425: The 1920s. As of 2010 , 72.28% (386,815) of Denver residents aged five and older spoke only English at home, while 21.42% (114,635) spoke Spanish, 0.85% (4,550) Vietnamese, 0.57% (3,073) African languages, 0.53% (2,845) Russian, 0.50% (2,681) Chinese, 0.47% (2,527) French, and 0.46% (2,465) German. In total, 27.72% (148,335) of Denver's population aged five and older spoke a language other than English. According to
4212-520: The 1970s and 1980s included flight line and in-shop avionics maintenance courses for the F-4 Phantom II , F-111 Aardvark , A-10 Warthog, F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon (e.g., communications, flight controls, navigation, weapons guidance, and electronic countermeasures & warfare systems). In 1982, Lowry's 1941 Eisenhower Memorial Chapel ( cf. the Eisenhower Chapel at Fort Knox )
4320-428: The 2020 U.S. census. Regarded for its sunny weather and access to nature, Denver was named the best place to live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report in 2016. The greater Denver area was inhabited by several Indigenous peoples such as Apaches , Utes , Cheyennes , Comanches , and Arapahoes . By the terms of the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie between the United States and various tribes including
4428-477: The 20th century. Many African Americans first came as workers on the railroad, which had a terminus in Denver, and began to settle there. Between the 1880s and 1930s, Denver's floriculture industry developed and thrived. This period became known locally as the Carnation Gold Rush . A bill proposing a state constitutional amendment to allow home rule for Denver and other municipalities was introduced in
Fort Logan - Misplaced Pages Continue
4536-485: The 3415th Special Training Group at Lowry AFB. In addition to Air Force personnel, the U.S. Navy also sent junior officers (ensigns and lieutenants) for initial intelligence training at Lowry, along with enlisted personnel newly graduated from boot camp for their "A" school instruction as intelligence specialists. Construction began in 1970 for enlisted and officer billeting facilities to replace World War II vintage barracks, five 1,000-man dormitories and completed by 1974,
4644-466: The 3415th TTW moved intelligence, comptroller, and transportation training programs to Sheppard AFB . On 11 July 1955, the first class of 306 USAF Academy cadets was sworn in at Lowry. In 1956 Lowry's bombing range support ended when the bombing range mission was terminated and Lowry's first general courses for missiles were developed. Courses were for Falcon, Rascal, Snark, and Navajo missiles and in 1958, Nuclear Weapons Training. Also early in 1958,
4752-481: The 724th SMS operational, and 2 days later the first Titan Is went on alert status. A month later, the sister 725th SMS (initially designated the 849th SMS) declared it had placed all nine of its Titan Is on alert status, which marked a SAC first. Both the 724th and 725th Strategic Missile Squadrons formed components of the Lowry-headquartered 451st Strategic Missile Wing . The "original class of instructors" for
4860-523: The AAF Air Service Command for training injured soldiers in civilian trades. In addition the fort was briefly used as a prisoner of war camp in 1943 and 1944. After the war the fort was declared surplus and negotiating over what to do with the land commenced. It was closed in May 1946. Some land was sold, 75 acres (including the burial ground) were set aside for the Fort Logan National Cemetery , and
4968-531: The Air Force.") In 1965, the runway was closed, and all Lowry AFB flying activities moved to nearby Buckley Air National Guard Base . Ten courses from Amarillo AFB were planned to be moved to Lowry in mid-1968, and Amarillo's 3320th Retraining Group for convicted airmen moved to Lowry 1 July – 1 September 1967. In 1974, the Air Staff approved Lackland AFB 's Special Treatment Center to transfer to
5076-550: The Area Planning process. Denver also has a number of colloquial neighborhood names and boundaries reflecting how people in an area, or others such as community groups and real estate developers, have defined areas. Well-known non-administrative neighborhoods include the historic and trendy LoDo (short for "Lower Downtown"), part of the city's Union Station neighborhood ; Uptown, straddling North Capitol Hill and City Park West ; Curtis Park and RiNo ("River North"), both part of
5184-618: The Black Hangar." On 25 June 1965, the 724th and 725th Strategic Missile Squadrons were inactivated, and the last missile supported by Lowry was removed on 14 April 1965. The Armed Forces Air Intelligence Training Center was established at Lowry effective 1 July 1963 with student training beginning on 17 July (by 14 March, "the Defense Department had assigned responsibility for all DOD air intelligence training and advanced training in photographic, radar, and infrared interpretation to
5292-660: The Cheyenne and Arapaho, the United States unilaterally defined and recognized Cheyenne and Arapaho territory as ranging from the North Platte River in present-day Wyoming and Nebraska southward to the Arkansas River in present-day Colorado and Kansas . This definition specifically encompasses the land of modern Metropolitan Denver. But the discovery in November 1858 of gold in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado (then part of
5400-573: The Colorado National Guard facility to the new Denver Branch, Air Corps Technical School. In early 1938, after about a year of overlapping operations, the 120th Observation Squadron moved to their new quarters at the Denver Municipal Airport ; remaining there until mobilization for World War II took place on 6 January 1941. The 19 officers and 116 enlisted members of the squadron then moved to Biggs Army Airfield , Texas. In 1938,
5508-493: The Croke, Patterson, Campbell Mansion at 11th and Pennsylvania and the now-demolished Moffat Mansion at 8th and Grant. Intent on transforming Denver into one of the world's great cities, leaders wooed industry and attracted laborers to work in these factories. Soon, in addition to the elite and a large middle class, Denver had a growing population of immigrant German, Italian, and Chinese laborers, soon followed by African Americans from
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#17328869082585616-598: The Deep South and Hispanic workers. The influx of the new residents strained available housing. In addition, the Silver Crash of 1893 unsettled political, social, and economic balances. Competition among the different ethnic groups was often expressed as bigotry, and social tensions gave rise to the Red Scare . Americans were suspicious of immigrants, who were sometimes allied with socialist and labor union causes. After World War I,
5724-640: The Denver metropolitan area with a network operation of 25 kV 60 Hz. Denver has been known historically as the Queen City of the Plains and the Queen City of the West , because of its important role in the agricultural industry of the High Plains region in eastern Colorado and along the foothills of the Colorado Front Range . Denver is in the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor , between
5832-522: The Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express in order to secure the region's first overland wagon route. Offering daily service for "passengers, mail, freight, and gold", the Express reached Denver on a trail that trimmed westward travel time from twelve days to six. In 1863, Western Union furthered Denver's dominance of the region by choosing the city for its regional terminus. On February 18, 1861, six chiefs of
5940-619: The Southern Cheyenne and four of the Arapaho signed the Treaty of Fort Wise with the United States at Bent's New Fort at Big Timbers near what is now Lamar, Colorado . They ceded more than 90 percent of the lands designated for them by the Fort Laramie Treaty, including the area of modern Denver. Some Cheyennes opposed to the treaty, saying that it had been signed by a small minority of
6048-641: The Strategic Transportation Plan. Denver has hosted the Democratic National Convention twice, in 1908 and 2008 . It promoted the city on the national, political, and socioeconomic stage. On August 10–15, 1993, Denver hosted the Catholic Church's 6th World Youth Day , which was attended by an estimated 500,000, making it the largest gathering in Colorado history. In 2015, a new commuter railway system commenced operations in
6156-529: The USAF concluded that the new NORAD headquarters (different from the planned Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunkers for NORAD and the Denver ADS ) should be relocated from Ent AFB to Lowry AFB (CO Springs' Chidlaw Building became the new NORAD HQ). In 1960, Lowry was the 3rd ranked technical training base of ATC. The Air Force Ballistic Committee , formed in 1955, approved the former bombing range on 13 March 1958 for
6264-529: The age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.1% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size was 3.14. Age distribution was 22.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
6372-471: The airport. There were 338.341 housing units at an average density of 1,751 units per square mile (676 units/km ). However, the average density throughout most Denver neighborhoods tends to be higher. Without the 80249 zip code (47.3 sq mi, 8,407 residents) near the airport, the average density increases to around 5,470 per square mile. Denver, Colorado, is at the top of the list of 2017 Best Places to Live, according to U.S. News & World Report , landing
6480-544: The beginning of the Korean War , Lowry courses included photography, armament, rocket propulsion , electronics , radar-operated fire-control systems, computer specialties, gun and rocket sights, and electronically operated turret systems. The 3415th Wing formed a Guided Missiles Department on 7 June 1951 and from 1952 – 1955, Lowry functioned as President Dwight D. Eisenhower 's Summer White House . Beginning in September 1954,
6588-427: The chiefs without the consent or approval of the rest of the tribe, that the signatories had not understood what they signed, and that they had been bribed to sign by a large distribution of gifts. The territorial government of Colorado, however, claimed the treaty was a "solemn obligation" and considered that those Indians who refused to abide by it were hostile and planning a war. Ten days later, on February 28, 1861,
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#17328869082586696-459: The city into 73 groups of one to four census tracts, called "statistical neighborhoods," most of which are unchanged since then. Unlike some other cities, such as Chicago , Denver does not have official larger area designations. Colloquially, names such as Northside and Westside are still in use, but not well-known. Community planners have recently been using a set of 19 larger areas, all of which are groups of statistical neighborhoods, as part of
6804-516: The coldest month of the year, has an average daily high temperature of 44 °F (6.7 °C). Winters consist of periods of snow and very low temperatures alternating with periods of milder weather due to the warming effect of Chinook winds . In winter, daytime highs occasionally exceed 60 °F (16 °C), but they also often fail to reach 32 °F (0 °C) during periods of cold weather. Occasionally, daytime highs can even fail to rise above 0 °F (−18 °C) due to arctic air masses. On
6912-430: The coldest nights of the year, lows can fall to −10 °F (−23 °C) or below, with the city experiencing a low of −24 °F (−31 °C) on December 22, 2022, with a wind chill of −40 °F (−40 °C). Snowfall is common throughout the late fall, winter and early spring, averaging 53.5 inches (136 cm) for 1981–2010; but in the 2021 winter season, Denver began the month of December without any snowfall for
7020-416: The contamination to an increase in birth defects and cancer incidence in central Denver and nearer Rocky Flats. Later studies confirmed many of his findings. Plutonium contamination was still present outside the former plant site as of August 2010 . It presents risks to building the envisioned Jefferson Parkway, which would complete Denver's automotive beltway . In 1970, Denver was selected to host
7128-550: The end of 1945, Lowry's separation center was processing an average of 300 discharges a day. The nearby bombing range was transferred from Buckley Field, by authority of Technical Division, Air Training Command , to Lowry A.F.B. on 20 September 1946. In July 1947, formal courses in Intelligence Training were established at Lowry for combat reporting, photographic intelligence, prisoner of war interrogation, and briefing and interrogation of combat crews. Lowry Air Force Base
7236-627: The enhancement of the Denver Convergence Vorticity Zone (DCVZ). The DCVZ, also known as the Denver Cyclone, is a variable vortex of storm-forming air flow usually found north and east of downtown, and which often includes the airport. Heavy weather from the DCVZ can disrupt airport operations. In a study looking at hail events in areas with a population of at least 50,000, Denver was found to be ranked 10th most prone to hail storms in
7344-498: The first Titan I ICBM launch complex (the Titan missile plant was built at Waterton Canyon .) The 703d Strategic Missile Wing was activated on 25 September 1958 and redesignated the 451 SMW on 1 July 1961, at the same time the 848th and the 849 SMS were redesignated the 724th and 725 SMS. Construction on all nine silos at the three launch complexes for the 724 was completed by 4 August 1961. On 18 April 1962, Headquarters SAC declared
7452-439: The first time in history. The average window for measurable (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snow is October 17 through April 27; however, measurable snowfall has occurred as early as September 4 and as late as June 3. Extremes in temperature range from −29 °F (−34 °C) on January 9, 1875, up to 105 °F (41 °C) as recently as June 28, 2018. Due to the city's high elevation and aridity, diurnal temperature variation
7560-461: The former Lowry AFB" in March 1995 moved to Peterson AFB . The Bonfils Blood Center "became the first commercial tenant at Lowry" in the former commissary during September 1995, and the site development company was presented facility and real estate awards in 1997 (asbestos was remediated from the Formerly Used Defense Site of "1,866 acres"—remediation at buildings included Building 402:PCBs, 606: groundwater, & 1432: soil ). The Buckley Annex
7668-403: The former Lowry Field was renamed Combs Field when Harry B. Combs began leasing the airfield. He and a partner opened Mountain State Aviation, a fixed-base operation and flight training facility. Mountain State would go on to train over 9,000 pilots for World War II through the Civilian Pilot Training Program at the location. In 1936, Combs had joined the 120th Observation Squadron, flying
7776-526: The fort was named after Union General John A. Logan , commander of US Volunteer forces during the American Civil War . Toward the end of the 19th century, conflicts between Native Americans and expanding American interests were becoming less common. The United States Army began looking to cut costs by closing isolated frontier forts and start using the railroads to transport troops and supplies. Denver citizens were concerned about their safety due to
7884-510: The games was based largely on environmental issues and was led by State Representative Richard Lamm . He was subsequently elected to three terms (1975–87) as Colorado governor . Denver explored a potential bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics , but no bid was submitted. In 2010, Denver adopted a comprehensive update of its zoning code, which was developed to guide development as envisioned in adopted plans such as Blueprint Denver, Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan, Greenprint Denver, and
7992-487: The headquarters moved to Denver from El Paso, Texas because Six believed that the airline should have its headquarters in a large city with a potential base of customers. Continental later moved to Houston from Denver, but merged with United Airlines in 2013. Throughout that time, the company held a large employee base in the Denver area, which is home to the United Airlines Flight Training Center in
8100-589: The influx of settlers from the east. They petitioned the United States Army to build a post. Colorado Senator Henry M. Teller introduced a bill in Congress 1886 for construction of a post, which was signed in February 1887. The fort, originally known as "the camp near the city of Denver" first housed members of the 18th Infantry from Leavenworth, Kansas and Fort Hays , who arrived in October 1887. They established
8208-479: The legislature in 1901 and passed. The measure called for a statewide referendum, which voters approved in 1902. On December 1 that year, Governor James Orman proclaimed the amendment part of the state's fundamental law. The City and County of Denver came into being on that date and was separated from Arapahoe and Adams counties. From 1953 to 1989, the Rocky Flats Plant , a DOE nuclear weapon facility that
8316-546: The longitudinal reference for the Mountain Time Zone , passes directly through Denver Union Station . As the most populous metropolitan area in a 560-mile (900 km) radius, Denver is a major cultural hub with a variety of museums and cultural institutions, including the Denver Performing Arts Complex and Denver Art Museum . Denver also has sports teams in all five major professional leagues. While
8424-543: The most populous metropolitan area in Colorado. Denver is the economic and cultural center of the broader Front Range Urban Corridor , home to more than 5 million people. Denver's downtown district lies about 12 miles (19 kilometers) east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Named after James W. Denver , the governor of the Kansas Territory at the time, Denver was founded at the confluence of Cherry Creek and
8532-641: The neighborhood's community association voted to change the name from Stapleton to Central Park (see more in Politics section below). The Central Park neighborhood itself has 12 "neighborhoods" within its boundaries. Denver features a continental semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk ) with generally low humidity and around 3,100 hours of sunshine per year, although humid microclimates can be found nearby depending on exact location. It has four distinct seasons and receives most of its precipitation from April through August. Due to its inland location on
8640-615: The only Colorado pilot killed in combat in World War I . The airfield was used by the 120th Observation Squadron , 45th Division Aviation. In 1924, the 120th began flying Curtiss JN-4Es (better known as Jennies) at the new airfield. A 28 October 1926 photo shows the Fokker BA-1 trimotor Josephine Ford of the Byrd Arctic Expedition being refueled at the original Lowry Field. Charles Lindbergh and his Spirit of St. Louis made
8748-549: The police to control elections, gambling, and bunco gangs . The city also suffered a depression in 1893 after the crash of silver prices. In 1887, the precursor to the international charity United Way was formed in Denver by local religious leaders, who raised funds and coordinated various charities to help Denver's poor. By 1890, Denver had grown to be the second-largest city west of Omaha, Nebraska . In 1900, whites represented 96.8% of Denver's population. The African American and Hispanic populations increased with migrations of
8856-573: The population and 14.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 25.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Denver has one of the largest populations of Mexican-Americans in the entire United States. Approximately one third of the city is Hispanic , with the overwhelming majority of them being of Mexican descent. Many of them speak Spanish at home. English, German, Irish, Swedish, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, and Russian immigrants immigrated to Denver by
8964-428: The prosperity of the young town. The transcontinental railroad passed a daunting 100 miles (160 kilometers) away, but citizens mobilized to build a railroad to connect Denver to it. Spearheaded by visionary leaders, including Territorial Governor John Evans , David Moffat , and Walter Cheesman , fundraising began. Within three days, $ 300,000 had been raised, and citizens were optimistic. Fundraising stalled before enough
9072-478: The rest was donated to the state of Colorado. The state used the site as a mental health center and the first patients were admitted in 1961. In 1991 the center was renamed to the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Fort Logan. When the post was no longer required, some of the land was used for creation of the Fort Logan National Cemetery in 1949. A Queen Anne style officer's quarters building
9180-690: The site during the Great Depression . On 1 March 1941, the Army Air Corps moved an Army Air Forces Clerical School to Fort Logan from Lowry Army Airfield . Thus the installation came under the control of Western Technical Training Command . In 1942 the Administrative Inspector School was opened which trained air inspectors . In April 1944, Fort Logan was transferred from the Western Technical Training Command to
9288-457: The town to merchants and miners, with the intention of creating a major city that would cater to new immigrants. Denver City was a frontier town, with an economy based on servicing local miners with gambling, saloons, livestock, and goods trading. In the early years, land parcels were often traded for grubstakes or gambled away by miners in Auraria. In May 1859, Denver City residents donated 53 lots to
9396-449: The western Kansas Territory ) brought on a gold rush and a consequent flood of white immigration across Cheyenne and Arapaho lands. Colorado territorial officials pressured federal authorities to redefine and reduce the extent of Indian treaty lands. In the summer of 1858, during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush , a group of gold prospectors from Lawrence, Kansas , established Montana City as
9504-522: The western edge of the High Plains due east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains . With a population of 715,522 as of the 2020 census , a 19.22% increase since 2010 , Denver is the 19th most populous city in the United States and the fifth most populous state capital. It is the principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood metropolitan statistical area , with almost 3 million people
9612-551: The year they were deployed south during the Pullman Strike . Units from Fort Logan also participated in the 1898 Spanish–American War . In 1908 the site added 340 acres, bringing their total to 940 acres. In 1909 the fort was reduced to a recruit depot and continued in that role until 1922, when the 38th Infantry was garrisoned at the post. It was the only major military post in Colorado during World War I . In 1927 an Engineering unit occupied Fort Logan and made major updates to
9720-687: The years, the city has been home to other large corporations in the central United States, making Denver a key trade point for the country. Several well-known companies originated in or have relocated to Denver. William Ainsworth opened the Denver Instrument Company in 1895 to make analytical balances for gold assayers. Its factory is now in Arvada . Aimco is headquartered in Denver. Samsonite began in Denver in 1910 as Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company, but Samsonite closed its NE Denver factory in 2001, and moved its headquarters to Massachusetts after
9828-718: Was admitted to the Union . This disagreement on the validity of Treaty of Fort Wise escalated to bring about the Colorado War of 1864 and 1865, during which the brutal Sand Creek massacre against Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples occurred. The aftermath of the war was the dissolution of the reservation in Eastern Colorado, the signing of Medicine Lodge Treaty which stipulated that the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples would be relocated outside of their traditional territory. This treaty term
9936-400: Was 33 years. Overall there were 102.1 males for every 100 females. Due to a skewed sex ratio wherein single men outnumber single women, some protologists had nicknamed the city as Menver . The median household income was $ 45,438, and the median family income was $ 48,195. Males had a median income of $ 36,232 versus $ 33,768 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,101. 19.1% of
10044-515: Was about 15 miles from Denver, produced fissile plutonium " pits " for nuclear warheads . A major fire at the facility in 1957, as well as leakage from nuclear waste stored at the site between 1958 and 1968, resulted in the contamination of some parts of Denver , to varying degrees, with plutonium-239 , a harmful radioactive substance with a half-life of 24,200 years. A 1981 study by the Jefferson County health director, Carl Johnson, linked
10152-494: Was accessible to existing trails and was across the South Platte River from the site of seasonal encampments of the Cheyenne and Arapaho . The site of these first towns is now occupied by Confluence Park near downtown Denver. Edward W. Wynkoop came to Colorado in 1859 and became one of the city's founders. Wynkoop Street in Denver is named after him. Larimer, along with associates in the St. Charles City Land Company, sold parcels in
10260-497: Was achieved, even though the treaty was not legally ratified by the tribal members, as per the treaty's own terms. Thus, by the end of 1860s, this effectively and completely cleared the Denver area of its indigenous inhabitants. Although by the close of the 1860s Denver residents could look with pride at their success establishing a vibrant supply and service center, the decision to route the nation's first transcontinental railroad through Cheyenne City , rather than Denver, threatened
10368-547: Was assigned to the Air Corps Technical School headquartered at Chanute, and "the Denver branch of the Army Air Corps became an Army post of 880 acres." The name Lowry Field was originally assigned to an airfield consisting of property taken over by the Colorado National Guard, having a southern border along East 38th Avenue between Dahlia & Holly Streets. It was named for Second Lieutenant Francis Lowry,
10476-488: Was completed in mid-1940. The "Northeast-Southwest runway was completed in 1941" and on 1 March 1941, the Air Corps Technical School moved an " A.A.F. Clerical School " for Air Corps Clerks (384 hours) to Fort Logan from Lowry. Beginning 16 July 1940, the 1st class of the AAF bombardier schools was at Lowry and used the nearby bombing and gunnery range through 14 March 1941, graduating three classes of instructors who opened
10584-401: Was designated on 24 June 1948 and on 26 August 1948 established all Lowry training organizations under the 3415th Technical Training Wing (redesignated "Lowry Technical Training Center" on 1 Jan 1959). Lowry provided Operation Hayride emergency response for people and livestock threatened by eighteen December 1948 – January 1949 snowstorms from Utah to Kansas (e.g., a C-47 of
10692-519: Was established as a tuberculosis hospital in 1904 at 520 Rampart Way ( cf. "East 6th Avenue and Quebec Street") by Lawrence C. Phipps Sr., and in the 1930s the sanatorium included 17 buildings designed by the Gove and Walsh firm. "After several fires at Chanute Field and deterioration of the buildings" in Illinois, a 1934 Air Corps announcement solicited a replacement training location and Denver submitted
10800-485: Was established that included the base and surrounding land. A three-acre cemetery was established in 1889. The first recorded burial was for Mable Peterkin, daughter of Private Peterkin, who died on June 28, 1889. This new "urban-type" fort began construction quickly, though the final buildings were not completed until 1897. The fort had a parade ground and quarters, including the 1888 building for Field Officer's Quarters by Frank J. Godavent which still stands today and
10908-665: Was in 2012, and the "final stages of cleanup" of the base and annex were underway in February 2013. Most of the base is now the Lowry, Denver , neighborhood with 2 hangars used for the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum , the former Building 1499 for the Big Bear Ice Rink , a dormitory for the Logan School for Creative Learning , and base officer housing and other facilities for
11016-749: Was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The National Geospatial Agency 's Integrated Operations Center was in Denver and by 1983, Lowry had the Air Intelligence Officer Course LGM-118 Peacekeeper ICBM training began at Lowry in 1985, and after Lowry became the primary training center for USAF space operations, Undergraduate Space Training 's 1st graduation was in 1987. The 3301st Undergraduate Space Training unit moved to Vandenberg AFB, CA in 1991, prior to Lowry AFB closure. Lowry also handled ground & armament training for several interceptor models,
11124-556: Was made into a museum. Most of the land was donated in 1960 to the state of Colorado was used for the Fort Logan Mental Health Center. Denver, Colorado Denver ( / ˈ d ɛ n v ər / DEN -vər ) is a consolidated city and county , the capital , and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado . It is located in the western United States , in the South Platte River Valley on
11232-522: Was raised, forcing these visionary leaders to take control of the debt-ridden railroad. Despite challenges, on June 24, 1870, citizens cheered as the Denver Pacific completed the link to the transcontinental railroad, ushering in a new age of prosperity for Denver. Finally linked to the rest of the nation by rail, Denver prospered as a service and supply center. The young city grew during these years, attracting millionaires with their mansions, as well as
11340-418: Was reincarnated at DIA in 1994. Scott's Liquid Gold, Inc., has been making furniture polish in Denver since 1954. Village Inn restaurants began as a single pancake house in Denver in 1958. Big O Tires , LLC, of Centennial opened its first franchise in 1962 in Denver. The Shane Company sold its first diamond jewelry in 1971 in Denver. In 1973 Re/Max made Denver its headquarters. Johns Manville Corp.,
11448-535: Was restored in 2009. As infantry barracks were completed, the 7th Infantry left Fort Laramie, Wyoming , and made Fort Logan their permanent home. In 1894, the first cavalry units were posted to Fort Logan and remained until 1904. Troops from Fort Logan participated in military actions right from the start. In December 1890, troops were deployed to South Dakota to intercept Sioux tribal bands. In 1894 troops were called in to quell civil strife resulting from Governor Davis Hanson Waite 's siege of city hall . Later in
11556-612: Was shifted to the new Navy Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center (NMITC) at Dam Neck, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. In 1972, the 3415th Technical Wing became the USAF School of Applied Aerospace Sciences, Lowry . The Department of Aerospace Munitions Training continued missile training and in 1978 was redesignated the 3460th Training Group. In 1980 Lowry acquired a Davis-Monthan AFB B-52D and stabilized another B-52 for training ALCM and SRAM loading procedures. New courses in
11664-641: Was the remaining military installation after the "Whole Base Transfer" of Lowry AFB in 2006, the year the USGS listed the closed Lowry AFB in the Geographic Names Information System . In 2007, the annex of 70 acres (28 ha) with DFAS & ARPC was planned for closure. The last remaining Air Force facility at Lowry was the Air Reserve Personnel Center , which BRAC 2005 moved to Buckley AFB in August 2011. The Buckley Annex' Whole Base Transfer
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