Colorado
History: The area which is now the state of Colorado was inhabited by Native Americans (Ancient Pueblo, Ute, Apache, and Comanche) for more than 13,000 years. The Spanish Empire claimed western and southern Colorado as part of its New Mexico territory, becoming part of New Spain and later Mexico. The eastern and northern part, however, was part of French Louisiana. That was then acquired in 1803 with the Louisiana Purchase from France. After the Mexican-American War of 1848, the western and southern parts were ceded to the U.S. All parts were then combined into the Colorado Territory, which became the 38th state on August 1, 1876. For this reason, Colorado is nicknamed the ‘Centennial State’ because that was 100 years after the beginning of the United States.
Economy: Colorado has been recognized as the third-best state in the nation for business. There are many important facilities for scientific research and high-technology industries. Other industries include food processing, transportation equipment, machinery, chemical products, and government/military facilities. There is mining of metals such as gold, silver, and molybdenum. It also has the largest annual production of beer of any state.
Climate: Due to its mountains, valleys, and plains, the weather of Colorado is very mixed. Locations only a few miles apart can have very different weather. Much of Colorado is very dry, with an average of only 17 inches of rain per year. However, mountain areas get large amounts of rain and snow from winter storms. During spring and summer, hailstorms are common and can be dangerous, causing injuries and damaging property. The coldest temperature ever in Colorado was -61° F (-52° C) in 1985 at Maybell.
Geography: The geography of Colorado is mostly alpine mountains, forest, and deep canyons, but also includes foothills, high plains and deserts. An important feature is the Continental Divide which runs north-south along the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. The eastern part of the state drains into the Gulf of Mexico, while the western part drains into the Pacific Ocean via the Colorado River. The tallest mountain in Colorado (and the Rocky Mountains) is Mt. Elbert, at 14440 ft. Colorado is the northeast corner of the Four Corners, where four states meet.
Fun Facts:
- Denver lays claim to the invention of the cheeseburger.
- Colorado is the only state in history to turn down hosting an Olympics.
- The world’s first rodeo was held on July 4th, 1869 in Deer Trail.
- The 13th step of the state capital building in Denver (known as the ‘Mile High City’) is exactly one mile above sea level
- The Eisenhower Tunnel in Colorado is the highest auto tunnel in the world.
- Colorado Springs is home to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Points of Interest:
- Four Corners Monument, the only place in the United States where four states (Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah) meet.
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Garden of the Gods and Nature Center
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Denver Union Station
- Silverton Historic Downtown
Six additional sites for more information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado
www.netstate.com/states/intro/co_intro.htm
kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/states/colorado/
