Settled by claim jumpers and prospectors in 1858, the Mile high City was home to friendly Arapahoe Indians who welcomed the white men to their river and "shining mountains.” A fight between the settlers over what to name the city was settled with a barrel of whiskey shared by all. Soon began the city’s early chapters of Wild West history, the Great Fire and Floods, the more recent oil boom/bust and the rise of today’s telecommunication industry.
Now 150 years old, Denver hosts the world’s largest rodeo and is home to the country’s second largest performing arts complex (#1 is Lincoln Center). The city has an air of optimisim and a record of progressiveness. Residents are happy, friendly and well-educated (highest percentage of college graduates in the nation - oh by the way - and microbreweries too!). Fabulous for biking, it is all about the outdoors here. In fact, Denver lays claim to the largest park system in the country (205 parks) and Mayor Hickenlooper has pledged to plant 1 million new trees in Denver by 2025.
Reasons to love Denver...
"The weather! 310 sunny days a year – perfect!"
"The city is culturally accessible and very inclusive if you want it to be. Art is your passion? Get involved in the Denver Art Museum and the new Museum of Contemporary Art. Have children? The Children’s Museum of Denver would welcome your support. Etc., etc., etc. Unlike other big cities, there are no barriers here."
"Sports heaven. 6 professional teams – Rockies baseball, Broncos football, Nuggets basketball, Mammoth Lacrosse, Rapids Soccer and Avalanche hockey.
"Wear jeans anywhere."
"People choose to live here for a reason. There is a great balance of work and life. I ride my bike to the office."
"Red Rocks – people come from everywhere to see concerts here!"
"We love that our kids can ski every weekend. People travel from all over the world to ski here and we just hop in the car and are on the mountain in less than two hours."
"DIA – go almost anywhere with no connections."