“During his service as Governor of the Kansas Territory, the city of Denver, Colorado was named for him after he "provided the machinery for the civil organization of Arapahoe County, at the time when the town site was laid out."

The SNAC project

    The St. Charles Broncos ?

     The big C ?

   Well, it could have happened, except for some aggressive real-estate manipulations (claim-jumping) in 1858 (thank you, fickle fate).   The real story is considerably less of a tribute to the early founders and to Governor James W. Denver, but it’s a story that should be re-told - most of which will NEVER end up on a historical marker.

    So, it’s 1858, see, in the wild, wild Kansas Territory west, and the word about gold discoveries is out, driving LOTS of people crazy, and to the Pikes Peak region with hopes of getting rich, either from the gold itself or from those who looks for it.  Well, along comes these guys, pals of the Governor, looking to score some serious suck-up  political-points with him and get easy-rich, and they become aware of THE prime place to stake out a new city to cash in on the gold fever - right where two little rivers merge.  Problem is, there’s a city claim staked out there already. 

No problem...