Around 400 years ago, Spanish explorers came north from Mexico at the request of the king of Spain, looking for gold. Several times they reported "nothing of interest".  Later, they began to colonize the southern half of the state with land grants from the King.  

French trappers found a lucrative beaver-hat market in Paris and for a while the mountains were hopping with French mountain men. Napoleon wanted to build a war chest to fight the British and decided to sell the French interest in the west to the USA (of which northern Colorado was a part.). The United States didn't know the monetary value of the west but wanted France's logistic control of the Mississippi River, which was/is the backbone of transportation to the interior.

Though the Spanish began to cultivate the many river valleys in the south, Spain gradually lost its grip on its holdings in North America, ceding the Colorado region to the United States by default. The region remained an unknown entity.

Then major gold deposits were discovered in the mountains and our recent history began. Thousands of fortune-seekers from all over the world came to Colorado to make their fortunes. Two mining camps (eventually supply towns for the mountain mining camps) sprang up on both sides of Cherry Creek (which runs through Denver today) one named St. Lawrence and one named Auraria.  Fierce rivals; legends are told of the struggle between the two to be the central supply location for the miners.

The Civil War started shortly after gold was discovered.  While Colorado was not a state (merely a part of the Kansas Territory) and therefore not involved, Denver (formerly St. Lawrence), on the north side of the creek, had the most northern sympathizers, whereas Auraria was home to many southern sympathizers.

Gold mining gave birth to overnight millionaires, but the gold was short lived in Colorado.  Most gold fortunes were lost and gone quickly.  When the United States government decided to mint silver coins, the real Colorado boom began.  Formerly regarded as a nuisance and a hindrance to gold mining, even the slag heaps at the "played out" gold mines suddenly became worth millions.  "Silver Barons", as they were known became billionaires.  Disdaining the dirty and rowdy mining mountain towns, the new wealthy moved down the mountain to Denver and built their mansions, hotels, grand opera houses and began to bring culture and civilization to the new city.  Denver is the home of many heros and legends like Baby Doe Tabor, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Buffalo Bill, Kit Carson and the Smothers Brothers. Then began the push for statehood in the United States.  That finally happened in 1876.  The new state capitol building in downtown Denver was topped with gold and a bustling, cosmopolitan city (for that era) grew.

Eventually quality silver ore became scarce, the silver mines played out, and fortunes dried up. But in a short time the area was discovered for cattle ranching. Sod busters came just after the cattle ranchers to begin dry-land farming, causing some exciting conflicts between ranchers and farmers, and some bloodshed.

The Russians brought us sugar beets. They were follow by waves of Germans, Italians, Japanese, and Mexicans. The land of opportunity was now here and so the train barons weren't far behind. Denver soon became the economic center not just for Colorado but for the entire Rocky Mountains region.

Colorado's rarefied air can't absorb much pollution. Smog builds quickly and easily in the atmospheric conditions found along the front range. With mountain vistas, soaring peaks and huge land ares owned by the National Forestry Service, 50 years ago the Colorado government began a sales pitch to bring in service and technology-based industries. This was their pitch: 'If personnel is your most valuable resource why not place yourself in the most recreation rich area of the country - this will give your company an edge when recruiting!'

It worked and Colorado now has a high concentration of aero-space technology companies, computer hardware and software firms, and telecommunication enterprises. Technology and tourism are our top industries, followed by grain agriculture, cattle ranching, and mining.

Colorado's natural and human history have made it a world renowned gateway to many areas of exploration: dinosaurs, geology, mining, prehistoric man, Indian culture, the Spanish southwest, the cowboy west, and countless recreational opportunities, including skiing, photography, mountain biking,  camping, hiking, hunting and wildlife viewing. It is also the state with the greatest number of days of sunshine in the United States.

Colorado now ranks with Arizona, Florida, California, Texas, and Georgia as one of the top six fastest growing states in the U.S. Population growth in these six Sun Belt states generally dwarfs growth in the remaining 44 states. One million people moved to Colorado in the 1990's, increasing the state's population by an astonishing 30% in just ten years. Yes, Colorado has been discovered -- big time -- as more than a great vacation destination.