Denver's original inhabitants were the High Plains Native Americans – the Sioux, Cheyenne, Apache, Arapaho, Ute and Crow.
In 1858, the discovery of a few gold flakes sparked a gold-rush, personified by the 'Pike's Peak or bust', which turned Cherry Creek from a quiet backwater into a thriving boomtown.
Since the Second World War, Denver has boomed, and it has doubled its population since 1960.