• Founded: November 17, 1858

• Population: 715,000 

• Area: 155 square miles

Fun Facts about Denver

1. Denver is known as the "Mile High City" because its elevation is exactly 5,280 feet (one mile) above sea level.
 

2. The city’s air is thinner, meaning less oxygen—so visitors may feel short of breath, and golf balls fly 10% farther than at sea level.
 

3. Denver was not built on a major body of water, which is unusual for a big city—its founding was driven by the Gold Rush rather than trade routes.
 

4. The first permanent structure in Denver was not a house or government building—it was a saloon.
 

5. Denver has 300 days of sunshine per year, making it one of the sunniest cities in the U.S., despite its snowy winters.