Looking at Some of the Famous People from Denver's History

The city of Denver has a long and fascinating history, having started out as a frontier and mining town and eventually growing into a major city with strong ties to the agricultural, transportation, retail, manufacturing, and tourist industries.  Throughout its history, Denver has been home to some very interesting people.  Some have had good impacts on the city and some have had bad, but they are all part of Denver's past.

Here are some of the famous people from Denver's history:

General William Larimer
General William Larimer founded the city of Denver in 1858 on a hill that overlooked the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River.  Larimer made his money in the railroad industry in his native Pennsylvania and eventually became a land speculator in Kansas before founding the city of Denver.

James W. Denver
Though he carries the name of the city, James W. Denver had little to do with the actual city itself and history states he only visited it twice during his life.  Denver had been the territorial governor of Kansas and General William Larimer had chosen to name the city after him in an effort to get his new community named as the county seat.

Soapy Smith
Every city has its criminal element, and in the beginning Denver's biggest criminal was Soapy Smith.  Smith came to town from Georgia and immediately organized the biggest crime organization Denver had ever seen, and many argue would ever see again.  It is said that there wasn't an illegal operation going on in the town that Smith didn't have his hands in.  Smith would go on to use the same illegal business methods when he became one of the main crime bosses of Creede, Colorado and later Skagway, Alaska.

Jack Kerouac
Famous beat generation Jack Kerouac spent a short time in Denver and even set part of his masterpiece On the Road in the city.  Other beat era poets had ties to the city as well including Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady.

Robert Speer
Denver is home to some of the finest parks that any metropolitan area can claim.  It wasn't always this way though and is due in large parts to one of the city's former mayors, Robert Speer.  Speer served as mayor of Denver from 1904 to 1912 and then again from 1916 to 1918 and it was him who put into motion the city's emphasis on parks for its citizens to enjoy.

Benjamin F. Stapleton
Another important mayor from Denver's past was Benjamin F. Stapleton who built on his predecessor with help from Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and expanded the city's parks even further.  Stapleton also was the driving force behind the Denver Municipal Airport which was later renamed the Stapleton International Airport and has since been replaced by the ultra modern Denver International Airport.

Adolph Coors
Founded in nearby Golden, Colorado by Adolph Coors, the Adolph Coors Company has played a large part in the city of Denver's history and image.  The Coors family has contributed greatly to the community of Denver through not only the impact of their internationally recognized business interests, but also through their philanthropic efforts as well.

John Denver
Originally from Texas, folk singer John Denver sang many songs and put on many television specials that celebrated the natural scenery and surroundings of the city of Denver and the whole Rocky Mountain region.  Eventually Denver himself even relocated to the area that he grew to love.

John Elway
The Denver Broncos were the first major professional sports team to call the city home, but for a great number of years they had little success that the local fans could celebrate.  In the early 1980s a young rocket-armed quarterback joined the team and that all changed.  With John Elway at quarterback, the Broncos would go on to appear in five Super Bowls, winning two and rise to be considered in the upper level of NFL teams.  Elway grew strong ties to the city, starting many businesses including owning the local Arena Football League team.

Whether impacting the city from within or impacting the city from outside with their actions, these people and more have played a large part in the founding and development of one of the greatest cities in the United States.  Denver has many things to offer both travelers who choose it as a destination as well as residents who have grown to love their hometown.  Many of those things are a direct result of some of the famous people from Denver's history.