Short answers, pulled from the story.
Denver was founded on the 22nd of November 1858 by General William Larimer and Captain Jonathan Cox. They staked a claim on a bluff overlooking the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek to establish the settlement.
The city was named Denver City to curry favor with James W. Denver, the governor of the Kansas Territory. This political maneuver aimed to secure the town as the county seat of Arapahoe County, although Governor Denver had already resigned from office.
The Treaty of Fort Wise signed on the 18th of February 1861 ceded more than 90 percent of the lands designated for the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. This agreement included the area of modern Denver and was contested by many Cheyennes who argued the signatories did not understand the terms.
Denver became the capital of Colorado after the rapid growth of the city and the completion of the Denver Pacific railroad link on the 24th of June 1870. The city was designated the capital due to its strategic location and economic potential following the gold rush.
The official elevation of Denver is exactly one mile above sea level. This elevation is defined by the benchmark on the steps of the State Capitol building, making it the only state capital in the United States that is a consolidated city-county.
Colorado voters rejected ballot initiatives allocating public funds for the 1976 Winter Olympics in November 1972. The movement against hosting the games was based largely on environmental issues and was led by State Representative Richard Lamm.