Colorado
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| Abbreviation | CO Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Denver |
| Population | 5,029,196 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | John Hickenlooper (Democrat, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | August 1, 1876 as the 38th state |
| Motto | Nil Sine Numine (Nothing Without the Deity) |
| Nickname | The Centennial State |
| Flower | Rocky Mountain Columbine |
| Bird | Lark Bunting |
| Song | “Where the Columbines Grow” |
| Professional Sports Teams | Colorado Rockies (Baseball); Denver Nuggets (Men’s Basketball); Denver Broncos (Football); Colorado Avalanche (Hockey); Colorado Rapids (Soccer) (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | From the Spanish word meaning “ruddy” or “red” |
| Historical Sites | Anasazi Heritage Center, Molly Brown House, Buffalo Bill’s Grave, Overland Trail Museum, Fort Garland/Pike’s Stockade |
| Points of Interest | Rocky Mountain National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Dinosaur National Monument |
| Bordering States | Colorado borders Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Colorado from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Colorado.gov: The Official Colorado State Website
http://www.colorado.gov/
This is the official website for the State of Colorado. - Colorado State Library
http://www.cde.state.co.us/cdelib/
Here is the homepage for the Colorado State Library, a division of the Colorado Department of Education. - Colorado Historical Society
http://www.coloradohistory.org/chs_library/library.htm
Here is the homepage for the Colorado State Historical Society. - Colorado History Museum
http://www.coloradohistory.org/hist_sites/CHM/Colorado_History_Museum.htm
Here is the homepage for the Colorado Historical Society Museum. - Colorado State Archives
http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/
Here is the homepage for the Colorado State Archives. - Colorado State Parks
http://parks.state.co.us
Here is the homepage for Colorado State Parks. - Colorado.com
http://www.colorado.com/
Here is the official state travel and tourism website for Colorado. - Colorado Secretary of State Kids Page
http://www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/kids.htm
Here’s the Colorado state government page developed just for kids!
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Colorado
http://www.50states.com/colorado.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Colorado. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Colorado
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/CO/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Colorado’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Colorado Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/co.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Colorado. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Colorado
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/08000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Colorado.
- Colorado has the highest average elevation of any state. More than 1,000 of its Rocky Mountain peaks reach over10,000 feet high, and 54 tower above14,000 feet!
- Colorado built its economy on the mining industry, but now only 1.2 percent of the state’s workforce is employed in oil, gas, coal, and metal mining. The state is now famous for its many ski resorts, where tourists spend 1.8 billion dollars every year.
- The most famous of the Rocky Mountains is Pike’s Peak, discovered by U.S. Army Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike in 1806.
- In 1863, the first telegraph line in Colorado linked Denver with the eastern U.S. A ten-word telegram from Denver to New York City cost $9.10. (And that’s a lot of money by today’s standards!)
Some Famous People from this State
- M. Scott Carpenter, astronaut
- Jack Dempsey, boxer
- Douglas Fairbanks, actor
- Ouray, 1833-1880, Ute chief