Colorado, often referred to as the “Centennial State”, became the 38th state of the United States on August 1, 1876.[1] The nickname “Centennial State” is a tribute to the fact that it achieved statehood 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.[2] In terms of size, Colorado is the 8th largest state in the U.S., covering an area of approximately 104,185 square miles.[3] As of 2023, the estimated population of Colorado was around 5.877 million, continuing to grow and outperform the nation’s economy.[4]
The Gross State Product (GSP) for Colorado, which is the total economic output of the state, has seen significant growth. In the 3rd quarter of 2023, the real GSP for Colorado was $529.1 billion.[5] The state’s major industrial products include transportation equipment, machinery, foods and beverages, fabricated metals, chemicals, lumber and wood products, and military and aerospace equipment.[6] The advanced manufacturing industry in Colorado spans a variety of segments, including petroleum, chemical, coal products, appliances, components, fabricated metal products, food and beverage, electronics, computers, furniture, machinery, rubber and plastic products, apparel and textiles, and allied and leather products.[7]
Colorado is known for its stunning natural landscapes, which include the Rocky Mountains National Park, the Garden of the Gods, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, and Mesa Verde National Park. These natural wonders, along with cities like Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, provide a rich blend of outdoor adventure and cultural experiences. Colorado is also home to U.S. Air Force Academy.
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History of Colorado
The first Europeans to explore the region that would become Colorado were Spanish conquistadors. Juan de Oñate, who lived until 1626, founded what would become the Spanish province of Santa Fé de Nuevo México.[8] In 1540, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led an expedition which traveled northward from Mexico into the Great Plains, including most of northeastern Colorado.[9] The first permanent European settlement in Colorado was the village of San Luis, established by Hispanic settlers from Taos, New Mexico, in 1851.[10]
Colorado, often referred to as the “Centennial State”, became the 38th state of the United States on August 1, 1876.[11] The nickname “Centennial State” is a tribute to the fact that it achieved statehood 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.[12]
Colorado, which became a U.S. territory in 1861, shortly before the Civil War began, played a significant role in supplying men and support for both the Union and the Confederacy.[13] Colorado troops, drawn primarily from local volunteers, fought for the Union Army. They engaged in several battles, most notably the Battle of Glorieta Pass in northern New Mexico, where they played a vital role in protecting western gold fields from Confederate takeover.[14]
The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a time of significant economic and social change in Colorado. The Progressive Era (1900–20) was a national period of social and political reform in which grassroots activists and their political allies sought the power of government and science to address pressing public problems.[15] In Colorado, Progressives brought significant political and social changes to the state, including the creation of statewide initiatives and referenda, an eight-hour workday for miners and women, a minimum wage, child labor laws, juvenile courts, and alcohol prohibition.[15]
The state’s economy during this period was largely driven by mining, farming, ranching, and fruit growing. However, the hard-rock mining industry began to decline, leading to a shift in the state’s economic focus. The arrival of railroads in 1870 initiated a new increasingly industrial period in Colorado’s political economy: the Middle West phase.[16] A few parts of the state seem to have experienced such far-reaching political-economic shifts in recent years that they appear to be entering a fourth phase—let’s call it the Newest West era—defined by unprecedented economic diversification, political estrangement from Colorado’s rural regions, and such pathbreaking and problematic innovations as the full legalization of marijuana.[16]
Demographics of Colorado
The demographic distribution of the [state] population is as follows:[17]
- White: 78.76%
- Two or more races: 8.35%
- Other race: 4.52%
- Black or African American: 4.09%
- Asian: 3.2%
- Native American: 0.93%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.14%
Most common surnames in Colorado
Researching family history in Colorado
The National Archives at Denver has federal records for Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The Colorado State Archives houses collections of legal records and selected historical and contemporary records. History Colorado, formerly known as the Colorado Historical Society, houses the state’s largest body of combined artifacts, documents, and photographs illustrating Colorado’s history and people. The Colorado Genealogical Society is the largest genealogical society in Colorado.
Colorado county list
Colorado has 64 counties.
| Adams | Alamosa | Arapahoe | Archuleta |
| Baca | Bent | Boulder | Broomfield |
| Chaffee | Cheyenne | Clear Creek | Conejos |
| Costilla | Crowley | Custer | Delta |
| Denver | Dolores | Douglas | Eagle |
| El Paso | Elbert | Fremont | Garfield |
| Gilpin | Grand | Gunnison | Hinsdale |
| Huerfano | Jackson | Jefferson | Kiowa |
| Kit Carson | La Plata | Lake | Larimer |
| Las Animas | Lincoln | Logan | Mesa |
| Mineral | Moffat | Montezuma | Montrose |
| Morgan | Otero | Ouray | Park |
| Phillips | Pitkin | Prowers | Pueblo |
| Rio Blanco | Rio Grande | Routt | Saguache |
| San Juan | San Miguel | Sedgwick | Summit |
| Teller | Washington | Weld | Yuma |
See also
Explore more about Colorado
MyHeritage.com has genealogically valuable collections of Colorado records including Colorado Voter Registrations, Colorado, Marriages, 1975 - 2004, Western United States, Marriage Index, 1838-2016, Colorado, Divorces, 1878 - 2004, and Colorado, Denver Obituaries. There additional valuable records listed in the Colorado Collection Catalog.
References
- ↑ Colorado became the 38th state to join the Union, August 1, 1876
- ↑ Colorado Pictures and Facts
- ↑ Size of Colorado - 104,185 Miles^2
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Colorado
- ↑ Economy of Colorado Statistics and Data Trends: GDP ranking, unemployment rate, and economic growth | USAFacts
- ↑ Colorado - Mining, Agriculture, Tourism | Britannica
- ↑ What Products Are Manufactured in Colorado?
- ↑ Spanish Exploration in Southeastern Colorado, 1590–1790 | Colorado Encyclopedia
- ↑ Euro-American Explorations: Fort Collins History Connection
- ↑ Sangre de Cristo Land Grant | Colorado Encyclopedia
- ↑ Colorado became the 38th state to join the Union, August 1, 1876
- ↑ Colorado became the 38th state to join the Union, August 1, 1876
- ↑ Was Colorado involved in the Civil War?
- ↑ What side was Colorado on during the Civil War?
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Progressive Era in Colorado | Colorado Encyclopedia
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Colorado and the Four Wests: An Introduction to the Political Economy Section | Colorado Encyclopedia
- ↑ Colorado Population 2024 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)
- ↑ Most Common Surnames in Colorado, With Meanings