Denver's Namesake: James W. Denver, Not Native Tribes

Denver, Colorado, was named for James William Denver (1817–1892), a Virginian who served as:

  • California state senator
  • U.S. Congressman
  • Secretary of the Kansas Territory
  • Governor of the Kansas Territory (1857–1858)
  • Union Army general

In 1858, town founders William Larimer and William Byers named the new settlement "Denver City" to curry favor with the territorial governor, hoping it would become the county seat. It worked.

No connection to Indigenous place names.

Copyright Wanderlust World © https://www.ynyoo.com