Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about the Mile High City, I’ve come up with some interesting and somewhat wacky facts about our beloved city that you may not already know. From impressive and creepy facts about iconic structures to puzzling laws that have been set, you’ll want to check over this list of 8 secrets below to see which ones are new to you.
1. This is a hard-fought over title, but Louis Ballast, who operated the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In in Denver, is believed to be the first person to trademark the beloved cheeseburger in 1935.
Although the restaurant is no longer there today, there is a granite marker acknowledging this achievement in front of the Key Bank that presently sits at the former Humpty Dumpty Barrel location.
2. The beautiful golden dome of the Colorado State Capitol was originally copper, but soon after completion, legislature agreed that the copper should be covered in gold leaf. This was both for aesthetics and as a nod to the significance that gold plays in Colorado history.
5. Even though the Beatles were destined to stardom, when they played at Red Rocks in 1964, they were just an up and coming band and their show didn't even sell out.
If you ever tour the Capitol building, you may be wondering why there are three markers for that exact mile-high location on the steps. Well, as new technology has come about, measuring an increasingly more accurrate measurement has been possible. As a result there are three different markings: the original one on the 15th step, then an additional spot on the 18th step. The most recent measurement has deemed the 13th step to be the official 5,280 ft. elevation.
7. This is another contested title, but at 26 miles long, Colfax Avenue is believed to be the longest continuous commercial street in America.
8. Although you can't see this when strolling down 16th Street Pedestrian Mall, if you had a birds eye view from above, you would take in a pretty impressive view.
