This article details the history of the City and County of Denver, Colorado, the United States from its founding in 1858 to the present. Since the gold rush, Denver has been Colorado's gateway and major metropolis. With its location at the intersection of the plains and the mountains, its people and institutions have tied together the sections of the state and served as a point of contact between Colorado and the wider world. As the state’s political capital and largest city, Denver has been the natural center for decision-making. New programs and ideas have typically spread outward through public agencies and private organizations that have Denver headquarters.