These Two Colorado Cities Used To Be The State Capital

When people ask what is the capital of Colorado, we all say Denver. Did you know this wasn't always the case? Back in the early days of the Centennial State, this was a very sore subject.

Colorado became a state in 1876, but residents didn't vote to name Denver the capital until 1881. Did you know two other cities were once known as the capital of Colorado?

Get our free mobile app

The Capital of the Colorado Territory

Colorado was named a territory of the United States in 1861. That year, Colorado City was named the capital of the new territory. Today, this small Colorado town --now a small suburb of Colorado Springs-- is home to just 2,237 residents. The first meetings of the Colorado territorial legislature held in Colorado City were a mess. The facilities were so inadequate that the session ended after just five days, and a new capital was selected to the north.

Colorado's Second Capital City

From 1862 to 1867, the city of Golden was named the capital of the Colorado territory. If you ever visit the city of Golden, try stopping at the Old Capital Grill Restaurant. This was the location of the state capital building while it was located in Golden. The address is 1122 Washington Ave, Golden, CO 80401.

Colorado Can't Decide

When Colorado became an official state in 1876, the state capital was unofficially moved to Denver. When Colorado was ready to introduce a state constitution, they did not name a capital city. Framers of the Colorado constitution feared if Denver was named the capital that voters would not ratify the state constitution so it was left out.

This resulted in the 1881 Colorado State Captial Referendum. Denver, Golden, Silver Cliff, and Leadville were all on the ballot. It's said that Denver won by a shady one-vote margin.