Did You Know Colorado Once Had 3 Different Governors in A Single Day?

It was not easy for Colorado to become the 38th state in America. Colorado became a territory in 1861, but red tape and administrative errors resulted in a more than 10-year delay before Colorado was officially a part of the Union. No doubt the early days were full of chaos.

By 1905, Colorado encountered another major controversy when the state had to fire its Governor. Did you know that March 17th, 1905, was the day that Colorado had three different Governors in one day?

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Colorado Governor Alva Adams

Governor Alva Adams was Colorado's 5th, 10th, and 14th Governor. Adams County, Colorado, gets its name from Governor Alva Adams. He served from 1887 to 1889, 1897 to 1899, and again in 1905. Adams ran against Colorado's previous Governor, James Peabody, in 1904. It was a heated race, with both men accusing the other of being an illegitimate Governor.

Colorado Election Improprieties

Both Alva Adams and James Peabody accused each other of being illegitimate Governors. Go figure that BOTH men would be found guilty of illegal electoral practices in 1904. More attention is given to Adams who somehow was awarded 717 votes in a district with only 100 registered voters. By March 1905, it was time to look at the evidence. Both men proved to be unworthy to continue. So how did Colorado resolve this election?

Adams would be stripped of the office of Governor in favor of Peabody, but only if Peabody agreed to immediately resign and turn over power to his Lt. Governor.

Colorado's 3rd Governor In A Single Day

The third time is the charm, right? By the end of the day March 17th, 1905, Coloradans welcomed Jesse Fuller McDonald as the 16th Governor of Colorado. The event would go down in history as the day Colorado had three Governors in just 24 hours.

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