Colorado
...d a lawless land for traders and mountain men until it became a state in 1876. After becoming a state, Colorado developed many major cities, such as Denver, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo. Denver, the largest city in Colorado, was first established in 1891 when gold and silver were found in a nearby creek. Thousands flocked to the area, and slowly, the city of Denver was formed, and would grow to be largest city in the Mountain States. In 1906, the Denver mint was set up, nowadays, the Denver mint is one of the largest mints in the United States. Colorado Springs, Colorado’s second largest city, also holds many interesting things. It is the home of the United States Air Force Academy and the North American Air Defense Command. Colorado also has some of the most versatile land features in the US. On its eastern half, Colorado had wide-open, treeless plains, much like those of Oklahoma or Kansas. Although these plains are flat and perfect for farming, they still lie a little over a half a mile above sea level. On its western half, Colorado has some of the highest mountains in the world. These mountains are called the Rockies. They run north to south and have many points that are well over a mile. Because of the mountains and the snow, Colorado is the home of many first class ski resorts. Some of the best skiing in the US is in the little town of Aspen, in western Colorado. People come from all over to ski down Aspen’s hundreds of miles of trails. The Department of Agriculture is also located in Colorado. It is here that seeds for every food plant are kept in a huge vault. So in case the world’s corn would become extinct, there would be enough to start over again. Colorado has a very diverse economy as well. Some of the natural resources Colorado produces are oil, natural as, gold, and coal. Many people work in factories that produce, scientific instruments, farm products, machinery, computers, metal products and electrical equipment. There are also many farms that produce beef, lamb, and milk, while major crops include corn, hay, and wheat. Service industries are a big part of Colorado’s economy, as they bring in most of the state’s gross product. Colorado, with its many National Parks and other tourist attractions, gets many visitors. Some of the National Parks include Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, Rocky Mountain, and Dinosaur National Monument. Mesa Verde National Park is one of the most popular and amazing National Parks in Colorado...