Native Americans were here long, long before we got here and called this place "Colorful Colorado." In fact, history says that those guys were here at least 13,500 years ago, maybe up to 37,000 years. That's a LONG time. I can't even process how long that is.

It wasn't until the Santa Fe Trail days when people from other places really discovered Colorado, while traveling between here and Santa Fe or just passing through on their way to California or "Oregon Country." And now you know where the "Oregon Trail" game came from.

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But in 1861, outgoing President James Buchanan signed an order that organized the Territory of Colorado officially, and 15 years later, on August 1, 1876, Colorado officially became a state just after the centennial celebration of the United States - hence our nickname as the "Centennial State."

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But how did some of our cities get their names? Sometimes people come up with some pretty weird stuff, but oftentimes they're named after things or people that they love.

I would have named a city something cool - like "Broncosville" or "Chicken Pho Town," two things I love very much.

I would name a town after my daughters if given the opportunity. But no doubt you'd also have some ridiculous names like that "Boaty McBoatFace" trend, or whatever we went through a few years ago. Nonetheless, here's how some actual Colorado places got their names from people far, far, far more important than me.

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Gallery Credit: Chris Kelly

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