The 1,450 mile long river was first encountered by Europeans in the 1540’s and named Rio del Tizon, which translates to Firebrand River. It was given this name because of the red colored silt which was carried in the water. During the early 18th century the river’s name was altered to the Colorado River, and then Colorado State was named after it.
On this day August 1st, in 1876, Ulysses S. Grant signed Colorado in to the Union to make it the 38th state. Colorado earned itself the nickname the Centennial State, because it joined on the 100th anniversary of United States’ independence. Colorado makes up one of the four corner states, along with New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. There’s actually a spot where you can stand on all four states at once.
Colorado has a population of over 5 million and its capitol and largest city is Denver. Colorado is famous for its gorgeous scenery and mountains. It is the only state to be at an elevation of almost a mile above sea level. Many athletes have been known to train in Colorado due to the density of oxygen being lower. Athletes training in such a difficult environment would perform better at lower elevations, where oxygen more readily available.