Settled between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains, Denver is known as The Mile-High City due to its official elevation of one mile above sea level. Denver was founded in 1861 as part of the Colorado Territory. Upon Colorado’s admittance into the Union in 1876, the city became the state capital and quickly grew to one of the largest cities in the country. At the turn of the 20th century, a massive beautification program was initiated throughout the city, establishing many of the parks and museums that have developed into popular Denver tourist attractions. Famous as the home of the U.S. Mint,  a year-round climate with an astonishing average of 300 days of sunshine per year, and a cityscape enhanced by the Rockies, Denver tourism knows no bounds.