COLORADO — On Aug. 1, 1876, Colorado became known as the Centennial State because it was admitted to the Union one hundred years after the United States became a nation.
In 2026, Colorado will celebrate its sesquicentennial, commemorating 150 years of statehood and 250 years of the United States of America. Colorado celebrates this momentous occasion every Aug. 1 as Colorado Day.
On Thursday, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said, "Today, on Colorado's 148th birthday, we celebrate the continued legacy and resilience of our great Centennial State. We have come together and grown stronger in these past few days as we support our fellow Coloradans and first responders who are fighting to protect our families, friends, and communities from fires across the front range and western slope.
"This past year we have taken strides to make Colorado an ever better place where everyone can thrive. We are quickly moving toward a future where we create more housing Coloradans can afford, address climate change head-on, expand transit that's reliable and affordable, foster lower-cost clean energy technologies, solidify Colorado as the best state for businesses and families, and make life more affordable for everyone. Today, I am more confident than ever that on Colorado's 150th, sesquicentennial, birthday, that future will be a reality."
According to History Colorado, before statehood, laws were established in 1859 during the Wild West days when Colorado was called Jefferson Territory — enforcing them was another matter. When a poll tax was proposed, 600 miners signed a pledge to resist; a move historian LeRoy Hafen noted would result in the tax collectors receiving bullets instead of dollars
The United States acquired the eastern part of Colorado through the Louisiana Purchase and the western portion in 1848 through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. In 1850, the federal government purchased a Texas claim in Colorado. This combined property became the Colorado Territory.
On Aug. 1, 1876, President Ulysses. S. Grant signed Proclamation 230 into law, admitting Colorado into the Union as the 38th state.
Back east, support for statehood was not overwhelming. A newspaper in New York at the time had this, "There is not a single good reason for the admission of Colorado. Indeed, if it were not for the mines in that mountainous and forbidding region, there would be no population there at all. The population, such as it is, is made up of a roving and unsettled horde of adventures who have no settled homes there or elsewhere and are there solely because the state of semi-barbarism prevalent in that wild country suits their vagrant habits."
In 1876, population estimates for the territory varied widely between 30,000 and 100,000.
When the territory became a state, the Colorado Constitution was written in English, Spanish, and German to reflect the immigrant population. The early inhabitants were the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute.
The "mountainous and forbidding" region that is Colorado, has beckoned outdoor enthusiasts and others, and it now ranks as the 21st most populated state with over 5.8 million residents.
The state motto is “Nil Sine Numine: Nothing Without Divine Will or Providence.”
The Colorado State Archives states the name "Colorado originates in Spanish as the word for "colored red." Congress chose the name Colorado as a territory in 1861."
Regional Colorado Day activities
On Monday, Aug. 5, free admission into all Colorado State Parks, courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. CPW celebrates Colorado Day on the first Monday in August.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, a Colorado Day Tailgate Party on the grounds of the Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center is scheduled. Activities will include free admission, games for all ages, music, food trucks, and appearances by special guests.
Everyone is encouraged to wear his or her favorite Colorado team gear. This family-friendly event is a great way to enjoy summer and showcase your Colorado pride. No advanced reservations are required.
Eric Carpio with the museum said, "Colorado is a great place to live and we invite residents to help us celebrate the state's 148th birthday at the Fort Garland Museum for birthday cake, games, free admission."
Enjoy Colorado
Colorado has many attributes, including the tallest sand dunes in North America at our local Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The highest suspension bridge in the world is over Royal Gorge. The highest paved road in North America is Mount Blue Sky (formerly known as Mount Evans), at 14,258 feet above sea level. At 10,152 feet in elevation, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the United States.
Colorado is well known as home to 53 mountain peaks exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation. The state is also home to a staggering 600-plus peaks over 13,000 feet.
