1. On December 19, 1858, the founder of Denver, General William H. Larimer, Jr., renamed the town from "St. Charles" to Denver, after Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver.

2. In 1917, the first meeting of the Colorado State Parks board was held on December 19. The board was created to manage and maintain the state's parks and recreational areas.

3. On December 19, 1948, a United Airlines Douglas DC-6 crashed into a mountain near Leadville, killing all 50 passengers and crew on board. The crash was the worst aviation disaster in Colorado history at the time.

4. In 1975, Colorado's first ski area dedicated exclusively to snowboarding, known as Sneffels, opened on December 19. The area is now known as Telluride Ski Resort.

5. On December 19, 2002, Fort Collins became the first city in Colorado to ban smoking in enclosed public places, including bars and restaurants. The ban sparked controversy but was ultimately upheld by the Colorado Supreme Court.