1. In 1858, William Larimer Jr. founded the city of Denver, Colorado. Larimer named the city after Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver, in hopes of encouraging him to support Larimer's plans for the area.

2. The University of Colorado Boulder was established on November 12, 1876. The University was originally called the Colorado State University, and was founded just six months after Colorado became a state.

3. In 1918, on November 12, Governor Julius Gunter signed the bill that established the Colorado School of Mines as a state institution. The School of Mines is one of the most respected engineering schools in the country.

4. In 1963, on November 12, Merle Elizabeth Chambers became the first African American woman to be admitted to the Colorado Bar Association. Chambers later became an accomplished civil rights lawyer and community activist.

5. On November 12, 2012, Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana. The Amendment 64 law allowed adults over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce of marijuana, and to grow up to six plants at home. This law sparked a nationwide debate about the legalization of marijuana, and has had a significant impact on Colorado's economy and culture.