Its first university was founded in 1864, three years after the Colorado Territory — with largely the same boundaries as today’s state — was formed.

And its gold rush began in 1858, while what would become the Colorado Territory was still split between the Utah, Kansas, Nebraska and New Mexico territories.

People were obviously living in the modern state’s boundaries before then, but how do you determine what was the first town or city in Colorado?

San Luis in Costilla County is officially recognized as the oldest town, based on it being the first incorporated, continuously populated community in the area that became Colorado.

Why is San Luis considered the first town in Colorado?

In the first half of the 1800s, the Arkansas River was a border between Mexico and the United States, wit

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