Denver is town of boom and bust and saw its first significant influx of Easterners in 1858 when a small gold deposit was discovered along Cherry Creek. When the railroad reached Denver in 1870, the city began to grow and it boomed in the 1880s.  A few years later, in 1893, the city fell into depression with the crash of the silver market.  In the years since, Denver has seen a beautiful city parks system blossom, negative KKK influences take hold in the 1920s and an oil boom (and bust) in the 1980s.  Today, Denver is a beautiful, robust, vibrant city with world-class museums, libraries, sports arenas, arts and culture.  Restored historic downtown neighborhoods compliment new architecture as the city heads into the 21st century.