J. W. Denver, after whom Denver, the present capital of Colorado, was called, was then governor of Kansas territory. But neither he, nor his successor Medary, nor even Robinson, elected State governor December 6th, 1859, could give scarcely any attention to occurrences in the distant Pike’s Peak gold regions. Their thoughts and time were almost entirely engrossed by political events at home. On the banks of the Platte, near the present Younker ranch, some of the Kansas company, who had camped on the Arkansas, with others, began to erect a number of log cabins. These were soon completed, and the name of Montana City was applied to the settlement. In these cabins a large party of prospectors spent the winter. On the 24th of September, a party of nine selected the east side of Cherry Creek, near its mouth, for a town site, and agreed to lay out 640 acres for that purpose. The peculiar and pious name of St. Charles was given to it, but no steps were taken to survey and plot the town or put up buildings, unless a few logs crossed together, with an old wagon cover for a roof, might be designated a house. Another company chose the west side of Cherry Creek for a town site, and in the latter part of October proceeded to construct some log cabins. These, and a number of others used as stores, were built, and the town called Auraria, from a small mining town in Georgia. The prospects of this new enterprise soon became encouraging, while Montana City in time lost its inhabitants, and its tenements went to ruin. A town company, composed mainly of Kansas citizens, on November 17th, 1858, took possession of the deserted St. Charles town site. Steps for the erection of cabins were immediately taken in order to secure the right of pre-emption. By New Year’s Day Denver had twenty and Auraria forty cabins. Up to this time the settlements contained only three white women. In the fall of 1859, a warm rivalry existed between Auraria and Denver. This was manifested in every issue, and continued until the consolidation of Denver and Auraria in 1860. The first inhabitants of Boulder came to that section October 17, 1858. In the summer of 1859 settlements were made in South Park. In the autumn months of 1859 Mountain City, Boulder, Russellville, Colorado City, Golden and Arapahoe became large settlements.