William N. Byers: Denver's Pioneer Publisher

The Rocky Mountain News, along with its founder, has passed into history. But William N. Byers' name will remain famous so long as there is a state of Colorado. Though he will probably always be best known as the founder and editor of the Rocky Mountain News, he also played a vital role in Denver's development, and was instrumental in achieving statehood for Colorado.

Denver's First Newspaper

William N. Byers arrived in Denver on April 17, 1859 just at the beginning of the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. He brought with him an 1800-pound printing press, and on April 23, he issued the first edition of The Rocky Mountain News, beating out his competitor by 20 minutes. The News was originally published as a weekly paper until August 18, 1860, when Byers began publishing daily editions. He supplemented his income by writing guidebooks which he sold to hopeful gold seekers passing through Denver.

Byers understood the power of the press, and he used his newspaper to attract newcomers to Denver and the territory that later became Colorado. He knew that agriculture would be important to the region and promoted the development of scientific methods of farming in the state. Byers believed in law and order, and wrote editorials urging action against the town's rough elements and corrupt officials. This naturally resulted in threats, and he sometimes wrote with a rifle in his lap while armed men guarded his press.

One of Colorado's Founding Fathers

Byers was not content to merely attract new settlers to Colorado, which was then part of the Kansas Territory. In June 1859, he became chairman of the first convention organized to create the state of Colorado, but the committee failed to act. In 1864, he served as a member of a convention to create a state constitution and apply for statehood. The request for statehood was approved by both houses of Congress, but vetoed by President Andrew Jackson. Undaunted, Byers continued to push for statehood, and finally saw his dream come true in 1876.

Byers became Postmaster General in Denver, serving from 1864 to 1867, and served again from 1879 to 1883. During his second term he reorganized the system, placing letter boxes throughout the city to relieve congestion at the post office, and hired more mail carriers.

Other Notable Achievements

According to one story, it was Byers who named Central City while visiting the Gregory Gulch mine diggings. He had set up a camp for himself and his reporters, and while looking at the numerous tents and shanties running up the hillsides and creek beds all around him, pointed at his own campfire and announced, "And this is Central City." The name stuck, and while most of the other little towns surrounding it faded into ghosts, Central City survived.

In 1869, Byers bought 160 acres of land surrounding Hot Sulphur Springs, founded the town and became its first mayor. While his spa never succeeded as well as he had hoped it would, it gave a substantial boost to the fortunes of Middle Park and remains a well-known tourist destination. When Byers sold The Rocky Mountain News in 1878, he retired to a home near there.

Byers was a member of the party led by the legendary explorer Maj. John Wesley Powell which made the first ascent of Long's Peak. He built an elegant home on Bannock Street in Denver, now known as the Byers-Evans House, which became one of Denver's most famous landmarks and is now a popular museum.

Byers helped to organize the Denver Chamber of Commerce. He also became president of the Colorado State Historical and Natural History Society. He was elected vice president and chairman of the finance committee of the fledgling Denver Tramway Company, which served Denver until well after World War II, and later served as vice president of the Union National Bank in Denver.

The Byers Name in Colorado

If a man's influence can be estimated by the number of towns, gulches, schools and ships named for him, then William N. Byers was an influential man indeed. Byers Peak, a 12,804-foot high mountain, was named for him, and in 1993 Congress established the Byers Peak Wilderness area to preserve the mountain and its surroundings.

The town of Bijou, located east of Denver, was founded in 1866 by pioneer scout Oliver P. Wiggins. When the railroad came to Bijou in 1870, the town was renamed Byers in honor of the publisher.

During World War II, one of the famous liberty ships was named for him years after his death, and the William N. Byers Junior High School was built on the site of his last Denver home.

Byers died on March 25 1905 of a "paralytic stroke" at the age of seventy-two. The people of Denver and the state of Colorado publicly mourned his passing and paid tribute to his many accomplishments on their behalf.

William N. Byers will always be remembered as one of the great citizens of Colorado. No history of Denver or the state of Colorado will ever be complete without mention of this tireless promoter of the state and its people.

Selected Sources:

http://www.memoriallibrary.com/CO/1898DenverPB/pages/pbrd0144.htm
http://www.gilpncountynews.com/20050505/railroad_pioneers.htm
http://coloradohistory-oahp.org/programareas/shf/articles/2005/jan.htm
http://www.granbychamber.com/judge.html