Denver is the capital and most populous city of Colorado, famously nicknamed the "Mile High City" because its official elevation sits exactly one mile above sea level. Founded in 1858 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, it was named after Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver—though he had already resigned by the time the name was chosen. The city was established on traditional lands of the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples, whose territory was recognized by the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie but was overwhelmed by white immigration during the gold rush. Today, with a population of over 715,000 (and a metro area of 3.1 million), it serves as the economic and cultural hub of the Front Range Urban Corridor. It is home to professional sports teams in five leagues, the headquarters of eight Fortune 500 firms, and major cultural institutions like the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Performing Arts Complex.