"Colorado Experience examines one of the lesser-Known chapter in American organized crime: the story of the Smaldones, an Italian -American crime family that operated out of Denver. Brothers Clyde and Eugene Smaldone took control of Denver's underworld in 1933, after then-crime boss Joe Roma's body was found riddled with bullets in his-home. They specialized in bootlegging during the years of prohibition and , later bookmaking and gambling. To some,...

"What would lead approximately 675 volunteer soldiers to attack a peaceful settlement of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians in Southeastern Colorado Territory? On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington led a group to do just that, resulting in the deaths of over one hundred and fifty men, women and children. This episode revisits the horrific events and uncovers the history 150 years later"--Container.

"During the height of the Fur Trade, Bent's Fort established itself as one of the most important trading posts in the West -- an area which remained largely unexplored by the then-young-and-growing United States. Located along the Arkansas River, Bent's Fort lay only a few yards from what was then Mexico. As the only major permanent settlement along the Santa Fe Trail, it served as a hub of commercial and cultural exchange for Cheyenne and Arapahoe...

"Before he was the World Heavyweight Champion and a cultural icon of 1920s, William Harrison Dempsey spent his youth as a miner, cowboy, and farmhand in the Rocky Mountain Region. A native of Manassa, Colorado, Dempsey was born to poor Mormon parents who traveled throughout Colorado and Utah looking for work wherever they could find it. Robust and powerful, Dempsey demonstrated a talent for fighting, and, with the guidance of his brother, Bernie,...

Rankin Scott Kelly fled New England in anticipation of prosecution for murder. This early brush with crime served as a catalyst for Kelly's dedication to the law, becoming El Paso County's first sheriff. Follow Kelly through the unmapped Colorado Territory as he tracks outlaws such as Big Tooth Jim and the Espinosa Brothers.

"In 1859, two surveyors travelling just north of Colorado City stopped in awe as they stumbled upon the Garden. One gentleman remarked this spot, surrounded by towering red geological features would be a "capital place for a beer garden," to which his companion replied "Beer garden! Why this is a place fit for the gods to assemble!" With a 3000 year history stemming from Native Americans to today's thrill seekers, discover the beauty and history of...

"Explore the turbulent history of Pueblo, Colorado's once-industrial capital. Pueblo's sovereignty had long been disputed; Native American tribes, Mexicans and the US all claimed its land. Fort Pueblo suffered a devastating raid by the Ute Indians in 1854, causing its inhabitants to abandon the town. The Colorado Gold Rush of 1859 brought new settlers and Pueblo became a major economic center for Colorado, until a flood in 1921 destroyed a third of...

Sometimes referred to as the "People's Constitution," the Colorado Constitution was ratified in 1876, earning Colorado the nickname "The Centennial State" . Since then, the Constitution has never been rewritten, but has been amended over 152 times. This fact has established the Colorado Constitution as one of the most easily amended state constitutions in the country. From it's early days as a tri-lingual document written in English, Spanish and German,...

Hydro Power: In 1891, due to a lack of timber fuel and the challenge of steep mountain passes, all mining operations in Telluride were in danger of being shut down. Cue Lucien L. Nunn. This Colorado pioneer financed Ames Hydroelectric Generating Plant, the first in the world to generate alternating current electric power for industrial application. Thanks to this historic milestone, Telluride's Gold King Mine remained open and hydroelectric plants...

The turn of the 20th century sparked a massive migration to American cities, leading to an increase in pollution, crime, and disease. Inspired by the beautiful modern urban aesthetic display in Chicago's World Fair in 1893, a City Beautiful Movement began to spread throughout the country. Denver's mayor, Robert Speer, sought to beautify the city's buildings, parks and community areas while simultaneously constructing a controversial.