Denver, the Mile High City, is a major city in the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The city is named for James W. Denver, a governor of the Kansas Territory. The city's elevation is 5, 280 feet (1, 609 m) above sea level, making it one of the highest major cities in the United States. This elevation is referred to as 'one mile high, ' giving Denver its nickname of the Mile High City.