William Byers

1831–1903 (age 72)

Journalist

Biography

William Byers founded the Rocky Mountain News and chronicled Colorado's transformation, using his press to advocate for infrastructure, irrigation, and the temperance of speculation that threatened new settlements.

Beyond journalism he encouraged civic art, horticulture, and education, leaving an imprint on Denver's cultural life that endures at Fairmount Cemetery, where his story rests among the pioneers he documented.