Thomas J. Noel is Professor of History and Director of Public History, Preservation, and Colorado Studies at University of Colorado Denver. He appears regularly on Denver s Channel 9 (NBC) as Dr. Colorado, writes a Sunday "Denver Post" column, and is the author or coauthor of more than 40 books, including "Colorado: A History of the Centennial State" (coauthored with Carl Abbott and Steve Leonard) and "Colorado: A Liquid History and Tavern Guide to the Highest State."