Alva Adams

Alva Adams was a man of the people, at least if the people were Coloradans and interested in striking it rich. Born in Wisconsin, he moved to Colorado as a young man, starting in the hardware business before becoming deeply involved in the state's burgeoning mining industry. He knew what made Colorado tick, and it wasn't quiet contemplation.

He served three non-consecutive terms as Governor of Colorado, a feat impressive enough to suggest he was doing something right, even if it involved a rather messy dispute over election results. His tenure saw significant infrastructure development, the establishment of new industries, and generally dragged Colorado kicking and screaming into the 20th century. One could say he was instrumental in the state's growth, or one could say he was just there when the gold rush hit.

Adams was a pragmatic progressive, championing reforms that appealed to both laborers and industrialists, a delicate dance few politicians master. He was known for his efforts to diversify the state's economy beyond just digging holes in the ground, though he certainly didn't discourage the digging. For his tireless efforts in state-building, he gets a respectable, if not overwhelming, K-score. As for his Jewishness? Well, he was a good Presbyterian, which, in our book, doesn't exactly scream "Jew."