Denver, North Carolina is a small southern town located at the east end of Lincoln County. The history of the area dates back to before the revolutionary war to a time when the Catawba Indians lived along the eastern banks of the river that still bears their name. The Cherokee Indians lived to the west.

The first bold pioneers known to settle this area were Adam Sherrill and his 8 sons, who migrated from Pennsylvania in 1747. John Beatty also settled here in 1749. Both families settled along the west bank of the Catawba River near shoals in the river that made it possible to cross. These crossing points or "fords" were thereafter referred to as "Sherrill´s Ford" and Beattie´s Ford, names that still live on in the area to this day. The early settlers of the area were primarily Scotch-Irish and Germans that came from the north. By 1750 a Scotch-Irish settlement covered both banks of the Catawba River.

The Denver area was settled around 1770 and because of its location adjacent to a swampy area was originally known as "Dry Pond". In 1873 "Dry Pond" was renamed "Denver" by D.Matt Thompson the local school principal.

Today Denver sits on the west side of Lake Norman which has typically been quieter with a "laid back" and "easy going" atmosphere. The town has centered around the old post office and stretches north and south along Highway 16. With future plans to widen the highway from Charlotte to Hickory, development has begun to hasten. New homes and businesses are suddenly popping up throughout the area and several large development projects are underway.