Saturday, October 31, 2015
Friday, October 30, 2015
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
How the West Side Won by Phil Goodstein
Phil Goodstein, How the West Side Won: The History of West Denver/Auraria. Denver: New Social Publications, 2015. ISBN 0–9860748–1–0. vi + 474 pp. Illustrations. index. $24.95.
The Auraria Higher Education Center is far and away Denver’s largest campus and a major center of life, employment, and scholarship. It occupies what was the first permanent white settlement in the area during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush in 1858. The evolution of the land is very much the history of Denver as a whole.
Such is the message of a vibrant, well-illustrated new volume, How the West Side Won: The History of West Denver/Auraria by acclaimed Denver historian Phil Goodstein. Focusing
on the triangular area encompassed by Cherry Creek, the South Platte
River, and West Sixth Avenue, it concentrates on the people, the places,
institutions, and industries that have shaped the Mile High City.
Early on, Auraria sought to be the central trading community of the Rocky Mountain West. An 1864 flood on Cherry Creek washed away many of its hopes. By this time, it was West Denver. A
merger between Auraria, Highland, and Denver City in 1859 defined all
the land to the southwest of Cherry Creek as West Denver. As
Denver’s population soared from about 6,000 settlers in 1870 to 134,000
residents in 1900, residences and businesses filled the West Side. Dwellings ranged from ornate Victorian manors to incredibly slipshod structures. A wide variety of churches arose in the neighborhood. Early on, residents took great pride in distinguished schools.
Lincoln Park emerged in 1885 near West 12th Avenue and Mariposa Street. Among
the first parks in the city, in the early 20th century it became the
home of an inaugural municipal bathhouse/swimming pool. Then,
around the time of World War II, the city’s first housing project went
up north of it near West 14th Avenue and Mariposa Street. By
that time, the County Jail had long been at West 14th Avenue and
Kalamath Street, adjacent to the West Side Courthouse at West Colfax
Avenue and Kalamath Street, the site of the city’s criminal trials. A mile away was Denver General Hospital, the forerunner of Denver Health Medical Center. Those
wanting a distinctive meal went to the city’s oldest restaurant, the
Buckhorn Exchange at West 10th Avenue and Osage Street.
People dwelling in West Denver had a fierce pride in their neighborhood. Many were proud Cowboys, graduates from West High. The latter created its alumni association in 1886, two years after its inaugural graduation. All the while, residents came and went from the area. Especially by the 1960s, the West Side had a large Hispanic population. During the next decade, it was the exemplar of the Great Society in Denver.
From the beginning, Santa Fe Drive has been West Denver’s Main Street. Once
a trail ultimately connecting with Santa Fe, New Mexico, it has evolved
from being a residential address to a center of middle-class retail to
the city’s premier art district. How
this has happened, the interaction between residents and city hall, and
the drama and pathos of everyday neighborhood life are central themes
of How the West Side Won.
Author Phil Goodstein is a Denver native. His family was in Auraria at the turn of the 20th century. Though growing up in Park Hill and long dwelling on Capitol Hill, he has been in and out of West Denver since the 1970s. He
has written more than 20 books on the Mile High City, arguing that an
appreciation of the past is crucial for an understanding of the present. How the West Side Won is his latest contribution to the many people and forces who have made Denver what it is.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Monday, October 26, 2015
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Denver's Largest Wedding
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Friday, October 23, 2015
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Big Bunny Motel
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Monday, October 19, 2015
Fitzsimons Motel and Apartments Postcard
Fitzsimons
Motel, formerly on East Colfax Avenue. It's hard to read, but in
addition to the standard amenities of TVS, Phones, Swimming Pool and Air
Conditioning, the sign also boasts that the motel has an elevator. — (courtesy Save the Signs)
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Big Boy Buried
East High students stole the Big Boy
statue from Azar's at 4115 E. Colfax Avenue and buried it in the front lawn at
1545 Detroit. May, 1981.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Friday, October 16, 2015
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Galaxie Auto Body Transformation in the Bluebird District
Located on the 3500 block of East Colfax Avenue, the former
Galaxie Auto Body is being transformed. The former automotive repair
shop, built in the 1920s, will be the new home to several new
establishments. Cerebral Brewing, a neighborhood brewery, boasts some of
the brainiest libations in town. The Humble Pie Store will offer
handmade pies from scratch, and Chow Down will offer a casual dining and
drinking experience. These three local businesses will serve the
community with an outdoor patio, new sidewalks, and a tree lawn,
bringing new life back to this block of East Colfax.
The Galaxie Building creator and Denver Native, Sean Mandel, is excited about what adaptive reuse projects like this can bring to the Bluebird District and surrounding neighborhoods. Adaptive reuse breaths new life into historic building, while sustainability recycling components of those buildings to maintain historic character. Being able to keep the “old school Colfax marquee”, the project pays homage to its roots on the country’s longest highway.
Historic buildings have their own set of construction challenges, especially a former automotive repair shop. The site required extensive below the ground work to get it ready to be a vibrant food and drink hub. The Colfax Mainstreet Coalition, whose goal is to help foster redevelopment of Colorado’s original main street by funding environmental site assessments, “was critical in being able to rehab the building,” says Mandel.
This project will trigger more than adding three businesses to the block, it will also enhance the public realm. Along with new sidewalks and shade trees, seven new bike racks will be added, amount in front of the Galaxie Building and in several other locations along Colfax Avenue. Further, Mandel says, “I’m excited about having a Bluebird Business Improvement District and resources to serve the common areas that we all rely on. We can start filling in the gap between the street and the storefront”.
What’s on the horizon for Mandel? A new project in the former Green Buddies property. Local architect Laura Koehler is on board as well The Colfax Mainstreet Coalition to rehab this former gas station and activate the site. (courtesy Bluebird Beat)
The Galaxie Building creator and Denver Native, Sean Mandel, is excited about what adaptive reuse projects like this can bring to the Bluebird District and surrounding neighborhoods. Adaptive reuse breaths new life into historic building, while sustainability recycling components of those buildings to maintain historic character. Being able to keep the “old school Colfax marquee”, the project pays homage to its roots on the country’s longest highway.
Historic buildings have their own set of construction challenges, especially a former automotive repair shop. The site required extensive below the ground work to get it ready to be a vibrant food and drink hub. The Colfax Mainstreet Coalition, whose goal is to help foster redevelopment of Colorado’s original main street by funding environmental site assessments, “was critical in being able to rehab the building,” says Mandel.
This project will trigger more than adding three businesses to the block, it will also enhance the public realm. Along with new sidewalks and shade trees, seven new bike racks will be added, amount in front of the Galaxie Building and in several other locations along Colfax Avenue. Further, Mandel says, “I’m excited about having a Bluebird Business Improvement District and resources to serve the common areas that we all rely on. We can start filling in the gap between the street and the storefront”.
What’s on the horizon for Mandel? A new project in the former Green Buddies property. Local architect Laura Koehler is on board as well The Colfax Mainstreet Coalition to rehab this former gas station and activate the site. (courtesy Bluebird Beat)
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Colfax, the U.S. Mint, and the State Capitol Through the Years
View east down Colfax Avenue past the U.S. Mint on Cherokee St., towards the Colorado State Capitol building. Year 1906. By L.C. McClure. |
1910 |
1925 |
1935 |
1950 |
1970s |
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
Zagriculture - The Black Out Show - This Friday!
Zagriculture Blackout show this Friday, 10/16 at the Park House! Come murdered out dressed all in black for great drink specials. #parkhousedenver #livemusic #colfax
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Happy Eighth Anniversary Kinga's Lounge!
Celebrating Kinga's 8th Anniversary with Burlesque in the basement !
This Saturday , October 17th , 10 pm , NO COVER !
This Saturday , October 17th , 10 pm , NO COVER !
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Bugs Bunny Motel
A West Colfax landmark! They got into a lawsuit with Warner Brothers and
had to change the name to the 'Big Bunny Motel' in 1997. Actress Sue
Lyon (Lolita) reputedly tried to commit suicide by jumping out the
window, but failed miserably, as the motel is only one story.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Hoppy Holidays Beer Festival and Concert
THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT’s
KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH
Announces Second Annual
HOPPY HOLIDAYS
BEER FESTIVAL AND CONCERT
HOPPY HOLIDAYS
BEER FESTIVAL AND CONCERT
Performances from
ANDERS OSBORNE, KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH BAND feat.
JENNIFER HARTSWICK AND JOHN BROWN’S BODY
Fillmore Auditorium
Saturday, December 5
Showtime 6:30 pm / Doors 5:00 pm
With half a decade of his own beer festival under his belt, KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH--keyboardist of The String Cheese Incident and beer aficionado—returns his second annual Hoppy Holidays beer festival and concert to The Fillmore Auditorium in Denver on Saturday, December 5. Kyle will once again team up with the nonprofit organization Conscious Alliance
to help provide food and funding to impoverished communities across the
nation this holiday season. Kyle’s previous beer festivals have raised more than $70,000 to directly aid in this cause.
In the event’s second year, Hoppy Holidays will feature performances from Anders Osborne, Kyle Hollingsworth Band featuring Jennifer Hartswick, John Brown’s Body, an opening set from DJ Russo, plus beers from more than 30 craft breweries. Tickets go on sale this Friday (10/9) at 10am MT and can be purchased via www.KyleHollingsworth.com, www.AndersOsborne.com and www.JohnBrownsBody.com.
TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9 @ 10:00 AM
at the Fillmore Auditorium Box Office, online at www.ticketmaster.com or call 800 – 745 – 3000.
Tickets are $28.00 GA ADV and $30.00 GA DOS plus applicable service charges.
VIP Tickets are available for $60.00.
Ticket Tiers
General Admission
-Unlimited 2-oz beer sampling from 30+ craft breweries, while supplies lasts 5-8pm
-Concert
-Proceeds benefit Conscious Alliance
VIP Ticket
-Unlimited 2-oz beer sampling all evening from select breweries
-Unlimited 2-oz beer sampling from 30+ craft breweries, while supplies lasts 5-8pm
-balcony access
-VIP Hoppy Holidays commemorative credential
-VIP entrance access (avoid the GA line)
The
Fillmore box office is open Monday - Friday from 12:00 Noon - 6:00pm
& Saturdays from 10:00am - 2:00pm. On days of Fillmore shows, the
box office is open from 12:00 Noon – 9:00pm. The box office accepts cash, MasterCard, Visa and American Express – No checks! Service charges may apply.
THE FILLMORE AUDITORIUM IS LOCATED AT 1510 CLARKSON ST. AT COLFAX.
Ages 21+
About Kyle Hollingsworth
Thirty
years ago, with a wealth of desire and incredible ability,
Hollingsworth set out on a career in music. Today, as a versatile member
of acclaimed jam masters The String Cheese Incident, Hollingsworth is
revered by both peers and fans for his ability to write and perform in a
mosaic of styles, from rock to classical, ragtime to bebop. Playing in
SCI has bestowed on him the kind of fearlessness a composer needs to
flirt with such disparate genres.
About Conscious Alliance
Since
the inception of Conscious Alliance in 2002, the nonprofit has
successfully collected and distributed enough food to provide over 1.6
million meals to people in need. This national 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization operates through ongoing, grassroots food collection,
hunger awareness and youth empowerment programs throughout the United
States, primarily by organizing food drives at concerts and music
events. Donations to Conscious Alliance benefit America’s local food
pantries and economically isolated Native American reservations.
For more information on KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH or Hoppy Holidays, please contact
CONNECT WITH US ON THE WEB
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Collins' Bicycles has a Two Wheel Feel
Collins Bicycles has been slinging cycles and tune ups on #EastColfax
for 82 years...what these walls have seen! Did you purchase your first
bike here? Do you have a photo or memory to share? Send them our way!
The Collins Bicycles sign has been illuminating Colfax Avenue since 1934! |
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
Vintage Colfax: Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls Juvenile Furniture - 5237 E. Colfax - photo courtesy Erick Roorda |
Monday, October 5, 2015
Vintage Colfax: Leon the Neon Giraffe
Sachs' gigantic "Leon the Neon Giraffe" sign stood at the corner of West Colfax and Vance for many years.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Friday, October 2, 2015
Thursday, October 1, 2015
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