Colfax Avenue

Colfax Avenue has a colorful and vibrant history that must be preserved. This site is a gift to the people of Colorado and the World for historical archival purposes. All content can be found through the links in the right hand column or using the search feature in the top left. If you use any content from this site, please credit ColfaxAvenue.org.

 

Please visit our Colfax Avenue exhibit currently on display at History Colorado entitled Forty Years on the 'Fax.

 

Thanks for visiting!

U.S. Highway 40 Celebrates 100 Years!

Celebrating 100 years in 2026, U.S. Highway 40 was established Nov. 11, 1926, as part of the United States Numbered Highway System, and was designed to create an integrated network of roads for transporting goods and people across the country. The highway ran from Atlantic City, N.J., to San Francisco, CA. and earned the nickname "Main Street of America."

Its eastern portions incorporate the famous National Road—the first federally funded highway in U.S. history, initially constructed between 1811 and 1834.

Highway 40 travels the full length of Colfax Avenue in Colorado.

 

Colfax Viaduct, 1956

 

Capitol Hill East Colfax, 1940s

 

West Colfax Avenue, 1966

 West Colfax Avenue in 1966, before Interstate 70 was completed.

Slaven's Turkey Hatchery

 

One of the oldest businesses to come into existence along Colfax Ave in the East Colfax Neighborhood was Slaven's Turkey Hatchery.

 

Erwin Howard & Ida Slaven's built the hatchery in 1943 at 8135 E. Colfax Ave. & Uinta next Davis Dry Goods to the west at 8119 East Colfax that was built in 1930 (now El Chalate El Salvadorian Restaurant. Also in the 8100 block was the Red & White Food Store, Eugene's Beauty Shop, operated by Elizabeth Bath, and Ken's Barber Shop operated by Ken Harvey who would later buy George's Barber Shop across the street at 8208 East Colfax (where Famous Wings) is today.

 

Slaven's Turkey Hatchery operated from 1943 to 1948 and sold turkey poults across Colorado and nearby states. You can see images from their letterhead attached, along with an advertisement from the Eagle Valley Enterprise, Volume 46, Number 28, May 3, 1946.

 

In 1948 the Slaven's opened up a southern restaurant at the site called The Plantation. You can see images of their menu attached (Filet Mignon was $3.25!). The Plantation operated until 1954 when it was purchased by George from George's Barbershop and Lupe Zenderazas opened up La Bolitas Mexican Restaurant at the site, later operated by Phil Murray. It has been a couple other Mexican restaurants and a Thai restaurant since then and currently the building is a Mexican Herbalife venture and event space. Silver Stem Dispensary added an addition to the building and opened up shop a few years back.

Capitol Hill on East Colfax, 1979

 Capitol Hill on East Colfax, 1979.