Colfax Avenue: 2024

Monday, August 12, 2024

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.

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Florence Crittenton Home

In 1899, the Florence Crittenton Home was incorporated in Colorado and purchased the building located at 4901 West Colfax Avenue. To accommodate the needs for increased housing, the Home eventually built a three-story apartment building behind the original home.

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

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.