If you own a television or have ever driven through Denver, you should be well aware that one of Colorado’s most iconic amusement parks is that of Elitch Gardens, which is located in LoDo just off I-25… But did you know that this hasn’t always been the location of this childhood favorite?

Opened in 1890, Elitch’s Zoological Gardens was the first zoo opened in Denver (not to mention the first zoo opened west of Chicago) and quickly grew in popularity among locals. Not long after the Zoological Gardens were opened, so was the famed Elitch Theater, which showed both films and live stage productions alike. In 1916, the site was sold to the Mulvihill family, who did away with the original zoo concept and added more rides and gardens to the newly renamed Elitch Gardens. The amusement park continued to grow and expand at its well-known 38th and Tennyson Street location until 1994, when the park moved to its current (and larger) location just off the Platte River valley near Downtown.

To get a better idea of what the original Elitch Gardens looked like during one of its peak times (or to take a walk down memory lane), check out this rare footage from YouTube user ultimessence:

For even more nostalgia from your Colorado childhood, click on Not Many People In Colorado Know This Magical Place Even Exists!

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