When Denver was first founded in 1858, there was no way that the city's popularity and consistent growth could have been predicted. Today, the Mile High City is America's most highly educated city, has the largest park system in the country, and ranks #19 in terms of population. To get a better idea of what Denver looked like during its beginning years, check out this fascinating video by J Steven Opp that shows fascinating old photos taken in Denver:
For even more historic pictures of Denver, check out what Denver looked like 100 years ago… it may surprise you. Do you have any old photos taken in Denver? Share your old Denver photos with us at Only In Colorado.
Colorado is blessed with an abundance of natural areas, and there are many historic pictures of Denver and the surrounding cities that capture this beauty perfectly. Here are some of our favorite natural areas in Colorado - perhaps some of your photos will be counted among our state's historic treasures someday:
When looking at vintage photos of Denver, it's interesting to see that some things just haven't changed as much as you might expect. While the look of many of the buildings, streets, and wardrobes have, of course shifted and taken on different forms through the years, it is interesting to find that many of the popular attractions of today have been prominent for some time. Let's take a look back at the Mile High City during the early 1900's to see just what I mean.
advertisement
The Welcome Arch at Denver's Union Depot greets visitors to this up and coming city.
While Denver was founded as a gold mining town in 1858 by a group of prospectors, this beautiful city at the base of the Rocky Mountains experienced rapid population growth right before the turn of the 20th century.
This aerial view of Union Depot was taken between 1900-1910.
With new roads and improvements being made to both rail and air travel, Denver became a transportation hub during this time. The city of Denver was quickly growing into a hustling and bustling destination for many.
This photo of the Colorado State Capitol Building was taken in September of 1901 at a memorial service to honor President William McKinley. Large crowds fill the lawn and the front steps are covered with curtains.
16th street was already the place to be as shown in this photo of a parade making it's way past The May Company and the Daniels and Fisher clock tower in the early 1900's.
This man, however, braved the storm as he skis down 16th street between Champa and Stout streets after that memorable snowstorm that took place on December 4th and 5th of 1913.
As you can see from these photos, some of the most iconic places in Denver back then are still found on the lists of most popular places in the Mile High City today.
advertisement
If you could travel back in time to the early 20th century, which places in Denver would you like to visit? Please share in the comments below.
If you can't get enough vintage Denver photos, you'll want to check out the incredible photos found in this video.
Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about the Mile High City, I've come up with some interesting and somewhat wacky facts about our beloved city that you may not already know. From impressive and creepy facts about iconic structures to puzzling laws that have been set, you'll want to check over this list of 8 secrets below to see which ones are new to you.
advertisement
1. This is a hard-fought over title, but Louis Ballast, who operated the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In in Denver, is believed to be the first person to trademark the beloved cheeseburger in 1935.
Although the restaurant is no longer there today, there is a granite marker acknowledging this achievement in front of the Key Bank that presently sits at the former Humpty Dumpty Barrel location.
2. The beautiful golden dome of the Colorado State Capitol was originally copper, but soon after completion, legislature agreed that the copper should be covered in gold leaf. This was both for aesthetics and as a nod to the significance that gold plays in Colorado history.
If this is truly a city law, I'd be interested to know why it was ever put in place.
advertisement
5. Even though the Beatles were destined to stardom, when they played at Red Rocks in 1964, they were just an up and coming band and their show didn't even sell out.
If you ever tour the Capitol building, you may be wondering why there are three markers for that exact mile-high location on the steps. Well, as new technology has come about, measuring an increasingly more accurrate measurement has been possible. As a result there are three different markings: the original one on the 15th step, then an additional spot on the 18th step. The most recent measurement has deemed the 13th step to be the official 5,280 ft. elevation.
7. This is another contested title, but at 26 miles long, Colfax Avenue is believed to be the longest continuous commercial street in America.
8. Although you can't see this when strolling down 16th Street Pedestrian Mall, if you had a birds eye view from above, you would take in a pretty impressive view.
