Denver's Cemeteries...

Denver’s history is full of stories of pioneers, gold rushes and colorful tales of the wild wild west. As the territory developed so did its cemeteries.  Long ago when Denver was a small town on the banks of the South Platte River the first cemetery was organized on an old Arapahoe Indian Burial ground.  In the winter of 1858 William Larimer selected the site that sat to the east of town and it became known as Mount Prospect.  As it grew it was divided up amongst the different religions and areas were dedicated to the various backgrounds of Denver’s settlers and war veterans. As gunfights settled disputes and criminals were hanged for their ways, their bodies were often times thrown into the cemetery along the perimeter, unmarked… to be forgotten.  Later known as City Cemetery it never reached the potential that Larimer had anticipated.  Urban sprawl encroached on the cemetery as many homes of the gold rush pioneers were being built in what is today known as Capital Hill.

In 1876 Riverside Cemetery was established and the cities elite began to bury their loved ones there.  Denver’s leaders decided to convert Mount Prospect into park land and move the bodies of the interred.  City officials gave family members ninety days to move their loved ones and hired an undertaker E.P. McGovern to do the job, at $1.90 per person.  Aside from McGovern robbing the dead as he moved them, he also cashed in on let’s say… cutting some corners.  Instead of using full sized coffins he literally hacked up his victims and stuffed them into child sized coffins. His contract was cancelled as city officials learned of this and began an investigation of McGovern’s practices. 

Riverside Cemetery, established the same year Colorado gained statehood, grew to 77 acres as some of the regions founders and well known citizens found their final resting place there.  However in a field than mainly remains unmarked to this day, many of the ‘discarded’ bodies from the old City Cemetery rest on the banks of the South Platte River.  In block seven monuments stand in memory of those first pioneers as the old original stone building sits to the west.  

Even though prominent figures the likes of John Evans, Clara Brown, John Routt and Augusta Tabor are buried there, Riverside too eventually fell victim to the growth of Denver.  Industrial sites and train tracks began to choke the cemetery and the cities citizens began to bury their loved ones at Fairmont, some families even moved their loved ones from the Riverside location. 

Fairmont Cemetery, established in 1890 (and which today also operates Riverside) became the location of choice for many families and still today remains one of the area’s premier cemeteries where dozens of Colorado’s past politicians and elite businessmen are buried.  Designed by the same man who is also responsible much of Denver’s park systems, Reinhard Schuetze created 800 acres (only 280 today) of land with historic chapels, mausoleums, statues and trees.  At the time it was the largest developed landscape west of the Mississippi.  

Today Mount Prospect/City Cemetery is divided up into three well known areas; Cheeseman Park, The Denver Botanical Gardens and Congress Park.  As it’s estimated that around 3,000 body parts still remain underground the park and City Park neighborhood is one of the most haunted in the Colorado region.  Park goers have been approached by spirits and even witnessed the outlines of the old gravesites on full-moonlit nights.  Riverside has become one of the most endangered historic sites in the country as its original water rights were made on a handshake and industrialization of the area has taken over.  Dead trees from drought tower into the sky as others have fallen and damaged some of the cities history.  Trains run along the east side of the cemetery and smoke stacks to the north loom above the grounds.   While Fairmont remains the most kept cemetery this diverse history and story of all three are a major part of Denver’s colorful, and somewhat ghoulish past.

Happy Halloween!

Autumn in Marble, Colorado

 

The mountains of Colorado have been known for their gold for generations.  This time of year the ribbons of bright colors cascade down the side of mountains and through the valleys, in some way a reflection of the veins of gold that is sometimes found within.  Prospectors and settlers have been extracting the riches from these mountains for well over a hundred years.  Gold, silver… and even marble.  

First discovered in 1875 by a geologist, the uniqueness and purity of the local marble wasn’t really recognized for a few more years by George Yule, a mining engineer, who’d eventually give the regions marble its name.  The marble then gave the town its name, which was incorporated in 1899.   Marble is actually a metamorphosed form of limestone, which signifies that this region (which now has more 14’ers than anywhere else in the United States) was once underwater.  

The pure white marble of this regional gained wide popularity in the early 1900’s and was used not only in the Denver and San Francisco architecture of the time, but made it’s way east to New York; and was used for monuments in the nations capital.   The largest stone ever quarried was from the Yule Quarry and formed the Tomb of the Unknowns.  It took 75 men over a year to cut that rock.

As marble was the main source of revenue for town it saw its demise during both the first and second world wars.  The town which once had a population of over a thousand shrank to below less than fifty.  Over the years the town has been economically revitalized, but still today remains a town proud of its heritage and beautiful scenery.  A historical society was formed in the 1970’s and several structures are on the national register today. 

One of the most notable structures when driving into town is the Bell Tower.  First Constructed in 1912 it was part of the town’s fire alarm system.  By the 1970’s it had fallen into disrepair and eventually was knocked over in a strong windstorm.  The town did its homework though, and through donations of time and materials was able to reconstruct the tower by 2010. 

I originally had planned on visiting this area because of it’s high density of Aspen trees.  Unfortunately I was unable to make it to the famous Crystal River Mill… but as always came away with a great experience and a better knowledge of the state I call home.

Colorado Explored – South Platte River

As one who always likes to explore, this trip was down a somewhat familiar road.  Growing up my parents both rode motorcycles in the Deckers area… the dirt kind, and we spent a lot of weekends growing up on the banks of the South Platte River.  Easily accessible from Denver the area lies in the Pike National Forest and is part of the Rampart Range.   For motocross riders there’s a lot of terrain in the area, but there it is also a quick weekend destination for fishermen (and women), mountain biking, hiking or even just a nice quick ‘Sunday drive’ kind of getaway from the city.  

The roads through this area are actually old stagecoach lines that first spawned the town of South Platte.  Originally known as South Fork or Padonca the area’s history dates back to the mid-1860’s when it was merely a point on a map for travelers through the canyon.  The town, originally named Symes, really began to take shape around 1878 when it became a railroad stop for the Denver, South Park and Pacific trains that ran through the canyons connecting Denver to ultimately Breckenridge (in a round-a-bout way).  By this time, according to some records, the South Platte Hotel had already been built a year earlier by Mr. and Mrs. Walbrecht.  However, another record states that the hotel was one of several owned by the Zang Brewing Company out of Denver, as an outlet for their popular beverage to both travelers and local miners.  Immigrant Philip Zang of Bavaria,Germany had originally founded the Phoenix Brewery in Louisville in 1859 and built hotels in Denver and Creede. According to that record Mr. George Walbrecht was one of Zang’s best bartenders who, with his wife Mata, ran the 14 room hotel and saloon for a portion of the profits until eventually taking ownership of the hotel.  In 1880 Symes got its own post office which distributed mail to the other towns in the region of Longview, Dome Rock, Foxton and other towns who each have their own unique stories.  Other businesses opened in South Platte including a general store, ice house and The Log Cabin Inn next to the train depot that sold bait to fishermen; although it’s said that the only ‘bait’ they really sold was whiskey.  

The only structure that still stands in town is the old South Platte Hotel, now owned (as much of the region is) by the Denver Water Board.  Regardless (although it’d be nice to know) who owned or originally built the original hotel it saw its demise in a true ‘wild wild west’ type story.   In 1912, George Bellew, a local stage coach driver, had been tipping his glass a little too often and showed up one night to the hotel for a drink.  Mrs. Mata (Millie) Walbrecht, who was trying to convince Bellew’s wife to leave him, refused to serve him and he grabbed for his .44 caliber six shooter.  Shooting Mr. and Mrs. Walbrecht and several others, two ‘probably fatally’ according to the Colorado Transcript, Bellew forced everyone out of the hotel at gunpoint and burned it to the ground.  He threatened the local telegraph operator from alerting authorities in Golden and Denver, allowing Bellew to ride of into the dark night on horseback.  Eventually the Sheriff caught up to him in La Junta where when cornered Bellew turned his gun on himself.  The Walbrechts rebuilt the hotel and continued to run it and other town businesses until George’s death in the 1930’s.  Millie continued to run the hotel with her new husband and remained the town’s postmistress. The hotel was purchased in 1953 by a Fort Collins couple who ran it until 1960.  

While I love Colorado for it’s rich and colorful history it’s not something I usually tie to my photography posts and as much time researching this hotel as I have.  But this lone hotel on the banks of the South Platte surely had a story to tell.  Today it’s a peaceful drive with remnants of those times gone by.  

Autumn's approach

After one of the hottest summers on record the change of seasons has been a welcome change.  Although 83 to 33 in two days was a bit more drastic than i'd like, but hey this is Colorado.  Photographers and residents alike welcome the fall colors and head to the mountains in droves to catch a glimpse of the golden colors of the aspens this time of year.  

While many take the road more frequently traveled I like to get away and do a little more exploration than just a day trip when I can.  But that also means you really can't predict the weather you'll run into.  In the mountains the weather can change quickly, and often does.  Meteorologists do their best, but you never really know what exactly you're in store for until you get there.  There are times you hope for the perfect weather.  But really what is that.  

Bright sun and blue skies can make it easier to capture a great image.  And I often am left a little disappointed when extreme weather follows me.  But I just keep on clicking and even though it's takes a little more work in the 'digital darkroom' eventually I get my photos to express what I saw and experienced.  

In the meadows of Spring

Here in Colorado there truly is a photo everywhere you turn.  Sometimes it's noticing even the smallest thing in a meadow, recognizing some small part of something you know to be even bigger.  When I passed by the first time my mind thought tree stumps, or something similar, in a field.  But I didn't get very far before my brain processed what I saw as antlers.

As I got closer more started appearing from the deep grass, almost with a look of "hark, who goes there?"  Sometimes I get lucky and wildlife will go about what they were doing.  This of course is directly proportional to whether or not the dogs are with me, and who spots who first.  Today... the dogs were at home.

I personally feel Elk are a lot smarter than we give them credit, and really quite playful. This would not be the first photo I have of one sticking his tongue out at me.  Obviously not seen as a threat they just sat there... 

Talking to me...

Or about me... 

Either way.. they never cease to amaze me and watching them is one of those simple pleasures in life.

Bastien's on Colfax

"If you want to see the inside, I'll buy you a drink."


Okay... so anyone who knows me surely knows how this one went.

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On the old Colfax strip sits Bastien's Restaurant; or is it a portal in time?


"Home of the Sugar Steak" is announced on the marques.  I was told it was okay... that the restaurant had a few things to be desired for the discerning diner.  But, while my shutter finger rarely tires (as evident of the over 200 photos from this two hour long extravaganza) my palate is always welcoming to tasty explorations.

The entrance door notes the history of this location dating back to 1937, a family owned restaurant... still going strong generations later.


The bar area was sunken, somewhat back in time.  A curved bar with short stools, rope lighting and relics of the Art Deco era scattered here and there.

Many of the cocktails on their menu paid homage to the concoctions of the time.  Basic Martini's with modern twists, Old Fashioneds... and something I had forgotten to try at my friend's 50's themed wedding last summer... The Moscow Mule.  

Old wooden paneling lined the dining room areas, lamps of days gone by, golden metal vertical blinds, artwork of The Rat Pack on the walls and the melodies of Frank Sinatra over the speakers.  


"Fly me to the moon..."

The gentleman to my left (with his travel guide of Istanbul on the counter top) offered me a bite of his Sugar Steak, or at least to photograph him eating it.  The woman to our right also ordered the same menu item.  This I guess is truly their signature dish, and I have to say maybe the only place, as I've never heard of it before, and I love steak.    

While my drink slowly evaporated (I always blame the arid Colorado climate) and the sweat dripping down the side of the copper cup, I had taken in pretty much every little detail of the bar.  One day I'll have to return for more than just a drink, but for now there were more Googie experiences in store.   

Gettin' Googie with it.

The Riviera Motel on Colfax

They say the world is an oyster, or something like that; basically that while there's always things and places to explore, sometimes you just have to take a deeper look at what's inside.  So I took a trip down Colfax this weekend with a friend who introduced me to the term "Googie."  


Somewhere between Art Deco and Mid Century Modernism came this style, mainly associated with coffee houses, gas stations and motels in the late 1940's.  Once a family nickname of a relative of the man who started the Googie craze, it all began with a coffee house named such in West Hollywood, California.

The Biltmore Motel on Colfax

Before I met up with said friend I of course had to Google this word (obviously), and the song "Meet George Jetson" popped into my head.  Something had to distract me from the fact I was about to embark on Colfax with my camera equipment.  While Colfax has always been a major thoroughfare for Denver (for over a hundred years, and was the main east to west road before the interstate system was built), it certainly has seen it up's and down's.  Once (the mid to late 1800's) where most of Denver's Mansions were built, it also has been the home of drugs and prostitution, and i'm sure gang violence as well.  As Colfax today spans the cities of Denver, Aurora, Lakewood and Golden the different areas of this road have taken on very distinct... oh, let's call them styles.  But in the heart of the city, between Colorado Blvd and Peoria, lies many remnants of a more simpler... 'googlier' time.  

The Top Star Motel

Some of the motor lodges still carry on the tradition of offering a comfortable place to rest for weary travelers, while others have become more permanent residences to the locals.  While photographing the Ranger a woman had stepped out of her room to inquire about my activity. 

 "Are you writing an article?"

 "No I'm just a photographer."  

She commented on how 'nice' my 'hobby' was and how it was better than some of the others that people in the area were involved in.  She did mention how we probably should be cautious and I told her about some of my adventures in the hoods of North America.  I even told her that I grew up on the other side of town and that while in High School was part of a parade the Gateway to the Rockies that once marched down this road.  We talked briefly about how every city has their "Colfax" and then she recommended some of the other signs along the stretch that we would probably find interesting.  

The Satire Lounge on Colfax

So while the Motels definitely outnumber the other Googie signs on Colfax there are still many associated with Restaurants and Bars.  But if you happen to venture down in this area yourself, just know that wife beaters are not allowed in some of the finer establishments (I was wearing one under my shirt).  I do think it'd be cool to comeback and shoot these signs after dark, but definitely would want to be packing.  

So the 'pearl' of the story... sometimes there's more than meets the eye.