DENVER 



1770 



DENVER 



THE STORY OF DENVER 



ENVER, COLO., popularly known as 

 the Queen City oj the Plains, the capital and 

 metropolis of Colorado, the county seat of 

 Denver County, and one of the largest cities 

 between the Missouri River and the Pacific 

 coast. It is north and east of the center of 

 the state and is 1,457 miles east of San Fran- 

 cisco, 2,025 miles west of New York City, and 

 1,050 miles west of Chicago. In 1910 the popu- 

 lation was 213,381; in 1916 a Federal estimate 

 gave it 260,800. The area is fifty-eight square 

 miles. Denver is an increasingly-popular sum- 

 mer resort, and it entertains 100,000 visitors 

 annually. The city is on a plain about twelve 

 miles east of the foothills of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains; the altitude is exactly one mile above sea 

 level. The scenery of the surrounding region 

 is famed for its grandeur. For a distance of 200 

 miles, from north to south, extends a chain 

 of snow-covered peaks visible from the city. 

 Among these, Long's and Gray's peaks and 

 many others have altitudes exceeding 14,000 

 feet. The mean annual temperature for July, 

 the hottest month, is 72, and for January, the 

 coldest month, is 29. The average annual 

 rainfall is about fourteen inches, and the sun 

 shines 275 days in the year. 



The railroads entering Denver have been one 

 of the chief factors in its growth and pros- 

 perity. In 1870 a branch line of the Union 

 Pacific was constructed from Cheyenne to Den- 

 ver, then a city of 4,759 inhabitants. It is now 

 one of the most important railroad centers of 

 the West and is entered by the Union Pacific; 

 Burlington Route; Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

 Fe; Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific; Colorado 

 & Southern; Denver & Rio Grande; Denver, 

 Laramie & Northwestern; Colorado Midland, 

 and the Missouri Pacific railroads. Electric 

 interurban lines extend to Boulder, Golden, 

 Littleton and Aurora. Two small streams, the 

 South Platte River and Cherry Creek, meet 

 in the center of the city. 



Parks. All of the parks, which have a com- 

 bined area of more than 1,000 acres, offer splen- 

 did views of the mountains. Many of them 



contain small lakes; City Park (320 acres), the 

 largest, has a lake, natural history museum, 

 zoological garden, aviary and speedway. Wash- . 

 ington, Cheesman and Berkeley parks are 

 beautiful spots; Lakeside and Elich's Gardens 

 are attractive amusement resorts. Speer Boule- 

 vard is a noteworthy part of an extensive sys- 

 tem of drives extending throughout the city. 

 A great number of mountain resorts are easily 

 reached from Denver. 



Public Buildings. The capitol, completed in 

 1895 at a cost of $2,800,000, is constructed of 

 native granite and occupies a conspicuous posi- 

 tion on a rise of ground known as Capitol 

 Hill. Its most distinctive feature is a splendid 

 gold-covered dome. Other prominent buildings 

 include the United States Mint, which, with 

 equipment, cost $1,225,000; the county court- 

 house; Chamber of Commerce; the Audito- 

 rium, with a seating capacity of 12,000 ; a public 

 natatorium, costing $100,000; the old and new 

 Federal buildings, the latter completed in 1916 

 at a cost of $2,000,000; East Denver High 

 School, the Carnegie Library and the Union 

 Depot. Saint John's Cathedral (Episcopal), 

 the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception 

 and the Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church 

 are handsome structures. The city has many 

 fine banks, theaters and hotels. 



Institutions. Denver is the seat of Denver 

 University, under Methodist control (see DEN- 

 VER, UNIVERSITY OF). It has also the Jesuit 

 College of the Sacred Heart, Westminster Col- 

 lege (Presbyterian), Iliff School of Theology, 

 Colorado Woman's College, Loretto Heights 

 Academy, Miss Wolcott's School and a number 

 of other private schools and schools of dramatic 

 art, music and art. The libraries of the city in- 

 clude a fine public library with five branch 

 organizations, the state library, supreme court 

 library and those owned by the various schools. 



The altitude and fine climate of Denver are 

 particularly beneficial in the treatment of 

 tuberculosis, and in the city are a number of 

 splendidly-equipped sanatoriums. One of the 

 best known is the Agnes Memorial Sanatorium. 



