| Modeled after New York’s Central Park, Denver’s
City Park was already in the works by the 1870’s.
Initially intended to be two open spaces—the current
site connected by 17th Avenue to an area surrounding
Sloan’s Lake—City Park was created on 320
acres in 1880 and spanned from 17th to 23rd, York to
Colorado Boulevard. With the 1913 addition of the golf
course, the park’s acreage expanded to 480 acres.
Creating the centerpiece of Denver’s park system
was not easy. Squatters on the open prairie land had
to be evicted and water was needed. City Ditch provided
the water to supply the tree plantings and in 1896
the City Park Lake was created to drain the surrounding
land. To promote the idea that this open space was
unique, four ornate gateways were created near park
entrances and streetcar stops. In addition, in 1907,
work began on an esplanade to connect the park with
Colfax Avenue.
Very family-oriented, the mood in the park was quite
conservative. No dogs were allowed and a cell was
built below the park pavilion to handle drunks and
other rowdy individuals! City Park became an important
part of the Denver social scene during the turn of
the century drawing crowds of up to 10,000 for some
events. The Denver Municipal Band played nightly in
the summers and the installation of the electric fountain
in the middle of the lake further enhanced the park’s
appeal. Paddleboats and canoes could be rented for
use on the lake that was utilized for ice-skating
in the winter as well.
Sculpture was an important part of the City Beautiful
movement. City Park contains some of the finest statues
in the city including the frontier women and miners
perched above the Sullivan Gateway and the “Grizzly’s
Last Stand” on the west side of the Natural
History museum in City Park.
Allen M. Ghost led the residential development of
the West City Park neighborhood with his early purchase
and planning of the Parkside Addition (18th to 21st,
Gaylord and York Streets). Here, mansions that remain
today began springing up in the late 1890’s
and early 1900’s—one of the most striking
at 18th and York, the Frank Smith mansion.
After struggling with a period of decline, the result
of increased traffic and crime in neighboring Capitol
Hill, City Park has been revitalized in recent decades.
As during the early 1900’s, the park continues
to draw crowds for summer concerts and festivals and
remains a haven of open space for Denver residents
to enjoy year round.
-Jennifer
Collins |
