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1860 |
Denver was
founded as a dirty mining supply settlement,
and this model at the Colorado History Museum
beautifully illustrates Denver's dusty "cowboy
town" past. |
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1864 |
As Denver
continued to grow, the settlement slowly became
a town, complete with permanent structures,
stores, saloons, houses and farms. |
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1867 |
Three years
after the above photo, the town of Denver
sits blanketed under a light dusting of snow. |
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1897 |
Some thirty
years later, the town began to densify as
brick and masonary buildings were built. The
photo at left shows a completed Brown Palace
Hotel. |
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1900s |
In the 1900s,
the Industrial Revolution hit Denver and the
town became a major industrial center. Smelters
fumed black smoke into the air at all times,
then a sign of "progress"...a sight
Denver was indeed proud of. |
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1910 |
The town
slowly matures into a city. Only two years
later, the 325' D&F Tower would be completed...Denver
would have the tallest building west of the
Mississippi River for two years. |
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1927 |
While the
D&F Tower gave the Denver skyline some
height, the Mountain States Telephone and
Telegraph Company Building would give the
skyline bulk. The building, shown under construction
in 1927, was Denver's first major office building. |
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1929 |
Denver's
skyline in 1929 shows the D&F Tower, left,
and the Telephone Company Building, right.
Industrial smokestacks make it clear that
Denver is still an industrial center by nature. |
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1940 |
As tensions
began to flare overseas and Europe was busy
at war, Denver entered 1940 with the skyline
shown here. 1940s Denver was still an industrial
center, and Denver's industrial might was
critical in the United States' eventual involvement
in World War II. |
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1955 |
10 years
after the war, commerce in the United States
was booming, a fact that was reflected in
Denver's new skyline. The Denver Club Building
(center) and I.M. Pei's Mile High Center (right)
became the new icons of the Denver skyline. |
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1955 |
Another
view of Denver in 1955. As "I Love Lucy"
and "The Honeymooners" flashed across
television screens throughout the nation,
Denver began to develop a respectable skyline. |
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1958 |
The late
1950s saw a construction boom in Denver's
skyline. In addition to the Denver Club Building
and the Mile High Center, the First National
Bank Tower was completed as well as the addition
to the Brown Palace Hotel (shown under construction).
To the left of the photo is the groundwork
for the Hilton Hotel. (now Adams Mark) |
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1959 |
Denver's
skyline is beginning to reflect that of one
of the nation's major cities. |
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1960 |
Construction
is finishing up on the Hilton Hotel (Adams
Mark). The hotel would open later that year
and ushered in a new era for Denver's hotel
market. |
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1960 |
A different
angle of this transforming city. |
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1961 |
The Public
Service Building is completed. |
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1963 |
The Western
Federal Savings Bank Tower joins the skyline.
The famous blue square implanted with the
white "W" has not been added to
the building yet. |
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1968 |
Denver has
a new tallest as the Security Life Building
wraps up construction. |
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1968 |
Denver's
skyline has become a very impressive sight. |
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1968 |
Denver's
CBD at night. Notice the highway sign that
points to the "Valley Highway". |
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1968 |
This fourth
picture from 1968 shows Denver looking north.
The northwestern edge of downtown is about
to sprout a new tower. |
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1969 |
And Denver
has a new tallest again. The 40-story Brooks
Towers (background center) eclispses the Security
Life Building. |
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1970 |
A very impressive
aerial shot of Denver in 1970 shows its new
tallest as well as other recent additions
looming over the city. |
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1971 |
An orange
Colorado sunset casts a glow on Denver in
1971 as the city prepares to call it a day. |
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1978 |
By 1978,
many new towers had filled in the skyline
including Independence Plaza, CO Natl. Bank,
CO State Bank, Lincoln Center, Executive Tower,
Mountain Bell and First Interstate. A topped-out
Anaconda Tower is still installing its glass
facade. |
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1979 |
By 1979,
the Amoco Tower (left) had joined the fray,
as well as the Johns-Manville Center (right).
Denver's new tallest is now the Anaconda Tower
(555 17th Street), a title that wouldn't last
for long. |
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1980 |
In 1980,
construction on several towers commences.
The Bank One building (left) is under construction,
and the two World Trade Center towers are
visible just behind Security Life. Although
you can't see it in this photo, groundwork
for the ARCO (MCI Tower) is underway. |
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1982 |
BOOM! Before
anyone can realize it, downtown is a forest
of construction cranes as the real estate
frenzy takes full grip. This photo, dated
August 19, 1982, shows the Wells Fargo Center
(United Bank of Denver) during its 698' ascent
into the sky. To its left is the Mellon Financial
Center, almost topped out. |
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1982 |
This photo,
taken the same day as the above, shows the
shell for Wells Fargo Center framing the left
side of the picture, and just to its right
is Dominion Plaza. The ARCO Tower is now complete,
as well as the buildings at Denver Place.
1801 California Street is under the crane,
but its elevator core tops out at the full
709' height. The shell for the Mellon Financial
Center sits at the bottom right. |
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1982 |
A shot looking
southeast shows that the northern edge of
downtown is just as busy. Construction on
17th Street Plaza, Alamo Plaza, the Plaza
Tower and others is at full speed. |
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1982 |
Here is
what we consider to be the greatest historical
photo on this website. Dated October 6, 1982,
it shows all of the "Big 3" under
construction. Hardly noticable is Republic
Plaza just left of center, and moving right
is 1801 California, Wells Fargo and Mellon
Financial Center. |
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Today |
Not one
major skyscraper has been constructed in downtown
Denver since 1985, setting a new national
record. Every major city in the United States
has completed a high-rise more recently than
Denver, including the rust belt cities of
Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh and
St. Louis. |
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