112-686: Speer Boulevard , in Denver, Colorado , is a historic parkway . It runs from Irving St. in the West Highland neighborhood to Downing St. in the Country Club neighborhood, was built in 1906, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. It is part of the Denver Park and Parkway System, which includes 16 parkways and 15 parks. It runs along the channel of Cherry Creek and includes
224-687: A mining town on the banks of the South Platte River in what was then western Kansas Territory , on traditional lands of Cheyenne and Arapaho . This was the first historical settlement in what later became the city of Denver. But the site faded quickly, and by the summer of 1859 it was abandoned in favor of Auraria (named after the gold-mining town of Auraria, Georgia ) and St. Charles City. On November 22, 1858, General William Larimer and Captain Jonathan Cox, both land speculators from eastern Kansas Territory , placed cottonwood logs to stake
336-756: A broad region spanning the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain West. The 105th meridian west of Greenwich , the longitudinal reference for the Mountain Time Zone , passes directly through Denver Union Station . As the most populous metropolitan area in a 560-mile (900 km) radius, Denver is a major cultural hub with a variety of museums and cultural institutions, including the Denver Performing Arts Complex and Denver Art Museum . Denver also has sports teams in all five major professional leagues. While
448-594: A change of ownership in 2006. Qwest Corporation , founded in Denver in 1911 as Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company, is now a part of Lumen Technologies (previously CenturyLink ). On October 31, 1937, Continental Airlines , now United Airlines , moved its headquarters to Stapleton Airport in Denver, Colorado (before United Airlines later moved to its current home in Chicago ). Robert F. Six arranged to have
560-569: A claim on the bluff overlooking the confluence of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek , across the creek from the existing mining settlement of Auraria, and on the site of the existing townsite of St. Charles. Larimer named the townsite Denver City to curry favor with Kansas Territorial Governor James W. Denver . Larimer hoped the town's name would help it be selected as the county seat of Arapahoe County , but unbeknownst to him, Governor Denver had already resigned from office. The location
672-613: A collection that spans from archaeological textiles to contemporary works of art and fashion from the 18th century to the modern day. The institute is organized to support the study, collection, preservation and exhibition of art created about the American West, its people, its history and its landscape. In the Enemy's Country by Charles M. Russell , The Cheyenne by Frederic Remington and Long Jakes, "The Rocky Mountain Man" by Charles Deas are
784-473: A composition of public spaces, monuments and gateways in this developing part of the city, contributing to the synergy amongst neighbors large and intimate." Libeskind designed a landscaped pedestrian plaza for the DAM complex. Sculptures on display include 'Scottish Angus Cow and Calf' by Dan Ostermiller , 'Big Sweep' by Coosje van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg , and 'Denver Monoliths' by Beverly Pepper . Due to
896-514: A cowboy and an Indian shooting at one another. The sculpture, now on the roof of the museum restaurant, had been evicted from two other downtown Denver locations after Native American activists protested and threatened to deface the work. The sculpture was removed from view in November 2017, and the display space where it had been located was replaced with the Sie Welcome Center, which opened to
1008-563: A manufacturer of insulation and roofing products, relocated its headquarters to Denver from New York in 1972. CH2M Hill , an engineering and construction firm, relocated from Oregon to the Denver Technological Center in 1980. The Ball Corporation sold its glass business in Indiana in the 1990s and moved to suburban Broomfield ; Ball has several operations in greater Denver. Denver Art Museum The Denver Art Museum ( DAM )
1120-460: A mixture of crime and poverty of a rapidly growing city. Denver citizens were proud when the rich chose Denver and were thrilled when Horace Tabor , the Leadville mining millionaire, built a business block at 16th and Larimer, as well as the elegant Tabor Grand Opera House. Luxurious hotels, including the much-loved Brown Palace Hotel , soon followed, as well as splendid homes for millionaires, such as
1232-517: A more casual café for lighter fare. On the second floor of the Sie Welcome Center is the Sturm Grand Pavilion, one of downtown Denver's largest and most distinctive special event spaces. Over 10,000 square feet, the pavilion's curved, glass panels offer a view of the city. On the second floor of the Sie Welcome Center is the Sturm Grand Pavilion, one of downtown Denver's largest and most distinctive special event spaces. Over 10,000 square feet,
SECTION 10
#17328593225961344-522: A new building to house the works. DAM sought help from the city and county of Denver to raise funds. However, in 1952 voters failed to approve a resolution bond. Despite this setback, the museum continued to raise funds and eventually opened a new building, the South Wing (now known as the Bach Wing ), in 1954. This made it possible for DAM to receive the three Kress Foundation collections. The North Building,
1456-636: A period from the fourth millennium B.C. to the present. The Denver Art Museum began receiving significant examples of European from the 1930s with Horace Havemyer's donations of works by Corot, Courbet, and Millet and seven others. From 1932 onwards, funds from the Helen Dill Bequest enabled the museum to acquire works by Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Alfred Sisley, Pierre-Auguste Renoir as well as paintings by American artists Thomas Hart Benton, Winslow Homer, John Twachtman, and William Merritt Chase. The Dill bequest comprised thirty-seven works purchased for
1568-598: A place in the top two in terms of affordability and quality of lifestyle. According to the 2020 United States census , the racial composition of Denver was as follows: Approximately 70.3% of the population (over five years old) spoke only English at home. An additional 23.5% of the population spoke Spanish at home. In terms of ancestry, 31.8% were Hispanic or Latino , 14.6% of the population were of German ancestry, 9.7% were of Irish ancestry, 8.9% were of English ancestry, and 4.0% were of Italian ancestry. There were 250,906 households, of which 23.2% had children under
1680-597: A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association , residents of Denver had a 2014 life expectancy of 80.02 years. The Denver MSA has a gross metropolitan product of $ 157.6 billion in 2010, making it the 18th largest metro economy in the United States. Denver's economy is based partially on its geographic position and its connection to some of the country's major transportation systems. Because Denver
1792-608: A revival of the Ku Klux Klan attracted white, native-born Americans who were anxious about the many changes in society. Unlike the earlier organization that was active in the rural South, KKK chapters developed in urban areas of the Midwest and West, including Denver, and into Idaho and Oregon. Corruption and crime also developed in Denver. Between 1880 and 1895, the city underwent a huge rise in corruption, as crime bosses, such as Soapy Smith , worked side by side with elected officials and
1904-546: A seven-story 210,000-square-foot addition, opened in 1971. The building was designed by Italian modernist architect Gio Ponti , with local architects James Sudler Associates of Denver. Ponti said, "Art is a treasure, and these thin but jealous walls defend it." It is his only completed design built in the United States. Ponti designed the DAM building to break from the traditional museum archetypes. The two-towered "castle-like" façade has 24 sides, and more than one million reflective glass tiles , designed by Dow Corning , cover
2016-560: A sum of $ 65,650 by 1961. Artists represented include Claude Monet ( Waterlilies ), Camille Pissarro ( Autumn, Poplars, Éragny ), Winslow Homer ( Two Figures by the Sea ), Gustave Courbet ( Valley of the Black Pool ), Lucien Lévy-Dhurmer ( The Dolomites ), Edgar Degas ( Examen de Danse ), Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione ( Deucalion and Pyrrha ), Giuseppe Arcimboldo ( Summer ) and Thomas Cole ( Dream of Arcadia ). The Berger Collection
2128-525: Is a major private collection largely of British art that includes approximately 200 works and spans more than six centuries. Renaissance portraits, including works by Hans Holbein the Younger , are a strength of the collection. Other artists represented include Nicholas Hilliard , Thomas Gainsborough , Angelica Kauffman , Benjamin West , Edward Lear and David Hockney . Frederic C. Hamilton bequeathed 22 Impressionist works from his private collection to
2240-631: Is an art museum located in the Civic Center of Denver , Colorado. With an encyclopedic collection of more than 70,000 diverse works from across the centuries and world, the DAM is one of the largest art museums between the West Coast and Chicago. It is known for its collection of American Indian art , as well as The Petrie Institute of Western American Art, which oversees the museum's Western art collection. The museum's Martin Building (formerly known as
2352-435: Is at Denver International Airport, roughly 20 miles (32 km) from downtown. A 2019 analysis showed the average temperature at Denver International Airport, 50.2 °F (10 °C), was significantly cooler than downtown, 53.0 °F (12 °C). Many of the suburbs also have warmer temperatures and there is controversy regarding the location of the official temperature readings. See or edit raw graph data . As of
SECTION 20
#17328593225962464-691: Is dedicated to the legacy of the Austrian-born Bauhaus master who lived in Colorado for 28 years. The core of this collection and archive came through the artist's bequest, and scholars visit from around the world to engage the collection for research. While the Bayer art works are part of the Denver Art Museum's Modern and Contemporary Art collection, and works not on public view are available for scholarly study by appointment. The archive of non-art materials
2576-474: Is large throughout the year. Tornadoes are rare west of the I-25 corridor; one notable exception was an F3 tornado that struck 4.4 miles (7.1 km) south of downtown on June 15, 1988. On the other hand, the suburbs east of Denver and the city's east-northeastern extension ( Denver International Airport ) can see a few tornadoes, often weak landspout tornadoes, each spring and summer, especially during June, with
2688-562: Is made up of roughly 1,000 pieces, mostly from the 19th and 20th centuries. It includes many rare works in sculpture, textiles, jewelry, painting, printmaking, and drawings. While a majority of their collection focuses on west African works, there are pieces from many regions and mediums, such as wood, metals, fibers, terra cotta, and mixed media compositions. The museum's Ancient Americas collection covers over four thousand years of art, including historic works from peoples and communities throughout Mesoamerica , Central and South America, and
2800-717: Is surrounded by three other counties: Adams County to the north and east, Arapahoe County to the south and east, and Jefferson County to the west. Denver's nickname is the "Mile-High City", as its official elevation is one mile (5,280 ft; 1,609 m) above sea level, defined by the elevation of the spot of a benchmark on the steps of the State Capitol building. The elevation of the entire city ranges from 5,130 to 5,690 feet (1,560 to 1,730 m). The City and County of Denver has 78 official neighborhoods used for planning and administration. The system of neighborhood boundaries and names dates to 1970 when city planners divided
2912-547: Is the largest city within 500 miles (800 km), it has become a natural location for storage and distribution of goods and services to the Mountain States , Southwest states , as well as all western states . Another benefit for distribution is that Denver is nearly equidistant from large cities of the Midwest , such as Chicago and St. Louis and some large cities of the West Coast , such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Over
3024-554: Is the principal city of the Denver–Aurora–Lakewood metropolitan statistical area , with almost 3 million people the most populous metropolitan area in Colorado. Denver is the economic and cultural center of the broader Front Range Urban Corridor , home to more than 5 million people. Denver's downtown district lies about 12 miles (19 kilometers) east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Named after James W. Denver ,
3136-525: The Los Angeles Times , said the architectural achievement of the building does not mean it works well as a museum. He called the Hamilton Building "a stunning piece of architectural sculpture," but "a pretty terrible place for showing and looking at art." "Museum architecture does not always blend cohesively with a great architectural achievement." Lewis Sharp (DAM director, 1989–2009) said one of
3248-476: The 18th most populous U.S. metropolitan area . Denver is the most populous city within a radius centered in the city and of 550-mile (890 km) magnitude. Denverites is a term used for residents of Denver. According to the 2020 census, the City and County of Denver contained 715,522 people and 301,501 households. The population density was 3,922.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,514.5 inhabitants/km ) including
3360-412: The 1976 Winter Olympics to coincide with Colorado's centennial celebration, but in November 1972, Colorado voters struck down ballot initiatives allocating public funds to pay for the high costs of the games. They were moved to Innsbruck , Austria. The notoriety of being the only city ever to decline to host an Olympiad after being selected has made subsequent bids difficult. The movement against hosting
3472-436: The 2020 census , the population of the City and County of Denver was 715,522, making it the 19th most populous U.S. city . The Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated 2013 population of 2,697,476 and ranked as the 21st most populous U.S. metropolitan statistical area , and the larger Denver–Aurora–Boulder Combined Statistical Area had an estimated 2013 population of 3,277,309 and ranked as
Speer Boulevard - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-472: The Caribbean and Southwestern United States. The department was formed in 1968, and is known for its collection of Central American ceramics, jade, and stone sculpture. The Denver Art Museum's Architecture, Design and Graphics department was founded in 1990 by former director Lewis I. Sharp. The collection has concentrations in areas including Italian design from the 1960s and 1970s, American graphic design from
3696-578: The Central Park neighborhood. MediaNews Group purchased the Denver Post in 1987; the company is based in Denver. The Gates Corporation , the world's largest producer of automotive belts and hoses, was established in S. Denver in 1919. Russell Stover Candies made its first chocolate candy in Denver in 1923, but moved to Kansas City in 1969. The original Frontier Airlines began operations at Denver's old Stapleton International Airport in 1950; Frontier
3808-524: The City Beautiful movement to Denver during his terms as mayor (1904-1912 and 1916-1918)." This article about a property in Colorado on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Denver, Colorado Denver ( / ˈ d ɛ n v ər / DEN -vər ) is a consolidated city and county , the capital , and most populous city of
3920-598: The Colorado Territory was created, Arapahoe County was formed on November 1, 1861, and Denver City was incorporated on November 7, 1861. Denver City served as the Arapahoe County Seat from 1861 until consolidation in 1902. In 1867, Denver City became the acting territorial capital , and in 1881 was chosen as the permanent state capital in a statewide ballot . With its newfound importance, Denver City shortened its name to Denver. On August 1, 1876, Colorado
4032-614: The Five Points neighborhood; Alamo Placita , the northern part of the Speer neighborhood ; Park Hill , a successful example of intentional racial integration; and Golden Triangle , in the Civic Center. One of Denver's newer neighborhoods was built on the site of Stapleton International Airport , named after former Denver mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton , a member of the Ku Klux Klan. In 2020,
4144-537: The High Plains , at the foot of the Rocky Mountains , the region can be subject to sudden changes in weather. July is the warmest month, with an average high temperature of 89.9 °F (32.2 °C). Summers range from warm to hot with occasional, sometimes severe, afternoon thunderstorms and high temperatures reaching 90 °F (32 °C) on 38 days annually, and occasionally 100 °F (38 °C). December,
4256-449: The Rocky Mountains to the west and the High Plains to the east. Its topography consists of plains in the city center with hilly areas to the north, west, and south. It is the only state capital in the United States that is a consolidated city-county. At the 2020 United States census , the City and County of Denver had an area of 99,025 acres (400.739 km ), including 1,057 acres (4.276 km ) of water. The City and County of Denver
4368-525: The U.S. state of Colorado . It is located in the western United States , in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains due east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains . With a population of 715,522 as of the 2020 census , a 19.22% increase since 2010 , Denver is the 19th most populous city in the United States and the fifth most populous state capital. It
4480-415: The continental United States . In fact, Denver has had three of the top 10 costliest hailstorms in U.S. history, on July 11, 1990; July 20, 2009; and May 8, 2017. Based on 30-year averages obtained from NOAA 's National Climatic Data Center for the months of December, January and February, Weather Channel ranked Denver the 18th-coldest major U.S. city as of 2014 . Denver's official weather station
4592-412: The 10-county Denver–Aurora–Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 2,963,821 and the 12-county Denver–Aurora, CO Combined Statistical Area had a population of 3,623,560 at the 2020 United States census , Denver functions as the principal city of the 18-county Front Range Urban Corridor , an oblong urban region stretching across Colorado and Wyoming with a population of 5,055,344 at
Speer Boulevard - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-425: The 1920s. As of 2010 , 72.28% (386,815) of Denver residents aged five and older spoke only English at home, while 21.42% (114,635) spoke Spanish, 0.85% (4,550) Vietnamese, 0.57% (3,073) African languages, 0.53% (2,845) Russian, 0.50% (2,681) Chinese, 0.47% (2,527) French, and 0.46% (2,465) German. In total, 27.72% (148,335) of Denver's population aged five and older spoke a language other than English. According to
4816-494: The 1950s to the present day, post-World War II furniture and product design in America and western Europe and contemporary western European and Japanese design. The museum's Asian art collection includes galleries devoted to the arts of India, China, Japan and Southwestern Asia, as well as works from Tibet , Nepal and Southeast Asia. The collection, which originated in 1915 with a donation of Chinese and Japanese art objects, spans
4928-428: The 2020 U.S. census. Regarded for its sunny weather and access to nature, Denver was named the best place to live in the United States by U.S. News & World Report in 2016. The greater Denver area was inhabited by several Indigenous peoples such as Apaches , Utes , Cheyennes , Comanches , and Arapahoes . By the terms of the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie between the United States and various tribes including
5040-477: The 20th century. Many African Americans first came as workers on the railroad, which had a terminus in Denver, and began to settle there. Between the 1880s and 1930s, Denver's floriculture industry developed and thrived. This period became known locally as the Carnation Gold Rush . A bill proposing a state constitutional amendment to allow home rule for Denver and other municipalities was introduced in
5152-517: The American Institute of Architects as a successful Building Information Modeling project, the Hamilton Building is Libeskind's first completed building in the United States. Recognized for its bold design, the four-story, 146,000 square foot, the Hamilton building serves as the main entrance to the rest of the museum complex. This project doubled the size of the museum, allowing for an expansion of
5264-475: The American West, as well as holdings of European and American modernist photography. Works by early Western photographers William Bell and Timothy O'Sullivan , 19th-century artists William Henry Fox Talbot and Henry Bosse and modernist photographers such as Gyorgi Kepes and Man Ray are included in the collection. The Textile Art and Fashion department of the museum houses over 5,000 pieces from Asia, Europe and North and South America. These pieces form
5376-550: The Area Planning process. Denver also has a number of colloquial neighborhood names and boundaries reflecting how people in an area, or others such as community groups and real estate developers, have defined areas. Well-known non-administrative neighborhoods include the historic and trendy LoDo (short for "Lower Downtown"), part of the city's Union Station neighborhood ; Uptown, straddling North Capitol Hill and City Park West ; Curtis Park and RiNo ("River North"), both part of
5488-609: The Cheyenne and Arapaho, the United States unilaterally defined and recognized Cheyenne and Arapaho territory as ranging from the North Platte River in present-day Wyoming and Nebraska southward to the Arkansas River in present-day Colorado and Kansas . This definition specifically encompasses the land of modern Metropolitan Denver. But the discovery in November 1858 of gold in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado (then part of
5600-493: The Croke, Patterson, Campbell Mansion at 11th and Pennsylvania and the now-demolished Moffat Mansion at 8th and Grant. Intent on transforming Denver into one of the world's great cities, leaders wooed industry and attracted laborers to work in these factories. Soon, in addition to the elite and a large middle class, Denver had a growing population of immigrant German, Italian, and Chinese laborers, soon followed by African Americans from
5712-598: The Deep South and Hispanic workers. The influx of the new residents strained available housing. In addition, the Silver Crash of 1893 unsettled political, social, and economic balances. Competition among the different ethnic groups was often expressed as bigotry, and social tensions gave rise to the Red Scare . Americans were suspicious of immigrants, who were sometimes allied with socialist and labor union causes. After World War I,
SECTION 50
#17328593225965824-541: The Denver Art Association in 1917 and opened its first galleries in the City and County building two years later. The museum opened galleries in the Chappell House in 1922. The house, located on Logan Street, was donated to the museum by Mrs. George Cranmer and Delos Chappell. In 1923, the Denver Art Association became the Denver Art Museum (DAM). In 1948, the DAM purchased a building on Acoma and 14th Avenue on
5936-556: The Denver Art Museum broke ground on a comprehensive renovation of its North Building—the only completed structure in North America designed by Italian architect Gio Ponti. One of the first-ever high rise art museums, the North Building was renamed in 2019 in honor of Lanny and Sharon Martin, who made the lead gift of $ 25 million to revitalize the building as part of the museum's ongoing campus transformation project. Additionally,
6048-640: The Denver metropolitan area with a network operation of 25 kV 60 Hz. Denver has been known historically as the Queen City of the Plains and the Queen City of the West , because of its important role in the agricultural industry of the High Plains region in eastern Colorado and along the foothills of the Colorado Front Range . Denver is in the center of the Front Range Urban Corridor , between
6160-488: The Elevate Denver Bond Program contributed $ 35.5 million in funding to DAM's project. The renovation includes updates to all seven floors of galleries, the creation of new learning and engagement spaces, as well as a new restaurant, café, and the Sie Welcome Center. The design includes skylights, which reveal new aspects of his design, and exterior site improvements such as lighting as well as revitalizing
6272-491: The Hamilton Building. Named in honor of Anna and John J. Sie who pledged $ 12 million in support of the project, the round, glass-clad structure designed by Machado Silvetti and Fentress Architects will serve as the Martin Building's new visitor entrance and ticketing center. When the Sie Welcome Center opens, it will be home to The Ponti, a restaurant focused on local ingredients led by chef Jennifer Jasinski, as well as
6384-522: The Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express in order to secure the region's first overland wagon route. Offering daily service for "passengers, mail, freight, and gold", the Express reached Denver on a trail that trimmed westward travel time from twelve days to six. In 1863, Western Union furthered Denver's dominance of the region by choosing the city for its regional terminus. On February 18, 1861, six chiefs of
6496-497: The Martin Building will be dedicated to temporary exhibitions pulled from the museum's extensive global art collections. New Design Galleries As part of the renovation of the museum's Martin Building (formerly known as the North Building), Machado Silvetti and Fentress Architects horizontally bisected the Martin Building's original Bonfils-Stanton Gallery on level one to create 10,000 square feet (929 m2) of new gallery space on
6608-507: The North Building) was designed by famed Italian architect Gio Ponti in 1971. In 2018, the museum began a transformational $ 150 million renovation project to unify the campus and revitalize Ponti's original structure, including the creation of new exhibition spaces, two new dining options, and a new welcome center. The museum's origins can be traced back to the founding of the Denver Artists Club in 1893. The Club renamed itself
6720-619: The Southern Cheyenne and four of the Arapaho signed the Treaty of Fort Wise with the United States at Bent's New Fort at Big Timbers near what is now Lamar, Colorado . They ceded more than 90 percent of the lands designated for them by the Fort Laramie Treaty, including the area of modern Denver. Some Cheyennes opposed to the treaty, saying that it had been signed by a small minority of
6832-641: The Strategic Transportation Plan. Denver has hosted the Democratic National Convention twice, in 1908 and 2008 . It promoted the city on the national, political, and socioeconomic stage. On August 10–15, 1993, Denver hosted the Catholic Church's 6th World Youth Day , which was attended by an estimated 500,000, making it the largest gathering in Colorado history. In 2015, a new commuter railway system commenced operations in
SECTION 60
#17328593225966944-469: The World. The Duncan Pavilion was a second story addition to the Bach Wing of the Denver Art Museum and opened in February 2006. The pavilion was demolished in 2017, and the site is now the location of the Sie Welcome Center, part of the museum's transformational renovation project. The Duncan Pavilion served as a link between the Daniel Libeskind-designed Hamilton Building and the 1971 Gio Ponti-designed North Building. The project's intent included preserving
7056-481: The acclaimed abstract expressionist Robert Motherwell . The collection also holds representative works from the major post-war art movements, including abstract expressionism , minimalism , pop art , conceptual art and contemporary realism . The department includes the Herbert Bayer Collection and Archive, containing more than 8000 objects. The Herbert Bayer Collection and Archive contains over 8,000 works, along with extensive documentary material. This repository
7168-529: The age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.1% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size was 3.14. Age distribution was 22.0% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 36.1% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
7280-471: The airport. There were 338.341 housing units at an average density of 1,751 units per square mile (676 units/km ). However, the average density throughout most Denver neighborhoods tends to be higher. Without the 80249 zip code (47.3 sq mi, 8,407 residents) near the airport, the average density increases to around 5,470 per square mile. Denver, Colorado, is at the top of the list of 2017 Best Places to Live, according to U.S. News & World Report , landing
7392-424: The art on view. The angular design of the Hamilton building juts in many directions, supported by a 2,740-ton structure that contains more than 3,100 pieces of steel. One of the angled elements extends 167 feet over and 100 feet above the street below. None of the 20 planes is parallel or perpendicular to another. Similar to the many-peaked roof of the Denver International Airport , the Hamilton Building emulates
7504-450: The boulevard and triangles. Design has been credited to both George Kessler and landscape architect S.R. DeBoer . The National Register Nomination states "Although the basic design was Kessler's, DeBoer's strong hand was involved in much of the planting design ..." It includes three contributing structures and a contributing object . The boulevard is named for Robert W. Speer , "who, according to some, single handedly brought
7616-405: The building's exterior. The museum is included in the area of the Civic Center Historic District , which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The museum building was deemed "non-contributing". The Duncan Pavilion and the Frederic C. Hamilton Building were both added to the museum in 2006. The Duncan Pavilion, a 5,700-square-foot second story addition to the Bach Wing,
7728-427: The chiefs without the consent or approval of the rest of the tribe, that the signatories had not understood what they signed, and that they had been bribed to sign by a large distribution of gifts. The territorial government of Colorado, however, claimed the treaty was a "solemn obligation" and considered that those Indians who refused to abide by it were hostile and planning a war. Ten days later, on February 28, 1861,
7840-459: The city into 73 groups of one to four census tracts, called "statistical neighborhoods," most of which are unchanged since then. Unlike some other cities, such as Chicago , Denver does not have official larger area designations. Colloquially, names such as Northside and Westside are still in use, but not well-known. Community planners have recently been using a set of 19 larger areas, all of which are groups of statistical neighborhoods, as part of
7952-516: The coldest month of the year, has an average daily high temperature of 44 °F (6.7 °C). Winters consist of periods of snow and very low temperatures alternating with periods of milder weather due to the warming effect of Chinook winds . In winter, daytime highs occasionally exceed 60 °F (16 °C), but they also often fail to reach 32 °F (0 °C) during periods of cold weather. Occasionally, daytime highs can even fail to rise above 0 °F (−18 °C) due to arctic air masses. On
8064-430: The coldest nights of the year, lows can fall to −10 °F (−23 °C) or below, with the city experiencing a low of −24 °F (−31 °C) on December 22, 2022, with a wind chill of −40 °F (−40 °C). Snowfall is common throughout the late fall, winter and early spring, averaging 53.5 inches (136 cm) for 1981–2010; but in the 2021 winter season, Denver began the month of December without any snowfall for
8176-916: The collection. In the United States, the Denver Art Museum currently houses the largest collection of art produced in Latin America between the 1600s and the 1800s. It is made up of over 6,000 objects, representing historic works from Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean , and the Southwestern United States. Spanish Colonial Period paintings on display include 17th and 18th Century paintings by these painters associated with Mexico: Cristobal Villalpando, Juan Correa, Luis Juarez, Gaspar Munoz de Salazar, Diego Borgraf, and Sebastian Lopez de Arteaga. DAM's Modern and Contemporary art collection includes works by artists including Pablo Picasso , Marcel Duchamp , Henri Matisse and Georgia O'Keeffe , as well as 33 paintings, drawings and collages by
8288-416: The contamination to an increase in birth defects and cancer incidence in central Denver and nearer Rocky Flats. Later studies confirmed many of his findings. Plutonium contamination was still present outside the former plant site as of August 2010 . It presents risks to building the envisioned Jefferson Parkway, which would complete Denver's automotive beltway . In 1970, Denver was selected to host
8400-452: The design, such as the Andreesons, who said, "We’re in normal looking buildings every single day. It’s just kind of an experience to walk into a room that doesn’t look like rooms that we would normally be in." Sharp said that was exactly what the museum was looking for in their expansion. He said the museum's board was seeking the opportunity to draw people to the city. On January 10, 2018,
8512-493: The distinct configuration of the steel to produce the building, the Hamilton Building expansion of the DAM received a Presidential Award of Excellence from the American Institute of Steel Construction— AISC ’s 2007 Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS ) Awards competition. The design of the Hamilton extension of DAM has received mixed reviews. Christopher Hawthorne, architecture critic for
8624-627: The enhancement of the Denver Convergence Vorticity Zone (DCVZ). The DCVZ, also known as the Denver Cyclone, is a variable vortex of storm-forming air flow usually found north and east of downtown, and which often includes the airport. Heavy weather from the DCVZ can disrupt airport operations. In a study looking at hail events in areas with a population of at least 50,000, Denver was found to be ranked 10th most prone to hail storms in
8736-768: The final link in the system facilitating artwork traffic between buildings so that artwork could be received and serviced in the Hamilton Building and transported to and from the Ponti building's galleries without exiting the protective environment of the museum. The Denver Art Museum has nine curatorial departments: African Art; Architecture and Design; Art of the Ancient Americas; Asian Art; Modern and Contemporary; Native Arts (African, American Indian and Oceanic); New World (pre-Columbian and Spanish Colonial); Painting and Sculpture (European and American); Photography; Western Art; and Textile Art and Fashion. The collection of African art
8848-439: The first time in history. The average window for measurable (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snow is October 17 through April 27; however, measurable snowfall has occurred as early as September 4 and as late as June 3. Extremes in temperature range from −29 °F (−34 °C) on January 9, 1875, up to 105 °F (41 °C) as recently as June 28, 2018. Due to the city's high elevation and aridity, diurnal temperature variation
8960-510: The games was based largely on environmental issues and was led by State Representative Richard Lamm . He was subsequently elected to three terms (1975–87) as Colorado governor . Denver explored a potential bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics , but no bid was submitted. In 2010, Denver adopted a comprehensive update of its zoning code, which was developed to guide development as envisioned in adopted plans such as Blueprint Denver, Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan, Greenprint Denver, and
9072-459: The glass tiles on the façade of the building. Machado Silvetti and Denver-based Fentress Architects are the design teams behind the $ 150 million project slated for reopening timed to the building's 50th anniversary in 2021. When Ponti's original structure was built in 1971, it was designed to accommodate 100,000 visitors per year. In 2017, the museum estimated an average attendance of 850,000 visitors annually. To accommodate growing audiences,
9184-516: The governor of the Kansas Territory at the time, Denver was founded at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River in 1858 during the Gold Rush era. Nicknamed the "Mile High City" because its official elevation is exactly one mile (5280 feet or 1609.344 meters) above sea level, Denver grew beyond its prospecting origins to become the principal commercial and transportation hub for
9296-487: The headquarters moved to Denver from El Paso, Texas because Six believed that the airline should have its headquarters in a large city with a potential base of customers. Continental later moved to Houston from Denver, but merged with United Airlines in 2013. Throughout that time, the company held a large employee base in the Denver area, which is home to the United Airlines Flight Training Center in
9408-476: The integrity of the oldest part of the museum, the Bach Wing built in 1954, while providing a significant mechanical upgrade for it. The Duncan Pavilion's open assembly area received the pedestrian bridge from the Hamilton Building with a pedestrian elevator and glass staircase linking pedestrian traffic to the Signature Gallery on the first floor. An upgraded extension of the existing freight elevator created
9520-479: The legislature in 1901 and passed. The measure called for a statewide referendum, which voters approved in 1902. On December 1 that year, Governor James Orman proclaimed the amendment part of the state's fundamental law. The City and County of Denver came into being on that date and was separated from Arapahoe and Adams counties. From 1953 to 1989, the Rocky Flats Plant , a DOE nuclear weapon facility that
9632-421: The most thrilling things about the Hamilton Building is that visitors can see the artworks in a new environment, as there are at least 20 different ways to display and hang artists’ work in the sloping and angular galleries. "I think you often see things that you had never seen before," Sharp said. "It just raises all types of potentially new ways to engage a visitor." Some visitors and Denver residents appreciate
9744-1161: The museum in 2014, including Vincent van Gogh 's Edge of a Wheat Field With Poppies , fours works by Claude Monet , three paintings by Eugène Boudin and works by Paul Cézanne , Edouard Manet , Berthe Morisot , Camille Pissarro , Auguste Renoir , Alfred Sisley , William Merritt Chase and Childe Hassam . Works by contemporary artists such as Jeffrey Gibson , Kent Monkman , D.Y. Begay , Rose B. Simpson , Fritz Scholder , T.C. Cannon , Jaune Quick-to-See Smith , James Luna , Marie Watt , Nicholas Galanin , Virgil Ortiz , Roxanne Swentzell , Nora Naranjo Morse , Julie Buffalohead , Wendy Red Star , Cannupa Hanska Luger , Edgar Heap of Birds , Rick Bartow , Cara Romero , Shan Goshorn , Diego Romero (artist) , Harry Fonseca , Kay WalkingStick , Melanie Yazzie , David Bradley (Native American artist) , Truman Lowe , Norval Morrisseau , Allan Houser , Will Wilson (photographer) , Jim Denomie , Dyani White Hawk , Jamie Okuma , James Lavadour , Gail Tremblay , Preston Singletary , Bently Spang , Richard Zane Smith , and Dan Namingha are included in
9856-476: The museum's campus and revitalize Ponti's building (now called the Martin Building), including the creation of new gallery spaces, two new dining options and the new Sie Welcome Center. With architecture and design led by Machado Silvetti and Denver-based Fentress Architects, the renovation project is slated for completion in 2021 in time for the 50th anniversary of Ponti's original building. The Duncan Pavilion
9968-410: The museum's renovation project will add more than 72,000 square feet (6,689 m2) of new and refurbished gallery and visitor spaces, in addition to the implementation of crucial safety and infrastructure upgrades. As part of the Denver Art Museum's major transformation project, the new Sie Welcome Center was constructed to create a new visitor-friendly entrance to the Martin Building and as a connector to
10080-481: The museum, but was moved to its current location in 2009. The Oceanic art collection encompasses about 1,000 objects, with an emphasis on 20th century New Guinea art and 19th century Polynesian art. These collections include works of sculpture, bark cloth, wood carvings, and even some work by contemporary artists. The DAM established a dedicated curatorial department to photography in 2008. The department's collection includes numerous 19th-century works, notably of
10192-641: The neighborhood's community association voted to change the name from Stapleton to Central Park (see more in Politics section below). The Central Park neighborhood itself has 12 "neighborhoods" within its boundaries. Denver features a continental semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification: BSk ) with generally low humidity and around 3,100 hours of sunshine per year, although humid microclimates can be found nearby depending on exact location. It has four distinct seasons and receives most of its precipitation from April through August. Due to its inland location on
10304-400: The pavilion's curved, glass panels offer a view of the city. Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Galleries As part of the Martin Building renovation, the new Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Galleries will present 7,000 square feet (650 m2) of new gallery space for the museum's permanent collection. Reclaiming square footage previously used for art storage, this completely renovated space on level one of
10416-549: The police to control elections, gambling, and bunco gangs . The city also suffered a depression in 1893 after the crash of silver prices. In 1887, the precursor to the international charity United Way was formed in Denver by local religious leaders, who raised funds and coordinated various charities to help Denver's poor. By 1890, Denver had grown to be the second-largest city west of Omaha, Nebraska . In 1900, whites represented 96.8% of Denver's population. The African American and Hispanic populations increased with migrations of
10528-573: The population and 14.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 25.3% of those under the age of 18 and 13.7% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Denver has one of the largest populations of Mexican-Americans in the entire United States. Approximately one third of the city is Hispanic , with the overwhelming majority of them being of Mexican descent. Many of them speak Spanish at home. English, German, Irish, Swedish, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Japanese, Greek, and Russian immigrants immigrated to Denver by
10640-428: The prosperity of the young town. The transcontinental railroad passed a daunting 100 miles (160 kilometers) away, but citizens mobilized to build a railroad to connect Denver to it. Spearheaded by visionary leaders, including Territorial Governor John Evans , David Moffat , and Walter Cheesman , fundraising began. Within three days, $ 300,000 had been raised, and citizens were optimistic. Fundraising stalled before enough
10752-451: The public in October 2021. One of the most photogenic pieces in the museum, the piece is an aluminum cutout of the words "AS TO BE IN PLAIN SIGHT" made by contemporary artist Lawrence Weiner . The piece is hung on a wall in the museum's third floor, and the view of it is obscured from most points of the museum, ironically hiding it in plain sight. The piece was originally on display outside
10864-601: The second level within the original footprint of the building: the Joanne Posner-Mayer Mezzanine Gallery, the Amanda J. Precourt Design Galleries, and the Ellen Bruss Design Studio. To realize the interior design of these new exhibition spaces, the museum partnered with New York-based design firm OMA, who collaborated with the museum previously for the 2018 blockbuster exhibition Dior: From Paris to
10976-457: The sharp angles of the nearby Rocky Mountains , as well as the geometric crystals found at the mountains' base near Denver. Architect Daniel Libeskind said, "I was inspired by the light and geology of the Rockies, but most of all by the wide-open faces of the people of Denver." Regarding the design concept, Libeskind commented, "The project is not designed as a standalone building but as part of
11088-586: The south side of Civic Center Park. Denver architect Burnham Hoyt renovated the building, which opened as the Schleier Memorial Gallery in 1949. While the Schleier Gallery was a significant addition, the DAM still sought to increase its space. Additional pressure came from the Kress Foundation , who offered to donate three collections valued at over $ 2 million on the condition that DAM construct
11200-457: The town to merchants and miners, with the intention of creating a major city that would cater to new immigrants. Denver City was a frontier town, with an economy based on servicing local miners with gambling, saloons, livestock, and goods trading. In the early years, land parcels were often traded for grubstakes or gambled away by miners in Auraria. In May 1859, Denver City residents donated 53 lots to
11312-449: The western Kansas Territory ) brought on a gold rush and a consequent flood of white immigration across Cheyenne and Arapaho lands. Colorado territorial officials pressured federal authorities to redefine and reduce the extent of Indian treaty lands. In the summer of 1858, during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush , a group of gold prospectors from Lawrence, Kansas , established Montana City as
11424-687: The years, the city has been home to other large corporations in the central United States, making Denver a key trade point for the country. Several well-known companies originated in or have relocated to Denver. William Ainsworth opened the Denver Instrument Company in 1895 to make analytical balances for gold assayers. Its factory is now in Arvada . Aimco is headquartered in Denver. Samsonite began in Denver in 1910 as Shwayder Trunk Manufacturing Company, but Samsonite closed its NE Denver factory in 2001, and moved its headquarters to Massachusetts after
11536-718: Was admitted to the Union . This disagreement on the validity of Treaty of Fort Wise escalated to bring about the Colorado War of 1864 and 1865, during which the brutal Sand Creek massacre against Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples occurred. The aftermath of the war was the dissolution of the reservation in Eastern Colorado, the signing of Medicine Lodge Treaty which stipulated that the Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples would be relocated outside of their traditional territory. This treaty term
11648-400: Was 33 years. Overall there were 102.1 males for every 100 females. Due to a skewed sex ratio wherein single men outnumber single women, some protologists had nicknamed the city as Menver . The median household income was $ 45,438, and the median family income was $ 48,195. Males had a median income of $ 36,232 versus $ 33,768 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,101. 19.1% of
11760-515: Was about 15 miles from Denver, produced fissile plutonium " pits " for nuclear warheads . A major fire at the facility in 1957, as well as leakage from nuclear waste stored at the site between 1958 and 1968, resulted in the contamination of some parts of Denver , to varying degrees, with plutonium-239 , a harmful radioactive substance with a half-life of 24,200 years. A 1981 study by the Jefferson County health director, Carl Johnson, linked
11872-494: Was accessible to existing trails and was across the South Platte River from the site of seasonal encampments of the Cheyenne and Arapaho . The site of these first towns is now occupied by Confluence Park near downtown Denver. Edward W. Wynkoop came to Colorado in 1859 and became one of the city's founders. Wynkoop Street in Denver is named after him. Larimer, along with associates in the St. Charles City Land Company, sold parcels in
11984-497: Was achieved, even though the treaty was not legally ratified by the tribal members, as per the treaty's own terms. Thus, by the end of 1860s, this effectively and completely cleared the Denver area of its indigenous inhabitants. Although by the close of the 1860s Denver residents could look with pride at their success establishing a vibrant supply and service center, the decision to route the nation's first transcontinental railroad through Cheyenne City , rather than Denver, threatened
12096-421: Was created to accommodate the bridge traffic from the new Hamilton Building and the existing North Building (1971). Duncan Pavilion was designed to be kid- and family-friendly while also suitable for multi-use, including the museum's Untitled Final Friday series as well as wedding receptions and other events. In December 2016, the Denver Art Museum announced a transformational $ 150 million project to unify
12208-497: Was demolished in 2019. The Frederic C. Hamilton Building houses the museum's Modern and Contemporary Art, African Art and Oceanic Art collections, along with part of the Western American art collection and special exhibition spaces. Designed as a joint venture by Studio Daniel Libeskind and Denver firm Davis Partnership Architects (architect of record), the glass and titanium- clad building opened on October 7, 2006. Recognized by
12320-522: Was raised, forcing these visionary leaders to take control of the debt-ridden railroad. Despite challenges, on June 24, 1870, citizens cheered as the Denver Pacific completed the link to the transcontinental railroad, ushering in a new age of prosperity for Denver. Finally linked to the rest of the nation by rail, Denver prospered as a service and supply center. The young city grew during these years, attracting millionaires with their mansions, as well as
12432-418: Was reincarnated at DIA in 1994. Scott's Liquid Gold, Inc., has been making furniture polish in Denver since 1954. Village Inn restaurants began as a single pancake house in Denver in 1958. Big O Tires , LLC, of Centennial opened its first franchise in 1962 in Denver. The Shane Company sold its first diamond jewelry in 1971 in Denver. In 1973 Re/Max made Denver its headquarters. Johns Manville Corp.,
12544-580: Was transferred to the Denver Public Library in September 2018. A visitor favorite, Linda , by Denver artist John DeAndrea , is a life-size realistic sculpture of a sleeping woman. Made of polyvinyl , the piece is sunlight-sensitive and is shown only for short periods of time. It is so lifelike people often think it is breathing. In 1983 the museum became the home of the controversial pop-art sculpture The Shootout by Red Grooms . It represents
#595404