|
Denver - Historic Five Points Neighborhood Part I
“Five Points” was the name given to the neighborhoods surrounding the intersection of Washington Street, 27th Street, 26th Avenue and Welton Street, located northeast of downtown Denver. The coming together of the downtown diagonal grid and the rectangular grid of the East Denver neighborhoods causes this intersection to be five-way, hence the name. As one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, Five Points came to prominence in the 1860s. Some of Denver’s oldest and most established other neighborhoods are situated within the larger Five Points neighborhood, including: Curtis Park, Whittier, Cole, Clayton San Rafael, and Ballpark neighborhoods.
The Curtis Park neighborhood is featured prominently in this thread and was named for the city park within its midst. Created in 1868 it was Denver’s first public park. In 1871 Curtis Park became the first of Denver’s many ‘street car suburbs’ with horse-drawn street cars running up Champa Street. The neighborhood flourished during the city’s first golden age between 1870 and 1893 when the silver crash brought an end to that early prosperity. An out-migration was already well under way by 1890, however, and those that could afford to moved to the newer, more fashionable Capitol Hill area.
LINK TO PART II - Denver - Historic Five Points Neighborhood Part II
As always - a quick map and then the picture show.
New Terrace - 1888 Queen Anne row houses. This eight unit, two-story brick complex is characterized by recessed bays, front porches, and slightly advanced pavilions with various roof shapes - pyramidal, gabled, square bell-cast and stepped parapet - which rise above the main roof slope.
1885 - originally built as a drug store. The facade was built in Pittsburgh, PA and then shipped all the way to the Queen City upon the building’s construction.
The Meadowlark Bar - Five time Westword best of Denver winner as a live music venue.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church - 1879
Pressed -brick apartment building - (architect Robert Roeschlaub) 1890 Romanesque Revival. By the 1970’s this building was abandoned, boarded up, and burned (see photo below). Vandals even pried off the terra-cotta ornamentation that Roeschlaub used extensively. Remarkable turnaround.
Like a lot of urban neighborhoods , Five Points was in a severe decline by the 1970’s - gotta love the ‘war-torn’ look. This is the same apartment building ca1976 as the above photo.
Denver Public Library, Western History Collection
Isaac Gotthelf house - 1880 Second Empire. The brick and stone house has a mansard roof, belt course, and octagonal towers. Currently undergoing restoration through a state grant.
There are few true rehabs left in the historic Curtis Park district - but I found some. Generally within the historic districts in this area you won't find much if anything to restore, but outside of them and in the general area there is still plenty.
The Burlington Hotel - 1891 (architect Frank Edbrooke)
Wyatt Edison Charter School - (architect Robert Roeschlaub) 1887. Originally Hyde Park Elementary. Roeschlaub was obviously fond of terra cotta
The Greater Five Points District does contain plenty of new construction - particularly below 27th and outside the numerous historic districts.
Denver’s African American Community has a proud history dating back to pioneer miners, cowboys and railroaders. Five Points saw a major influx of black residents between 1911 and 1929 when housing developments sprang up elsewhere in the city. These new homes with their modern conveniences such as electrical wiring, plumbing, and garages, attracted many away from older neighborhoods. About the same time, the city extended Broadway, a major north-south artery, through older black neighborhoods. These two factors provided both the impetus and the opportunity for a population shift. Five Points soon became the focal point of activities in a community of nearly six thousand African American residents.
The Welton Street Corridor is the focal point and central gathering place for the surrounding neighborhoods of San Rafael, Curtis Park, Cole, Whittier and the broader Five Points community.
Five Points, for some, is considered the "Harlem of the West" due to its long jazz history. It was the first predominantly African American neighborhood in Denver, and in the '30s, '40s and '50s, was home to over fifty bars and clubs, where some of the greatest jazz musicians performed, such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and many others. Two prominent places served as the hub.
The Rossonian Hotel, constructed in 1912 as the Baxter Hotel, sat at the heart of Denver’s Five Points community. With a name change in 1929 and the establishment of the Rossonian Lounge, the hotel became one of the most important jazz clubs between Kansas City and Los Angeles. Jazz greats such as Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, George Shearing, and Dinah Washington stayed at the hotel and entertained in the Rossonian Lounge between their major Denver engagements. These shows were often staged after the musicians finished their scheduled performances at the same Denver hotels that refused them lodging due to the racial segregation existing at the time.
"At lilac evening I walked with every muscle aching among the lights of 27th and Welton, feeling that the best the white world had offered was not enough ecstasy, not enough life, joy, kicks, darkness, music, not enough night." - Jack Kerouac, On The Road
In the 1930’s, Benny Hooper opened the Casino Dance Hall (now the Casino Cabaret) next door to the Ex-serviceman’s Club. The Casino evolved into a two-story hall with balcony seating for 1,000, a 40-foot-long bar, and a huge hardwood dance floor. At the time, it was the largest and most luxurious of all the Five Points jazz clubs. During the good years, the Casino swung to the music of Brook Benton, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, George Morrison, Muddy Waters, and other musical legends. Other prominent clubs were the Rainbow Room, the Rose and the Roxy where Sammy Davis Jr. used to host amateur night as well as Lil’s which was the premier after hours club.
Denver Public Library, Western History Collection
Denver Public Library, Western History Collection
Denver’s own George Morrison was the ‘God Father’ of jazz in Denver (far right photo). In the 1920’s Morrison recorded with Columbia Records and gave command performances for the King and Queen of England. He directed Mamie Smith’s first blues recording and toured with the famous Pantages vaudeville circuit. Morrison’s band included some of the greats - Jelly Roll Morton, Jimmy Lunsford, and Andy Kirk. He owned the original Casino Club as well as a club in Golden.
While the demographics of the neighborhood are changing, Five Points' African-American heritage is still celebrated by the Black American West Museum and Heritage Center, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, as well as the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library. A number of African-American churches and businesses are still landmarks in the community. And Denver's Juneteenth and Five Points Jazz Festival draws over 100,000 people every year.
Orahood house - 1880 Italianate villa-style. At one time the house had a brick tower in the front right corner. The house features truncated and hipped roofs and elaborately bracketed cornices.
Duplex currently undergoing a renovation
This broad double residence, with its massive stone couse work and double-bay facade, was restored after years of standing empty.
The next dozen or so photos are all in or around Benedict Fountain Park
Heading back over toward the ballpark district - the rest will have to wait until Part 2
All right - that’s it for Part 1 - hang on for Part 2.
Thanks for checking out Five Points and all comments are always welcome!
MORE THREADS
Denver - Capitol Hill Neighborhood Part I
Denver - Capitol Hill Neighborhood Part II
Denver - Highlands Neighborhood
Chicago
NEW ORLEANS PART I
NEW ORLEANS PART II
Mt. Evans Scenic Byway
Last edited by CPVLIVE; Feb 17, 2012 at 9:53 PM.
|
Prev
Linear Mode
