10 Historic Black & White Photographs of Downtown Denver Colorado

by Chris Hoar December 3, 2018

The history of Denver, Colorado has been well documented in black & white photographs since the very beginning, and thanks to the efforts of preservationists & others including the Denver Public Library, many of these photos have been preserved for posterity. We thought you might like to have a look at some of the best old photographs from downtown Denver that we could find.

Northwest view of downtown Denver taken sometime between 1929 and 1933.
Louis Charles McClure/Denver Public Library/Western History Collection/MCC-3057

Black & White photograph of the Brown Palace Denver late 19th Century

The Brown Palace Hotel, 391 17th St, Denver, Colorado, 80202. The Brown Palace was America's second fireproof building! Construction began in 1889 and completed in 1892. Denver architect Frank E. Edbrooke designed the building for Henry C. Brown and co-owners W.H. Bush and N.M. Tabor. Brown paid three-quarters of the total $2 million construction and furnishing costs. The hotel has long played a role as the social and cultural landmark of Denver. It has has regularly hosted U.S. presidents, foreign dignitaries, and business leaders, as well as the traveling public.

Black & White Photo of a Snow covered Curtis Street Denver with Theater Lights circa 1913 Night view of a snow-covered Curtis Street in Denver, Colorado, circa 1913

Black & White Photo Denver 1932 of crowd gathered in front of Union Depot to see President Woodrow Wilson speak

A huge crowd gathered in from of Union Station to see Herbert Hoover in 1932

March 15, 1894 a Militia marches on City Hall

Paramount Theater Historic Downtown Denver Colorado Black & White Photograph Taken in 1957 this photograph shows men in suits perform stunts on a trampoline near the Paramount Theater designed by Temple Hoyne Buell at 16th & Glenarm Streets in downtown Denver, Colorado.

The Welcome Arch Denver Colorado 1908 Historic Black & White Photo The 'Welcome Arch' which was located right in front of Union Depot, circa 1908

Black & White Photo 15th St Denver Colorado Men Laying Trolley Tracks Laying trolley tracks on 15th St, 1905. The Denver Dry Goods building (tallest building on the right) and the Denver Gas & Electric building down on the left.

Denver CO Curtis St Black and White Photo 1927 Theatre Row
Curtis Street, then known as “Theater Row” circa 1927

Union Depot 1881 Denver Colorado Black & White Historic Photo
Union Depot, Denver, built in 1881 at a cost of $525,000 by the Union Depot & Railroad Company. Union Depot served as a connecting line to the Transcontinental Railroad through Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Denver 1913 Black & White Photo Snow Removal by Horse & Wagon After a blizzard in 1913 the snow was removed by horse & wagon and dumped right in front oft he State Capitol building.