Consider this: a quiet revolution sparked Denver’s City Beautiful Movement and Alamo Placita was right in the thick of it. This historic district tells a tale of prairie land transformed. It also shows the ambition of a city on the rise.
Alamo Placita, Denver began as prairie land along Cherry Creek. It sat just three miles southeast of the growing town. In 1864, a farsighted investor named Moses Hallett bought a quarter section of this land. Hallett was an attorney from Illinois. His purchase became Arlington Park Addition. Later, it became the Alamo Placita neighborhood.
By 1887, Denver’s southern city limit reached the northern border of Hallett’s claim. That border is now East 6th Avenue. Hallett Road, on the eastern edge of his land, is now Downing Street. In 1889, Hallett sold his land. He sold to the Arlington Park Land and Improvement Company. However, he became one of several investors in the company.
Enter Robert W. Speer. He came to the West seeking a cure for tuberculosis. Speer not only recovered, but he also showed boundless energy. He is remembered as Denver’s first mayor under home rule in 1904. Speer championed the City Beautiful Movement. He supported Denver’s park system. He also engaged in boss-style politics. Alamo Placita was his first major real estate investment.
Speer formed a syndicate to develop the land. When Arlington Park Addition was created, it became the first client for Speer’s new real estate company. The creation of the addition and an amusement park gave him experience in managing big projects. He did this with powerful Denver figures. Moreover, Alamo Placita was his home. Robert and Kate Speer lived at 505 Clarkson Street from 1890 to 1906.
Alamo Placita’s Arlington Park had a grand opening on July 4, 1892. A lavish theatrical production called “The Last Days of Pompeii” was the main event. It featured 300 actors and a 54-foot high set of Mt. Vesuvius. When Vesuvius erupted, fireworks lit up the sky. An estimated 12,000 people attended.
The future looked promising. However, the Silver Crash of 1893 brought the economy to a standstill. Arlington Park reopened as Chutes Park in 1898. “The chutes” were a graded waterfall. Riders in boats plunged into the lake below.
New attractions arrived in May 1899. Miss Sadie Boynton, fresh from Paris, thrilled audiences by “shooting the chutes” on a bicycle. “Professor Barnes’ much heralded herd of driving and diving elks” marched up a ramp. Then, they plunged off a 60-foot high platform into a tank of water. Handbills called the park “The Coney Island of the West.” Fires in 1901 and 1902 closed the amusement park forever.
After World War II, Alamo Placita became an affordable housing option. Some developers built multifamily apartments. However, most new apartments remained small in scale.
By 1930, about 90 percent of the present Alamo Placita Historic District buildings were complete. By 1940, that number rose to 94 percent. These included single-family homes, multifamily dwellings, and a few commercial buildings.
In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, young professionals rediscovered Alamo Placita. They valued its family-oriented environment near the city’s heart. Lawyers, doctors, teachers, and businesspeople moved in. They joined trade craftsmen, clerks, and salesmen. Richard and Dottie Lamm lived at 531 Emerson Street in the 1960s. Later, Lamm became a three-term governor of Colorado. Residents grew to appreciate Alamo Placita’s architectural integrity. This interest led to the formation of the Alamo Placita Neighbors Association.
Today, Alamo Placita stands as a testament to Denver’s past. It’s a reminder of the dreams and hard work that built this city. It’s also a vibrant community. It is a place where history and modern life intertwine.