ABSTRACT
Denver’s Civic Center is an example of early twentieth-century urban space embodying the concepts of the City Beautiful Movement. Set along the axis of the State Capitol building and the City and County Building and surrounded by civic, cultural and commercial buildings, it represents Denver’s transformation from boomtown to state capital.
Following the 1850s gold rush, Denver grew rapidly into a large metropolis at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. With its increased population, Colorado achieved statehood in 1876; five years later Denver was chosen as its capital and a new capitol building was started in 1883. Unfortunately, the city’s gold-rush-origin uniform grid plan had little public space or amenities to match its new role in the state.
