Colorado Then and Now Photographs

06/09/2026

Russell Gulch, south of Central City, Then and Now.

Please note the 2 small houses on the left side of both images

For more detailed information, please see my previous post.

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Historic Idaho Springs Central City Gilpin Historical Society Museums

06/09/2026

Russell Gulch, CO. Photos taken in 1941 and 2025.

Creators note: the only constant that I can see in both photos are too small homes or cabins on the left side of both photos.

Russell Gulch is a famous former gold-mining settlement, now largely a ghost town, located in Gilpin County, Colorado. Founded in June 1859, the town was established right at the start of the historic Pikes Peak Gold Rush. It sits at an elevation of over 9,100 feet just South of Central City, along Virginia Canyon Road. Today, it features striking historic ruins, a tiny residual population, and a highly unique private disc golf course.

William Greenberry "Green" Russell and his party, from Georgia, had come and built the first permanent cabins on the south side of Cherry Creek at the confluence with the South Platte River. He called it Auraria, in honor of his hometown. He then discovered placer gold, near what is now Central City, in June 1859. By September 1859, nearly 900 miners flocked to the area, giving birth to the town built at the head of the gulch. Russell famously moved up the gulch to establish this claim after a tense rivalry with John H. Gregory, who had found gold at nearby Gregory Gulch.

The town was uniquely progressive for its era. It gave females the exact same legal rights as males to purchase and own mining claims. Early miners easily panned for loose surface gold (placer mining). As surface gold dried up by the mid-1860s, operations transitioned into complex deep-quartz vein mining. The bustling boomtown grew to feature homes, a mule barn, a cemetery, and an Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) hall. However, it also suffered from frequent robberies, shootouts, and gambling-fueled violence.

Unlike many short-lived camps, Russell Gulch remained a steady economic force and sustained mining operations for several decades. However, Mining production began dropping steadily across Gilpin County in the early 1900s. As the gold diminished, local businesses closed and families moved away. The local post office officially shut down in 1943. This closure was triggered by the U.S. government's wartime moratorium on gold mining during World War II.

A famous local building sat completely abandoned for 50 years following a tragic murder in 1904. It was eventually restored into the Russell Gulch Studio/Museum. A handful of weathered buildings still stand today, including a prominent three-story brick schoolhouse built in the 1890s.

Property owner Brian O'Donnell converted sections of the town into a renowned, private 18-hole disc golf course. Players can throw discs across steep mountain terrain weaving directly past historic cabins, old mine entrances, and rusted vehicles. (Source: Google AI overview)

Original photo provided courtesy Colorado Rust and Revival.

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Gilpin Historical Society Museums Central City

06/09/2026

3000 Zuni St. Photos taken in 1919 and 2025

The property at 3000 Zuni St, Denver, CO 80211 is a historic commercial anchor on the southwest corner of West 30th Avenue and Zuni Street in Denver's trendy Lower Highland (LoHi) neighborhood. Spanning over a century of neighborhood transitions, it has evolved from a standalone early-20th-century commercial hub to a neighborhood cafe, and finally into a bustling Italian culinary space.Early 20th Century.

Before 3000 Zuni Street was built, the intersection's primary commercial activity took place directly across the street at the iconic Romeo Block building (built in 1889). In 1906, the Wilson Drug Company opened its doors inside one of the Romeo Block's storefronts. The pharmacy became a neighborhood staple, but outgrew its space after the conclusion of World War I. In 1919, the Wilson Drug Company moved out of the Romeo Block and relocated right across the street into a newly developed property at 3000 Zuni Street.

Throughout the middle of the 20th century, the property functioned consistently under commercial "Restaurant/Bar/Food Service" and retail land use designations. It anchored the streetcar commercial node spanning North Denver, serving as a local market and gathering point while the Highland area transitioned from an old streetcar suburb to a dense urban community.

By the 2010s, as the LoHi neighborhood exploded into one of Denver’s most desirable real estate markets, the building accommodated modern neighborhood staples. In the mid-2010s, the space briefly contributed to Denver’s expanding artisanal food scene. In 2019, a community-centric coffeehouse called Coffee for People opened at the location, activating the corner as an early-morning gathering spot before closing its doors in early 2022.

In the summer of 2022, Denver restaurateur Tony Pasquini relocated his iconic neighborhood fixture, Tony P's Bar & Pizzeria, into the building. Pasquini intentionally transitioned from a larger footprint on 32nd Avenue to 3000 Zuni Street to accommodate a more intimate, takeout-friendly "new economy" business model. Today, the building operates as a hybrid Italian concept featuring Tony P's Coffeehouse by morning and an active wood-fired pizzeria and bar by night. (Source: Google AI overview)

Original photo provided courtesy Denver Public Library Digital Collection

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Historic Denver Historic Denver Beautiful and Historic North Denver

06/06/2026

Intersection 29th & Zuni, Then and Now

For more detailed information, please see my previous post.

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Denver Public Library Historic Denver Historic Denver Beautiful and Historic North Denver

06/06/2026

Intersection of 29th and Zuni. Photos taken in 1898 and 2016
There are 2 buildings in both photos, The Asbury Methodist Church on the right and the brick building on the left.

The intersection of West 29th Avenue and Zuni Street is a historic focal point located in the heart of Denver's vibrant Lower Highland (LoHi) neighborhood. Originally acting as a vital commercial and transportation hub in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this intersection has evolved from a gritty industrial streetcar nexus into one of Denver’s most highly sought-after, dense urban corridors.

In the late 19th century, Zuni Street was originally named Gallup Street, and 29th Avenue was known as Ashland Avenue. The intersection served as a gateway to the Denver Tramway Company’s North Division. The main streetcar line ran directly from downtown Denver (15th Street) out to 30th and Zuni.
Because of the high foot traffic from commuting workers, a commercial strip emerged. It stretched along Zuni Street from 29th to 32nd Avenue, lined with neighborhood grocers, taverns, and local businesses. Essential utilities took root here early on. The Colorado Telephone Company established offices on Gallup (Zuni) Street, and in 1906, major water mains were laid directly beneath 29th and Zuni to service the booming population. The nearby streetcar barns operated until 1940.

The Ochiltree Block: Located just a block away on Zuni, this late 19th-century brick structure is a classic example of the area's rich history. It has recently been celebrated by Historic Denver for its adaptive reuse, preserving its historical facade while injecting new life into the neighborhood.

By the mid-to-late 20th century, as the streetcars faded, the area shifted into a bohemian and artistic hub. The intersection of 29th and Zuni famously hosted a multi-room, hippie-era coffeehouse that became a staple for local poetry readings and counter-culture gatherings.

The 29th & Speer TriangleToday, the intersection is undergoing its most massive physical transformation in over a century. The wedge of land bordered by West 29th Avenue, Zuni Street, and North Speer Boulevard—known locally as the 29th & Speer Triangle—is a primary target for dense, modern urban development. (Source: Google AI overview)

Original photo provided courtesy Denver Public Library Digital Collection

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Historic Denver Historic Denver Beautiful and Historic North Denver

06/05/2026

Here is another post in my series highlighting Empire Colorado. Union pass was one of the main ways to get from the eastern slope to Middle Park.
Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Denver Public Library Historic Idaho Springs Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office George Rowe Museum Visit Georgetown, Colorado

06/04/2026

🎉 Facebook recognized me as a consistent post creator this week!

06/03/2026

Empire, looking South towards Union Pass. Photos taken 1910 and 2016.

The history of Union Pass, Colorado is deeply tied to the state's 19th-century silver rush, serving as a critical four-mile wagon road connecting the mining towns of Empire and Georgetown.

In 1860, Silver was discovered in the area, establishing Empire, Colorado as a key mining center. In 1861, the town entered a major period of prosperity. Rich silver lodes were discovered nearby in Georgetown in 1864. Union Pass was built through the notch in the mountain ridge between Empire and Georgetown to establish a vital supply line between the two booming camps.

Original photo provided courtesy Denver Public Library Digital Collection

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Historic Idaho Springs Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office George Rowe Museum Visit Georgetown, Colorado

06/02/2026

3016 Osceola St Denver. Photos taken in 1920 and 2014

The property at 3016 Osceola Street in Denver, Colorado is the historic Hermann H. Heiser House, a beautifully preserved Queen Anne Victorian residence built in 1892. It holds significant local prominence.

The two-story red brick home features an impressive corner tower that anchors the home’s classic Queen Anne silhouette.
A spectacular front entrance complete with an original door, leaded glass side lights, and a transom window. The Masterfully matched interior paneling and doors, utilize entirely different, high-quality wood species unique to each room.

The home was built for Hermann H. Heiser, a renowned Denver craftsman famous for creating high-end, custom cowboy saddlery and leather goods. The home achieved official Denver Landmark status in 1973. In 1989, a four-car detached garage was built on the 0.36-acre lot. It was meticulously crafted to mimic the home's historic narrow mortar joints.

In late 2025, the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission reviewed and guided a precision rehabilitation project. The initiative systematically removed non-original wrought iron and columns added during mid-century renovations, replacing them with historically accurate wood balustrades and pedestals reconstructed using original "ghost marks" on the structure
It remains a private residence in the highly sought-after West Highland neighborhood. (Source: Google AI overview)

Original photo source, unknown.

Colorado Then and Now Photographs History Colorado Denver Public Library Historic Denver Historic Denver Beautiful and Historic North Denver

06/01/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BGhrthPNg/?mibextid=wwXIfr

If you like my page, then I’m sure you’ll like this one too if you’re not aware of it, this is run by a lady by the name of Heidi and her son and they are fans of this page and I’m fans of their page. Anyway, you should check this out. They do a great job.



Welcome! We would like to invite you on a trip into the past to explore Denver and the surrounding areas of Colorado.