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Sunday, November 1, 2009
The Oxford Hotel
1982
Looking Northwest at
Oxford Hotel and Union Station.
1988
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I am standing
at Wazee Street looking northwest at Union
Station on a cold fall morning. This photo
will not win any awards; it is, however,
interesting for a few details.
Larimer Square was the only renovated
historic area in downtown in the 1980's, the
ONLY area.
Then, the Oxford Hotel, sitting between
Wynkoop and
Wazee streets with an entrance from 17th Street,
hung a sign announcing the renovation of
82 luxury rooms and suites with an opening
in early 1983.
Very good
news.
This was a very important time
for lower downtown. The
area needed
help badly and the renovation of the
Oxford put LoDo back on the map.
A fine hotel, believing in
Denver, and later a fine
restaurant, McCormick's, joined
together. And so, in
1982, the renovations in
"lower downtown" began
and the next 10 years
would transform the entire area.
Included in the facelift: the Streetcar Stables,
(right above), Stuart Buchanan,
S. and H. Supply, Rocky
Mountain, Morey, John Deere,
Tattered Cover and the Wynkoop
Brewing Company, and the Wazee
Super Club.
So there you have it, looking
northwest at Union Station and 17th
Street - not converted to two way
traffic - a very mellow scene.
Those years were quietly the
beginning. Tom Waits, the
musician stayed at the Oxford
back in the 70's. The great
little neighborhood lounge, The
Terminal Bar and Cafe, was
caddy-corner across the street
from the Oxford.
Memories galore of our family
and friends in this area! Many
names, Connie at the Terminal,
Papa Jack at the Rockmount, Lisa
at the Cruise Room, the Wynkoop
Brewing Company, Boggs and
Stuart at the door... at the
Oxford.
The Oxford Hotel features an
amazing new canopy on 17th
Street, a copy of the original
of the 1890's, it is amazing.
The Street Car Stables building
was also renovated to
perfection. Union Station will
soon embark on the biggest
project undertaken in the entire
area.
So this little picture turned
out to be more than it looks. |
Terminal Bar and Cafe
1983
Looking N.E. from 17th
Street down Wazee Street . Terminal Bar and the
Fireman's Grain Elevator at end of Wazee street.
1983
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Always quiet, vacant lots and empty
storefronts, the Terminal Bar and Cafe, with
inviting neon signs and
"2-fers", was a great neighborhood bar where
the attitude was friendly. A small
horseshoe-shaped bar, surrounded by round
metal seats, suggested that "swivel"
feeling. Cozy booths
and a jukebox were nearby and in the back,
there were more seats, a pool table and a kitchen.
Serf's was another watering hole half a block
away, very quiet. The Cruise Room was across
the street at the Oxford Hotel. The Terminal
was it's alter ego; they complimented each
other.
Through all those slow years, with not a lot
of activity, the Terminal was always there.
How it got it's name, I am not sure. Many
buildings had "terminal" as part of their
name. The Terminal Post Office, Union
Station Train Terminal, and the "Truckers
Terminal" that was actually the Firemen's
Grain Elevator. I'm confused, take your pick
or maybe none at all. Or maybe the
fact you were drinking and found yourself
here was the answer?
So with a wonderful smile and long Denver
Broncos finger nails, Connie would greet
everyone with "Honey or Doll" and get you
set up with 2 for 1 cocktails.
Patsy Cline and the Rolling Stones came from
the speakers. Time was swallowed up
with conversation and maybe
a little breakfast or, as advertised, "Clean
Rooms for Rent" if one wanted to stick
around for awhile.
In the 1970's the Oxford Hotel had seen
better days, rooms available still, and a
small music club. Some folk musicians played
and stayed at different times; I saw Tom
Waits and Nancy and Norman Blake. That was
before my photo interest; I love live music
and
music in general.
The music release of "Nighthawks at the Diner"
in 1975 by Tom Waits, features a song entitled
Nighthawk Postcards describing an "inebriational
travelogue" ...
"Standing out in front of the Terminal
Bar at 17th and Wazee, there's a thunderbird
moving in muscatel sky, you've been drinking
cleaning products all night, open for
suggestions..."
Crazy stuff.
The left of the photo is looking northeast down
the 1800 block of Wazee Street, past 19th
street, to the 20th street Viaduct and the
white boxy 120 foot tall Firemen's Grain
Elevator Building that was imploded in 1992
(Coors Field now covers that location).
Rocky Mountain Warehouse is on the far left,
and the Rocky Mountain Newspaper rack in
front of the "Terminal". |
Kim Allen, 2009 |
The intention of the Denver Photo
Archives blog is to share my photos and experiences, and
write about my thoughts on Denver.
These images and articles will hopefully
create some thoughts and some healthy dialogue on the
content.
I welcome correspondence and encourage
your communication. I will respectfully reply to
all comments.
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Please refer to the
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Kim Allen
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