Kevin Pharris - Historic Haunts Around Denver

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2012 by Kevin Pharris

All rights reserved

The cover image shows the original front entry for the Grant-Humphreys Mansion.

Images are courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.

First published 2012

e-book edition 2012

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.61423.679.5

Library of Congress CIP data applied for.

print ISBN 978.1.60949.738.5

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief qotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is written to honor the memory of my mother. In losing her, I have lost one of the best parts of myself.

Anne always remembered the silvery, peaceful beauty and fragrant calm of that night. It was the last night before sorrow touched her life; and no life is ever quite the same again once that cold, sanctifying touch has been laid upon it.

Anne of Green Gables

CONTENTS

PREFACE

I had decided that you were not going to be reading this book right now, but as is often the case with the ghostly things that seem to be my lot in life, the spooky side has intervened.

My name is Kevin Pharris, tour guide and owner of Denver History Tours. I am also the accidental ghost hunter, and I do not like scary things. Yet I authored a book, The Haunted Heart of Denver, in the autumn of 2011. No one was more surprised than I was, you may be certain. Still, the accolades poured in, and folks began to bandy about the idea of my doing another haunted book. Allow me to share some of the innumerable plaudits I received:

Pharris book turned me into a quivering pile of terror; I felt as if I should have the professors name from that Pilkey book! I shall buy some more unmentionables and await the next treatise on all things ghostly!

Never, in all the annals of history, has there been a book with 36,465 words. I felt awe and shall avidly count the days until the next tome arrives on my doorstep.

Pharris uses sesquipedalian correctly and is not a pedant in so doing. He shall achieve great things, assuming he uses the word crepuscular in his next book.

Ah, such laurels, such praise! Still, I was originally going to wait a year to write my next book owing to a busy schedule. On a springtime vacation, I came to that very conclusion. On my first day back from vacation, I boarded the mall shuttle in downtown Denver to give a tour. I had my megaphone with me so as to be heard over the traffic, sirens, bustle, hustle and general mayhem of downtown. As I sat down, a lady nearby looked at me and then at the megaphone.

There are a few fundamental truths in the world. Youve heard about the one concerning the falling piece of jellied bread, of course. You are probably also aware that puppies are irresistible to people in almost every nation on earth (the Comoros being a notable exception, interestingly enough), but if you are not a tour guide, you likely do not know about megaphones. A megaphone hanging from my shoulder is one of the most compelling sights a person will ever see, judging from past experienceso compelling, in fact, that people feel they must talk to me about it.

I am a pretty average-looking guy (I know, I know, hard to believe), and when I walk down the street, no one gives me a second glance. Not so when I carry the megaphone. Everyone talks to me when I am carrying my megaphone. I mean, mine is enormous, but its not beyond the scope of possibility. Its weird! So, this lady asks about the megaphone. I respond that I am giving a tour, and she murmurs something appreciative of history. Then, in the silence of strangers that is about to enfold us, I have an idea just pop right into my mind: Ask her if she has any ghost stories.

Feeling slightly silly, I mention that I have authored a ghost book and am researching another one. Might she have any ghost stories of her own?

Why, yes! The house I grew up in was extremely full of ghosts, and my whole family was aware of them!

She proceeds to tell me about her home, her features animated by reminiscences both fond and chilling. As she is getting ready to get off the mall shuttle to head to work, I ask for her contact information. Eventually, I would tour the location where her childhood home formerly stood, but at that moment all I could do was emit a somewhat resigned sigh. Clearly I was meant to write this book right away, so here I am, and here you are immersed in these pages.

At this point, before you do anything else, you must ask yourself a question: have I read Kevins first book, The Haunted Heart of Denver? If the answer is yes, well done! Your life is that much closer to completion, and you are ready to proceed without any delay. If the answer is no, you must rectify this oversight immediately. Please get to the bookstore or the library, and once you have the book in your hot little hands, read it. Right now (or tomorrow, if you are reading this before bed). Dont read any more within this book until that preparatory task has been accomplished. I will patiently wait.

Seriously, I will still be here.

(This part is where those of you who have not yet read my first book pause to read it.)

See? Still here.

So, without any further delay, let us begin. To that end, a short history of Denver, the shining city of the High Plains!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Through numerous interviews, pictures and shared treks, the stories have really woven themselves. I would like to thank the people who have generously given me access to their homes, businesses, time and experiences so that I might create this book, especially to Maggie and Ivy, without whom this book could not have been written. Thanks for sharing! I also extend fervent gratitude to the folks at Active Minds who put out the call for folks with streetcar memories, and along the way I ended up with some ghostly tales, too. Finally, in the love department, I thank Sibadili Nia Kwa, ever supportive, ever my advocate, stalwart in so many things. Ngam wanzo!

INTRODUCTION

In certain instances in this book, the names of people who have experienced these events have been changed so as to protect their anonymity from the possibility of obtrusive ghost hunters. Historic names, however, have not been changed, nor have any addresses listed.

Founded in 1858, Denver City (as it was known in its earliest incarnation) was built on gold, a hunger for land, gold, wanderlust, gold and a dash of that good old lets-get-away-from-it-all spirit that was filling the hearts of many folks from the States as the nation rushed headlong into the terrors of the Civil War. Many people who felt out of luck after the Panic of 1857 found the prospects of a new start in the West quite appealing. Add a smidgeon of ignorance, a healthy portion of racism and an abundance of belief in Manifest Destiny and you will have some understanding of Denver in its earliest days. Though founded on high hopes of achieving preeminence over the other squatter settlements then popping up all over the place on lands promised by treaty to the Native Americans, Denver Citys future was by no means secure. The next big gold strike and the get-rich-minded gold hunters would leave it to return to grass and dust. What the city needed were promoters who would turn it into something grand, something memorable and strong enough to withstand the trials to come.