The Heart of Historic East Denver - New Goodstein book and lecture dates

 Halloween is over! Now Phil Goodstein can get around to the heart of Denver history. His new
book is
Curtis Park, Five Points, and Beyond: The Heart of Historic East Denver
(Denver: New Social Publications, 2014), ISBN 0–9860748–0–2, vi + 438 pp, $24.95. It probes the areas northeast of downtown, sections amazingly forgotten over the years.
No sooner had Denver started to recover from the bust in the wake of the Pikes Peak gold rush than real estate speculation became its foremost pursuit. This led to the creation of the city’s first park, Curtis Park, near 32nd and Curtis streets, in 1868. Within a few years, as Den-ver bustled, a distinctive suburban destination emerged at the five-pointed intersection of 26th Avenue, Wash-ington Street, 27th Street, and Welton Street. By the early 20th century, the latter enclave started to become the heart of black Denver. Other nearby elite residential areas, particularly Clements and San Rafael, likewise emerged as home of numerous African-Americans. Through the 20th century, the upheavals and transformations of these enclaves, along with Upper Larimer Street, were at the heart of Denver’s ethnic communities and the burgeon-ing preservation movement.
As is his wont, Goodstein looks at all aspects of the area in this extremely well-illustrated volume. He deals with the politics of confrontation and the civil rights move-ments. There are passing looks at alleged ghosts along with examinations of the impact of the 1976 Winter Olym-pics and the economics of the section. The overall im-pact is a panorama giving the reader a full grasp of Old East Denver and the city as a whole.
Goodstein will talk about the book on:
Saturday, November 8, 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Broadway Book Mall, 200 South Broadway (at the corner of Cedar Avenue)
Monday, November 10, 7:00–8:00 PM
Colfax Tattered Cover, Colfax and Elizabeth Street
Wednesday, November 12, 6:00–7:00 PM
Ebert School, Park Avenue West and Tremont Place. (Enter on the Tremont Place side.)
Saturday, December 6: 3:00 to 4:00 PM
Book Bar, 4280 Tennyson Street (southeast corner of West 43rd Avenue)
Curtis Park, Five Points, and Beyond
retails for $24.95. Mail orders, including tax and postage,
are $25.00, from New Social Publications, Box 18026, Denver 80218. Internet addicts can get it from capitolhillbooks.com and who_else@ATT@net. For more information, contact New Social Publications at 303/333–1095.