Skip to main content
Home

Main navigation

  • About
  • Research
  • Denver
  • Genealogy
  • Photos
  • Blair-Caldwell AARL
  • Contact Us

Christmas in Denver

by Alejandro Hernández on December 3, 2025
View of a decorated Christmas tree and presents in a house near the mining town of American City (Gilpin County), Colorado. Portraits of three women and others are hung on the walls.
Interior view of a living room in a house in (probably) Denver, Colorado; shows small children and toys by a decorated Christmas tree. Shows: fireplace, toy piano, stuffed animals, and doll.
Ice skating on City Park Lake, Denver, Colorado; view east to Museum of Natural History building under construction in 1901; shows edge of City Park bandstand far left and groups seated on park bench on sandy shore.
A couple stands on the grassy plaza in front of the Greek Amphitheater, an arched colonnade of Ionic columns, in Civic Center in Denver, Colorado. The structures are decorated with garland, wreaths, and a replica of Santa Claus and eight reindeer.
Interior view of the Union Station, in Denver, Colorado. Children, women, and men pose by a Christmas tree, garlands, and decorations.
View of 16th (Sixteenth) Street in Denver, Colorado; shows autos and trucks, office buildings, a streetcar, the Daniels and Fisher tower, and Christmas decorations including a bell.
View of 16th (Sixteenth) Street in Denver, Colorado; shows pedestrians, light poles, Christmas wreaths, office buildings, and the Daniels and Fisher tower.
Night view of snow-covered Christmas display in Civic Center, Denver, Colorado; shows tall Christmas tree with decorations and spotlight, streetlamps, and illuminated State Capitol Building.
View of the Denver Public Library at Colfax Avenue and Bannock Street in the Civic Center neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The Greek Revival style building has columns and is decorated with greenery for Christmas. A column is in Civic Center Park nearby. Snow covers the ground.
View of the intersection of Glenarm and  17th (Seventeenth) Streets in Denver, Colorado; shows the Denver Club, the Johnson Building, automobiles, Christmas ornaments, and pedestrians.
Men, women, and children stand on the sidewalk near 16th (Sixteenth) Street in downtown Denver, Colorado. Nearby streetlights are decorated with greenery for Christmas.
A snowy 16th (Sixteenth) street, Denver, Colorado, is decorated for Christmas with garlands of evergreen and wreathed stars that hangs over the street. The Daniels and Fisher Tower at Arapahoe Street is on the right. In the foreground the marquee for the Tabor Theater reads: " "[Ta]bor [?] Her Life [?] S Moran [?] Pickford [?] al Comedy [?] Li fe [?] oran."; signs read: "Ford's Glasses Kodaks." Shows automobiles, trolley cars and trolley lines.
Nighttime view of the Gas and Electric Building at 15th (Fifteenth) and Champa Streets in downtown Denver, Colorado. The building is decorated with light bulbs for Christmas.
The Denver City and County Building is decorated for Christmas, Denver, Colorado. Sign reads: "Merry Christmas Happy New Year 1940."
Nighttime view of 16th (Sixteenth) Street in downtown Denver, Colorado. Automobiles drive under Christmas lights and decorations that span the street. Signs read: "Denver," "Baurs," "Douglas Optical," and "Paramount."
Nighttime view of 16th (Sixteenth) Street in downtown Denver, Colorado. Automobiles are parked near the edge of the street. Lightposts are decorated with Christmas lights and greenery.
Sarah Sims, an African-American woman, wears a choir robe, holds a book, and stands in front of her house at night.  The house is decorated for Christmas.  Statues and cut outs of choir singers stand in a line in front of the house.  A large paper birthday cake is decorated with electric candles and has numbers on each of the 3 layers: "1000," "900," "57."  A sign at the top of the house reads: "Our Savior's Birthday."  Additional signs are: "Dec. 25th," and "Peace on Earth."
A house at 21st and Race Street, 2000 E. 21st (Twenty-first) Avenue inthe City Park West neighborhood of Denver, Colorado. The house is decorated for Christmas, the lawn is outlined with electric candles, a cross is in the yard.
Charles Lilburn Cousins, an African American, poses with his wife and daughter in front of their house at 2525 York Street, at night.  The house and trees in the yard are decorated for Christmas and New Year's with garland, ornaments, stars, and signs that read: "Noel," "Merry Christm[as]," and "Happy New Year."
Nighttime view of Christmas decorations on Broadway in Denver, Colorado. Signs on nearby buildings read: "Ellsworth Hotel," and "Pennys Open."
View of 16th (Sixteenth) Street in downtown Denver, Colorado. The Daniels & Fisher Tower is in the distance. Signs read: "Denver Arlo Guthrie 'Alice's Restaurant'," "Duplers Furs," "[Pa]ramount," "Swift Steak House," "Douglas Optical," and "Security Nation[al]." Shows garlands with Christmas trees hung across the street.

Locations & Hours

  • Special Collections and Archives
    Central Library
    10 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy.
    Denver, CO 80204
  • Reference Telephone:
    720-865-1821
  • Central Library Services and Hours

  • Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library
    2401 Welton St.
    Denver, CO 80205
  • Reference Telephone:
    720-865-2401
  • Blair-Caldwell Services and Hours

Shortcuts

  • Research Tools A-Z
  • Digital Collections
  • Research Services/Access
  • Archive Finding Aids
  • History for Kids
  • Calendar
  • Exhibits
  • denverlibrary.org
  • Blair-Caldwell African-American Research Library
  • Get a Card
  • Interlibrary Loan

  • Awards
  • Newsletter
  • Donate
  • Blog/News
  • Contact Us
  • ADA Accessibility
  • Facebook YouTube Instagram