Showing posts with label d and f tower. Show all posts
Showing posts with label d and f tower. Show all posts

Friday, March 4, 2011

Moving forward on the project

Have been photographing a lot in Denver, although dealing with sunlight and shadow. We may have to redo some of the views. Currently trying to cover all of Lawrence St., 14th to 19th. Saw a really interesting show on the local Comcast netw0rk last night about the D&F tower. Will look for views of the tower with the department store "wings," torn down in the 1950's.

We've done 90 photographs. Wynkoop and Wazee were fun; Lawrence and Arapahoe and Curtis more challenging since there are no landmarks to hang your hat on from the 30's and sometimes few from the 70's. The parking lots of the 70's are mostly filled in, it seems, sometimes with parking garages! I'm glad I waited till now to do the project since the contrast with 33 years ago is quite profound. There's been a lot of buildout.

Next time to photograph: Sunday, 3/6. Supposed to be warmer in Denver and partly cloudy (hah).

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Earlier this week...

On 9/9/09, I walked Larimer, Arapahoe, Lawrence, Market and Wynkoop without the camera. Just wanted to see what was what. I started at 2:45 and ended at 4:45. After two hours my feet were exhausted from pounding the pavement.

Lots of traffic and new construction downtown and the air was icky. Surprised at the number of buildings pulled down on Market Street since '78-'79.

This time around we will photograph every street corner, whether photographed or not in 1937 or 1978.

The D&F Tower used to be a good landmark, but you can barely see it anymore.

Park Central still stands between Lawrence and Arapahoe, 15th and 16th. That used to be the headquarters of the Rio Grande Railroad. In 1977 I went to Park Central to apply for a job as a brakeman. I had to pass through airport-style security to get to the railroad. The building had been bombed during the Vietnam War years.

The railroad turned me down for a job, as did the Union Pacific. D&RG's reason was that my back "wasn't straight." (I had to go through a lower back x-ray). I do have a mild case of scoliosis. My father blamed my poor posture (in his opinion), but in reality one is born with scoliosis.

The real reason for the turndown was a letter from the Metro personnel office recommending me for a brakeman's job. The sender stated that the railroad would never discriminate against a woman, of course. So my fate was sealed: I was a potential troublemaker.

I did get a job on the Rio Grande later, though--in Pueblo. The various terminals--Denver, Pueblo, Salt Lake, Grand Junction--were independent, and hired as they liked.