Letter to the Editor Honor A Civil Rights Icon
“Vote.” That admonition was included this July in the final message of John Lewis, the civil rights icon who was severely beaten and nearly killed by Alabama State troopers in 1965 as he and nearly six hundred others attempted to march from Selma to Birmingham to demand the right to cast a ballot. We now have the privilege, as well as the obligation, to honor Lewis by participating in the Nov. 3 election. However, since Colorado will continue its established practice of distributing mail-in ballots to all registered voters, most voting will be done by mail. The distribution of ballots will begin on Oct. 9, several weeks prior to the Nov. 3 election date. And since this process will place a heavy burden on our postal system, please return your ballot promptly, either by mail or by placing it in one of the many secure drop boxes located around the city. (Boxes in and near Park Hill include the north side of the Museum of Nature and Science in City Park, and Hiawatha Davis Recreation Center at 33rd and Holly.) You may also assist others by picking up their ballots and depositing them in a drop box or mailbox. The legal limit for this practice is 10 ballots. However, it will still be possible to vote at a polling place on Tuesday, Nov. 3. You can register and vote on Election Day, with the proper identification, up until 7 p.m. Important: it should be noted that while some have argued that mail-in voting is subjected to mass fraud, such claims are unfounded, and Colorado has a fine record of secure elections. Along with your ballot you will receive a blue book in the mail that includes an explanation of the items on the ballot with arguments for and against each measure. May we all take the time and make the effort to honor John Lewis and participate in this vital election that will have significant consequences for our city, state, and nation.
RS Blome Co.
Orville Stickley
Ford Rogers
The Hinchman Renton Co.
City Sidewalk Co.
Watch Your Step The Craftsmen Who Stamped Park Hill’s Sidewalks By Dale S. Deane, Clara R. Deane, Caitlin A. Deane and Kevin D. Deane For the GPHN
You may have been walking around the neighborhood more during this time of COVID-19, in which case you may have noticed stamps on the cement sidewalks. The stamps list the names of companies/contractors and usually the year that the sidewalk was placed. The names are varied. They include Ford Rogers (who was quite prolific), J. Hildebrand, A. Leason, T.W. Love and J.W. Anderson, among others. One of the more colorful contractor names is Orville Stickley – especially if one is a fan of popcorn and furniture, respectively! In addition, there are the slice-of-bread style logos of the National Construction Company and the flowing banner of the City Sidewalk Company. Most are stamped or etched into the ce-
Frank Tapy, Park Hill
ment. However, a few are embedded metal plaques. At times, the manufacturer of the cement is also listed. For example, many stamps list “Ideal Portland Cement,” which was made by the Ideal Cement Company (formerly the Colorado Portland Cement Company) that was based in Portland, Colo., near Cañon City. Lincoln Cushing, who authors a website dedicated to sidewalk stamps, notes that the stamps can help us learn about construction dates and patterns of urban development. (Check out the site, at docspopuli.org/articles/Stamps/SidewalkStamps.html.) Indeed, seeing a stamp dated 1903 along Montview Boulevard can remind us that was the year the boulevard was first paved – and further lead us to imagine the excitement of 100 years ago when the Park Hill neighborhood was first developing. A well-preserved example of a 1903 stamp can be found on the sidewalk in front of
National Construction Company
the Park Hill Branch Library, at the northeast corner of Dexter and Montview. Notably, while there are stamps from 1903 (and some streets close to Colorado Boulevard still have sandstone pavers which likely predate many cement sidewalks), most dates are from the 1950s to 1970’s. Fewer are from the 1980’s onward. There are likely several reasons for this trend, including the longevity of well-poured cement in a relatively dry climate. However, given that there are many new unstamped sidewalks, additional reasons for lack of modern stamps may be, as Cushing suggests, “because of fear of litigation and a changing attitude towards craftwork.” The next time you are out and about on foot in Park Hill, keep an eye out for sidewalk stamps, and a bit of the past beneath your feet. For more information about sidewalk cement stamps in Colorado, visit these websites: masonryofdenver.com/2014/08/ sidewalk-stamps/ and lainby.tumblr.com. Thomas J. Noel and William J Hansen also write about the historic sidewalks in their 2004 book, The Park Hill Neighborhood (Historic Denver, Inc.)
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October 2020
The Greater Park Hill News
Page 9
