Do you know that Denver’s McNichols building was originally the main Denver Public Library donated by Andrew Carnegie? At the time it was built in 1909, Civic Center Park was still a dream of Mayor Robert Speer, making the building the oldest structure in Civic Center. Throughout the first half of the century, the ornate library in the heart of the city was one of Denver’s most noteworthy civic buildings. After the library moved across Civic Center to its current home in 1955 (and added a huge addition in 1995), various city agencies, including the Water Department and the Auditor’s Office, occupied the building.
As the former McNichols Sports Arena was being demolished in 1999, the former library building was renamed to “The McNichols Civic Center Building” honoring the McNichols family: William H. McNichols, Sr. (Deputy Auditor and Auditor 1921-1955) and his two sons, William H. McNichols, Jr. (Mayor 1968-1983), and Stephen L.R. McNichols (Lieutenant Governor and Governor 1955-1963).
You can learn more from this recent video (https://youtu.be/lw264BSjNYM?si=acNfWsshUED2Acz6) hosted by Flave Graciano from the Office of the Denver Clerk & Recorder. This 2014 video (https://youtu.be/NBotJ1cFee4) is also interesting but has some incorrect information. Can you identify the mistake?
- Courtesy of “Dr. Colorado” Tom Noel, and Flave Graciano (Office of the Denver Clerk & Recorder). Image: Denver Public Library
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