Denver, CO
Why Are So Many Streets in South Denver Named After Elite Colleges on the East Coast? | University of Denver
Anyone exiting the University of Denver campus to drive south on University Boulevard (named, of course, after DU) will soon pass Dartmouth, Cornell and Yale. Meandering through the University Park neighborhood, you’ll also encounter Vassar and Harvard, perhaps even Bates.
What’s with all the streets named after East Coast colleges?
The answer can be found in Denver historian Phil Goodstein’s book, “Denver Streets: Names, Numbers, Locations, Logic.” The book is so widely referenced that it sits on a shelf a mere arm’s length from the librarian’s desk in the special collections room at the main Denver Public Library.
To understand the naming of these collegiate streets, it helps to understand Denver’s street-naming history.
Gen. William Larimer founded the town of St. Charles, which was later named Denver, in 1858. He and William McGaa, an early resident, collaborated to plot and name the streets of the new town. Street names were originally applied with no consistency, with many different roads sharing the same name.
Denver’s population exploded in 1870 with the coming of the railroad. The population jumped from about 4,800 residents to more than 106,000 by 1890. Denver’s growth was uneven, and real estate speculation fueled the economy. Areas were developed with little direction from the government, with each developer platting streets independently of others.
The resulting inconsistency created problems for the Denver Union Water Co. and headaches for its bookkeeper, Howard C. Maloney. Maloney often was criticized when customers complained about not getting their bills or service as promised. Messengers for the water company simply couldn’t find their customers.
The Maloney System: Bringing order to Denver’s streets
With full support of the water company, the city passed Ordinance 16 on Feb. 20, 1897, which paved the way for imposing some order (often alphabetical) on the city’s streets.
Maloney provided many of the new street names with the aid of a draftsman in the city engineer’s office. He devised a logical system to rename the city streets and seized upon a series of theme alphabets to define the new street system. This is known as the Maloney System. Maloney also introduced several name series, such as the Indian tribe series (think Arapahoe and Bannock) and the great Americans series (think Wolcott and Hooker).
The first set of Maloney’s changes took place in 1897, with further renaming in 1904.
Originally, “street” and “avenue” had no specific meaning in the Mile High City, but at the turn of the century, they were given precise definitions. “Street” was a road running north and south, while “Avenue” was a road going east and west. “Boulevard” was the name of a major arterial.
Dartmouth, Harvard and Yale in South Denver
Which leads us to South University Boulevard, once known as East Broadway. After the cornerstone was laid for University Hall in 1890, East Broadway became University Avenue to note the school’s presence in South Denver. The north-south corridor was renamed University Boulevard in 1917.
The University was founded in 1864 as the Colorado Seminary and was operated by the Methodist Episcopal Church at 14th and Arapahoe Streets in downtown Denver. It struggled in the early years and was renamed the University of Denver in 1880. The University moved from downtown to land donated by potato farmer Rufus Clark in South Denver.
Three avenues near the campus reflect the institution’s origins as a Methodist school. Wesley Avenue is named for John Wesley, the founder of Methodism; Asbury Avenue recalls Francis Asbury, the first Methodist bishop in North America; and Warren Avenue represents Henry White Warren, the first Methodist bishop of Colorado.
Elizabeth Iliff Warren was the widow of cattle king John Wesley Iliff. She helped the University locate to South Denver and donated funds for the establishment of the Iliff School of Theology on campus, thus the naming of Iliff Avenue. Evans Avenue is named for John Evans, former Colorado governor and a central figure in the founding of the University of Denver.
To reflect the University’s status as a premier institution, other streets near campus were named after elite colleges in the New England area. Harvard Avenue was to denote DU as the “Harvard of the West.” Neighboring Vassar and Yale Avenues were to show the University would combine the best of the East Coast schools in the Mile High City.
Yale Avenue, the street along the southern boundary of Denver, was a dividing point in the Maloney System. The roads directly south of Yale Avenue also had college names, though not in any particular order. Today’s Amherst Avenue was Princeton Avenue; Bates Avenue was Cornell Avenue; Cornell Avenue was Johns Hopkins Avenue; and Dartmouth Avenue was Cambridge Avenue. Maloney modified this by installing a new alphabet south of Yale Avenue, thus creating a new naming system for the collegiate streets.
That’s the short version of how Denver’s collegiate avenues from Dartmouth to Harvard got their names. If you’re curious about the naming of the area’s north-south bound streets, a certain book at the Denver Public Library will give you the scoop.
When Denver Central Market opened at 2669 Larimer Street 10 years ago, the food hall was a harbinger of RINo’s revitalization, serving as an anchor destination for residents and visitors alike.
Today, the space looks to be in the midst of a seismic transition. Over the past week, three of the vendors occupying prime real estate in the 12,000 square-foot facility have exited, leaving behind empty shelves, empty counters and, in some cases, hard feelings.
The Curio bar is now temporarily closed. Shelves once full of spirits and mixers sit as empty as a frat house liquor cabinet after rush week; the long tables and stools have no drinkers to fill them. Directly across from the bar are the empty glass cases of the Butchers at RiNo, which once stored large cuts of beef, pork and chicken that customers could either order sandwiches made from on-site or take home to cook themselves.
And the long counter at High Point Creamery, occupying the space connecting the Crema coffee shop to Izzio Bakery, now lies bare, with exposed wires and broken drywall as the only evidence of its former occupant.
While there’s still plenty of activity at the other food stalls that call Denver Central Market home, all this begs the question: What the hell is going on? The food-hall’s management says it’s just part of the natural cycle of concepts entering and exiting as leases expire. Vendors, however, say they’re being pushed out.
“Changes in tenants are pretty typical for a Market/Food Hall and we’ve had very little over the past ten years,” reads a statement from Denver Central Market, delivered through a spokesperson, who notes that the exiting businesses were on 10-year leases that had expired. “But we are excited for what’s to come. News to follow.”
Vendors, however, tell a different story, accusing Denver Central Market owner Ken Wolf of pushing them out and generally making them feel unwelcome during their time at the space.
“After a decade of building High Point Creamery at Denver Central Market, we weren’t given a meaningful opportunity to continue operating there,” says High Point Creamery founder and CEO Erika Thomas. “Ken Wolf chose not to renew our lease and instead gave the space to Etai Barron of Izzio.”
Neither Denver Central Market nor representatives of Izzio have confirmed that Etai Barron is taking the space. But Thomas isn’t the only vendor to complain.
“I’d like to thank all my customers, employees, vendors, friends and family for helping Butchers at RiNo operate and almost flourish,” writes Butchers at RiNo owner and general manager Brent Ratliff. “I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this business that hopefully brought immense joy. It’s unfortunate property management didn’t make us feel welcome when we began, nor when we closed. Best of luck to everyone.”
Among the various allegations of heavy-handed management are instances of DCM ownership dictating the name and branding of new businesses entering the space, and even pushing back on products they chose to sell. Tenants have also cited confusing and expensive facility fees that all vendors must pay in addition to rent for shared services, such as table busing, security and maintenance services that they claim proved inadequate. Saying they fear legal action, some of the vendors who share these complaints request anonymity.
They have more specific concerns, too. On May 29, for instance, the building was temporarily closed to address an issue with the water, which vendors say was regularly not hot enough to pass health inspections, or was too low in pressure to be useful. According to city records, three in-progress Denver Department of Public Health & Environment complaints were filed against the facility May 28-29, but it is unclear if those are directly related to water problems.
According to sources, fingerpointing between DCM owner Wolf and the building’s owner, Eden Ventures, has turned this and other facility issues into a game of endless hot potato, leaving problems unresolved.
Wolf and chef Jeff Osaka — who operated the Sushi-Rama franchise in Denver, among other concepts — opened DCM in 2016 to great fanfare and customer traffic, filling a void in the then-nascent RiNo neighborhood. In 2019, Wolf sold the building occupied by Denver Central Market, along with other properties along the block, to Eden Ventures for a reported $55 million. Soon after the sale, the relationship between Wolf and Eden Ventures soured, with Wolf suing the new owners over lease-extension terms and, at one point posting signs at the food hall forbidding Eden employees from entering.
While Eden Ventures owns the building, Wolf still leases the space, and in turn leases the individual food and retail stalls to vendors. Of the 11 original vendors from a decade ago, only three are left: Izzio, Crema and Green Seed Market. Most of the concepts that have entered DCM since — including Tammen’s Fish Market, Lunchboxx, Vero, and Temper Chocolates and Confections — are companies in which Wolf has an ownership stake.
DCM management is rumored to be taking over the Curio bar space, which could reopen as soon as next week, and the Butcher in RiNo space also reportedly has an interested buyer. And whether or not Izzio replaces High Point Creamery, the owner of that venture is relieved to move on.
“Fortunately, High Point was never defined by a single location,” says Thomas. “Today we operate five locations, including our newest shop at McGregor Square. We’ve found fantastic partners who value what we bring to the table, and we’re excited about what’s ahead.”
Denver Central Market is located at 2669 Larimer Street and is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit denvercentralmarket.com.
Denver, CO
Defensive lineman Jordan Miller has a tough battle to make the Broncos’ final 53-man roster
As the Denver Broncos prepare for the 2026 season, they have a lot of positives going for the franchise. One of them would be their defensive line. Once a position group with a lot of questions marks, it has ascended to one of the best units in the National Football League over the past few seasons.
The departure of John Franklin-Myers in free agency may have an impact on the group’s performance for the upcoming gridiron campaign. Though the Broncos are hoping a combination of young players they have drafted over the past several seasons can offset the loss of Franklin-Myers.
One player hoping to make the squad is defensive lineman Jordan Miller. At the conclusion of the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos signed Southern Methodist standout and gave him one of the biggest signing bonuses from that cycle. For the past two seasons, Miller has been a practice squad player for the Broncos. After two years learning the ropes, is Miller finally ready to earn a spot on Denver’s final 53-man roster? Let’s discuss.
Age: 26 | Experience: 2 | College: SMU (via Miami) | Height: 6’3” | Weight: 307 pounds
Arm Length: 33-3/8” | Bench: 27 reps | 40-Yard Dash: 5.18 seconds
Jordan Miller’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
Several years ago, I highlighted Miller’s strengths in our 2024 roster review series. His strength and size at the point of attack are enticing. Additionally, he boasts a tremendous wingspan on the interior which routinely gave opposing offensive linemen in his collegiate career fits.
The physical traits Miller has are certainly promising. However, entering his third year with the Broncos, he faces steep competition in order to make the final 53-man roster. That’s no fault of his own—it’s just the reality of the situation—Denver’s defensive line is stacked.
I believe the franchise will keep six defensive lineman in the rotation once again this season. Having six players in their trenches will help keep the rotation fresh and give them a shot to be at their best. Zach Allen, Sai’vion Jones, Tyler Onyedim, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, and Eyioma Uwazurike appear to be the favorites set to make the squad. With that in mind, it is hard to see a viable path for Miller to make the squad.
Given the aforementioned, it seems like Miller will once again be a practice squad candidate for the Broncos. In the event that something were to happen to Jones or Roach, I could see Miller getting called up to the active roster to help handle spot duty reps on the interior of Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s defensive front.
DENVER — A lieutenant with Berthoud Fire who was injured after he was struck head-on by a wrong-way driver in Denver last month is making progress, according to a Tuesday update.
The wrong-way driver, identified as 25-year-old Kevem Dos Santos, was killed in the May 17 crash inside the barrier-separated HOV lanes on Interstate 25.
Ken Bradley, the Berthoud Fire lieutenant, was traveling to work when the crash occurred. He was transported to the hospital with serious injuries.
The crash left Bradley with multiple fractures in both legs, fractures to his left arm, a dislocated right shoulder, several broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.
Bradley’s family said he is now able to get in and out of his wheelchair on his own. But he faces additional surgeries this week to reconstruct his ankles and feet.
His family thanked the more than 800 donors who have contributed $85,000 to his GoFundMe and said he remains in good spirits.
Police have not said how Dos Santos managed to access the gate-controlled HOV lanes, leaving many questions unanswered.
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