February–April 2026
Talks and Tours by Phil Goodstein
A copy of this schedule is available at LeonardLeonard.com, JessicaAbegg.com, and Liveandlovedenver.com. Private tours are available. Books may be ordered from CapitolHillBooks. com, 303–837–0700 or bookelves@westsidebooks.com, 303–480–0220.
Saturday, February 7: Denver History Night, 5:00 pm
This is a free event that discusses Denver history and politics. Usually those present share a pizza. It gathers at Mici’s, 727 Colorado Boulevard (near the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue). No reservations are necessary.
Thursday, February 12: Forlorn Love: Colorado Sex Scandals, 6:30 pm–8:00 pm
In time for Valentine’s Day, this is a lecture on everything from the foibles of Baby Doe and Horace Tabor to the operations of brothels when Denver was a wide-open town. It will deal with the fate of society queen Louise Hill and her paramour, Buckeley Wells. The last was a labor hater who worked to bust unions. Among his foes was revolutionary Big Bill Haywood who got into marital problems of his own. The talk will be at the landmark Castle Marne, a bed and breakfast, 1572 Race Street (the corner of 16th Avenue, three blocks west of York Street.) The cost is $15.
Thursday, February 26: Denver Streets, 6:30 pm–8:00 pm
There has been a demand for a new edition of Denver Streets: Names, Numbers, Locations, Logic. To ponder whether there is a demand, this will be a lecture outlining the basics of how the city’s streets are named and numbered. The event will also talk about the history of the book and its problems. The event meets at 1330 Monroe Street. This is a single-family house. Monroe Street is four blocks west of Colorado Boulevard. Do not park in the lot adjacent to the house. The cost is $15.
Thursday, March 5: The Jews of Auraria, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm
Auraria once included a vibrant Jewish community. This free lecture will include the Jewish presence on both West Colfax and in old West Denver. It will deal with the history of the Golda Meir House and the old Shearith Israel Synagogue. In passing, mention will be made of Goodstein’s new book, Denver Jewish Cemeteries. The talk is at the BMH, 560 South Monaco Street Parkway, across the road from George Washington High School. Park in the lot east of the synagogue and enter at the parking lot door.
Saturday, March 7: Denver Jewish Cemeteries and Berkeley Park, 1:00 pm–2:00 pm
The Smiley Library at West 46th Avenue and Utica Street (one block west of Tennyson Street in Berkeley Park), will host a free talk about how the area’s history can be discovered via studying its cemeteries. Particular focus will be on the history of Jewish West Colfax and Denver Jewish Cemeteries.
Sunday, March 15: Cheesman Park, 11:00–12:30 pm
There are more than 2,000 bodies in Cheesman Park. How did they get there? What is the story about the mansion adjacent to the park that inspired the horror classic The Changeling? Why did the city name the park for Walter Scott Cheesman who was once the city’s biggest drug dealer? These questions were once answered in a two-hour stroll around the park. This is an experimental tour to see if they can be fit into a 90-minute walk. It is a free event where participants are encouraged to tip the guide as they see fit. The walk gathers just inside the park at the entrance on Ninth Avenue at Race Street. (Race is three blocks west of York Street. Usually there is plenty of free street parking just east of the park on Ninth Avenue and Race Street.)
Thursday, March 19: Aurora Deadbeats, 6:00–7:00 pm
How is it that there is an abandoned cemetery in the middle of a modern Aurora shopping center? What is the tale of a different burial spot, Mount Nebo, that is just off of Colfax Avenue near Nome Street? How does Fairmount Cemetery connect with Aurora? For that matter, where and what is St. Simeon Cemetery? These queries will be the crux of a lecture on Aurora cemeteries at the Aurora History Museum, 15051 Alameda Parkway on the Aurora Municipal Center campus near the library and police headquarters.
Wednesday, April 1: The Sunnyside of Denver, 6:00–7:15 pm
Tour guide and historian Phil Goodstein is known as a cynic and a naysayer. On this tour, for April Fool’s Day, he will focus on the bright side of Denver with a walk in the Sunnyside neighborhood. It gathers by the picnic table near the fenced-off bed of steel flowers in Chaffee Park on the east side of Tejon Street between West 43rd and West 44th avenues. It is a free walk where participants may tip the guide.
Saturday, April 4: Denver History Night, 5:00 pm
This is a free event that discusses Denver history and politics. Usually those present share a pizza. It gathers at Mici’s, 727 Colorado Boulevard (near the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue). No reservations are necessary.
Saturday, April 11: The Centennial of South High School, time to be announced
One hundred years ago, South High occupied its marvelous Italian renaissance home. As part of an open house/celebration of the event, Goodstein will be giving a free lecture on the history of the school and South Denver. South High is at the southeast corner of South Gilpin Street and Louisiana Avenue. Enter the parking lot along South Franklin Street to the south of Louisiana Avenue, the road which is the southern border of Washington Park.
Phil Goodstein philgoodstein@gmail.com (303)333-1095
Check out 9News’ look at Fairmount: Denver’s Ultimate Cemetery by Phil Goodstein.