A Colfax street sign is reflected in the windows of a bookstore. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Colfax was named for the 19th-century politician Schuyler Colfax. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Denver is reflected in the windows of the Lindsey-Flanigan Courthouse. Kara Pearson Gwinn
The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Neon signs decorate Colfax at night. Kara Pearson Gwinn
The Squire Lounge is one of Colfax's favorite dive bars. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Mezcal offers more than 270 kinds of tequila. Kara Pearson Gwinn
An old motel sign graces West Colfax. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Colfax Avenue is 26.1 miles long. Kara Pearson Gwinn
A barber shop on Colfax. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Artwork along West Colfax. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Pete Contos owns numerous restaurants around Denver. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Colfax Avenue is the longest commercial street in the USA. Kara Pearson Gwinn
The Light Chamber art sculpture. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Playboy magazine once called Colfax "the longest, wickedest street in America." Kara Pearson Gwinn
The Ogden Theater, on Colfax in Capitol Hill, was built in 1917. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Cardboard cutouts peek out of a vacant storefront on Colfax. Kara Pearson Gwinn
A smoke shop on Colfax. Kara Pearson Gwinn
The Bluebird Theater was built in 1913. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Colfax Avenue is a 26-mile ribbon of blacktop running through the heart of Denver. This photo essay offers a glimpse in the everyday sights of the city's most urban street.
Ah, Colfax. The mere mention of the equally famous and infamous avenue conjures a wide range of images and ideas, some based in reality and others defined by decades of reputation.
But Colfax is no mere street -- it's a dynamic reminder of where Denver has been, and where the city is going, with a whole host of different flavors, hues and textures. The city is home to a 10-mile stretch of what is often hyped as the country's longest urban street, and it's in the midst of all kinds of change. So keep your eyes peeled -- the Colfax of past memories, fond or not, is not going to sit still for long.
Photos by Kara Pearson Gwinn.
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