Story

Part V -- 888 Logan Street

Home to the Prominent

After four fascinating segments about the history of Denver's 888 Logan Street, Judith Stalnaker brings her story to a close as we explore three more residents and the influence still felt today of 888 Logan Street’s early residents...

My five-month-long search to see if famous people lived at 888 Logan Street has been rewarding and exciting.  I started with a name from a list, knowing nothing about the person behind the name. Imagine how thrilling it was when, for the name “Joseph E. Bona,” I found an old newspaper article entitled “Buffalo Bill’s Mortician, J.E. Bona, Dies at 90.” Or the delight when I found the name “Hannah Levy” belonged to the woman who owned Fashion Bar (where I used to shop). Or when Lewis Dymond turned out to have been the President of Frontier Airlines.

888 Logan Street.

888 Logan Street today.

Photo courtesy LIV Sotheby's International Realty.

This search has given me a great appreciation for the many outstanding individuals who have contributed so much to Denver and to Colorado.  And I marvel that the prominent people highlighted here were all concentrated in one building—888 Logan Street—the building where I reside.

I leave you with three more stories, a bit about my research process, and a few more curiosities that I found in my journey.

Albert H. Rosenthal

Albert H. Rosenthal, PhD.

Albert H. Rosenthal, PhD.

University of New Mexico photo.

Albert H. Rosenthal, Ph. D. (1914 or 1915–2004), served for 13 years as Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for a five-state region with headquarters in Denver. In 1956 he was named as a recipient of the Rockefeller Public Service Award for outstanding public service. In 1964 Dr. Rosenthal was selected by the United Nations to set up a School of Public Administration in Ireland.

First serving as Professor of Public Administration at the University of Minnesota, he went to the University of New Mexico where he was Professor and Director, Division of Public Administration, and Director of the Advanced Program in Public Science Policy and Administration. Retiring from UNM in 1980, he was the author of several books and many articles in the field of public administration. In 2007 the Albert H. Rosenthal Endowed Professorship in Public Administration was established at UNM. (Apartment 2D)

Albert Klingstein

The widow, Anna L. Klingstein, of Albert Klingstein (1885–1957) moved to 888 Logan Street from their home on Monaco Parkway after his death in December, 1957. Albert Klingstein left an estate of over $1 million (a considerable sum in 1957) according to a Rocky Mountain News article. He was president of the Lindner Packing and Provision Company, a meat packing plant.

Meat packing 1906.

Meat packing 1906.

Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress.

A 1922 encyclopedia shows that Lindner P & P was a corporation with capital of $150,000 located at 1523 Market Street and that the three stockholders were H. Lindner, president; H.G. Timmins, VP; and secretary-treasurer, Albert Klingstein. The encyclopedia says that the firm was distributor for Morris and Co. (which merged into Armour and Co. in 1923). The 1934 Denver Householders’ Directory shows Lindner P & P at 1624–30 Market Street with the company garage at 1734-40 Market Street.

At the 1934 National Western Stock Show, the company bought the grand champion carload of fat steers.  They slaughtered and processed them and sent twenty pounds of prime rib to President Franklin Roosevelt for his White House birthday dinner. In 1941 the company had sales of $2,000,000 according to a 1942 court case with the union (Lindner Packing and Provision 45 N.L.R.B. 97). Because Klingstein was in business so early in the 1900s, it is conceivable that his family arrived in Denver in the 1800s. (Apartments 5I and 4B)

Max Grimes

Max Grimes and collection of miners' lamps.

Max Grimes and collection of miners' lamps.

Denver Post photo.

Max Grimes (1894–date unknown) and his wife Fannie owned the Grimes Machinery, Wrecking, Iron, Metal and Supply Company in Denver, continuing in the business started by his father in 1898. Born in Russia, Max’s father came to Denver at age 19 in 1890. By 1919 Max had joined his father’s business, and the Denver Metal and Machinery Company, as it was known, had offices at Thirteenth and Larimer Streets and warehouses and yards covering two whole city blocks from 1st to 3rd and Larimer.

Grimes was a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines. In 1936 he purchased the Morse Brothers Machinery Company, a supplier of mining equipment, and under his direction it became a worldwide supplier of new and reconditioned equipment. Grimes also owned coal mines, and in 1951 sold two mines near Delta, Colorado, for $300,000 ($2.8 million in 2015 dollars). He was part of a group that in 1945 began to raise money for a Jewish hospital to be called Rose Hospital. (Apartment 7B)

Their Influence Continues

So, an amazing number of successful, influential people (or their widows) did live at 888 Logan Street right after it was built. The building must have been a status symbol. Denver and Colorado are better places because of the business acumen and service to local organizations of these prominent early residents.

Cableland, the Official Residence of the Mayor of Denver.

Cableland, the Official Residence of the Mayor of Denver.

Photo courtesy of Cableland.

For many of the people described above, their name or influence lives on today, and for many it is due to their philanthropy.

The Caulkins name will live on in the Ellie Caulkins Opera House at the Denver Performing Arts Complex as well as the Caulkins Family Foundation.

The influence of Bill Daniels continues due to Cableland (the Denver Mayor’s Residence) and the endowment he gave for its upkeep. His name also graces the Daniels Fund and the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.

Schlessman Hall at Central Library, Denver Public Library.

Schlessman Hall at Central Library, Denver Public Library.

The Norgren name lives on in the still-existing Norgren, Inc., a company with more than 6,000 employees and with sales and service in 75 countries.

Schlessman’s name is not only on the Schlessman YMCA but on the Schlessman Family Foundation founded in 1956. That foundation supported the construction of the large first-floor Schlessmann Hall of Denver Public Library's Central Library (built 1995), the Schlessman Family Branch of the Denver Public Library (built 2001), and Schlessman Hall―the second largest event space at the Denver Art Museum (built 2006).

Dietler Gallery of Western Art sign.

Denver Art Museum

Still giving out funds for education, human services, and religion, the Lulu Frankel (named after Henry’s mother) Foundation keeps the Frankel name alive in Denver. Rosenthal’s name is on the endowed professorship at the University of New Mexico. Dietler’s contribution to the Boy Scouts is honored by Camp Cortlandt Dietler, and his support to the Denver Art Museum building campaign resulted in the 2nd-level Dietler Gallery of Western Art.

Four people (Daniels, Dietler, Levy, and Norgren) are in the Colorado Business Hall of Fame.

Other Prominent Residents

More hours of research might uncover life stories of many more interesting people.  Looking for lists of names in householders’ directories for other years might result in some amazing finds also.  For example, randomly picking off the shelf the 1971 householders’ directory and looking under 888 Logan Street, the name “John K. Galbraith” is listed.  Can that be the John Kenneth Galbraith that has written almost 50 books and was economic adviser to four presidents (F. Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy, and Johnson)?  Was he a visiting professor at DU?  Were there other John K. Galbraiths in the U.S.?  Only more research will tell.

Notes about the Investigation

The names of the people described above came from the list in the 1963–64 householders’ directory with the exception of the Caulkins whose names were from the 1965-66 directory. The people’s apartment numbers were found by cross-checking with 1960 to 1964 editions of the Denver City Directory at the Stephen H. Hart Library and Research Center. Some people lived in different apartments in the building in different years. Judging from the apartment numbers, they moved to upgrade to a larger space and/or a better view.