Women of Denver History

Overview

The city of Denver was shaped by the efforts of many great people. Join Active Minds as we focus on the women of Denver and their contributions to the city and the state. We will cover some familiar names as well as some lesser known figures as we trace the impact of these women and their place in history  – or should we say “her-story”?

Key Lecture Points

  • Denver was founded over 150 years ago as a rough-hewn mining town.  From the beginning, women played an important role in Denver’s establishment as a hub of economic and cultural activity in the West.  Sharing the burden of pioneering, women such as Augusta Tabor and Margaret Brown were often able to rise in power and influence in Denver, beyond what women were permitted to do in the East.
  • In its century and a half of existence, Denver has experienced economic booms and busts.  Women civic leaders often played a role in establishing institutions that softened the impact of economic hardship upon the city and its residents.  Among them are Francis Jacobs who helped found what became the United Way and Emily Griffith who founded the Opportunity School.  
  • Women have played a central role in fostering artistic and cultural institutions is Denver.  While they themselves did not get along, Helen and May Bonfils, daughters of the owner of the Denver Post each contributed to and even established institutions that still bear their famous name.
  • In the last five decades, women have held an increasingly prominent place in Denver’s political scene.  Denver has been represented in Congress by women throughout those decades, and in 2023 elected a city council that has a female majority.

Discussion Questions

  • Are there common characteristics among the women profiled in this presentation?  What drove them to be contributors, to make a difference?
  • Are there women in public life today that you think will leave a lasting mark on our city and our state?  Who are they?  What are their contributions?
  • Did any of the women profiled in this presentation make a difference in how you see the city today?

More to Explore

Books For Further Reading

  • Riley, Marilyn Riggs and Thomas J. Noel. High Altitude Attitudes: Six Savvy Colorado Women. Johnson Books. 2006. 170 pages. Detailed biographies of Louise Sneed Hill, Justina L. Ford, MD, Mary Madeline Bonfils Stanton, Helen Gilmer Bonfils, Caroline Bancroft, and Mary Coyle Chase.
  • Varnell, Jeanne. Women of Consequences: The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame. Johnson Books. 1999. 319 pages. Profiles of each of the members of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.