Setting and Boundaries
Capitol Hill is in the City and County of Denver, just southeast of the Central Business District. Its boundaries are Colfax Avenue to the north, Seventh Avenue to the south, Downing Street to the east, and Broadway to the west. Broadway, Downing Street, Colfax Avenue, and Seventh Avenue carry heavy traffic around the neighborhood.
The neighborhood sits immediately east of Civic Center and the Colorado State Capitol. Cheesman Park is often associated with Capitol Hill, though Denver defines it as a separate neighborhood. Colfax Avenue also separates Capitol Hill from North Capitol Hill, which some residents call Uptown.
Residential Character
Capitol Hill is Denver’s most densely populated neighborhood. More than 95% of the area is developed, and its building stock includes historic mansions, apartments, and condominium buildings. Commercial activity is generally found along streets such as Colfax Avenue, Broadway, Lincoln Street, East 8th Avenue, East 13th Avenue, and East 14th Avenue.
Parking is limited because of the area’s urban form and concentration of multi-family housing. Many mansion properties have been adapted for office use, especially in the northwest part of the neighborhood, while smaller professional offices are found throughout Capitol Hill.
Historic Development
Capitol Hill began as a neighborhood for Denver’s elite, who built elaborate mansions there. After the Silver Crash of 1893, construction shifted toward apartments. The Colonnade, Alta Court, and the Hamilton remain as examples from that period.
After World War II, many middle-class families left the neighborhood, and Capitol Hill became more associated with renters and transient residents. The completion of Interstate 70 reduced tourist traffic on East Colfax Avenue, affecting businesses along that corridor.
Arts, Nightlife, and Culture
Capitol Hill has long been known as a place for artists and bohemians. Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg were former neighborhood residents, and the Colburn Hotel on Grant Street was once home to both writers.
The neighborhood has restaurants, clubs, bars, stores, concert venues, and other cultural amenities. East 13th Avenue is associated with Denver’s punk community, while Colfax Avenue has late-night bars, coffee shops, restaurants, stores, and concert venues.
Notable Places
Notable places in and around Capitol Hill include the Colorado State Capitol, the Cathedral of St. John in the Wilderness, the Molly Brown House museum, the History Colorado Center, the Colorado Governor’s Mansion, Wax Trax! Records at 13th and Washington, and the first Quizno’s location.
The Esquire Theatre at 590 Downing Street opened as the Hiawatha Theater in 1927 and operated as an art-house cinema from 1942 until its closure in July 2024. Capitol Hill is also next to Civic Center Park and Cheesman Park, both used for community gatherings and festivals.
What it is like
Capitol Hill is one of Denver’s oldest sections, located in central Denver and essentially bounded by Colfax Avenue, Downing Street, 7th Avenue and Broadway. It is described as an exuberant residential, governmental and commercial center, with classic century-old mansions, contemporary town homes and apartment buildings, museums, cafes, clubs, galleries, coffeehouses and shops.
Sources: Capitol Hill, Denver (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA); history.denverlibrary.org