Great Depression-era historic marker stolen in Denver metro area, Lakewood police say

Police are looking for the person responsible for stealing a historic bronze marker in the Denver metro area.

The heavy rectangular plaque was located near the intersection of West Alameda Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard and commemorates the 5,000 workers who extended the Alameda Parkway to Red Rocks Amphitheater during the Great Depression. The stolen plaque, featuring a federal eagle emblem, was constructed 90 years ago to honor their legacy and the improvements their work brought to Colorado.

The Lakewood Police Department says that plaques like this one are being targeted for illegal resale as scrap by people struggling with economic insecurity.

"These markers are historic government property; removing, damaging, or possessing one results in significant felony penalties. Reputable scrap yards in Colorado are legally required to document sellers and are trained to flag items like this, and any attempt to sell the plaque should hopefully trigger a report to Lakewood Police," the department said.

The construction project was part of the New Deal, in which federal, state, and local governments collaborated through the Works Progress Administration to bring work to those in desperate need of employment at a time when nearly 25% of Americans were out of work.

"This marker was intended as a permanent record of the New Deal legacy Franklin Roosevelt built and what social programs and public investment can achieve. It is a somber reflection that trends indicate it was stripped for scrap by those for whom social safety nets were established to prevent this kind of desperate act," said Tom Quinn, executive director of Alameda Connects and the Alameda Corridor Business Improvement District.

The work commemorated by the plaque is a significant part of Colorado's history and has drawn millions of people to the area since its completion.

A historic American landscape survey by the National Park Service called Red Rocks the "crown jewel of the Denver Mountain Parks system."

"The Amphitheater was one of the largest, most complex projects built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Mount Morrison CCC Camp is one of the best preserved camps in the nation. The park remains a regional destination and contributes to the identity of the City and County of Denver. The Amphitheater is a landmark venue for world-class performances, drawing over one million visitors every year," said NPS.

According to the Denver Public Library, the project began in 1935, after former Denver Mayor Benjamin Stapleton returned to office. The amphitheater was designed by George Cranmer, Burnham Hoyt, and Stanley Morse, and the CCC helped build the park and extend Alameda Parkway to it.

The NPS said the first recorded land purchase in the Red Rocks area was around 1870, and the "Garden of the Titans" formally opened in 1906 with 2,500 people in attendance. Denver began purchasing land for Red Rocks Park in 1927 and began construction of the scenic loop road and the trading post in the following years.

Hoyt said of the site, "Aside from the spectacular scenery, its acoustic properties are amazing. A whisper carries to the top of the seating area. Music was particularly successful, and the wish of those familiar with the weird beauty of the spot had always been for a fitting theater here."

However, the NPS says disaster struck in 1933 when the Bear Creek Flood devastated the Morrison and Bear Creek Canyon Highway.

That year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Emergency Conservation Work Act, forming the CCC, which hired millions of young men to work on environmental conservation and public works projects. Multiple companies were formed across Colorado.

According to the park service, CCC companies were stationed at Mount Morrison and Genesee Mountain, and construction of the amphitheater began in May 1936. WPA project #2151, the extension of W. Alameda Avenue from Highway 93 to Red Rocks Trail Road, began six months later. Another flood struck the area the following year, but the men completed the parkway extension in just 11 months.

Despite declining enrollment in the CCC due to military enlistments at the start of WWII, the amphitheater was completed in 1940, but major expansions, including parking lots, sewage lines, outbuildings, and additions to the stage, continued until 1953. The 10,000-seat amphitheater is a significant part of Colorado's history and culture and continues to draw over a million visitors a year.

Anyone with information on the theft of the commemorative plaque is encouraged to contact Lakewood Police Det. Kaylee Forington at kaylee.forington@lakewoodco.gov.