Church festivals in Globeville are the best!

Summertime is full of memorable events and the parish festivals in Globeville are among the best! Family-friendly activities won't break the bank and there is something for every member of the family.

The first of these will be at Holy Rosary Parish at 4688 Pearl Street. Founded by Slovenes and Croats, today's congregation is mostly Hispanic and the mixture of cultures results in a vibrant diversity.  You'll want to try Italian sausage sandwiches, burgers, churros, tacos, gorditas, flautas, and fruit ices. Make a bid for the silent auction items or try your hand at loteria!  

 

Holy Rosary parish bazaar

The following weekend, you'll want to head over to St. Joseph's Polish Roman Catholic Church, serving Polish Catholics since 1902. Celebrate all things Polish, including Polish sausage, potato pancakes, cabbage rolls, pierogi (several different varieties), desserts, and robust Polish beer. The Gama vocal ensemble and the Wiki Polish Dancers from Chicago, as well as the Amber Band will ignite your Slavic soul. Polish crafts make lovely gifts.

St. Joseph's Polish Roman Catholic Church at 517 E. 46th Avenue

 

Krila from Slovenia to perform at Holy Rosary Church

You are cordially invited to an evening of vocal music with Krila from Slovenia. This unforgettable performance promises energy and artistry in the atmosphere of Globeville's Holy Rosary Church.

The concert is complimentary, but we ask attendees to make a donation to this historic church. There will be light refreshments and an opportunity to visit with this remarkable group following the concert.

RSVP: Tamara Gorenc at 

tamiegorenc@gmail.com 

 Krila - Vokalna skupina Krila

Date: Friday, August 7th
Time: 7:00 pm 
Venue: Holy Rosary Catholic Church
           4688 Pearl Street, Denver, CO 80216

This church was dedicated on July 4th, 1920 and has faithfully served 

generations of Slovenes, Croats and Hispanic parishioners for over 120 years.

Holy Rosary Parish is located at 

4688 Pearl Street

(off of I-70 and Washington Street

in the historic Globeville neighborhood

www.holyrosarydenver.org

Graffiti Art Class in Globeville

If anyone knows anything about graffiti, it's muralist Anthony Garcia. His work can be seen everywhere in Globeville: on highway overpasses, businesses, garages and Garden Place School. His impact on the neighborhood is even bigger than the monumental paintings he creates.

Garcia was raised in the community. His grandmother was an artist and his mother is an activist, so combining his talent with service came naturally. When he was young, Garcia painted graffiti, sometimes in places that weren't appropriate. But then he worked with the Center for Visual Arts, channeling his talents in constructive ways. At the Center, he built a network to serve local youth as well as up and coming artists. 

In 2009, Garcia founded the nonprofit BirdSeed Collective which provides creative avenues for kids, like this summer's Graffiti Art Class. Beginning Monday, June 8th at 5075 Lincoln Street, classes will be held from 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Lessons will cover lettering and style development, spray can control, color their and composition, and graffiti history and culture. Supplies are provided. Ages 10 to 17 are welcome and will collaborate on a piece at the end of the class. 

Don't miss this opportunity to learn a craft and make an impact!

A student works on one of Globeville's

significant murals

Groundbreaking for a Library for Globeville!

The Globeville Community House, site of Globeville's first library

Globeville's first library was housed in the Community House, which was built during the summer of 1920 and accepted by the city at the Denver City Council meeting on December 29, 1920.

The Community House became a welcome gathering place, with an auditorium for plays, movies, dances, social functions, meetings and the resident thirteen-piece orchestra. In addition to the library, there was the University of Colorado Extension, which offered classes in home economics and American history. Two part-time social workers were available to help residents with legal and family issues, as well as learn American ways. 

During the Depression, Denver struggled with diminishing funds and reduced the hours of the city’s libraries to two nights and one day a week. On January 3, 1934, it closed the Globeville branch completely, posting a notice on the door. Immediately, Lad Felix and Adolph Anzich of the Globeville Voters Taxpayers Association organized the community, gathering signatures on petitions and demanding a meeting with the library’s board. At the meeting, Felix and Anzich explained that the library was used by foreign-born children and adults, and “played a great part in Americanizing residents.” The men pointed out that Globeville citizens paid a higher percentage of taxes than other areas of the city and were not receiving the same city services. The Rocky Mountain News kept the cause in the spotlight and the library was reopened on February 4, 1935. The News gladly proclaimed, “Globeville Branch Library Is Swamped as It Reopens.”

In 1950, the city again closed the neighborhood’s library, and, in 1952 the branch in nearby Elyria was closed as well. It would be more than seventy-five years before Globeville would have a library of its own.

The Valdez-Perry Branch Library opened at 47th and Vine March 18, 1996. Part of a major capital improvement project that began in 1990 when Denver voters approved $91.6 million in bond money. The library features a bilingual staff, meeting rooms, a large collection of children’s books, audio books, videos and magazines. There are computers, internet access and instruction in the use of both. But Globeville residents would have to walk more than a mile across busy streets and railroad tracks to get there. The nearby Bob Ragland Library at 1900 35th Street poses the same challenges. 

Gil Herrera and Nola Miguel celebrate

Globeville residents have wished for a library for a long time. In 2021, Denver voters approved Rise Denver Bonds for more than 80 projects and a library for Globeville was included.

$12 million dollars were designated for Globeville's Library and neighborhood meetings were held to gather input from residents, including the site, the "look" of the structure and what would meet the needs of the community. The GES Coalition steered the effort through the many hurdles that arose.

Dedication day was a culmination of the work of many individuals and groups. The building will be five stories tall and feature 170 affordable apartments (particularly important to so many who have been displaced over the last 70 years). Also included is a youth space, study rooms, meeting spaces, IdeaLab, computers and tech assistance. There will also be community-run Cafe. The completion date is set to be spring of 2027. At last!

A rendering of the building at 4965 Washington Street.
John Ronan Architects and Gilmore Construction Group 
listened to community input. 

 

Easter Sunday in Globeville, April 4, 1983

"I thought the Russians were coming," said Kathryn Simsik, who lived at 601 East 47th Avenue in Globeville, across the street from Holy Rosary Church. It was not the Russians, but an acrid orange mist rising ominously from the Rio Grande Railroad yards. Simsik said a neighbor called her about 6:00 am to tell her of radio reports about a toxic cloud. Ten minutes later Simsik, her second cousin Nicholas Staresinik and neighbor Marie Mares left as warning sirens wailed. 

The emergency created a reported 2,300 refugees early Easter morning who made their way by RTD buses, private cars and police vehicles to eight Denver area shelters. Simsik and her party joined some 200 other evacuees at Mapleton, at East 64th Avenue and Washington Street. Among them were two young men who brought along their parrot and 75-year-old Angeline Arko, survivor of two heart attacks. Arko barely had time to dress. "I don't have my green pills with me, which I'm supposed to take four times a day."

Red Cross volunteers served 250 sandwiches and tried to connect worried relatives to each other by telephone. Rose Unterfeldner, 66, of 4650 Pearl Street, wondered is the Easter ham she'd left in her crockpot would be overdone and dry when she got home. "Nothing we can do about it, but it's not my idea of Easter. I'm glad I went to church last night."

Skinner Middle School housed 340 evacuees, many who had hastily thrown on clothes and come directly to the school. Some children were still in their pajamas and carried Easter baskets with cellophane grass and chocolate bunnies. 

The Denver Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) was pleased with their response to a plan that had never before been implemented. James Garner, director of the OEP said the Hazardous Materials Response Plan was about 10 years old. It was updated yearly and agencies involved conducted periodic training. When the real thing happened, "the plan worked real well. No doubt training contributed to the success of the operation," said Garner. By 1:00 pm, heavy snow was whipping through Denver and the "all clear" was given.

Residents of the area had a different view. Simsik said, "We were not informed where to go or what to do. In the case of a real disaster, the lack of information could have been a real problem."

According to the Rocky Mountain News story of April 4, 1983, at least 15 chemical spills had led to injuries and evacuations in the Denver area between 1979 and 1983. Since the birth of the RiverNorth neighborhood (RiNo) in 2005, and the expansion of multi-story condos and apartments close to Denver's rail lines, this type of incident is more likely than ever to happen.

Nitric acid is shown leaking from a car in the Rio Grande
(now Union Pacific) rail yards, Sunday
April 4, 1983

 

 

Burglar Captured by Girls While Trying to Rob Church

The Rocky Mountain News headline of July 12, 1906 sums up the bravery of two young women from Globeville. Sisters Lottie Kalamajska and Mrs. Bertha Raczynski stepped into Saint Joseph's Polish Roman Catholic Church to pray when they heard a noise coming from a small cupboard near the altar. They investigated and found Globeville resident Louis Steckley on his knees, not in prayer but vigorously attempting to force the lock on the cupboard door. Miss Kalamajska quickly ran to her home a short distance away and returned with a revolver. Steckley was trying to conceal a silver communion service in his coat and make his getaway when Miss Kalamajska leveled the gun and ordered him to raise his hands. Steckley obeyed the order, then turned around and expressed surprise at the sight of the slender young girl. He became docile as she threatened to shoot. 

Neighbors heard the commotion and called the police. Policeman William Hanley arrested Steckley, who was fined $200 and sentenced to three months in the county jail by Judge Grant L. Hudson.

The month of March has been designated "Women's History Month" and these young Globeville sisters are worthy of remembrance for their quick thinking and courageous actions.

 Louis Steckley

Three Historic Denver Neighborhoods

Future Ancestors, Crossing Timelines

with three historic North Denver Neighborhoods: 

Join the Globeville–Elyria–Swansea Coalition (GESC) for a one-night journey through time – an immersive experience that reveals how these three neighborhoods were made: shaped by historic disinvestment, redlining, labor struggles, industrial zoning, and highway expansion, and transformed by neighbors organizing for racial, environmental, and economic justice for more than a century. 

Then we step forward across timelines into a thriving, community-owned
future, where neighbors have built a neighborhood model rooted in collective governance, healthy housing, land stewardship, and community-led investment.
This is their story, a celebration, and a public invitation:
become excellent ancestors to the next generation of GES.

Hosted by the Forney Museum of Transportation
at 4303 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216
Friday March 6, 4-7 pm

Doors: 4pm
Time Warp: 5pm

More information: info@ges-coalition (720) 432 - 1188
forneymuseum.org 

Last chance to indulge before Lent

Pączki  (pronounced "poonch-key) are tasty Polish donuts with a rich history. Originating in Poland, they were made to be enjoyed from Fat Thursday (the Thursday before Lent begins) to Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) - a final opportunity to indulge before 40 days of fasting begin.

Pączki are fried donuts usually filled with marmalade, jelly, or vanilla pudding and sprinkled with powdered sugar. If you have a Polish grandmother to show you how to make these treats, you are truly blessed.

But you can purchase genuine Pączki made by the scout troop at St. Joseph's Polish Church at 525 East 46th Avenue in Globeville, Sunday February 15th, beginning at 11:00 am, in the school cafeteria. Your fasting will be more meaningful when you remember what you're missing and you'll be supporting the scouts and the church!

Biscuits and Gravy at Holy Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Cathedral

The invitation posted on Facebook

It's hard for me to resist biscuits and gravy on any day, but on a frosty 3-degree morning, I could hardly wait. When I arrived at Holy Transfiguration 9:00 am, Justin and Kristine Clark were busy in the kitchen and their son Henry was occupied at one of the tables. The purpose of the breakfast was for Globeville's residents to check out Holy Transfiguration and for the members of the church to become acquainted with their neighbors in the community.

I helped myself to the hot breakfast and sat down to visit with Justin and Kristine. We were soon joined by two-year-old Winnie and her mother Meghan, then Matthew. I asked about Orthodoxy and what brought each of them to this church. All found something lacking in churches they had attended and were actively seeking a richer religious faith. Justin had experienced hypocrisy in the Southern church he once belonged to - with a pronounced difference between the preaching on Sundays and the practices during the week. Carla Fabrizio, who is related to half of Globeville, took a break from working in the kitchen. She explained her journey from Catholicism to the more substantial Orthodox faith and now teaches Sunday school in her home next door. The process of learning about and becoming part of the Orthodox faith can take up to three years. This is not a rash decision but an informed commitment. 

I then talked a little about the history of Holy Transfiguration and of knowing Father Hirsch and Matushka Paulette Hirsch. They revitalized the parish and the community during their twenty five years in Globeville (1984 -2009). The walls of the parish hall are covered with historic photos, and treasures from the past.

I enjoyed the breakfast and the conversation. Another breakfast is planned for the third Saturday of February, the 21st. Invite your friends and get to know members of this Globeville treasure.

Justin, Kristine and Henry Clark

Holy Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Cathedral
at 349 East 47th Avenue
was built and dedicated in 1898,
which makes it the oldest of Globeville's 
active congregations. If you attend any
 of their parish festivals, the church
will be open for tours - make a mental note
 to see the inside of this jewell.

 

Emma J. Webber, and the Globeville Suffrage League

In the years when Globeville was an independent town, Emma J. and her husband John H. Webber were well-known in the community. John served as the town clerk for four years from 1898 to 1901, and on the school board in 1902. Emma was an election judge in 1898 and postmistress until 1900. According to the Denver City Directory, John's full-time employment was as a tinner at the nearby Eaton-Ritchell Company.

But it's Emma who captured my attention. The Rocky Mountain News of December 7, 1893 describes a meeting of the Globeville Suffrage League held in the Webber home at 639 Watervliet. "The league is in flourishing condition, enrolling twenty-five new members." A month earlier, women had won the right to vote in local elections in Colorado and were eager to participate.

Another meeting of the league was held in the Webber home on April 1, 1894. The Rocky Mountain News reports, "The parlor was filled to overflowing ... much interest was shown in the coming election. After carefully considering the merits of the respective candidates, the league decided to support the Citizen's ticket.

The women of Globeville used their vote to improve the lives of women and children. They campaigned for an end to child labor, and for compulsory education for all children between the ages of eight and eighteen. Their achievements included requiring signatures of both husband and wife on mortgages, valid wills for married women, and assurance that women had the right to own property regardless of their marital status. They also worked to establish a minimum wage.  

Not everyone was pleased with Emma's success. The Rocky Mountain News of September 19, 1905 carries the story of Emma and John's home at 639 Watervliet being destroyed by an arson fire in the early hours of the morning. There was speculation that the perpetrator may have been the same arsonist who had set fire to the home of labor organizer, Maximillian Malich in September 1903.

The Webbers moved away from Globeville to a house at 2615 Federal Boulevard. Emma died in October of 1916 at age 64 and John in May of 1925 at the age of 75. A daughter who died in 1886 lies in the same plot at Riverside Cemetery: Block 21, Lot 112. 

Affordable Home Ownership in Globeville/Elyria/Swansea

The Tierra Colectiva Community Land Trust, will be holding an orientation meeting on Tuesday, October 7th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at 4700 Claude Court. A dinner will be held at 5:00 pm and the meeting at 5:30 pm.

Learn about Tierra Colectiva and how we keep homes affordable in the GES neighborhoods and how to join out waitlist. (Attending this meeting is a requirement to join our waitlist).

The Tierra Colectiva Community Land Trust, operating under the umbrella of the GES Coalition, helps people on income-restricted budgets find permanent housing. In a market like Denver, renters end up spending more than half their income on housing per month.

Tierra Coletiva has sold 15 homes at or below market rates, with 23 more homes in its planned pipeline. The organization is also part of a program at 49th Avenue and Washington Street that will bring 170 rental units below market rates for income-restricted renters.

More information is at ges-coalition.org/community-land-trust.
720-432-1188

2025 Church Festivals in Globeville

No one does festivals like the ethnic parishes in Globeville! Begin with Saint Joesph's Polish Catholic Church at 46th Avenue between Pearl and Pennsylvania Streets. Happening the third weekend in August, Saturday August 23rd and Sunday, August 24th. You'll enjoy all things Polish - cabbage rolls, pierogi, potato pancakes, hunters stew, sausage, desserts and robust Polish beer. There are activities for the children and the Krakowiacy Polish Dancers and Amber Band will entertain you. FREE admission and parking in the Holy Rosary parking lot, or the vacant city-owned lot on Washington. 

https://polishfoodfestival.org/

Next up is the Open House at Holy Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Cathedral on Saturday, August 30th from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Take the opportunity to tour this jewell at 349 East 47th Avenue! Built in 1898, this church glows with icons, incense and beeswax candles. Three bells call the faithful to services. The food is as diverse as the Globeville neighborhood and the cash bar features craft beer as well as "a shot and a beer." There are games and activities for the kids, tables to share food and fellowship with friends. FREE admission - donations are welcome!

https://orthodoxdenver.org/

Save the date! Sunday, September 7th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm is Holy Rosary Bazaar. FREE admission! Fantastic Mexican food and American hot dogs and burgers. Awesome entertainment, music, karoke, and games for the kids (and adults). Holy Rosary is located at 4688 Pearl Street (half a block from St. Joseph's). Free parking at the city lot on Washington! 

https://holyrosarydenver.org

 

What makes Globeville special?

Globeville maintains a thoroughly distinctive sense of place. Like an archaeological site, every stage of its development is visible. Barns and sheds constructed from railroad lumber are present in many back yards. "Shotgun" houses on tiny lots still exist on most streets and generations of families occupy homes close to each other. Ethnic churches dedicated more than a century ago support robust congregations. Like life in a small town, everyone seems to know everyone. People look out for each other and take care of each other.

Globeville has endured shoddy treatment by the City of Denver, the division and destruction by two interstate highways, and inadequate city services. Encroachment from industry and gentrification threaten the community.

In 1991, in the face of overwhelming odds, 568 residents mortgaged their homes to pay lawyer Macon Cowels. On their behalf, Cowels sued the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO), the multi-national smelter trust. Globeville won remediation and restitution - a real David and Goliath story.

Residents are proud of their community and unified in defense of its survival. For more than a century, Globeville has persevered.

Sundays in Globeville

There once was a time when most businesses were closed on Sundays, with the exception of a few bakeries, cafes (that also sold newspapers) and family-friendly taverns. Every chore - laundry, baking, cooking, bathing and housekeeping - was completed by Saturday night so that the "Day of Rest" could be observed.  

Globeville's homes were made for Sundays, with front porches deep enough for several chairs, and some with railings to rest your feet on. Porches were the places where people could wave to neighbors walking by, or welcome relatives who stopped to visit. Women made sure there was coffee, Potica, ham and rolls or cinnamon buns to welcome company. 

There were other places to socialize where it was acceptable to bring the children and the grandparents, like the Logan Grill, also known as the Sidewinder on the 4400 block of Logan Street. Not far away was the Portulaca where Joe Shinall and Ray Videtich served beer and burgers, and candy bars for the kids. On the 4800 block of Washington was the Mayflower and on the 4500 block of Washington was the Slovenian Gardens, where Johnny Popovich (Jonny Pop) knew everyone's name.

Sundays were a time to rest, recharge your batteries and spend time with folks and family in the neighborhood. It's a tradition worth reviving.

Porches in Globeville are made for visiting

The Logan Grill and the Sidewinder

The Portulaca was a local watering hole

Johnny Popovich remembered and welcomed everyone
at the Slovenian Gardens

Globeville's Ben Dreith - NFL Referee

        As the 2024/25 NFL season is nearing its conclusion, fans have cheered their home-town teams, followed their favorite players and paid attention to certain officials. For many years, NFL referee Ben Dreith was recognized for his knowledge, fairness and adherence to the rules. Former director of NFL officials Art McNally said, "When Ben stepped onto the field the game was under control, no ifs, ands or buts about it. He was an outstanding referee."
        Benjamin Dreith was born in Globeville February 1, 1925 to Anna Marie and Johannes Dreith, who emigrated from the village of Beideck on the Volga River. With his three brothers and three sisters, he grew up in the neighborhood, attended Garden Place School and then North High School, where he excelled as an athlete.
        In World War II, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving from June 1943 to March 1946 on the USS Teak in the Philippines. After the war, he graduated from the University of Northern Colorado (then known as Colorado State College) with a BA in Education, and lettered in three sports: football, basketball and baseball. In the 1950s Dreith played both semipro baseball and basketball in Denver.
        After college, Dreith taught physical education for 38 years in the Denver Public Schools, most of those at Lincoln High School His officiating career began at the high school level, and then the college ranks in the Skyline Conference, which became the Western Athletic Conference.
        In an article in the Rocky Mountain News Spotlight, January 25th, 1998, Dreith remembered, "In 1960 a friend called me and said 'How would you like to wrok professional football?' I said yeah and signed up with the American Football League (AFL). That's how things worked. Friends would call friends."
        When Dreith went to the professional ranks in the AFL, he was also teaching high school, and officiating high school and college level games. In 1996, the AFL merged with the National Football League (NFL), and the NFL restricted its officials to pro games only.
        During his NFL career, Dreith was awarded 27 post-season games, including eight Conference Championships, 13 Divisional Playoffs and two Pro Bowl games.        Getting to the Super Bowl was a mark of achievement for officials because the appearance was based on a rating system from the entire season. The officials with the highest ratings went to the Super Bowl, a coveted assignment awarded to Dreith four times.
        Dreith was not a fan of instant replay, which was introduced in 1986. "We'd stand there and wait and wait and wait, and then 96 percent of the time our call would stand." Also in 1986, Dreith issued one colorful, no-nonsense penalty call that was forever tied to his name. In a game between the Jets and the Bill, Jets' defensive tackle Marty started punching Bill's quarterback Jim Kelly after the play was over. Dreith threw his penalty flag, and with his robust baritone voice echoling through the stadium, he announced the most famous call in NFL history, "There's a personal foul on number 99 of the defense. After he tackled the quarterback, he's giving him the business down there. That's a 15-yard penalty."
        Dreith retired from both the NFL and from teaching in 1990. He was inducted in the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. When he died on April 25, 2021, many of his former high school students posted memories to his obituary.
        "What an amazing guy. I loved his gym classes and his gruff exterior, but he had a funny side too. His officiating in the NFL was great to watch as well. I can't help but think of the many young lives he influenced over those many years, including mine." Roger Colburn, May 07, 2021

Former NFL referee Ben Dreith
Photo: Denver Public Library

Both Ben Dreith and the Denver Broncos made it
to the big leagues in 1960. Dreith wore number 53
and worked as a Line Judge in the 1960 season.
Mary Lou Egan, personal collection

Turkeys in Globeville

Before raising backyard chickens and geese was cool, it was common in Globeville. Flaunting city regulations, some families even kept a pig or cow. Youngsters raised rabbits to sell and learn not to form an attachment to a source of income.

Most residents also cultivated substantial gardens with beans, peas, tomatoes, onions, carrots and asparagus - and would "put up" the surplus to sustain them all winter. And there were peaches, cherries, pears and plums to preserve. Pickles were the best, though. Crock pickles, bread and butter slices, dill and sweet pickles - ah the aroma of pickles! 

Self sufficiency was borne of necessity, but there was a great deal of pride too. Nothing was wasted. 

Andy Jackson poses with the turkeys he raised in the 
back yard of his home on Sherman Street. 

Pickles were the best, all winter long