Denver: The Christmas Light Capital

In the 1910s, David Sturgeon’s son was too ill in bed to join the family around the tree. Mr. Sturgeon, a Denver electrician, wanted to bring the tree lights to his child. So, he dipped some light bulbs in paint, red and green being the colors of the season, connected them to electrical wire and hung them outside his son’s window. The neighbors enjoyed them as much as the child did, and the next year, they joined in Mr. Sturgeon’s efforts.

This simple act of illumination is seen as the first example within the U.S. of outside holiday lights, the spark that inspired a national craze. While there had been desultory efforts previously, this was the one that stuck. At the end of the decade, Denver’s head electrician decorated Civic Center, with a tree in front of the capitol the following year. The tradition grew enthusiastically from there, with Mayor Stapleton approving funds for a grander display in 1926, earning the city the moniker “the Christmas Capital of the World” by the end of the decade. Imagine that! Little old Denver! In 1945, NBC news ran a tribute to the Sturgeon family for inspiring these traditions. By the 1950s, the extravaganza had grown to monumental proportions, with more than 25,000 bulbs. Mayor Newton tried to stem the growth but was shouted down by the people. They LIKED the over-the-top character of the displays, even if some found them tacky.

Today, people around the country put up lights without any thought of their Denver connection. Locally, folks know the City and County Building, now emblazoned with LEDs to conserve energy and produce a more vibrant set of colors, is always a dependable spot. However, you may also check out Denver's Union Station, Larimer Square, McGregor Square, the Dairy Block or many other parts of town for sparkling lights. Wherever you may be this holiday season, we hope you may get out to enjoy the pretty lights, with a little nod to Mr. Sturgeon. 

The City and County Building, 2020