This paper reviews Judy Mattivi Morley's Historic Preservation and the Imagined West: Albuquerque, Denver and Seattle (2006), tracing how three major western U.S. cities transformed neglected urban areas into thriving historic districts. The paper examines Denver's Larimer Square, Seattle's Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market, and Albuquerque's Old Town, highlighting the political battles, economic investments, and community advocacy that shaped each project. It argues that historic preservation serves as both a tool for urban revitalization and a means of establishing civic identity, offering a model relevant to cities across America facing the tension between development and heritage.
The cities of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Denver, Colorado; and Seattle, Washington have each gone through many phases and dramatic changes throughout their histories. In her book Historic Preservation and the Imagined West: Albuquerque, Denver and Seattle, author Judy Mattivi Morley traces how these three western cities confronted the tension between urban development and the preservation of their historic identities. Each city offers a compelling case study in how neglected, economically depressed neighborhoods can be transformed into thriving cultural and commercial destinations — and how historic preservation can serve as a powerful engine for civic renewal.
In 1858, Denver was just a nameless settlement in Colorado consisting of little more than three staked-out town sites. That changed when General William Larimer from Leavenworth, Kansas arrived near the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River in search of gold. He claimed one of the sites and "named his town after James Denver, governor of the Kansas Territory," as Morley writes (44). Larimer named the main street of that early town after himself, and as the Pikes Peak mining region boomed with speculators from across the country, Larimer Street "grew into the commercial heart of the city" (Morley, 44).
Several events proved devastating to Larimer Street over the following decades: the silver crash of 1893, World War I, and the Dust Bowl of the 1930s combined to bring severe "economic hardship" that "changed the demographics of Larimer Street." The once-vibrant commercial corridor became a depressed area populated by "men down on their luck" and struggling recent immigrants.
Denver eventually decided to reverse this decline. The city directed money and resources into what became Larimer Square in 1967. Bond issue funding and the energetic preservationist advocacy of Dana Crawford transformed the area into a thriving commercial zone. The block was purchased by a for-profit corporation, and the Larimer Square Historic District was officially designated on June 21, 1971. Crawford understood that the square had to appeal to visitors, so she convinced the city to actively market it. After changing ownership twice, by the late 1990s Larimer Square had become the city's premier attraction, "frequently surpassing the Denver Mint and Buffalo Bill's Grave" as a destination for tourists (Morley, 65). Today it remains both a noted historic district and a popular gathering place for locals and visitors alike — so central to city life that when the Denver Broncos won back-to-back Super Bowls in the late 1990s, Larimer Square was where the city celebrated.
The creation and fine-tuning of historic districts has proven, in many cases, to be an effective strategy for revitalizing crumbling urban areas and improving a city's image as a destination for travelers. Pioneer Square in Seattle is another classic example of city leaders and business interests working together to create a worthy downtown venue. Seattle was founded in 1852, grew rapidly thanks to sawmills, was largely destroyed in the great fire of 1889, and then experienced a major influx of miners, merchants, and adventurers during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 (Morley, 69).
During the Great Depression, however, the square suffered badly: "Pioneer Square's social deterioration mirrored its physical decline," Morley explains (71). An earthquake in 1948 caused further structural damage to its buildings. In the late 1950s, the Central Association of Seattle was formed to upgrade the city's image and infrastructure, and the Seattle Center was built in 1962 to host the World's Fair. Serious redevelopment of Pioneer Square began in the late 1960s, as buildings were renovated and artists, architects, and interior designers who "liked the aesthetics of the old buildings" (Morley, 75), along with young professionals drawn by proximity to downtown, began moving in.
By 1975, approximately $10 million — $8 million from private investors — had been invested in Pioneer Square's redevelopment. But the path was not without political conflict. Urban sprawl and the rise of suburban shopping centers had long taken precedence over historic preservation, and the construction of the Kingdome sports facility had diverted significant money and public attention away from historic consciousness. A particularly significant battle was fought over whether to preserve the Pike Place Market, where tourists enjoy watching fish being unloaded from fishing boats and fresh produce displayed in abundance. On November 2, 1971, voters passed Initiative 1 and saved the market. As Morley summarizes, the market "succeeded in providing Seattle with a civic identity," and along with the Space Needle and Mount Rainier, "images of the Pike Place Market have become synonymous with Seattle" (126).
"Latino heritage, political conflict, and heritage tourism"
Eventually, city planners and politicians recognized that "heritage tourism was an important way for Albuquerque to solidify the Spanish heritage portrayed in Old Town" (Morley, 39). When local merchants joined forces with the tourism bureau and all parties came to see the situation as a "win-win" for Latino interests, city interests, tourism, and historic preservation, a workable path forward emerged. Old Town's story illustrates how preserving an authentic cultural identity can align the interests of communities that might otherwise be in conflict.
Judy Mattivi Morley's book should be required reading in every American city where there is a clash between preserving historic districts and demolishing them for urban renewal — especially in the western states, where sprawl and architectural homogeneity too often dominate. Many Midwestern and East Coast Americans travel west in search of something "distinctively western" (Morley, 10). If all they encounter are freeways, strip malls, and cities with no distinctive character, there is little reason to return. The experiences of Denver, Seattle, and Albuquerque demonstrate that historic preservation is not merely a sentimental exercise but a sound civic and economic strategy. Morley's book presents these lessons through detailed yet engaging narrative, making it an essential resource for anyone interested in the future of American cities.
Morley, Judy Mattivi. Historic Preservation & the Imagined West: Albuquerque, Denver & Seattle. Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 2006.
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