Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
FOX31 Denver
Photos: Old Denver advertisements show price of goods in 1800s-1900s
By Maddie Rhodes,
11 days ago
DENVER ( KDVR ) — The Denver Public Library stores old photos dating back over a century. Some of these photos include old advertisements showing the price of amusement park tickets to hotel rooms from over 100 years ago.
While the advertisements weren’t as flashy back then as they are now, the prices of the goods were certainly cheaper, at least compared to today’s prices.
How much things cost in Denver during the 1800s-1900s
Over a century ago, the city looked a lot different.
Amusement park admission
Elitch Gardens is still open today, except the prices are a bit different than what they were advertised in 1905, which sold general admission tickets for 10 cents.
Main entrance to Elitch Gardens amusement park in Denver, Colorado. Signs read: “Elitch’s Gardens Zoological & Floral, Gate Admission 10 Cents, Denver’s Famous Resort, All Amusements In Operation Every Day, Circle Swing, Flying Machine, Visit The Old Mill, Katzenjammer Castle, Circle Swing, Figure 8 Toboggan, Merry-Go-Round, Temple Of Merth &c.” (Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-19813)
Almost 120 years later, a day pass ranges from $50 to $70. Although, the park’s landscape has also changed significantly in the past century.
Hotel room
If you were to look for a hotel room around 1869-1879, one night at Sargent House in Denver costs around $2 to $4 a day.
View of the Sargent House, a hotel in Denver, Colorado; shows a brick building with a covered porch and sign: “Sargent House.” A man poses by a street lamp. (Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections, X-18635)
While the Sargent House doesn’t exactly look like a hotel by today’s standards, if you were to grab a hotel room in Denver in 2024, you’d be looking at prices over $100 for many rooms downtown.
Train ticket
The Missouri Pacific Through Line offered tickets to Denver from St. Louis for $52 in the late 1800s. There are still trains to and from Denver to St. Louis now, but they’re not $52.
St. Louis to Denver and return excursion tickets from St. Louis to Denver and return via the Missouri Pacific through line. in the late 1800s (Credit: Denver Public Library Special Collections, C385.06578 S132)
Roundtrip tickets would be more than double the price of the through line. Amtrak tickets to and from Denver are almost $200 round trip.
Entertainment show
Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show was an outdoor show that included anything from skills acts like sharp shooting to circus elements for just 25 to 50 cents.
A group of five men is gathered in front of a large banner for Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The man second from the right may be Dexter Fellows, press agent for the show. The banner shows admission prices to the show as 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children 10 and younger. Show times were scheduled for 2 and 8 p.m. with the grounds opening to the public at 1 and 7 p.m. The man on the far left holds his straw hat in his lap. The man in the center wears a straw hat, while the man on the right wears a derby hat. (Denver Public Library Special Collections, NS-685)
While you can’t necessarily compare Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show to other forms of current entertainment like Red Rocks concerts or a game at Ball Arena, entertainment nowadays will cost you upwards of $100.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Local Denver, CO
Most Popular
Comments / 0