Thursday, November 20, 2008

Planting a new purpose The Rocky Mountain Seed Co. building on 15th Street between Market and Larimer streets is one of downtown Denver's few remaining reminders of the city's agrarian roots. In October, JohnstonWells Public Relations moved into the Victorian-era building, which had housed The Rocky Mountain Seed Co. for 87 years before it vacated the property in 2007. The seed company is now headquartered near Interstate 25 and Washington Street. The historic building's new inhabitants set out to transform what once was a dusty retail space outfitted with 1,200 drawers, bins and cubbyholes of various shapes and sizes into a colorful modern office punctuated by an extensive folk art collection. The redesign plans also were mindful of the building's egacy. But other historians mourn the loss of a link to Denver's agricultural past. People often think of early Denver as a mining hub, but the city also served as the supply center for farms in eastern Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Kansas and the Dakotas, according to Tom Noel. The University of Colorado history professor known as "Dr. Colorado" is also a LoDo tour guide and author of several local history books. Larimer, Market and 15th streets were home to nearly a dozen wholesale, distribution and packaging companies for produce, seeds and meats. Farmers in trucks used to line up at the Rocky Mountain Seed Co. while walk-in customers chatted with the staff about what crops grew best in this region or how to handle hail and storm damage....

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