The Queen City: A History of Denver

Western Urban History Series #1

by Lyle Wesley Dorsett

The Queen A History of Denver (The Pruett Series)

382 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Lyle W. Dorsett received his B.A. in history (1960) and M.A. in history (1962) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and his Ph.D. in history from the University of Missouri-Columbia (1965). He began his teaching career at the University of Missouri, moving briefly to the Univ. of Southern California and University of Colorado at Denver, before he joined the history department at the University of Denver.

Reviews

[Matt Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging history of the Mile High City which is well ahead of its time and quite clairvoyant in its predictions. Despite being nearly 45 years since the original publishing, the book’s authors are quite progressive in their coverage of race relations and environmental concern, while still offering a thoughtful perspective on the controversy of Mayor Stapleton and other pivotal events throughout Denver's history. My primary criticism for this book is that it does not cover some pivotal moments or institutions in Denver's history. Notably lacking is the formation of the County of Denver, as well as any background on such landmarks as the capitol building or Union Station. Another criticism is the sloppy editing in the Second Edition additions and the overemphasis on the election of Mayor Peña. All in all, it's a book worth reading, despite being dated. It leans heavily into the business history of Denver, making it read slightly different than other local history books.