The Queen of Denver: Louise Sneed Hill and the Emergence of Modern High Society

by Shelby Carr, Thomas J. Noel (Foreword)

For more than four decades at the turn of the century, Louise Sneed Hill ruled over Denver's high society with her southern charm, societal tact and passion for success. Hill created a society group dubbed the "Sacred Thirty-Six" and held parties that encouraged animal dances, roller skating and alcohol consumption. She fashioned herself to the public as a hardworking, self-made woman. She used the press to sell her image, emphasize amusement and aid in her mission to transform society from Victorian morality to unabashed fun. She pushed boundaries at a time when American society was unsure of its social direction. Historian Shelby Carr delves into the complex story of the highly mythicized, misrepresented and misunderstood Mrs. Crawford Hill.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction

163 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 7, 2020

Reviews

[Susanna]

I think this book is a thesis or dissertation turned into a book, and it does a good job of providing the facts about Hill and putting her in the context of the Victorian era she sprang from and the social mores of the East Coast and Europe. It talks briefly about her relationship (or lack thereof) with Molly Brown. It notes that she was presented at court in England, but I was left not really understanding why people did such things.

But it doesn’t get into other things I wondered about, like what kind of relationship there was between Hill and Anne Evans, another very prominent Denver woman during the same time period, and scarcely mentions her lavish parties or rules about who could and could not be included (such as Jewish people), which are widely cited in some historical mentions and which is what made me curious about her in the first place. The book also jumps around a bit and repeats itself somewhat.

[Caitlin Franey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Queen of Denver by Shelby Carr covers the life of Louise Sneed Hill. She went from a southern belle to one of the top socialites of Denver. This book covers her journey to the top and the unusual methods she used to stay there. I found this book very interesting but at times difficult to get through. There is a lot of background information in the book including family history and information about the time period that makes it a dense read. Overall I enjoyed the book, but I feel like there is a better way to share this information without it being so lengthy. Louise had such an interesting life that I wanted to hear about, as opposed to the family trees and side characters.

[Mimi Pockross · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good to know about the southern woman who moved to Denver in the late 19th and early 20th century and became a society diva. The problem is that she really doesn't come to life as a person. It's hard to discern what made her stand out and become the woman Denverites still love to discuss.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book but it was a little dry and boring.