Flickr/ Quan Ha

Red Rocks Amphitheater: The Story Behind The Rocks of Morrison, Colorado

The Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado, is one of the most illustrious historic sites and concert venues in the world.

In the early 19th century, John Brisben Walker realized that the 200-million-year-old rock formation was the perfect place to host live performances. In 1911, Mary Garden, a nationally recognized opera singer, was the first of her kind to perform at the Red Rocks, then known as the Garden of the Angels.

The City of Denver bought the property for $50,000 in 1928. They started construction on the site with the Civilian Conservation Corps Works Progress Administration created under President Franklin Roosevelt.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre was dedicated on June 15, 1941, and was a venue for orchestras and operas.

The amphitheater has known many names between Garden of the Angels and its current name, Red Rocks Amphitheatre. From 1906-1927 it was known as the Garden of the Titans, and from 1928-1941, it was known as Denver's Park of the Red Rocks. No matter its name, it will always be known as a natural wonder of the world.

Facts about Red Rocks:

-The Red Rocks has hosted a sunrise service every Easter since 1947.

- In 1964, The Beatles played the Red Rocks. It was the only venue the band did not sell out during their U.S. tour.

- In 1971, during a Jethro Tull concert, the patrons and the police got in an incident that caused the amphitheater to issue a five-year ban on rock and roll acts at Red Rocks.

- One of the most memorable concert videos released from Red Rocks is from U2's 1983 Under the Blood Red Sky tour. If you visit the Performer's Hall of Fame, located in the amphitheater's Visitors Center, you can see images from U2's performance, as well as The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix.

Visiting Red Rocks Amphitheater

The Red Rocks Park sprawls across almost 900 acres of Jefferson County, Colorado. The park has hiking trails, biking trails, pine trees, wildlife, and dinosaur fossils. According to Colorado.com, the park is the intersection between the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains.

If you are going to visit the Lakewood or Morrison area for a getaway, your family has many activities to choose from.

You can attend Yoga On The Rocks if you want to join a few thousand yogis a few Saturday mornings of the summer.

If you are a movie lover, Film On The Rocks is the event for you. For over 20 years, patrons have gathered at Red Rocks to enjoy a feature film followed by a live performance.

Dinosaur lovers must attend Fossils At Red Rocks. The walls of the amphitheater showcase over 16-million-years of history. Throughout Dinosaur Ridge, paraphernalia of our world's past are there for your viewing pleasure.

The Red Rocks Amphitheatre is an evergreen, just like the trees in its massive landscape. From Morrison Natural History Museum and Bandimere Speedway to Bear Creek Canyon and Alameda Parkway, the stories that echo off Red Rock's walls are not just music to our ears; they have created a legacy.

 

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