From the Denver Post: Hundreds of Coloradans showed up at the state Capitol on Monday to cheer or jeer seven Democratic gun-control measures that senators debated late into the night. Earlier in the day, a biplane flew over the stately gold dome with a banner directed at Governor Hickenlooper, and drivers drove around and around the Capitol honking their displeasure with the gun bills. Inside, the number of people lined up to testify - many of them gun-rights advocates - made it nearly impossible to navigate the hallways at times. Coloradans began lining up outside the state Capitol at 6:30am to testify, although the first bills to be heard in the Judiciary and State Affairs committee weren't scheduled to be heard until 10:30am.
We did make it into the Capitol building - very crowded and lines were long. Below you can see where the halls were completely filled with people in lines. This was how it was throughout the building.
We walked down to the Byers-Evans House Museum. The house was built in 1883 by Rocky Mountain News publisher Williams Byers and sold in 1889 to the family of William Gray Evans, an officer of the Denver Tramway Company. The home is restored to the period between 1912 and 1924 and is decorated with original furnishings. When we arrived we had a little history lesson in the lobby before entering the museum, and then had a guided tour of each room (and all the history tidbits you could imagine). Our docent was very knowledgeable and it was a very interesting tour - especially hearing about the part where they had to un-do the '70's upgrades done to the house to restore it to the 1912-1924 period.
After that we took a drive tour of other historic buildings in the downtown area. Upper left is the Grant-Humphreys Mansion built in 1902 for the former Colorado Governor James Benton Grant. The home was purchase in 1917 by the AE Humphreys family. Upper right is the Capitol Hill Mansion Bed & Breakfast. Lower left is the Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast. Lower right picture is the Governor's Residence at the Boettcher Mansion built in 1908.
We had wanted to see the Molly Brown House, but they were closed on Mondays. Another time! Molly Brown House was built in 1889. Molly Brown is well known for surviving the sinking of the Titanic, but was also Denver's first preservationist.
Time for lunch! We went to Noodles & Company. Since it was a wet and cold day, the Wisconsin Mac and Cheese with meatballs hit the spot for me. Kathy had the Steak Stroganoff which also looked tasty (except the "shrooms"). A fun place to eat - wish we had one in Spokane.
We spent a little time shopping at Home Goods and Gordman's (two stores not in my area) and then went home. Brianna and James made fudge and cinnamon rolls. When everyone was back home we all played the game Cranium. Had a "phone a friend" question so called up Uncle John. I cannot remember the question but he was singing In A Gadda da Vida by Iron Butterfly.
We then had Pizza Hut pizza for dinner and afterwards watched the movie "Shakiest Gun in the West" while enjoying the fudge and cinnamon rolls that were made earlier. It was a good night to stay in as there was blizzard like weather happening outside.
