Pioneer Monument Subcsribers #25,#26
Subscribers to the Pioneer Monument #25-26
The next subscribers on the plaque attached to the side of the Pioneer Monument fountain are David Moffat, George McCullough. David Moffat is the better know of the two.
David Moffat arrived in Denver in 1860. His influence lasted over a hundred years, the argument to destroy his mansion at 8th and Logan was the subject of a court fight in 1972. Now, with the revival of the Ski Train the Moffat Tunnel is back in the public’s view every winter weekend. Noted for cutting 176 miles off the trip across the mountains, it cuts time from the drive to Winter Park to ski.
Moffat started a stationary store on Blake street. He eventually found his way into banking, a more profitable business. He established himself as a founding father of Denver when he took on the shared responsibility to bring a railroad to town. The Denver Pacific Railway and Telegraph Company was formed in November, 1867. The railroad arrived from Cheyenne in 1870.
Moffat’s continued to build railroads. The Denver, Northwestern & Pacific Railway, started in 1902 was to eventually reach Craig, Colorado. Unfortunately, he was forbid a place in Union Station and had to build his own station. Moffat Station is located on 15th street and is now apart of a senior housing complex. Railroading stoked his passion, he eventually passed away in New York City in 1911 looking for more funding for his Moffat Line. It wasn’t until 1928 that his route through the mountains, that encompassed his name sake, The Moffat Tunnel, was built with partial public money. There was now a railroad line through central Colorado to the West.
Like others listed on the monument, he has real estate additions to Denver. The Moffat Addition to Denver is located near 38th and 35th/York & High streets.
Second in this article is George McCullough. He arrived in Denver in 1872. He attended the University of Iowa and Colombia Law. McCullough was involved in rear estate. His office was at the south west corner of 14th and Arapahoe.
He had real estate additions. McCullough’s Addition was located between High and Race streets, 26th to 21st streets. McCullough’s Hill was located 21st to 18th, Franklin to High streets.
Sources:
Tom Noel’s article:
Click to access ColoradoMagazine_v50n2_Spring1973.pdf
Sketches of Colorado, by William Columbus Ferril
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