Robert W. Speer

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Robert Walter Speer (185514 May 1918) was elected the mayor of Denver, Colorado three times. He served two four-year terms in office from 1904 to 1912. He died from pneumonia in 1918 while halfway through a third term in office that had started in 1916.

In 1855, Speer was born in Mount Union, Pennsylvania. He married Kate Thrush, his childhood sweetheart, in 1882.[1]

As an adherent of the City Beautiful movement, Speer initiated several projects that added new landmarks, updated existing facilities, or improved the city's landscape including:

Speer was the first mayor of Denver to die while serving in office. Speer Boulevard in Denver is named in his honor.[4]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Johnson, Denver's Mayor Speer, pp. 5-6.
  2. ^ Forestry statistics are from Noel, Mile High City, p. 100.
  3. ^ Other items in the list of projects are from "Some Things Denver Owes to Speer," Rocky Mountain News, 15 May 1918, p. 3.
  4. ^ Goodstein, Denver Streets, p. 33.

[edit] References

  • Goodstein, Phil (1995). Denver Streets: Names, Numbers, Locations, Logic, 2nd Revised Edition, Denver, CO: New Social Publications. ISBN 0-9622169-3-3. 
  • Johnson, Charles A. (1969). Denver's Mayor Speer. Denver, CO: Green Mountain Press. 
  • Noel, Thomas Jacob (1997). Mile High City: An Illustrated History of Denver. Denver, CO: A. B. Hirschfeld Press. ISBN 1-886483-10-8. 
  • "Robert W. Speer, Mayor of Denver, Is Dead: Cathedral Bells Toll as Flags are Placed at Half Mast in Memory", Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, 15 May 1918, pp. 1, 3. 
  • Eaton, Raymond A.. "Speer was Man of Great Vision; Had Many Ideas for Better City", Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, 15 May 1918, p. 3. 
  • "Speer Always Worked For a City Beautiful; Plans Had Just Begun", Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, 15 May 1918, p. 3. 
  • "Some Things Denver Owes to Speer", Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, 15 May 1918, p. 3. 

[edit] External links

Robert W. Speer at Find A Grave