By Lesley Sauls
My coins, ID and hotel key clattered into the plastic tray proffered by a heavily armed security guard with the personal belongings of two people I barely knew.
"You three are together, so stand here," he ordered before shuffling us through a metal detector and into the extremely fortified Denver Mint. My new travel buddies and I just nodded and followed orders; our surroundings were too intimidating to disagree.
In fact, we had only met an hour before in the rotunda of the Colorado state capitol building. I'd been quietly explaining to our tour guide that I would have to duck out early to get to the mint for a tour when another guest said she was doing the same. The man next to us lamented that he did not have one of the prized passes.
The process for obtaining them is not easy but it's worth the effort. I'd gotten in line at 6:45 a.m. to wait for mine in the predawn light. Tickets are first-come, first-served and free, but they go fast; I was told that the line for them sometimes stretches around the building, and I felt lucky to get two. Fortunately for the disappointed man at the capitol building, my husband's business detained him, so I had an extra ticket to share.
We laughed at the coincidence of our planned visit. Clearly, this was the thing to do on a trip to Denver, as was a tour of the richly marbled capitol building. Our guide pointed out the building's unusual Colorado rose onyx right away because its swirls and whorls make designs and faces that decorate the halls of the building in rich rosy hues. This local stone is from Beulah, Colorado, and was exhausted during construction. White stone from Marble, Colorado, adorns the floors.
The building is smaller than other capitols I've visited, but it is richly decorated with gold, red, brass and bronze touches that have only recently been uncovered and restored to their original splendor. We were allowed to climb up into the gold-covered rotunda and walk around it outside to enjoy the legendary Colorado bluebird skies and a view of Pikes Peak. Fortunately the city view and snowy summits distracted us from our collective huffing and puffing; only our laughing 74-year-old docent was used to climbing 16 floors at this altitude.
My two new mint-minded buddies and I scampered down the circular stairs so quickly that we were dizzy by the bottom floor, but we made it to the mint on time. On that tour we learned some of the ways the building had been protected in the past with machine guns and tear-gas canisters. Making coins is a serious business.
No paper money is made here; that is the job of the bureau of engraving and printing. What we saw being minted were literally tons and tons of pennies. Jason, our jolly, red-bearded guide, reassured us that the penny will not be pulled from circulation any time soon as he handed out a pair to each of us - one stamped and one smooth and ready for the press.
"We make the coins you use," he explained. "When you stop using pennies, we'll stop making them."
From above the factory floor we saw the presses that make specialty coins and watched workers prepare packaging for the collections. They smiled up at us and waved as we walked past. In places without windows, exhibits of damaged coins, antique scales, presses and casts are on display along with photos and articles about Orville Harrington, the man who almost got away with robbing $80,000 of gold from the building in 1920.
My intention had not been to seek out historical tours in Denver. In fact, I didn't know what would come of my two free days there. I had joined my husband on a whim and hoped that something interesting would pop up. Indeed it did. Denver is so full of activities and tours that there was no way I could pack it all into two days.
Our hotel was located three blocks from the16th Street Mall. This meant very little to me until I walked there and realized that this mall is a 1.25-mile-long brick-paved road with shops, restaurants and free shuttle busses that run constantly up and down its length from the Capitol to Union Station. Blossoming trees adorned the street's center island, and sculptures and interesting benches were scattered here and there. Buskers playing flutes and guitars added a lively note, but my favorite was a poet who would write a poem on any topic for a small donation.
I found him outside a delightful bookstore called the Tattered Cover, where wood floors and paneling, thick rugs, cozy reading nooks and threadbare cushions showed years of cradling happy readers. The smell of fresh coffee wafted through the creatively arranged bookshelves, and patrons thumbed through novels and talked about issues in hushed tones.
Just around the corner from the bookstore is Union Station. While it is not a busy station any more, it was a hive of activity in World War II, when 80 trains a day passed through. Much quieter now with primarily commuter traffic, it is home to restaurants, cafes, a barista and a florist. I sat at the end of the oyster bar in Stoic and Genuine, a sustainable and imaginative seafood restaurant where fresh fish is flown in daily, and watched a young woman shuck iced oysters. When my bisque arrived, it was adorned with curled greens, a roasted shrimp, tuna sausage and an artful dollop of creme fraiche. Watching the kitchen staff from my perch was like being behind the scenes in a gourmet cooking show - that's entertainment!
At the opposite end of the mall and a block away from the Capitol building is the Denver Art Museum, an opportunity I nearly passed up because I wasn't in the mood for strolling galleries full of old paintings. But this museum is a shiny titanium building whose sharp angles recall a ship in full sail; something told me it might have a different kind of art. I did find a few masters hanging on the walls in an annex on an upper floor, but the main floors of this museum house multicultural art from around the world. Every medium and every millennium was represented. I was intrigued by modern art with messages that were timely and deeply insightful. My favorite, however, was the traveling exhibit of "Star Wars" costumes that explained the history, fabrics, designs and inspirations behind the costumes that have intrigued generations.
Midway down the mall I found the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Denver Branch, with a huge sign about free tours. I had time, so I turned the corner to find the front door and was surprised to hear birds chirping and a lion roar beneath the grates in the sidewalk beside the bank. It turns out this is an art installation of sound that changes regularly to surprise and delight passers-by.
Once inside, I endured another heavy security screening and was required to pass my ID into a bullet-proof glass booth before walking through metal detectors. Armed guards watched me walk across a courtyard and through two sets of heavy doors where more guards waited to keep an eye on me. The tour at the bank is small and self-guided, so a person can spend as long as it takes to soak up the details of confederate currency, revolutionary bills, paper coinage and other interesting money that hangs beyond a glass wall.
In the center of the room kids of all ages can customize their own money with brass rubbings. My bill has an airplane and the profile of Amelia Earhart on it. And for those who find digital creativity to be more fun, there is a way to customize a bill with the maker's own picture. I did that, too, but my favorite part of that tour was the parting gift. The Federal Reserve destroys any bills that are no longer fit for circulation. Most of it is turned into compost, but some goes into little bags that are handed out to each guest of the bank.
One evening my husband and I walked to Wynkoop Brewing Co. for a casual dinner followed by an enjoyable educational tour. The recycled barrels in which Wynkoop ages some beers were fun to see, but it was the young guide who made this tour different. He knew his topic well and steered us through microbrew styles and history with small tastes and conversation that felt unscripted and richly informative.
I'd started my adventure armed only with a map of downtown and a curious mind. By the time my two days of exploration ended, I had enjoyed an education in finance, history, and fine dining, and in my pocket rested my own personal bag of Federal Reserve cash worth about $165 - if it were intact. Rich.
WHEN YOU GO
Free MallRide buses travel the 16th Street Mall between Union Station and the Denver state Capitol every day, 6:30 a.m. to 1:20 a.m. Just stop on any street corner and hop on a free bus: www.rtd-denver.com/FREEMallRide.shtml.
Tickets for the Denver Mint - two blocks from the state Capitol - are first come, first served and free, but they sometimes go quickly. Get in line before dawn; the ticket window opens at 7 a.m., and 45-minute tours happen between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Security is fierce, so bring an ID; no bags, purses, backpacks or cameras are allowed: www.usmint.gov.
Capitol tours are free and happen hourly between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays: www.colorado.gov/capitol.
Wynkoop Brewery is just a block from Union Station and has a full menu with tours at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday: www.wynkoop.com.
The Denver Art museum is a block from the state Capitol and from the Denver Mint. Tickets range from $8 to $13, and the museum is open Tuesday-Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with periodic later evenings: www.denverartmuseum.org.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Denver Branch, is open 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Security is tight; an ID is required for everyone over 18:
www.kansascityfed.org/moneymuseum?location=1.
Denver's Union Station has something happening all the time, and if it gets too late, they even have a hotel: www.unionstationindenver.com.
Tattered Cover bookstore: www.tatteredcover.com.
Lesley Sauls is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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