Before John Brisben Walker purchased the “Park of the Red Rocks” in 1906 and renamed it the Garden of the Titans, it had long been known to visitors as the Garden of the Angels. Tourists could travel to Morrison on the railroad, walk west through town to the Gateway Stables, right at the entrance to the Park, and hire donkeys to take them through the rocks and up for a picnic at the natural amphitheater. (Photo courtesy Morrison Historical Society, Horton Collection.)

After an afternoon spent exploring the scenery and picnicking in the park, visitors traced their steps back to Morrison where the railroad returned them to Denver. We’ll have more soon on the many delights they could enjoy during their visits to this private park in the foothills near Morrison.

And what was J.B. Walker doing all this time? In 1889, he purchased Cosmopolitan magazine, and spent a busy decade transforming it into one of the top popular magazines of its day. Some credit Walker with inventing the modern magazine format.