RED ROCK

Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure in Red Rocks Park near Morrison, Colorado (west of Denver), where concerts are given in the open air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large boulders angled outwards from stage left and seating area for up to 9,450 people in between. The amphitheatre is owned and operated by the City and County of Denver, Colorado. In 1927, George Cranmer, Manager of Denver Parks, convinced the City of Denver to purchase the area of Red Rocks from Walker for the price of $54,133. Cranmer convinced the Mayor of Denver, Ben Stapleton, to build on the foundation laid by Walker. By enlisting the help of the federally sponsored Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Work Projects Administration (WPA), labor and materials were provided for the venture (Redrocksonline.com). Geologically, the rocks are representative of the Fountain Formation. Originally the place was known as the Garden of the Angels (1870s-1906), and then as Garden of the Titans (1906-28). The park, however, had always been known by the folk name of Red Rocks, which it was formally named when Denver acquired it in 1928. The amphitheatre's rocks are named Creation Rock on the north, Ship Rock on the south, and Stage Rock to the east. Red Rocks Amphitheatre was designed by Denver architect Burnham Hoyt.