Editing Red Rocks Amphitheatre (section)

== History ==
[[File:Colorado - Golden through Paoli - NARA - 23936101 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Theatre in 1944]]
The natural features surrounding the amphitheater were formed millions of years ago as part of the [[Fountain Formation]], then lifted and tilted during a geological upheaval event called the [[Laramide orogeny|Laramide Orogeny]], the same time in which the nearby [[Garden of the Gods]] and [[Flatirons]] were formed. The characteristic reddish colors of the rock formations is the result of oxidized minerals. 

While the grounds were likely used by the [[Ute Tribe|Ute tribe]] in earlier times, an Army expedition led by [[Stephen Harriman Long|Stephen Long]] rediscovered present-day Red Rocks in 1820. The prevalence of the nearby [[Colorado gold rush]] between 1858-1859 drew further interest from prospectors and new settlers along the [[Front Range]]. Originally named the "Garden of the Angels", Marion Burts became the first recorded owner of the site in 1872. He sold it to [[Leonard H. Eicholtz]], who in turn developed the property into a park in 1878. Nearly 30 years later, Eicholtz sold Red Rocks to famed magazine editor [[John Brisben Walker]] in 1906. 

The site was renamed to "Garden of the Titans" and further developed to incorporate a temporary platform for hosting concerts from. In addition to the platform, Walker also built the Mount Morrison Cable Incline [[funicular]] railway, which carried tourists from the lower area of the park up to the top of Mount Morrison. The incline operated for about five years beginning in 1909.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://coloradogambler.com/trails-end-inclines-funicular-railways-colorado/|title=Trail's End – Inclines and Funicular Railways in Colorado – Colorado Gambler|date=September 3, 2014|language=en-US|access-date=June 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501102453/http://coloradogambler.com/trails-end-inclines-funicular-railways-colorado/|archive-date=May 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1927, George Cranmer, Manager of Denver Parks, convinced the City of Denver to purchase the area of Red Rocks from Walker for $54,133 (${{inflation|US|54133|1928|r=0|fmt=c}} today), officially adopting the title of "Red Rocks" Amphitheatre, a name it had been informally referred to since the area was settled.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://redrocksonline.com/about/history-geology|title=Red Rocks Entertainment Concerts {{!}} About {{!}} History Geology|website=redrocksonline.com|language=en|access-date=November 16, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=December 25, 2023 |title=How Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre came to be |url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2024/jan/13/how-colorados-red-rocks-amphitheatre-came-to-be/ |access-date=January 27, 2024 |website=The Columbian |language=en-US}}</ref> 

Cranmer then convinced [[List of mayors of Denver|Mayor]] [[Benjamin F. Stapleton|Benjamin Stapleton]] to build upon the foundation laid by Walker. By enlisting the help of Denver architect [[Burnham F. Hoyt]] and [[Stanley Morse|Stanley E. Morse]], along with labor and materials provided by the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]] (CCC) and the [[Work Projects Administration|Works Progress Administration]] (WPA) as part of the [[New Deal]] program, construction of the amphitheater began in 1936 and was formally dedicated on June 15, 1941, with a performance by [[Helen Jepson]].<ref name="CCC">[http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/626/documents/MtnParks/Red%20Rocks%20Timeline.pdf Red Rocks Park Timeline] of the 1930s and 1940s, from Denvergov.org</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Noel |first=Thomas J. |title=Sacred Stones: Colorado's Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre |publisher=Johnson Publishing Company,1 962 |year=2004 |isbn=9780972953009 |editor-last=Dyce |editor-first=Erik |location=Denver |language=English}}</ref>