When Guy was an air traffic controller at the old Stapleton National Airport in Denver, we lived in an Aurora apartment across Peoria Street west of Fitzsimmons Army Hospital.
One restaurant we enjoyed when we had visitors from Iowa was on Colfax Avenue, the Apple Tree Shanty, where the food was great and the waitresses wore quaint costumes with aprons.
Another fun place to take out-of-towners was Denver’s Casa Bonita. The “cliff divers” and strolling musicians were entertaining, with some of the dining areas set among cave-like nooks. The food wasn’t that great but it was the first place we ever tasted sopapillas. With honey.
An outstanding restaurant was the 94th Aero Squadron, at 25th Avenue and Fulton Street in Aurora, sitting right along the south side of Stapleton’s east-west runway. An old wooden World War I propeller hung in the entryway, and the dining areas were furnished as rooms in an old French farmhouse.
Dad, who’d been a pilot during World War II, enjoyed listening–with headphones provided at the table–to the pilot/controller radio lingo from Stapleton’s nearby control tower.
One time when we dined there, Dad’s seat at the table faced the runway. He pointed out a private plane come in for a landing. “Look at that! His gear is still up!”
Sure enough, the plane bellied in, causing emergency equipment to quickly arrive.
That was a highlight for Dad to talk about when he got back home to Iowa. Another was the time he got to watch the Baltimore Colts’ football great at practice–Johnny Unitas.
That would be scary to see! I saw a tragic accident once at an air show here in Michigan as a child… made me afraid to fly for a long time but fortunately I got over it.
I ate there as a kid. The bathroom doors were labled in German and as an 8 year old, i had no idea what to do. I told my 12 year old brother that I was going to have an accident if we didnt figure out the right bathroom quick. So he picked one, walked in, then came out and said….it’s this one.
What a fun memory. Thanks, Charles!
Interesting memories.
Those grainy old photo’s – we all have them 🙂 Enjoyed the post!
What interesting restaurants! They must have offered diners a real experience.
Too bad that only Casa Bonita is still open.
Don’t know if you remember this. There was a day when the 747 that hauled the Space Shuttle had a problem and had to do an Emergency Landing at Stapleton airport. I-70 became a parking lot!
We lived there from 1971 to late 1976. That emergency was after we’d returned to Iowa. We lived just west of Fitzsimmons and would ride our bikes to the east end of Stapleton’s runway and thrill to the 747s landing overhead! I worked in the Office of Revisor of Statutes in the basement of the State Capitol. One of my jobs was proofreading amendments, out loud to another proofer, every punctuation. Suppose that’s how little things out of place still jump out at me. Worked there until Dan was born in December 1974.
Thank you for shaaring
A friend of mine worked at the restaurant & one evening Flip Wilson came in. It was quite an experience I’m told as my friend was tripping on some fairly good acid. 1973 or 4? lol. I wondered through once. It was actually pretty cool although I never ate there.
Wow! Loved Flip Wilson. It was expensive, so we only ate there on special occasions.
Wow, you just unlocked some childhood memories for me! I must have been three or four years old, going to Apple Tree Shanty and 94th Aero Squadron… thanks for the nostalgia. ❤️
What fun! Thanks for your note. Our son was born in Englewood in 1974, and we moved back to Iowa two years later.
I worked at the 94th for many years have so many memories. Wonderful people I served a lot of engagement proposals.
Oh, how wonderful! It was such a delightful place to enjoy, and to look forward to.
I grew up on East Colfax. Went to aurora central graduated 77. We saw the 747/space shuttle also the Concorde. I always loved the 49th, wondered what happened to the ww1 planes out front. Thank you for happy memories of old aurora. It’s a dump now.
That’s what we were afraid of, but at least we’ve got happy memories. We used to ride our bikes to the area east of the runway so we could be under the 747s as they were landing!
I’ve heard, and I’m not sure how true this is, but Casa Bonita is owned by Dinsey again. There for a long time, it was a dump, but it’s been restored to it’s former glory.
We haven’t been out there since Dan was in high school, and he’ll be 49 this year! But he was born in Englewood, Swedish Hospital. We moved back to Iowa when he was 2.
I think Casa Bonita is now owned by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of Southpark. I, too, remember the 94th Aero Squadron, and parking at the east end of the runway to watch the landing and departing aircraft. Much simpler times.
Yes, a few decades ago!
The individual little loaves of sour dough bread. I wonder if anyone has a recipe for those. Does anybody know what happened to carbone’s over on 38th street. Red skelton bought our group dinner one night. Such a nice man..
Oh, I forgot about those little loaves! Thank you for your comments, Donna.
I know I ate here as a kid, my dad took me, but I cannot for the life of me remember exactly where is was/is, is the building still there? Stapleton is all houses and condos now.
It was south of the runway but I don’t remember how far east or west. Stapleton has changed!