Recap: Denver Turnverein Walking Tour
About the tour: This tour covered both the architectural history of the Denver Turnverein building and the plans about upcoming improvement projects. We started the tour outside of the building to discuss the architectural design before moving inside the building. The group saw interior design aspects of both the main floor, featuring the large ballroom, and the basement of the building. The tour included some of the history of the American Turners, who founded the Denver Turnverein organization in 1865 and moved the organization to the current building in 1922, and information from the head of the German Schlaraffia Club.
After the tour, attendees were invited to stay for a Ballroom dance class from 6:15-7:00pm and welcomed to stay until 10pm to utilize the dance skills they learned and enjoy this historic Denver building.
About the building: Constructed in 1921, the Denver Turnverein building was initially home to The Coronado Club. Denver Turnverein acquired the Clarkson Street building a year later after The Coronado Club declared bankruptcy. This building features characteristics of Mediterranean Style architecture with its yellow color, stucco exterior, and ornamentation (History Colorado). The first floor of the building houses the large ballroom and a bar area, while a half basement holds a second, smaller dance floor, an antique wooden bar, and full kitchen.
About the Tour Guides: Larry Long, Board Member at Denver Turnverein was the Dance Director of Monday Ballroom and Thursday Countrypolitan dances for 5 years. Currently, Larry is a Dance Host on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and has been a social dancer for 21 years.
Wilfried Streicher is a business owner and President of Schlaraffia Denvera, Inc., established in 1914. He has been a resident of Colorado for over 33 years.
David Tippett retired in 2021 after a career in hospital facilities service. Both his career and his hobbies of rental properties and competitive ballroom dancing positioned David to give back to both the dance community and the 101-year-old classic facility at the Denver Turnverein. David participates in facilities maintenance projects and serves as Ballroom Dance Chairperson.
