Entry No. 13 — the Denver file — filed under: audio-tour
Denver Story Trek — Five Points Phone Audio Tour
Free and almost invisible: you dial up audio recordings tied to spots in Five Points that look like nothing as you walk past them. Stops surface the ghost of the old Voters Club where Black voters were organized in the 1930s, the Deep Rock artesian well still pulling water from hundreds of feet under 27th & Welton, and Fern Hall (1886), which cycled through being a ballroom, a bootleg bar, a bakery, and a boxing gym. No app store, no ticket, no guide — just your phone and a neighborhood that's been quietly hiding its layers in plain sight. Run by Historic Denver, so it's legit, not a tourist-trap gimmick.
The story
Welton Street looks like a standard gentrifying Denver strip—light rail tracks running down the center, modern infill, and new apartment blocks. But if you know where to dial, the pavement starts talking. Denver Story Trek—a project created by Historic Denver—turns Five Points into an invisible audio tour. You don't download an app, pay admission, or follow a tour guide with a flag. You stand on the sidewalk, dial a phone number listed on a posted sign, and listen to what used to happen on the exact patch of concrete under your boots.
The stops focus on structures that look unremarkable or entirely mundane as you walk past. Call in near 27th and Welton and you'll learn about the Deep Rock Water Bottling Company, which began drawing artesian water in 1896 from a well sunk hundreds of feet directly below the street intersection [1.2.9]. Further down, you're standing outside Fern Hall, an 1886 brick building that cycled through roles as a Victorian ballroom, a prohibition bootleg bar, a bakery, and a boxing gym. Another dial surfaces the ghost of the Voters Club, where Black residents organized politically in the 1930s in a city governed by strict racial segregation.
Because Five Points was redlined, it built its own self-contained commercial and cultural grid—earning it the tag 'Harlem of the West'. The audio relies on local community voices, including Denver native Opalonga Pugh, preserving working-class Black history that redevelopment frequently sweeps aside. You didn't hear it from us, but standing on a public street corner with a cell phone pressed to your ear is the best way to bypass the polished tourist brochures and hear the actual neighborhood.
What it's like
Arrive around 27th and Welton Street by taking the RTD light rail down Welton or finding street parking on the side blocks. The vibe is entirely uncurated: you are walking through an active residential and commercial neighborhood, looking for small 'Trek Connect' signs mounted on building facades. The main catch is that the stops are scattered and easy to miss if you don't look up a route on denverstorytrek.org beforehand. Bring a fully charged phone, stick to daylight or early evening so you can actually read the architecture, and if you're on a date, share one set of earbuds to turn the recordings into prompts between blocks.
The move: Pick three stops, walk them at dusk sharing one set of earbuds, and let each recording be the prompt for the next block of conversation — basically a free, self-paced history scavenger hunt for two.
📍 Before you go The trek centers on Five Points' historic Welton Street corridor — start around 27th & Welton, the old heart of the neighborhood, which is walkable from the RTD light rail line that runs up Welton (street parking is usually findable on the side streets too). There's nothing to download: bring a charged phone, look for the "Trek Connect" signs posted at each stop, and dial the listed number to hear the audio. Plan a short route in advance, since the sites are scattered and genuinely easy to stroll right past. Go in daylight or early evening so you can actually read the buildings and walk comfortably. This is a living, historically Black residential neighborhood, so be respectful. Pair it with a meal or a drink along the Welton jazz-legacy strip afterward.
- 📍 Five Points
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Self-guided; begins around 27th & Welton St, Five Points (stops scattered across the neighborhood — see denverstorytrek.org/places)
Hours: Always available — self-guided by phone; best in daylight/early evening for walking safety and reading the sites.
Pair it with
- Welton Street Cafe — Sit down for classic soul food at Five Points' longest-standing Black-owned restaurant, located right along the same Welton Street corridor as your audio stops.
- Wynkoop Brewing Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout — Take the light rail down Welton into LoDo to trade Five Points' neighborhood history for a pint brewed with roasted bull testicles at Denver's original brewpub.
- Urban Burma — Continue your deep dive into Denver's distinct community histories by heading east to Colfax for Burmese tea leaf salad inside a refugee food hall.
Good to know
How much does the Five Points audio tour cost?
It is completely free. You only pay for whatever your cell phone plan charges for standard local phone calls.
Do I need to download an app or buy tickets ahead of time?
No. There are no app store downloads, reservations, or tickets required. You dial the phone number printed on the physical 'Trek Connect' signs at each location.
Where does the tour start and how do I get there?
The tour centers along Welton Street in Five Points, starting around 27th and Welton. You can ride the RTD light rail directly down Welton Street or park on nearby side streets.
When is the best time to do the walking tour?
The phone system is available 24/7, but it is best done during daylight or early evening hours so you can navigate comfortably, spot the signs, and observe the historic architecture.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · visitdenver.com
last checked: 2026-06-07