Red chile is a staple at Peña Produce. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Piñatas hang at Peña Produce stand. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Rocky Mountain Lake Park. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Built in 1923, the Federal Theater is one of numerous historic buildings on the street. Kara Pearson Gwinn
The Adams Mystery Playhouse. Kara Pearson Gwinn
St. Dominic Parish is on the National Register of Historic Places. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Colorful art on Federal. Kara Pearson Gwinn
A gorilla statue near 25th and Federal. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Paco Sanchez Park is right off Federal Blvd. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Federal has a diverse mix of businesses. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Mexican restaurants flank Federal. Kara Pearson Gwinn
An ever-changing mix of stores line Federal. Kara Pearson Gwinn
The landmark Far East Center. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Asian markets and restaurants compete for business. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Tarasco's New Latino Cuisine is a beloved Mexican spot. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Tarasco's award-winning mole. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Sunset falls on Federal. Kara Pearson Gwinn
Colorful Federal Boulevard cuts through west Denver, a showcase for historic buildings, Asian and Mexican restaurants and street art. It's the city at its most diverse.
Federal Boulevard is a street that connects Denver. It's a boundary for a whopping 20 neighborhoods -- including Highland, Berkeley, Westwood and Ruby Hill -- as it cuts north-south through the west side of the city. That total is notably higher than either Colfax Avenue or Broadway.
Same goes for the wide-ranging international communities who have planted flags here. The street is a center of both Asian and Hispanic culture in Denver.
With so many distinct communities and constituencies, Federal is a common bond. The boulevard binds this diverse group of neighborhoods together.
And it's authentic Denver, with a diverse population and a more diverse roster of restaurants lining both sides. It's just the place to head for a meal of just about every imaginable origin. There's Mexican, New Mexican, Vietnamese, Indian, Thai, Chinese and barbecue for starters.
This is a street that works. It is lined with not only restaurants but storefronts for mechanics and psychics and every business in between. It's also the western gateway to that local cathedral of pro football, Sports Authority Field at Mile High, and has more than a few peaceful parks on either side.
Confluence Denver's Managing Photographer Kara Pearson Gwinn's pictures, full of Federal's gritty urban color and hardscrabble vibrancy, capture the flavors and textures of this storied ribbon of roadway as it covers about 10 miles of ground in west Denver.
Photos by Kara Pearson Gwinn.
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