Our May 2007 WWPNA History Committee discussion is going to be extra special. We'll be graced with the presence of not one but two honored citizens, Ed and Dave Garland. Born in West Wash Park in 1923 and 1922, respectively, these brothers have a lot of stories to tell and a few photos to show as well.

Their father, Dave Garland, owned a grocery store at 295 South Pearl. Garland Grocery was the place people could count on during the Depression, when they needed a little extra credit to get them by. The grocery went bankrupt in 1937 because of it, but Garland didn't stop giving. He developed many of the youth sports programs in Denver, earning him the nickname "The Saint of Denver Sports." In 1952, the Denver Bears gave him a lifetime pass to their games, and in 1956, he was named the University of Denver's "Man of the Year." Garland Park is named in his honor.

The Garland boys played football and baseball at the old Byers sandlot, and both became pitchers of some renown at South High. Dave Jr played for a while with the St Louis Browns, but he left professional baseball to become a doctor. His younger brother Ed continues to live in the neighborhood, and works in the insurance industry, continuing the work his father began upon closure of the grocery.

Come join us for this dual history on Tuesday, May 15th at 242 South Lincoln Street at 7:00. We'll also have about 15 minutes of updates on the oral histories, new historic homes, Country Club Gardens, and other historic happenings. And remember: we'll be recording the conversation for posterity, so please arrive on time and bring pens, paper, and questions about history in early Denver and West Wash Park.