Denver-Pueblo-Lake County CO Archives Biographies.....Curran, James A. 1855 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 December 24, 2008, 6:10 pm Author: Wilbur Fiske Stone (1918) JAMES A. CURRAN. James A. Curran, of Denver, who since 1880 has been engaged in the outdoor advertising business in Denver and the west, was born in New York city, July 31, 1855. In 1869 he came west with his parents, who settled in Kansas City. There he resided until 1873, when he began traveling on the road, and on the 10th of May, 1876, he arrived in Denver, remaining in the city for some time. He was afterward at Golden, Blackhawk, Central City and Georgetown and later went to California but returned to Colorado and in 1878 again went to Kansas City. He afterward traveled through Texas and in the spring of 1879 made his way eastward to New York. In the fall of 1880, however, he again came to Colorado, settling in Leadville, where he resided continuously until 1883. In that year he removed to Pueblo, where he spent about six months, after which he came to Denver. He had established an outdoor advertising business at Leadville in the fall of 1880 and has since continued in this line. With the passing years his business has steadily increased until it now covers Colorado. Wyoming, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. He was the advertising agent for the Denver & Rio Grande from 1881 until 1883. He was identified as advertising agent with the Tabor Opera House of Leadville and the Tabor Opera House of Denver in the early days and he has in the past been interested in a theatrical circuit playing companies in different towns between Denver and Leadville, and also in Denver and Cheyenne. He brought legitimate dramatic companies to Colorado, playing them in the different towns and theatres in the early '80s, including such companies as the Madison Square Company of New York city, Fun on the Bristol, Haverly's Minstrels and other well known organizations. He was also the first one to advertise the big circuses that came to Colorado. He now owns an opera house at Boulder, Colorado, which he leases to a theatrical manager. It was the first legitimate opera house ever built in Boulder, being erected about 1908 at a cost of fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Curran has originated a number of features in outdoor advertising that have become standards in that business. He was the pioneer in the use of the billboard on an extensive scale for campaign purposes. In the first Speer mayoralty campaign, when the entire press of Denver opposed Mr. Speer's candidacy, Mr. Curran inaugurated a daily changing billboard campaign. This plan required for its execution twenty expert painters and spaces in all the principal parts of the city. Mr. Speer was elected largely because of the unique plan which has since been adopted all over the country. While in Leadville, Colorado, Mr. Curran was married on the 27th of November, 1881, to Miss Mattie B. Hay, who was born on November 8, 1865, in Evansville, Indiana, and about 1S78 removed with her parents to Colorado, locating in Colorado Springs. They have become parents of two daughters, both born in Denver—Fay E. and Mrs. Harry L. Carey, who resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has a son, James Curran Carey, born July 22, 1916, in Philadelphia. During the long period of his residence in the west Mr. Curran has been an interested witness of its marvelous development. He has seen many new towns spring up in Colorado as well as many large and important industries established and successfully conducted. He was identified with the Colorado Mineral Exposition during the early '80s and he has been interested in mining in Gilpin county, Pitkin, Gunnison and Cripple Creek. His military service covers connection with the Carbonate Rifles of the Colorado National Guard, which he joined on the 28th of June, 1880, and from which he received an honorable discharge dated December 1, 1883. Mr. Curran belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, to the Sons of Colorado and to various other business and social organizations, including the Lake-wood Country Club, the Advertising Club of Denver, the Real Estate Exchange, the Denver Civic and Commercial Association, the Denver Motor Club, the Denver Art Association, the Denver Athletic Club and the Rotary Club. These connections are an indication of the nature and breadth of his interests. He cooperates in all activities for the benefit of the state and city and in the promotion of its civic interests, and is the champion of many projects which have had to do with the improvement of the state and of the west in general. His business interests have made him widely known. He first came to Colorado in 1876 and through much of the intervening period has lived within the borders of this state. He has become widely known throughout the west and his splendid qualities and genial nature have made for personal popularity wherever he has gone. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF COLORADO ILLUSTRATED VOLUME III CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1918 Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/denver/photos/bios/curran117nbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/denver/bios/curran117nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cofiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb