In 1885, the Bellevue-Hale neighborhood was part of the area that Baron Walter Von Richthofen proclaimed “The Beautiful Suburban Town of Denver” and advertised as a healthy alternative to the moral dilemmas of city living (Photo below of Hale Parkway and Albion Street with Gove Junior High School in background).

The neighborhood features a beautiful collection of tudors, bungalows, and ranches a short distance east of downtown. With its wide streets, large lots, varied architecture, and proximity to downtown Denver, Bellevue-Hale is truly an example of urban living with a suburban feel. 
The historic Milo A. Smith house sits on the 1300 block of Birch and was built in 1890 by the early developer of Denver subdivisions and street car lines (Photo below of home in 1890). 

The residence exhibits an interesting mix of architectural detailing, apparently resulting from a series of modifications made by Smith in order to update and showcase the property. Strong elements of the original Queen Anne styling remain in the multi-gabled roof with its elaborately trimmed gable ends. The subdivision, known then as Bellevue, officially became part of Denver in 1902 and was named after G.D.S. Bell; Milo's daughter who lived in the house for 72 years. This house has been occupied by four generations of the same family for a period of 115 years. 

The “Hale” in “Bellevue-Hale” is dedicated to Irving Hale (1861 - 1930), a U.S. brigadier general, who served in the Philippines during the Spanish American War and the early stages of the Philippine-American War. Hale graduated head of the first class from Denver East High School in 1877. He enrolled at West Point in 1880, and graduated at the head of his class four years later. His final score was 2070.4 points out of a possible 2075, which was the highest ever from the United States Military Academy. He was one of the founders of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is buried in Denver's Fairmount Cemetery. "Hale Parkway" was dedicated in September of 1941.

In 1924, the University of Colorado School of Medicine moved from Boulder to the Bellevue-Hale neighborhood, which by then Denver was the 25th largest city in the United States with 270,000 people. The new hospital was known as Colorado General, later renamed University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. The photo below is a 1930's aerial view of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, V.A. Hospital, and Rose Hospital near 8th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard with houses in Bellevue-Hale nearby.

Photos are courtesy of the Denver Public Library's Western History/Genealogy Department. Check out the digital collections provided by Denver Public Library including the 1934 Denver Householders' Directory and Street and Avenue Guide where you can find out the original owner/occupant of your home!