Here’s where
Julia began,
noted by
Historic Denver.

Julia Greeley’s old neighborhood is coming alive! Here’s Julia’s old boarding house at 2911 Walnut St., which today is the office of PlanOmatic, an imaging business which does work nationwide. The business has generously allowed Julia’s biographer, Father Blaine Burkey, OFM Cap, to bring tours inside the building. Pictured above is Father Blaine conducting a tour at the building several years ago.

It’s obviously been greatly renovated and looks very different than when Julia, at the end of a weary day, walked up shaky wooden steps to her tiny room.

Father Blaine has been instrumental when it comes to putting Julia’s old boarding house – and other buildings she frequented, like Sacred Heart Church nearby – on the radar screen of Historic Denver, which is responsible for preserving Denver past. 

Thanks to Father Blaine’s prodding, Historic Denver has identified Julia Greeley as a historic Denver figure and a prominent and influential African American woman. During Black History Month 2022, Historic Denver featured an online “walking tour” conducted by Father Blaine, called “Empowered by Place: Julia Greeley’s Denver.”  

Watch for more highlights and tours from Historic Denver on the life of Julia Greeley.  

What a change for Julia, who spent her life in obscurity, trudging the city’s streets all alone, often at night, to bring clothing, food, and prayers to people poorer than she!