Dana Hudkins Crawford facts for kids

Dana Hudkins Crawford (born July 22, 1931 – died January 23, 2025) was a very important person in Denver, Colorado. She was known for saving and bringing old buildings back to life. People call this "architectural preservation." She helped make downtown Denver a vibrant place again. Dana was involved in many big projects. These included creating Larimer Square and fixing up Union Station. Her work was so important that a hotel at Union Station was named the Crawford Hotel after her. She was also honored in the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Dana Hudkins was born on July 22, 1931. Her hometown was Salina, Kansas. She went to Monticello College first. Then, she studied at the University of Kansas, finishing in 1953. After that, she attended Radcliffe College. There, she studied Business Administration and graduated in 1954.

In 1954, Dana moved to Denver, Colorado. She started working for a public relations company. The next year, in 1955, she married John W. R. Crawford III. He was a geologist. They had four sons together.

Saving Larimer Square

In the early 1960s, a part of downtown Denver was going to be torn down. This area was called the 1400 block of Larimer Street. Dana Crawford saw a chance to save it. She gathered a group of investors. Their goal was to buy the property. They wanted to turn it into new shops and restaurants.

They created an organization called Historic Denver, Inc.. This group aimed to protect Denver's old buildings. Many people did not want to save the old buildings. They thought it would stop new buildings from being built. It was also hard for Dana to get money. Many banks did not want to lend money to a woman. But she found a way! She got a loan from the New York Life Insurance Company.

After about 10 years of planning, their hard work paid off. In 1971, Larimer Square officially opened. It became Denver's first "Historic District." This means the area was protected because of its history. Dana received an award from Radcliffe College for her success with Larimer Square.

Revitalizing Downtown Denver

After Larimer Square, Dana Crawford started working on the Union Station area. She worked on this project for almost 30 years by herself. During this time, she also helped save other important buildings. These included the Oxford Hotel. She also worked on the Millennium retail office project and the Ice House. She even helped with Coors Field.

In 1996, Dana was recognized for all her efforts. She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame. This honor was for her work in saving and developing downtown Denver. One of her favorite projects was the Flour Mill Loft Project. It was finished in 1999. It was the first time homes were built in the Platte Valley area.

In 2008, a new plan for Union Station began. Several investors wanted to build a new transit system linked to the station. Dana put together a team called the Union Station Alliance. They wanted to win the project. In December 2011, they won! They got a 99-year lease on the station.

They needed approval from the National Park Service to change the historic site. After a year, they got the approval. The project then began. In 2013, the hotel inside Union Station was named the Crawford Hotel. This was a special way to thank Dana for her amazing work. Dana Crawford passed away on January 23, 2025, at 93 years old.