There are many good reasons why Colfax Avenue is the most famous street in Denver, and none of them has anything to do with Schuyler Colfax, the disgraced vice president of Ulysses S. Grant. Colfax is defined by its people, a mix of working stiffs, high-schoolers, day laborers, concert-goers, bus drivers, moms and kids, construction workers, grannies, bicycle enthusiasts and the occasional — but very Colfax-centric — shiftless, shirtless creep. Sure, most of these people could be found on any street in any city, but there's something about Colfax that makes basic interactions between these humans binge-watchable. No matter what office window you're peering from, what restaurant you're dining in, what corner you're standing on or what bus stop you're impatiently waiting at, the city's most notorious strip is a like a live, 24-hour news network. People meet, fights break out, drugs are dealt, road races are routed, spare change is panhandled, ladies are hassled and strangers help each other. As Denver grows, Colfax might be inching toward a "cleaner" facade, but its diverse, human element will forever be a reminder that the "longest, wickedest street in America" cannot — and will not — be tamed.
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