DENVER AREA

This chapter's collection of local sites delves into the weirder side of the Queen City of the Plains. Where did Buffalo Bill draw his last breath? Where did the cheeseburger draw its first breath? Where is there a religious shrine where it's difficult to draw any breath? While in search of answers to these questions, you'll have your tie cut off by a cowbell-clanging waitress, hear the true story behind the Old West's cowboys, and find out how many government workers it takes to change a lightbulb.

* * *

Denver

B-1 Bomber

From the beginning, the B-1 bomber was a political hot potato. This supersonic, super-expensive bomber was killed by President Carter in 1977 as too costly for the nation's strategic defense, not to mention unnecessary. Ronald Reagan disagreed, and it was one of the many issues he used to defeat Carter in 1980.

Only four B-1s had been built before the plug was pulled. Those craft were dubbed B-1As when Reagan resurrected development on what became known as the B-1B. The second of the original B-1A prototypes is part of the Wings Over the Rockies collection.

It's a spooky, awkward-looking plane. The fuselage looks too fat for its narrow wings; its entire nose section, the Crew Escape Capsule, was designed to separate in an emergency to avoid having pilots eject at speeds over Mach 1. Go ahead, take a good look — you paid $325 million for each plane!

The museum has dozens of other aircraft, including a B-52 Strato-fortress, an H-21C "Flying Banana" helicopter, a German Luftwaffe trainer, and a Star Wars X-Wing Fighter. (No, Luke, you cannot take that last one out on a mission to blow up the Death Star.) If you're into space, local corporation Lockheed-Martin has donated an unused module intended for the International Space Station. And surrounding the central hangar are smaller spaces with aircraft-themed exhibits, such as WWI and WWII memorabilia, and the meeting room from Ike's Denver White House, moved from Lowry's Building 256, Room 230.

Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, The Hangar, 7711 E. Academy Blvd., Denver, CO 80230 (303) 360-5360

Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 A.M.-5 P.M., Sunday Noon-5 P.M.

Cost: Adults $4, Seniors (60+) $2, Kids (6-17) $2

www.wingsovertherockies.org

Directions: Three blocks east of Quebec St. at 1st Ave.

Behold, the Messiah!

It's not every day the Messiah comes through town, yet Francis Schlatter came through Denver twice. The first time was in 1891, and few people took notice. This French cobbler had a shoe shop downtown on Stout Street. When he wasn't repairing shoes, he stared straight ahead like a zombie and rambled on about "The Master" who would soon bestow upon him healing powers. After a friend marveled that Schlatter had healed him, others dropped by for cures. Yet before he could develop his healing practice, he disappeared in July 1893.

Shoe Repair Shop, 1845 Stout St., Denver, CO 80202

No phone

Hours: Torn down

Cost: Free

Directions: Between 18th and 19th Sts., where the federal courthouse stands today.

Where did Schlatter go? Some say he wandered through the Mojave Desert, fasting, charming wild rattlesnakes, and healing the poor. He reappeared in New Mexico in July 1895, and he had a new message: he was the reincarnated spirit of Jesus. Denver alderman/businessman Edward Fox liked the sound of that and arranged to bring Schlatter back to town. Schlatter soon moved into Fox's home at 33rd Avenue and Quivas Street.

Word got around and hundreds were flocking to the Mile High City for cures. Fox built a stage in his front yard for folks to receive the Messiah's blessings. If Schlatter couldn't lay his hands on the faithful, he laid his hands on handkerchiefs that were mailed out. More than 60,000 people visited him over a two-month period.

Mimicking the story of Jesus, Schlatter claimed he would be called home by "The Father," and he had the date: November 16, 1895. The push was on for last-minute healings, but the self-proclaimed Messiah skipped town four days early. The disappointed mob outside Fox's house tore down the platform and fences — apparently they were well enough to riot.

Miners found Schlatter's bones in the mountains of New Mexico in 1897.

Schlatter Home, W. 33rd Ave. & Quivas St., Denver, CO 80211

No phone

Hours: Torn down

Cost: Free

Directions: On the southwest corner of 33rd Ave. and Quivas St., two blocks north of I-25.

Black American West Museum & Heritage Center

Think of the pop culture icons of the American cowboy in the Old West — John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, the Lone Ranger — and what did they share in common? Well, for one, they were all white. Heck, even their horses were white. And if you're thinking, "So? What's your point?" perhaps you should stop by this small museum with a big mission: to "Tell It Like It Was."

And how was it? Not even founder Paul Stewart knew at first. He'd grown up with the same lily-white image of the cowboys. As an African American child, he'd often wondered if there were any black cowboys. As an adult he investigated, and found out there were a lot of black cowboys. In fact, one out of every three cowboys was black, many of them ex-slaves who'd left the South for freer, greener pastures out west.

Stewart's collection of artifacts, historic research, and personal histories became the seed for this unique museum that touches not only on the lives of cowboys like Bill Pickett, "The Father of Bulldogging," but other black pioneers in the region. The museum is located in the restored (and relocated) former home of Justina Ford, M.D., Denver's first black female doctor. Between 1902 and 1952, Ford delivered more than 7,000 babies, most of them in private homes because black people could not be admitted to city hospitals.

3901 California St., Denver, CO 80205

(303) 292-2566

E-mail: bawhc@aol.com

Hours: May-September, Daily 10 A.M.-5 P.M.; October-April, Wednesday-Friday 10 A.M.-2 P.M., Saturday-Sunday 10 A.M.-5 P.M.

Cost: Adults $6, Seniors (65+) $5.50, Kids (5-12) $4

www.coax.net/people/lwf/bawmus.htm

Directions: Just west of Downing at 30th St.

Buckhorn exchange

Have you ever wondered what a saloon in the Old West was really...