A couple of days ago I shared one of my favorite giant Denver attractions, The Big Blue Bear. But today we’re going the other extreme, Tiny Town.
I’ll admit I’m kind of a fanatic about dollhouses, that’s why I love (number one) having a girl and (number two) going to Tiny Town every time I visit Denver. Actually, the town is not really in Denver, it is located west of the city in the foothills between the towns of Morrison and Conifer.
Tiny Town’s history stems back to 1915 when George Turner began building one-sixth-sized dollhouses for his daughter (talk about a young girl’s dream). In 1920 the town was opened to the public and became an extremely popular attraction. The town is more than dollhouses. Many of the structures are replicas of actual Colorado buildings, restaurants, mines, lighthouses and more. By 1939 the Tiny Town Railway was running and giving visitors rides. The train whisks passengers away on a ride through the outskirts of the town and alongside a stream, passing a birdhouse collection, dinosaurs and a hill filled with more mini replicas.
Some of the houses and structures allow the kids to climb in, such as a windmill and jail. Others are filled with Barbie dolls and other typical doll house accessories. The newest house is a replica of the Addams Family home – the “family” is even peeking through the windows. A playground sits at the end of the park where families can bring picnics and the kids can burn off energy.
The town has had its ups and downs and openings and closings but today it looks like it’s here to stay. What makes this attraction special for me is that my mother visited Tiny Town as a child during a family road trip from Omaha. A few weeks ago my mother had the opportunity to make memories with my kids at this classic attraction – and Tiny Town is already a treasured memory, but not a small one.
