Hello downtown Boulder,
In anticipation of the Pearl Street Mall’s 50th anniversary in 2027, (50 Years on Pearl.com), I got the opportunity to check out some archival photos from the early days of the Pearl Street Mall and recreate them. The Pearl Street Mall has become an extremely familiar destination for me over the past few years since I've lived in Boulder. I even heard stories about my grandparents having fun on “the bricks” back in the '70s!
I've walked up and down Pearl Street countless times, and it never fails to amaze me. Walking around today felt a little different because I was considering the history and all the visitors who came before me. I've been here for four years - The Pearl Street Mall's been here for nearly five decades!
The Pearl Street Mall started with just an idea. The bold out-of-the-box idea to close off a stretch of downtown to cars and build a pedestrian mall. That kind of risk-taking is part of Boulder's energy, and it's what’s shaped the heart of our downtown.
What's really worth celebrating isn't just that 50 years have passed. It's that the vision has stuck around and kept evolving. For five decades, the businesses, artists and neighbors who call this place home have kept investing in it, kept reimagining it, and kept it feeling uniquely Boulder.
The Mall was dedicated back on August 6, 1977, and has been a staple of downtown Boulder ever since! Walking around, I noticed how much has changed over the years - the buildings, new businesses mixed in with many of the OGs of Pearl Street, streets that don't look the way they did in old photos. But not everything's different. The courthouse is still standing exactly where it's always been, along with a handful of other spots that time hasn't touched. Funny how a place can feel brand new and completely familiar at the same time!
I feel so lucky to be spending my internship right here on the Pearl Street Mall, surrounded by such an enriching and vibrant community. It's so special to be part of the planning process for the upcoming celebration for 50 Years on Pearl, reflecting on all this community has accomplished while looking ahead with excitement to what's next!
Best,
Bella