Downtown Denver is the home of many unique sights: architecture, public art, and even a giant pencil! You read that correctly, a giant pencil is a favorite landmark of many Denverites. However, many folks are a bit unsure of what it actually is. Some say it's a smokestack, others say it's one of those chutes for dumping garbage. One article I found refers to it as a coal stack.
The pencil runs up the backside of the University Building, hence why the words "University Building" can be spotted on the bright yellow icon. The building, designed in 1910 by Fisher & Fisher Architects, was originally known as the A.C. Foster Building. In 1920 it was donated to the University of Denver. The school sold the building in 1980. Though the University building sits on the 16th Street Mall, the pencil is best viewed from one block over on 15th.
A few years ago, there were rumblings that changes to some of the neighboring buildings would result in the pencil being removed. For the time being, though, it stands proud in downtown Denver.
The University Building is found at 910 16th Street in Denver, but head over to 15th and Curtis for a better view.
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