With all due respect to St. Louis, MO, Denver has always seemed to me to be more deserving of the title, Gateway to the West. Sure, west of St. Louis are plenty of towns like Kansas City, Wichita, Dodge City, Omaha, Ft. Worth, Ellsworth, and Abeline, with storied pasts firmly rooted in western folklore. But I grew up in the farthest western state of California. Living in Merced, CA which is about 75 miles west of Yosemite National Park, The West meant mountains and deserts, not The Great Plains. What's my point? The point is, ever since my first visit to Denver, back in the late 70's, I considered Denver to be the gateway to the west, especially because it sits right at the base of The Rocky Mountains.
People travel from all over the world to visit Denver, many of them come here by car. While old motels can be found anywhere in the US, I believe those in Denver have a unique nostalgic value. The old motels you'll find on Colfax, Broadway, and other major US highways (not Interstates) aren't particularly different or unique architecturally. But they are unique in terms of the memories and stories about the millions of people and families who came or traveled through here on vacations. Back in the day, when they were new and vigorous, travelers probably barely noticed the architecture. They were just happy to be in Colorado on vacation. I can't help but assume that, if there's such a place as one haunted by good ghosts, you'll find plenty of them here. The Ghosts of Happiness, Excitement, Joy, Recreation, Discovery, Fun, and Love hang out in places like the Hill Top Motel on Broadway.