Stapleton, Denver the A Line. The original airport was named for Benjamin Franklin Stapleton (November 12, 1869 – May 23, 1950) who was the Mayor of Denver for two periods (comprising five terms), the first from 1923 to 1931 and the second from 1935 to 1947. He also served as a high-ranking member of the Ku Klux Klan and the Democratic Colorado State Auditor from 1933 to 1935. Today, the Stapleton neighborhood continues to bear his name despite increasing political pressure to rename it due to Benjamin Stapleton's adherence to white supremacy and membership in the Ku Klux Klan. Stapleton, Denver Stapleton
Stapleton International Airport tower has been retained as part of the new Punch Bowl Social, a restaurant and social gathering spot. The office building attached to the tower houses the kitchens and social areas; the tower is closed to public access but is available for private tours. All of Stapleton's airport infrastructure has been removed, except for the former control tower. The final parking structure was torn down to make room for the "Central Park West" section of the housing development in May 2011. D.I.A. still owns some land at the former Stapleton site, an open field area bordered by Central Park Blvd