The Mount Evans auto road was proposed by Denver's Mayor Speer in1910.  In 1915, the Colorado Division of Agriculture commissioned a road to be built to the top as part of the "Peak to Peak Highway"; a road system that would connect Longs Peak to Pike Peak..  The capital campaign to secure funds for the road began in 1917 with construction being completed in 1927.   I'm not sure why they wanted to build a road to the summit, maybe they just thought it would be cool.  So they carved a small winding dirt road from Echo Lake (the starting point of the road) to the top, about 14 miles. It took about 10 years for them to finish making it.  The conditions in the winter are so harsh that work could only be done during the summer months.  Even today, the road is only open for a few months during the summer.  It became a little known recreation spot for those know knew about it.  The road was paved in the 1930's.  To this day it remains the highest paved road in North America.

Mt. Evans was made to be a tourist spot for those vacationing in the Denver area.   They built a small restaurant at the top in the 1940's which was the highest store in the world.   In 1979, a propane fire destroyed the restaurant and souvenir shop and it has not been rebuilt since.  I can remember eating there when I was little kid. In fact, the ruins of the building are still there.