Tyler Adams has his address in his Instagram bio.
As a current resident of “The Quoteboard House,” Adams carries on the ten-year-long legacy of The Fillmore Boys: Congress Park staples who bring a little bit of whimsy into their neighborhood straight from their front porch.
What started as a quick quotes on a whiteboard ten years ago grew into a Denver institution, the type of housemates you typically only see in sitcoms – and an opportunity to inspire neighborly love in our city.
And while Adams spent his first night under the house’s roof sleeping on his brother’s couch, he’s called it home now for a number of years. When his brother signed the lease in 2016, he and the rest of the OG Fillmore Boys unwittingly started a fraternity of sorts – but instead of hazing and jungle juice, the rotating cast of nearly 20 guys over the last ten years are focused on high vibes and small acts of kindness.
The Origins
Early on in their lease, the Fillmore Boys came across some back alley treasures: two stumps and a dry erase board. They started writing quotes on the white board, propped it up on the stumps outside their front porch – and a legend was born.
Now, the Fillmore Boys’ Instagram is an archive of the last decade in Denver’s history. Changing the quote board is on the boys’ weekly chore chart, and they pull inspo whenever and wherever it strikes.
“Most of the time, it’s just something that’s going on in the world – changing of seasons, pop culture, holidays…” Adams shared. “I have a notes page on my phone, and sometimes it’s just a thought or something you overheard. It doesn’t even really have to be a quote.”
And since their Instagram page (@1200_quotes) documents the board from the very beginning, the Fillmore Boys’ DMS are always open.
The Impact
While the Instagram page started in 2019, the board became a neighborhood fixture during the height of the COVID pandemic the next year. When hot girl walks reached peak popularity, more people stopped to read the quotes – and kept coming back.
Gradually, the quote board gained a following, the house’s trademark house parties got some solid lip service and even 9News’ Kyle Clark gave the boys a shoutout on air, calling their mid-blizzard igloo build “the most Colorado thing” he saw that day.
The acclaim, however, had nothing on the everyday impact. The board helped turn passing moments into connection: conversations from the front stoop that turned into house party invites, bringing neighbors together over free coffee on a Sunday morning and, more than anything, giving people a reason to slow down and engage with each other.
And that rare, altruistic openness doesn’t end with the quote board: it carries into how the house functions day to day.
“The ethos of our house is that we’ve always been a place for misfits. Friends who are going through breakups or looking for a place to live or going through tough situations will come stay thinking it’s just going to be for a couple months and then end up moving in,” Adams explained.
Now, the house on Fillmore Street acts as a home base for these misfits: for the guests who continue to show up for the legendary house parties, for the couch surfers passing through and for former residents who may have moved out but will never forget where the spare key is hidden.
The Vision
For Adams, the connection fostered by The Fillmore Boys is entirely intentional. And as a member of the Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods board, it’s something he believes Denver can build toward on a larger scale.
“I would like to see more dense population growth. Right now, Denver is pushing for less strict zoning laws, and I think adding walkability to Cheesman Park, Congress Park and Cap Hill, making single homes into 5 apartments will improve everything,” Adams shared. “Walking and living in a tighter space…when you face someone walking down the street, you have a better sense of neighborhood and a better connection to where you live.”
To Adams, building stronger neighborhoods starts with how the city is designed. In bringing Denver’s residents a little closer together, whether that’s physical proximity or adding a little positivity to a stranger’s day with a short quote and a whiteboard.
The Staples
Always the expert on supporting your neighbors, Adams shared his current Denver faves with the Dive team.
Local Restaurant: Sap Sua or Ace Eat Serve
Denver Coffee Shop: Copper Door on York St.
Place to shop: Arc Thrift Store on S. Broadway
Most Underrated Spot: City Park Golf Course Restaurant at sunset
“Outdoor patio. Cheap Beer. Cheap Drinks. Cheap food. Drive your moped there if you have one.”
Guilty Pleasure: Sweet Cooie’s on 12th St.
“Get Purple Cow or the Vegan Salty O.”
Dive Bar: P.S. Lounge
“I haven’t paid for a drink in years.”
Music Venue: Bluebird Theatre
“Best bathroom on Colfax.”
One More Shoutout: Colfax Ave
“I love it. Colfax is Denver.”
All photos courtesy of Tyler Adams and @1200_quotes on Instagram.
