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DENVER CITY & COUNTY (S-Z) |
SSACRED HEART SCHOOL Constructed in 1890, the Romanesque Revival style building is a good example of a late 19th century urban educational facility. Classrooms were located so as to optimize ventilation and natural lighting, and the building’s solid brick construction and elaborate detailing reflected the perceived importance of education. High school classes met in the building until 1939, and it continued to serve the elementary student population until 1979. The school was noted for its performing arts program, and the open, centrally-located auditorium/gymnasium was often utilized by the community. SAN RAFAEL HISTORIC DISTRICT Houses in this middle-class residential neighborhood date from the early 1870s to the 1920s. Of architectural interest is the chronological progression of the district from early wood frame and Italianate style buildings to large and elegant Queen Anne houses. The district also includes several terrace-type apartment buildings, two-story carriage houses, and six churches. GEORGE SCHLEIER MANSION Denver architect Frank E. Edbrooke was commissioned to build this mansion in the 1880s for George Schleier, a successful Denver businessman. The house is built of red sandstone in the Queen Anne style, and its most distinguishing feature is an onion domed tower. There are a total of eight ornate fireplaces, and the use of elaborate plaster composition ornamentation is evident throughout the interior. SCHLESSINGER HOUSE Designed in 1890 by William Lang, an important Denver architect, the house was purchased in 1897 by Timothy S. Schlessinger, a prominent local businessman. The house is constructed of pseudo-rusticated brick, which may have been specially made for Lang. The design is eclectic, expressing the architect’s love of complexity and contradiction. There are several stained glass windows and exterior decorative carvings with floral and leaf motifs. GEORGE SCHMIDT HOUSE / BREWMASTER’S HOUSE ZANG BREWERY Designed by William Quayle, this High Victorian Queen Anne style home dates from the late 1880s. The original owner was George Schmidt, brewmaster for the Zang Brewery. The two-story house is built of red brick and has a rusticated stone foundation. The interior features a carved oak stairway, hand-grained woodwork and doors, carved hardwood mantels, and built-in cabinets. SHEEDY MANSION (Grant Street Mansion) 
The 1892 Sheedy Mansion, with its associated carriage house, is
a good example of late Victorian era eclecticism, combining the
massing and roof forms typical of Queen Anne residential architecture
with Richardsonian Romanesque detailing, specifically in its window
treatments. The Sheedy Mansion is one of the best surviving examples
of its type and period of construction. Two recognized masters in
the field of architecture, Erasmus Theodore Carr and William Pratt
Feth, designed the residence. Having achieved prominence for their
work in Kansas, the Sheedy Mansion is the only known Colorado commission
for either architect. The building conveys a sense of the residential
lifestyle associated with Denver’s most prosperous families.
Its original owner, Dennis Sheedy, was one of Denver’s most
successful business leaders through his management of the Denver
Dry Goods department store and his positions in the city’s
banking and mining enterprises. SHERMAN STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT The Sherman Street Historic District is an integral part of the
development of the urban apartment in Denver. In particular, the
district consists of an intact collection of three-story walk-up
apartments built during the period 1929 to 1950. The district contains
at least seven, and possibly eight, apartment buildings designed
by prominent local architect Charles Dunwoody Strong. Though relatively
unrecognized in the ranks of Denver’s modernist architects,
Strong’s body of work includes important contributions to
the city’s evolving modernist interpretations of Art Deco,
Art Modern and International Style architecture. The buildings exhibit
Charles Strong’s stylistic progression from 1936 to 1950. FRANK I. SMITH HOUSE The Frank I. Smith House is one of a series of six designed by prominent Denver architects William Lang and Marshall Pugh for real estate developer Ralph Voorhees. For many years, the house was the home of Frank Smith, his wife, and their six children. The architects were influenced by the Richardsonian Romanesque style in the design of this two-story stone building. The most distinctive features of the 1891 residence are the 2½-story entry bay with arched entry and the square corner tower. The property is associated with the West Colfax Subdivision Historic Structures Thematic Resource. FRANK L. SMITH HOUSE Frank Smith, an officer in the Mine and Smelter Supply Co. co-founded by his father, Eben Smith, commissioned the residence and adjoining carriage house in 1902. Prominent Denver architect William Fisher, in partnership with Daniel Huntington, designed the house in the French Eclectic style. The high quality materials, craftsmanship and attention to decorative detail became a Fisher hallmark. MILO A. SMITH HOUSE Built in 1890 by Milo A. Smith, an early developer of Denver subdivisions and street car lines, the residence exhibits an interesting mix of architectural detailing, apparently resulting from a series of modifications made by Smith in order to update and showcase the property. Strong elements of the original Queen Anne styling remain in the multi-gabled roof with its elaborately trimmed gable ends. PIERCE T. SMITH HOUSE Architect Glen W. Huntington designed this house in 1891 for Denver dentist Pierce T. Smith. The house exemplifies the basic form of the Queen Anne style in residential architecture. SMITH’S CHAPEL (Denver Inner City Parish) 
The 1882 Smith’s Chapel is notable for its extensive use
of Castle Rock-quarried rhyolite. Denver architects and builders
used rhyolite both as a primary structural stone and for foundation
and architectural accents during the late nineteenth century. Smith’s
Chapel is an early example of the volcanic stone used as a primary
structural material with sandstone detailing. The chapel is a good
local example of Gothic Revival style ecclesiastical architecture
in Denver. Though the building suffered some loss of integrity through
the replacement of the original windows and doors, and the construction
of a major addition, the overall original exterior design remains
visible in its plan, masonry construction, and pointed arch window
and door openings. SMITH’S IRRIGATION DITCH / CITY DITCH / BIG DITCH The approximately 27-mile long irrigation channel was first surveyed and constructed between 1860 and 1867. The ditch began in Waterton Canyon, located southwest of Denver, as a diversion of the South Platte River and ultimately terminated in City Park’s Ferril Lake. In addition to supporting the efforts of local farmers, water flowing through the ditch and its laterals enhanced the development of Denver’s extensive park and parkway system and contributed to the planting of trees, lawns, and gardens within the residential neighborhoods along its path. Although pipelines now carry much of the flow through Denver, the 1¼-mile segment within Washhington Park the ditch remains opens as an important feature of the landscape. SOUTH MARION ST. PARKWAY George Kessler and Saco R. DeBoer are credited with the design of the half-mile parkway executed between 1909 and 1913. The half-mile South Marion and Downing Street Parkways serve as a connection between the Speer Boulevard/Cherry Creek corridor and Washington Park. Both are heavily planted with flowering trees and form an important line in the Flower Trail developed in the Denver park and parkway system by Saco R. DeBoer. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource. SOUTH PLATTE RIVER BRIDGE Joined and widened in 1970, the 1951 steel girder ribbed deck arch bridges are rare surviving structures associated with the early development of the Valley Highway, the predecessor to I-25 through the Denver’s central corridor. Crossing the South Platte River and a bike trail to the east of Invesco Field at Mile High, the five spans run for a total of 384 feet, with the main span running for 173 feet. The structures were designed by Crocker & Ryan, fabricated by Midwest Steel & Iron Works, and constructed by Pete Seerie, Inc. Listed under Highway Bridges in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. SPANGLER HOUSE The Spangler House is one of a series of six designed by prominent Denver architects William Lang and Marshall Pugh for real estate developer Ralph Voorhees. For many years, the house was home to Jane Spangler, widow of former Arapahoe County sheriff Mike Spangler. She moved to this house in the late 1890s to be near her sister, Mrs. Ralph Voorhees. The architects were influenced by the Romanesque style in the design of this 1891 2½-story stone and shingle-sided building. The entry to the house is through a porch with a round arched entry of large radiating stone voussoirs. The property is associated with the West Colfax Subdivision Historic Structures Thematic Resource. SPEER BOULEVARD This key 1.1-mile diagonal transit way, designed by the nationally-known planner George Kessler, symbolizes and commemorates, in planning, design, construction, embellishment, and planting, the City Beautiful movement in Denver. It also conveys the political leadership and citizen support which made the Denver park and parkway system the city’s historic design legacy. Embellishments, in addition to the street tree and median plantings, include the historic Cherry Creek (set within retaining walls in the median of the boulevard), a number of bridges which cross Cherry Creek, and several triangular grassed and treed areas (called the Speer Boulevard triangles) adjacent to the boulevard. Construction took place between 1906 and 1918. The design is credited to both George Kessler and Saco R. DeBoer. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource. SPRATLEN-ANDERSON WHOLESALE GROCERY COMPANY (Edbrooke Lofts) Designed by Frank E. Edbrooke, the five-story 1905 warehouse received an additional floor in 1911. The building is constructed of molded and pressed brick and reflects elements of the Neoclassical Revival style in its massing and trim. Founded in 1897, Spratlen-Anderson, was a successful Denver wholesale grocery business that expanded into the building upon its completion and remained there until the company was dissolved in 1923. The subsequent owner, Davis Brothers Drug Company, occupied the building until 1957. ST. ANDREWS EPISCOPAL CHURCH St. Andrews Episcopal Church, originally named Trinity Memorial Church, was designed in the Gothic style in 1909 by architect Ralph Adams Cram. It is a small L-shaped structure built of brick with limestone lintels and a slate roof. The exterior is ornamented with wooden Gothic tracery on the windows and porches. Saint Andrews became famous as a teaching center for churches throughout the country and many ceremonial practices which were introduced there. ST. DOMINIC’S CHURCH The 1926 St. Dominic’s Church, designed by noted Denver architect Robert Willison, is significant as an important local example of ecclesiastical architecture executed in the Late Gothic Revival style. On the interior, the scale, proportion and architectural relationships have not been diminished by modifications made to accommodate the congregation’s evolving needs. ST. ELIZABETH’S CHURCH St. Elizabeth’s Church was designed by Brother Adrian, O.F.M. of the Sacred Heart province, in the German Gothic style in 1898. It is constructed of rhyolite quarried at Castle Rock. The interior features carved wooden statues from Germany and painted and stained glass windows given by early parishioners. St. Elizabeth’s parish, the second Catholic parish to be established in Denver, was created in 1878. ST. ELIZABETH’S RETREAT CHAPEL / OAKES HOME FOR CONSUMPTIVES The chapel was originally part of the Oakes Home for Consumptives founded by Rev. Frederick W. Oakes who served as its first and only superintendent and chaplain. Architect Frederick G. Sterner designed the 1903 building. The tuberculosis home closed in 1934 and the original buildings comprising the complex were razed in 1975 to allow for new construction, leaving the chapel as the only original structure. The complex claims to be the first home for tubercular patients in Colorado and the second in the nation. ST. IGNATIUS LOYOLA CATHOLIC CHURCH Designed by Denver architects Frank Frewen and Frederick Mountjoy, the 1924 Catholic church represents their only known use of the Gothic Tudor style. The high quality of its antique stained glass windows and the spectacular hand-painted stenciling add to the impressive character of the interior. ST. JOHN’S CATHEDRAL This cathedral was constructed between 1905 and 1911. It was designed in the Gothic Revival style by architects Tracy and Swartwout of New York, winners of a national competition for its design. The building is constructed of dressed Indiana limestone, and there are two towers reaching 100 feet in height, which contain bells cast in Westphalia, Germany. The cathedral represents a continuation of the First Episcopal Parish, originating in Denver in 1860. ST. JOSEPH’S POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH The Gothic style church was constructed in 1902 to serve members of the Polish immigrant community living in the early Denver suburb of Globeville. The walls are of brick, the window and door openings are set in pointed arches, and the front gabled roof is steeply pitched. The façade is distinguished by a central narthex, which includes a tall bell tower that is topped with a conical spire. St. Joseph’s was the twelfth Catholic parish in Denver, and it also served members of the Croatian and Slovenian families living in the area. ST. JOSEPH’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Built in 1888-89, this church is constructed of painted brick in the Late Victorian Gothic style. Gothic details are also reflected in the interior’s system of pointed arched intersecting trusses and interior columns that are decorated with ornamental millwork. The Church is located in the historic working class Westside neighborhood, and as such, represented an important institution to its residents. ST. MARK’S PARISH CHURCH The 1889 St. Mark’s Parish Church was designed by Denver architects Lang and Pugh. The exterior of the church is faced in buff Longmont sandstone and the interior is finished in rough-hewn native stone, paneled oak, and black ash trim. Its design is best described as Gothic, although a tower and turret at the front entry were removed in the early 1950s due to structural problems. In addition to religious services and ceremonies, the Parish also sponsored musical and dramatic performances that became popular social gatherings. ST. PATRICK MISSION CHURCH The St. Patrick Mission Church complex, comprised of the church, rectory, and an arcaded connecting walkway, is constructed of smooth-dressed buff stone. Reflecting the Mission style, the roof is covered with red barrel tiles, and the domes which cap the towers are of painted sheet metal. The complex, designed by the Denver architectural firm of Wagner and Manning, was begun in 1907 and completed in 1910. At the time of its construction, the Mission style was considered unusual in the city of Denver, although reflective of its western character. ST. PAUL’S ENGLISH EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH Completed in 1926, the Gothic Revival style building, of dark red brick and precast concrete, was designed by the architectural firm of Richter and Eiler of Reading, Pennsylvania, specialists in the design of Lutheran churches. The church’s location, less than two blocks from the State Capitol building, has resulted in the building serving both as a place of worship and as a community center. ST. STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH / CHURCH OF THE HOLY REDEEMER 
Recently arrived Caucasian English immigrants collaborated with African
Americans fleeing racial violence in the South to form the Church of the
Holy Redeemer in 1892. From their 1931 move to this site, the building’s
strategic location in a racially charged section of the city allowed the
integrated congregation to set a continual standard of racial tolerance,
courage, and service to the community. As originally constructed, the 1910
sanctuary of the then St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church is a significant example
of the Gothic Revival style as designed by the prominent Denver architectural
firm of William E. Fisher and Arthur A. Fisher. St. Stephen’s is one of only
three churches known to have been designed by the Fishers in Denver. ST. THOMAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (St. John Vianney Theological Seminary) The St. Thomas Theological Seminary is comprised of a complex of buildings generally grouped around a quadrangle. The first building was outgrown fifteen years after its construction in 1908. The subsequent Mediterranean Revival style buildings designed by Jules J.B. Benedict, a well known Denver architect, include exceptional brickwork with multi-colored patterned designs decorating both the interior and exterior of several buildings. Benedict apparently intended to reflect the Lombard architecture associated with northern Italy, and the resulting buildings are among the finest examples of this style in the Denver area. The property is associated with The Architecture of Jules Jacques Benois Benedict in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. STANLEY ARMS After retiring in 1938 from a distinguished career as a medical researcher at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Florence Rena Sabin returned to Denver and established her home in the Stanley Arms. While living and working there, she authored Colorado’s 1947 health legislation, created a program of public health education, and brought about a major reduction in Denver’s tuberculosis mortality rate. The building is an excellent example of early International Style architecture in Colorado. Denver architect Walter H. Simon designed the building in 1937, incorporating Moderne influences with the International Style STANLEY SCHOOL / MONTCLAIR SCHOOL (Paddington Station Preschool) 
The 1891 Stanley School (also known as the Montclair School) is
associated with the educational history of Denver’s Montclair neighborhood.
Except for a few years in the early 1980s, the building has been used
continuously as a school since its 1891 opening. After the city of Denver
annexed Montclair in 1902, the building became part of the Denver Public
Schools district. Several neighborhood generations received their elementary
education at the school, which included one of Denver’s earliest public
kindergarten programs. Denver architect John J. Huddart designed the original
building and Denver architect David Owen Tryba planned the 1991 addition.
(Photograph 2006) STEARNS HOUSE The mansion is one of the few surviving examples of the work of architect Harry T.E. Wendell. He designed the house in 1896 for the John E. Stearns family. The building is one of the few in the Capitol Hill neighborhood showing the influence of Spanish/Mission style architecture. Stearns served as president of the Mountain Electric Company until his death in 1920. ROBERT W. STEELE GYMNASIUM The 1914 building represents the impact of the early 20th century Progressive Movement in Denver. The gymnasium was the idea of the Reverend Walter S. Rudolph and his wife, Hattie. The facility was erected to house recreational and social activities for children as a means of filling their leisure time and preventing juvenile delinquency. The building was named for Colorado Supreme Court Justice Robert Steele. Steele took a special interest in juvenile justice. STONEMEN’S ROW HISTORIC DISTRICT The eight duplexes which comprise Stonemen’s Row form a small, but unusually harmonious, historic district. They were built between 1891 and 1893, by newly prosperous stone workers as investment properties. Their façades reflect the heaviness and weight characteristic of the Romanesque Revival style. SUGAR BUILDING The 1906 Sugar Building is located in the heart of Denver’s early warehouse district. Designed by the architectural firm of Gove and Walsh as a four-story warehouse, a two-story addition was added in 1912, also by Gove and Walsh. The building forms a basic cube, with exterior walls of tan colored brick ornamented with terra cotta. The building originally housed the Great Western Sugar Company, a leader in the sugar beet industry, and a major influence on the economy of Colorado. SUNKEN GARDENS The gardens are both a neighborhood park and an embellishment for Speer Boulevard. George Kessler and Saco R. DeBoer both had a hand in the design executed in 1909-11. The park incorporates many of the key conventions of late 19th century and early 20th century park design, including an informal forested vale which merges into an open, symmetrical space which in turn functions visually as a formal manor house, garden-like setting for Denver’s West High School. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource. SWALLOW HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT The district is architecturally significant for its collection of Queen Anne residences designed by many of Denver’s prominent late 19th and early 20th century architects. Among those represented are Lang and Pugh, Balcom and Rice, Varian and Sterner, James Murdock, A.M. Stuckart, and Frank Edbrooke. TTALLMADGE & BOYER BLOCK Constructed in 1891, the first floor of the three-story building was divided into six commercial spaces, and there were two floors of apartments above. The façade is of pressed brick with Manitou red sandstone trim. Charles E. Tallmage was an early resident of Denver and played a part in the city’s early real estate boom. John C. Boyer was a lumber company foreman, and the Tallmage and Boyer Block was one of their real estate ventures. TEARS-McFARLANE HOUSE Designed in 1898 by architect Frederick Sterner, the three-story Georgian Revival style house is constructed of red brick. Except for the kitchen and baths, all thirteen rooms include a fireplace. Circa 1897 Daniel W. Tears, for whom the house was built, came to Denver for his health. The Tears were prominent socialites and he was Associate Counsel for the New York Central Railroad. Ida Cruse McFarlane, the wife of a later owner, was one of the founders of the Central City Festival. TELEPHONE BUILDING 
The 1929 Telephone Building is important for its association with the growth and development of telephone communications in Denver and the Rocky Mountain region. The building served as the headquarters of the seven-state region Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph (later Mountain Bell) from 1929 until 1984. Architecturally, the building is one of the finest examples in the country of the American Perpendicular style, designated by the Bell system as "Modern American Perpendicular Gothic." The distinctive characteristics of the style reflected in the building are the expressed verticality, steel framework, terra cotta sheathing, varied setbacks, continuous piers, stylized towers, recessed spandrels, and Gothic Revival style ornament. The building is the largest and most important commercial design of prominent Denver architect William N. Bowman. Bowman designed the building in conjunction with local Bell system engineers and it was erected by local builders and craftsman utilizing a variety of products from around the state. The building’s design took advantage of the setback provision of the city’s zoning ordinance, permitting buildings to rise higher than the nominal height limit of twelve stories if higher stories were setback from the wall-plane. The building exhibits high artistic values, reflected in the intricate
planning, lavish detail, and high quality craftsmanship displayed
Finally, the Telephone Building is important in the area of engineering, for the technological advances embodied in its composition and construction. The architect and engineers worked in conjunction to design a building which would structurally meet the challenging practical needs of the telephone company while also serving aesthetic considerations. The building was erected to house the special equipment making possible the introduction of telephone dial service to Denver. The building was designed with an innovative independently fireproof core rising from the subbasement to the roof. The property is associated with the Historic Resources of Downtown Denver Multiple Property Submission. TEMPLE EMANUEL This temple was the first major Jewish synagogue in the Denver area when it was built in 1882. Designed by prominent architect Willoughby J. Edbrooke, and supervised in Denver by his brother Frank E. Edbrooke, its original appearance was eclectic Victorian with Moorish and Romanesque details. A fire destroyed most of the building in 1897, and the brick and stone trimmed temple was rebuilt with simplified and more subtle detailing on a design by Frank Edbrooke. TEMPLE EMANUEL / FIRST SOUTHERN BAPTIST CHURCH (Temple Events Center) Temple Emanuel’s eastern Islamic architecture is unusual in Denver and the region as a whole. The original 1898-99 building was designed by John J. Humphreys. A 1924 addition was designed by his apprentice, Thielman Robert Wieger. Faced with buff-colored brick, the façade features minaret-like towers with walkways and Turkish-style copper domes. Geometric and floral motifs are prevalent design elements on both the exterior and interior. TEMPLE EMANUEL Architect Percival Goodman designed both the original 1956 building for Temple Emanuel and the 1960 sanctuary addition. Goodman was an internationally respected architect, known for his use of modern design in Jewish synagogues. He wrote extensively on synagogue design and became the most influential and prolific synagogue architect of his time. Temple Emanuel is the only example of Goodman’s work in Colorado. It is also one of Goodman’s largest and most sophisticated examples of his work in the Usonian style. H.H. THOMAS HOUSE H.H. Thomas, a businessman dealing in real estate and loans, hired the popular architect, William Quayle, to design and build his home during the 1870s. Its styling includes both High Victorian and Second Empire elements. The façade of the two-story red brick residence features a large open porch. Louis C. McClure, a prominent Colorado landscape photographer, occupied the house from 1883 well into the 20th century. TILDEN SCHOOL FOR TEACHING HEALTH The Tilden School for Teaching Health is an example of an early 20th century sanitarium utilizing nontraditional health techniques. The school was founded and operated by Dr. John Henry Tilden who developed and widely published the health techniques employed there. The school is representative of early 20th century medical facility design as expressed by Denver architect Harry W.J. Edbrooke. TIVOLI BREWERY COMPANY The main building of the Tivoli Brewery complex is a four-story brick structure built in 1882. It is joined to a High Victorian Italianate style tower building, constructed between 1890-1891, by a shallow three-story brick overpass that forms a covered entry to the courtyard between the two buildings. The complex housed the Milwaukee Brewery Company, an early Denver brewery. In 1901 the company merged with the Union Brewing Company to form the Tivoli-Union Brewery Company. With the exception of a break during Prohibition, the plant operated continuously until the mid-1960s. TOWNSEND HOUSE The Geddis and Seerie Stone Company built the Townsend House in 1892. Primarily involved in large contracts, including the Brown Palace Hotel and various public buildings, the firm built few residences, and fewer yet still stand. Constructed of double-glazed red brick with sandstone accents and foundation, the house is an example of Denver’s architectural transition from Victorian era styles to the Neoclassical. TRAMWAY BUILDING (Teatro Hotel) The 1911 red brick office building and attached streetcar barn served as the headquarters of the city’s public transportation system until its purchase by the City of Denver in 1971. The prolific architectural firm of William E. and Arthur A. Fisher designed the three-part vertical block type structure with its striking white terra cotta accents. The property is associated with the Historic Resources of Downtown Denver Multiple Property Submission. TREAT HALL The construction of Treat Hall represented the beginning of Colorado Women’s College, the first such college in the Rocky Mountain area. Completed in 1909, Treat Hall was the academic and visual focal point of the campus. Designed by architects Jackson and Betts, the building is three stories in height, and its massing, materials, and detail reflect the Richardsonian Romanesque style. The rough-faced walls are constructed of Castle Rock rhyolite trimmed in red sandstone. TRINITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Of Gothic design, Trinity United Methodist Church was built in 1887 of light beige rhyolite from Castle Rock. The architect, Robert S. Roeschlaub, was responsible for many major buildings in Denver. Although this was his first, it is considered by many to be his finest. The large nave seats 1,200 to 1,300 people, and the space has often been used for lectures and concerts. One of its outstanding features is a large pipe organ designed by G.A. Audsley of London. Built by Hilborne Roosevelt of New York, it is one of only twelve known Roosevelt pipe organs in the country. UU.S. CUSTOM HOUSE / FEDERAL BUILDING The building was constructed in 1931 in the Italian Renaissance Revival style by the N.P. Severin Company of Chicago. Rising from a concrete foundation, the building’s walls are of smooth-rubbed, course cut Colorado Yule marble. Various government agencies have been housed in the building, but its primary tenant was the U.S. Customs Service. U.S. NATIONAL BANK / GUARANTY BANK (Bank Lofts) The prolific architectural firm of Fisher and Fisher designed the building for Denver businessman John A. Ferguson. Opened on June 20, 1921, the ten-story, flat roofed commercial building exhibits both Classical Revival and Renaissance Revival details on its smooth ashlar limestone exterior walls and ornamental bronze storefront. The property is associated with the Historic Resources of Downtown Denver Multiple Property Submission. U.S. POST OFFICE & FEDERAL BUILDING (Byron White Courthouse) The Neoclassical Revival style building was designed by the New York architectural firm of Tracy, Swartwout and Litchfield in 1909. Due to its monumental proportions, construction of Colorado Yule marble building was not completed until 1916. The building served as an impetus for a massive municipal renewal program and its design influenced the character of governmental structures throughout the city of Denver. UNION STATION Denver’s Union Station consists of a Neo Classical central section, constructed in 1914, with flanking wings from the previous 1881 depot. The station represents the consolidation of passenger and baggage facilities for most railroads serving Denver. The consolidated depot facilitated the transfer of passengers and freight between competing railroads and furthered the city’s growth as a major rail transportation hub. The building continues to serve as Denver’s intercity rail passenger depot, as well as a transfer station for bus and light rail commuters. The property is associated with Railroads in Colorado, 1858-1948 Multiple Property Submission. UNIVERSITY BOULEVARD University Boulevard serves the south Denver neighborhoods much as Montview Boulevard serves the east Denver neighborhoods. The 1.5-mile route was planted in sections between 1908 and 1920 with a wide variety of typical Denver street trees, including American elm, silver maple, honey locust, green ash, and rock elm. As part of the original Robinson plan, and as a connector between neighborhoods, it is important for its community planning association as well as its landscaping significance. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource. UNIVERSITY PARK METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH (University Park United Methodist Church) The original 1928 portion of the church building is a significant local example of the Late Gothic Revival architectural style. It is an important building in the body of work designed by Walter H. Simon, a Denver architect who achieved recognition for his contribution to the commercial and residential architecture of the city and the surrounding area during the 20th century. Only the 1928 portion of the large, interconnected church complex is listed. (Photograph 2006) UNIVERSITY OF DENVER CIVIC CENTER CLASSROOM BUILDING The 1949 classroom building is an important post World War II example of the International Style. The stair towers, the horizontally ribboned windows and the use of the cantilever are all distinctive characteristics of the style. Denver architects Casper Hegner, Thomas Moore, and Dudley Smith designed the building which was originally used as a Civic Center campus for the University of Denver. The City and County later converted the building into city offices. In 2001-2002 the city constructed a multi-story addition to the northwest elevation. Denver architectural firms David Owen Tryba Architects and RNL collaborated on the design. VVINE STREET HOUSES Constructed between 1890 and 1893, the five Vine Street houses were part of Denver’s early residential real estate development before the Silver Crash and depression of 1893. Denver architect William Lang, a man known for his eclectic designs, is credited with the houses at 1415, 1429 and 1435 Vine. RALPH VOORHEES HOUSE The Voorhees House is one of a series of six designed by prominent Denver architects William Lang and Marshall Pugh for real estate developer Ralph Voorhees. Voorhees platted the six-block West Colfax subdivision in 1891 as part of his growing real estate and city improvement activities. Lang and Pugh utilized the Richardsonian Romanesque style in the design of this 1891 2½-story, stone residence. The house is dominated by the three-story, octagonal corner tower. The wide front porch extends to form a welcoming porte-cochere over the entry drive. The property is associated with the West Colfax Subdivision Historic Structures Thematic Resource. WWASHINGTON PARK Reinhard Schuetze laid out this scenic park in the grand Victorian manner in 1889. It features two beautiful lakes; the largest meadow in the Denver park system; a remnant of the City Ditch (which was essential to the watering and hence the development of the park); a forested hill graded by the Olmsted Brothers and planted by DeBoer; romantic deciduous tree plantings; the largest formal summer flower beds in the Denver park and parkway system; and important architectural embellishments such as the 1913 Boat House on Smith’s Lake. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource and The Architecture of Jules Jacques Benois Benedict in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. WECKBAUGH HOUSE Designed by Jules J.B. Benedict, the 1930-33 Weckbaugh house is one of few local examples of the Norman Chateau style. The large mansion, with ten bedrooms and baths, is situated on 1.7 acres of landscaped grounds. Although constructed during the Great Depression, the design and quality of the architectural detailing is exceptional. Ella Weckbaugh was the daughter of John K. Mullen, one of Denver’s most prominent businessmen and philanthropists during the late 19th century. The property is associated with The Architecture of Jules Jacques Benois Benedict in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. WEST 46TH AVENUE PARKWAY This 1.5-mile parkway is of a type used to connect parks (in this case Rocky Mountain Lake Park with Berkeley Lake Park). It is planted with honey locust, plains cottonwood, and silver maple street trees, and thus compares with University Boulevard in south Denver, which is planted with multiple species, rather than Montview Boulevard, in east Denver, which is planted with a single species--American elm). The parkway was laid out in 1920. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource. WEST SIDE COURT BUILDING 
The 1921 West Side Court Building served for thirty years as the municipal court for the City and County of Denver and as one of the primary court facilities of the State district court system. The courthouse functioned as the principal court for the city until the completion of the Denver City and County Building in 1931. The building continued to function as a municipal court in conjunction with the new building. Municipal Judge Joseph Cook presided over the last hearing in the West Side Court in January 1952. The courthouse exhibits the typical symmetrical façade of the Neoclassical style, divided into five bays by banded pilasters with Tuscan capitals and bases. The central entry and triple windows on the façade and side elevations are common Neoclassical elements, as are the wide frieze, the balustraded second-story windows, and the quoinlike window surrounds. Interior elements include the classical balustrade around the circular light well, the crown molding with decorative frieze, and the door trim with classical entablatures. WESTSIDE NEIGHBORHOOD The Westside Neighborhood district encompasses a five-block area. The growth of the neighborhood parallels Denver’s role as a supplier and market for mining areas to the west. Within twelve years of the earliest construction, the area evolved into a middle-class Victorian neighborhood. By 1890, the neighborhood was totally developed and included several two-story commercial buildings. The district serves as a reminder of Denver’s boom-town character as experienced by many of its early residents, with many of the buildings retaining some or all of their distinguishing Victorian ornamentation. WHEELER HOUSE Charles Wheeler platted the area in which the house sits as the Wheeler Subdivision of Witter’s North Denver Addition, promoted the North Denver area, sold property, and constructed a seven-story office building. As a further expression of his confidence in the new city and the Highlands community, Wheeler constructed his own house in the addition in 1875 and occupied it until 1893. Wheeler made his reputation and his wealth as a respected and influential executive of several Denver-based railroads. The Wheeler House is one of the oldest houses in the Highlands area and is a rare surviving example of what was once a common architectural type in early Denver-the wood frame, gabled-L plan, one-story house. The house retains common Victorian era stylistic and construction elements that make it an important reminder of the pre-1880 period. WILLIAMS STREET PARKWAY Planned under contract with the Olmsted Brothers, this half-mile parkway is unique in Denver and features a double row of American Elms (planted on alternate centers to increase the canopy) and colorful shrub plantings on either side of a single roadway. The overall effect is of an elegant tree-lined vista in the New England tradition. Construction and planting took place between 1909 and 1914. The property is associated with the Denver Park and Parkway System Thematic Resource. WOOD-MORRIS-BONFILS HOUSE This circa 1910 house was designed by architects Maurice Biscoe and Henry Hewitt in the French Mediterranean Revival style. The walls are of stuccoed brick, and the roof is covered with clay tiles. The original mansion included fifteen rooms, and in 1928, an addition was completed. The most prominent owners of the house were Guilford S. Wood, Andrew S. Hughes, and Helen Bonfils. Hughes left the house on his death to his daughter and son-in-law, Peter Randolph Morris. Wood, Hughes and Bonfils all made significant contributions to Denver as noted philanthropists and established charitable trusts that still operate in their names. ZZALL HOUSE 
The 1941 Zall House was designed and built for the long serving
Denver city attorney, Max P. Zall. Local architect Rodney S. Davis
designed the house. The building is an early work of Davis, an acknowledged
local master of mid to late twentieth-century architecture in Denver,
designed while working as a young man for the firm of Edwin A. Francis.
It is one of a handful of identified early works that reflects his
transition from historical revival architecture into modernism,
which would ultimately dominate his long and illustrious career.
Well-known Denver horticulturalist and landscape designer George
Kelly is responsible for the landscaping. The design embodies the
plant choices, gardening recommendations and design principles.
He later featured it in his book Rocky Mountain Horticulture, widely
recognized as the first volume to address the unique climate and
soil conditions facing home gardeners in the region. ZANG HOUSE / GARGOYLE HOUSE This 1889 house was designed by William Lang, one of Denver’s most prolific late 19th century architects. Built for Adolph J. Zang, an important Denver businessman, the 2½-story residence is a fine example of Late Victorian eclecticism, manifesting elements of the Chateauesque, Gothic, and Richardsonian Romanesque styles. The façade is of rock-faced stone and the other walls are brick. Carved gargoyles and an eagle perched at the peak of the steeply pitched front gable roof lend an almost whimsical air to the ornamentation. ADOLPH ZANG MANSION Built between 1902 and 1904, the design by an unknown architect reflects the Classical Revival style. Both the light colored brick and stone exterior, with seven stained glass and leaded windows, and the elegant interior, with five hand carved fireplaces, remain essentially unaltered. The original owner of the mansion, Adolph Zang, was important in the industrial and commercial development of Denver. He owned the Zang Brewery and was involved with the establishment of the American National Bank and Trust Company and the Capitol Life Insurance Company. Numbers1750 GILPIN STREET 
The residence is notable for its characteristics of the late Queen
Anne style, evident in the steeply pitched gabled roof, brick and
sandstone materials, substantial front porch with sandstone detailing,
recessed second story porch, and tower-like bay on the north elevation.
The 1893 house displays such Neo-Classical decorative details as
dentils, clustered columns, brackets, and swag details that are
emblematic of the Free Classic subtype of the Queen Anne style.
Finely crafted woodwork and fireplaces of the Victorian period remain
intact on the interior, currently being used for offices. The Mouat
Lumber and Investment Company built the house for speculation. Denver
architect Josiah S. Briean completed the design. 19TH STREET BRIDGE The 1878 flooding of the South Platte River prompted a series of bridge replacements. In 1888, the Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Company of Leavenworth, Kansas constructed this pin connected, five-panel, two-span steel Pratt through truss, one of the state’s most ornamental. It remains in use for pedestrian traffic. The property is associated with the Highway Bridges in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. For additional Denver listings please see: |
1000 block of Sherman Street (partial)
in its interior and exterior design. The terra cotta integral to
the design of the building is among the finest crafted in Denver
incorporates Gothic Revival design motifs, and includes mottled
and polychromatic components, ornament in varied relief, extensive
decorated panels, ornate arches, and massive piers. The Gothic Revival
influence is echoed on the interior, which also includes aesthetic
elements incorporating the history of telephone service in the state
and representing emblems of the telephone company. The interior
reflects the influence of noted Denver artist Allen True who selected
color palettes, designed fixtures, and advised the architect regarding
the choice of materials. The artist believed that beautiful surroundings
had a positive psychological effect on workers, and he was a leader
in the city in advocating carefully planned color schemes and artistic
decoration for large office buildings. As part of this effort, True
executed thirteen murals with communications and telephonic themes
which grace the public spaces of the building. These murals are
considered among True’s most outstanding work. 
State Register 2/22/2007, 5DV.10354