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WASHINGTON COUNTY |
AkronAKRON GYMNASIUM 
The Akron Gymnasium represents an important record of the
federal relief programs administered in Colorado’s eastern
plains during the Great Depression. The construction of the
building between 1938 and 1940 by the Works Progress
Administration provided much needed employment in Washington
County. The combination auditorium/ gymnasium, a common New Deal
project, served the high school until 1964. This large, multi-use
building was also an important addition to the social life of Akron.
Eugene Groves, an established Denver architect recognized for his
innovative use of concrete, designed the building. The gymnasium
with its striking domed concrete roof and skylights remains a
notable modern landmark in Akron. The property is associated with
the New Deal Resources
on Colorado’s Eastern Plains Multiple
Property Submission. (2006 photograph) AKRON PUBLIC LIBRARY Constructed on the northeast corner of Main and Third, the 1931 one-story brick library features an interesting oblique entry. In 1922, the women of Akron formed a local library association and labored to place the town's library, founded in 1916, on solid financial footing. Fundraising efforts by the association and its successor library board, accompanied by financial help from the town and county and a generous donation of land from the local Masonic lodge, resulted in the construction of this attractive and substantial building. That the building was constructed solely with local funding during the lean years of the Depression speaks to the town's commitment to its library, which continues to serve the community. WASHINGTON COUNTY COURTHOUSE The courthouse served as the center of Washington County politics and government from the completion of construction in 1910. Prominent Denver architect John J. Huddart designed the building. Huddart designed courthouses for eight Colorado counties along with numerous residential, commercial and civic structures. Last ChancePLUM BUSH CREEK BRIDGE Constructed in 1938, the concrete rigid frame structure is associated with the development of US Highway 36, an important tourist and commercial route linking Denver and the eastern plains of Colorado with communities in Kansas and the Midwest. Designed by the Colorado Department of Highways and built by Peter Kiewit Sons Construction, the 73-foot long structure includes a main span of 58 feet. Like its companion, the West Plum Creek Bridge, it is a rare intact rural example of its type. Known for their ability to carry heavy loads, concrete rigid frame bridges were more commonly found in urban settings. Listed under Highway Bridges in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. WEST PLUM CREEK BRDIGE Constructed in 1938, this concrete rigid frame structure is associated with the development of US Highway 36, an important tourist and commercial route linking Denver and the eastern plains of Colorado with communities in Kansas and the Midwest. Designed by the Colorado Department of Highways and built by Peter Kiewit Sons Construction, the 72-foot long structure includes a main span of 58 feet. Like its companion the Plum Bush Creek Bridge, it is a rare intact rural example of its type. Known for their ability to carry heavy loads, concrete rigid frame bridges were more commonly found in urban settings. Listed under Highway Bridges in Colorado Multiple Property Submission. OtisHOOPES DRUG STORE The 1892 wood frame commercial building long contributed to the commercial success of this high plains agricultural community. OTIS COMMERCIAL DISTRICT The historic economic base of the Colorado high plains is agriculture, and the commercial districts of small towns like Otis prospered or languished in harmony with surrounding farm and ranch families. OTIS MUNICIPAL WATERWORKS SYSTEM 
In 1918, after many problems with area wells, the town committed itself to establish a water system that would be independent of the railroad and provide the dependable water supply necessary for town safety and future growth. The pump house and first wells were constructed in 1919. The Otis Water Tower, a steel cylinder, with semi-spherical bottom and conical top elevated 110 feet on four webbed steel legs, is the tallest structure in town and serves as a local landmark. Built by Chicago Bridge and Iron Works, the tower stands as a symbol of the important part played by water projects in the developmental history of rural Colorado. The subsequent digging of a 1936 well occurred as a result of a Works Progress Administration project. SCHLIESFSKY’S DIME STORE With its ground floor dedicated to commercial endeavors, the second-floor of this simple frame building functioned as the first meeting hall in Otis--the scene of musicals, Chautauqua events, and public forums. |