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the National Western Stock Show Legacy
The National Amphitheater photographed by Louis Charles McClure between 1909 and 1910. Photo: Denver Public Library
he recent news about the possible move of the National
Western Stock Show from its
historic location has created
a lot of dialogue and many questions.
Prompting the concern of many is the
Stock Show’s long legacy in Denver, its
association with the 19th century stock
yards and its 105 year tenure in its current
location just north of 1-70 and close to
the railroad tracks that once transported
hundreds of thousands of animals to and
from the yards.
Some of the questions that have been
raised include those regarding the financing of a move, its economic impact, and
the implications on transportation plans.
There are also some intangible philosophical questions about whether the Stock
Show’s legacy can survive a move, what
happens to the institution if it loses its
sense of place, the impact of a move on
Denver’s identity, and of course, what
happens to the Stock Show site itself, and
the dozens of associated buildings, if the
National Western leaves?
While the city, the Mayor’s Advisory
Group, Denver City Council, Historic
Denver’s board and others grapple with
the current debate we wanted to provide
you with a brief introduction to the history of the Stock Show as we believe this
history can inform current conversations.
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact
beginnings of the National Western legacy,
it’s clear its roots lie with the Stock Yards
themselves and Denver’s early and enduring role as a “cow town.” This connection
is evidenced by the oldest structure on the
site, the center section of the Livestock
Exchange Building, completed in 1898.
Facing the railroad tracks and originally
surrounded by cattle pens this building is
at the heart of the Stock Show site and two
subsequent additions, one in 1916 and
one in 1919, make it a striking property.
The five-story 1916 portion, which is the
most recognized and prominent, was constructed by the general contracting firm of
Allison Stocker and John H. G. Fraser for
one million dollars. The building housed
the offices of the Denver Union Stock
Show Company, the first force behind the
National Western Stock Show. The building also housed the Denver Daily RecordStockman newspaper, a restaurant, a cigar
store, the Stockyards National Bank, the
Colorado State Farm Bureau, and the local
office of the U.S. Bureau of Agricultural
Economics. Today the building is privately
owned and remains in good condition,
with amazing intact interior details.
As the Livestock Exchange Building
evolved so did the Stock Show itself.
The first show, known as the Western
Livestock Show, opened on January 26,
1906 under a circus big top. In 1907 and
1908 the show was held under a “monster” 150 x 175 foot tent. It was not until
1909, after the completion of the National
Amphitheater, that the show was held in a
proper structure.
The National Amphitheater and
Livestock Pavilion, today known as the
Arena, was built in eight months and
completed in time for the show on January
18, 1909. The building was considered a
massive structure for the time, measuring
250 x 350 feet and seating 6,000. The
interior columns are steel, as are the long
girders spanning the 90 x 250 feet open
arena. The walls are made of brick with
massive steel pilasters that are four feet
thick. This all rests on a huge concrete
pad foundation and supports a wooden
arched roof. The interior was lit by large
flaming arc lamps and skylights. The
National
Western
Stock Show
Timeline
1898 Oldest section of what is now
the Livestock Exchange Building
constructed for the Denver Union
Stockyard Company.
1906 First Stock Show opened under a
circus big top.
1907 A “monster” 150 x 175 foot tent
was manufactured by a local
awning company as the venue
for the next two Western Stock
Shows.
1909 The newly constructed 6,000 seat
National Amphitheater (Arena)
opened.
1911
Two and three story barns and a
club building constructed.
1917The elegant east portion of the
Livestock Exchange Building
opened.
continued on page 9
continued on page 9
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Historic Denver News
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In This Issue:
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T
he Historic Buildings of the
National Western Stock Show
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Page 2
From the Director
Page 3
Guest Author
Page 4-5
Preservation Briefs
Page 6-7
Historic Denver Annual Awards
Page 8
Molly Brown House Museum
Page 10
Post War Pattern Book
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Calendar of Events
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Historic Denver Inc.
Photo: Havey Productions
The first sentence of Historic Denver’s
mission reads “Our mission is to preserve
Denver’s significant historic fabric, its distinctive architecture and its cultural landscapes, which are the tangible reflections
of our heritage and the foundation of our
quality of life.” While many of our supporters and the community at large clearly
associate our work with specific historic
places and with iconic architecture, it’s
important that cultural landscapes are also
included, although often more difficult to
define, identify or manage.
So what is a cultural landscape? For
most of us it’s a park, a formal garden
or a natural resource, but the actual
definition is much more inclusive. The
National Parks Service defines cultural
landscape as “a geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources
and the wildlife or domestic animals
therein, associated with a historic event,
activity or person or exhibiting other
cultural or aesthetic values.” More informally defined by the Cultural Landscape
Foundation, “cultural landscapes provide
a sense of place and identity; they map
our relationship with the land over time.”
Both the National Parks Service and
the Cultural Landscape Foundation agree
that there are four types of cultural landscapes; designed landscapes, vernacular
landscapes, historic sites, and ethnographic landscapes. Many preservationists and
historians also recognize another subcategory, Historic Urban Landscapes, also
known as Urban Cultural Landscapes.
In this issue of the Historic Denver
News we’ve included articles on more
than one cultural landscape. Most readily identifiable is Civic Center Park, highlighted by our guest author Tina Bishop.
Clearly a designed landscape, the park
was intentionally planned by early twentieth century civic leaders to not only
provide elegant open space, gardens and
a location for monumental statuary, but
also to engender certain feelings among
residents and visitors alike.
For locals it was intended to provide
pride of place as well as inspiration to
those working in the neighboring government and civic buildings. For visitors
it was meant to impress. Over time the
park has of course taken on other connotations and roles, and its design has
evolved, but its original significance as a
landscape has not diminished but instead
expanded with the passage of time, the
hosting of significant historical events,
and the intangible sense of place it provides as the heart of the city.
A near polar opposite, the National
Western Stock Show grounds are also a
cultural landscape, but this time not formally designed but vernacular and urban,
evolving from a combination of place,
people and time. The specific physical
characteristics of the Stock Show site
drove its early development, including the
proximity to the South Platte River, the
railroad tracks and downtown Denver,
but it’s been the evolution of the Stock
Show itself, and its related industries, that
have so dramatically left their mark on
the place, both tangibly and intangibly.
Patricia O’Donnell, Principal of Heritage
Landscapes and frequent speaker on the
topic, puts it best when she describes the
way in which a cultural landscape is a
vessel of spirit of place. The Stock Show
is a physical location, but it’s a conveyor
of western traditions, a link to our state’s
rural and agricultural heritage and an
icon for our city that still prides itself on
its western identity.
Of course a great challenge with cultural landscapes; and urban cultural landscapes in particular, is managing the need
for change. Change is an on-going and
defining force on any landscape, and it must
be managed without losing the historical
associations, traditions and legacy that contribute to that elusive and essential spirit of
place we all value in our community.
The second part of Historic Denver’s
mission is to be “a catalyst for and advocate of ideas, programs, actions and plans
which enable our community to respect
and carry forward the preservation of our
heritage.” Both Civic Center Park and
the Stock Show have ridden the waves
of change many times, and in order to
fulfill both parts of our mission Historic
Denver will continue to pay close attention to how change is managed for such
landscapes and the unique spirit of place
they provide for our city.
Annie Levinsky
Executive Director
Historic Denver, Inc.
As of October 1, 2011 the offices of
Historic Denver, Inc. will be
temporarily located at:
Molly Brown House Museum
1340 Pennsylvania Ave.
Denver, CO 80203.
Please send all correspondence to our
new address. Phone and email will
remain the same.
Historic Denver, Inc.
1340 Pennsylvania Ave.
Denver, CO 80203.
303.534.5288 tel.
www.historicdenver.org
Officers
Chair
First Vice Chair Treasurer
Robert E. Musgraves
Sarah S. Krause
Michael (Mike) Coughlin
Board of Trustees
Margy Anderson
Katrina Benes
Anne Wainstein Bond
Bar Chadwick
Michael P. Coughlin
Mark Davidson
Holly Bunch Dencker
Steve Ekman
Mira Finé
Fabby Hillyard
Sarah Holtze
Dennis Humphries
Karen J. Jonas
Sarah S. Krause
James Kroll
Holly Kylberg
Thomas A. Lorz
Carla McConnell
Christie G. Murata
Robert Musgraves
David Pfeifer, AIA
Jonathon Pray
Mark Sheldon
Rosemary Stoffel
Cynthia M. Stovall
Margaret Toal
Elizabeth “Liz” Walker
HD Central Office
Executive Director Annie Levinsky x20
Outreach Coordinator
Sophie Bieluczyk x16
Director of Preservation Programs
John Olson x11
Director of Preservation Advocacy Alice Gilbertson x14
Preservation Programs Assistant
Phillip Barlow x 14
Preservation Advice and
Referrals
A Program of Historic Denver
303.534.5288 x 4
Molly Brown
House Museum
1340 Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO 80203
303.832.4092
www.mollybrown.org
Director of Operations Andrea Malcomb x15
Curator
Kelly Rasmussen x12
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Fall 2011
guest
author
Denver’s Civic Center Today
photo: Scott Dressel-Martin
Tina Bishop
Landscape Architect at Mundus
Bishop Design
“What a beautiful place,” a group of
downtown workers remarked in Denver’s
Civic Center on a recent warm summer
afternoon. The group, along with numerous tourists, kids from summer camps,
walkers and bicyclists, was enjoying the
recently opened Broadway Terrace where
finishing touches were being made on the
city’s $9.5 million dollar rehabilitation.
The park’s historic structures have been
restored, new walks, benches and stately
lawns installed, and lighting repaired
in conjunction with a state-of-the-art
irrigation system. Combined with the
new improvements are a myriad of new
activities including a daily outdoor cafe,
lunch-time music, evening movies, and
bike-to-park events. Hundreds of people
enjoy the park each day, eating lunch
from the many food trucks, watching the
sunset on a Sunday evening while waiting
for a movie to begin, or just relaxing in
the shade on a new park bench.
In many ways, this is a dream come
true for a park that has been the subject
of diverse ideas on how to best revitalize
it as Denver’s most iconic public gathering space. Designed by Edward Bennett
in the City Beautiful aesthetic, Denver’s
Civic Center (1918) has served as the
region’s central green space connecting
local and regional government for almost
one hundred years. Controversy over
some revitalization ideas (from a full
redesign to adding a building), and deterioration due to deferred maintenance
helped land Civic Center on Colorado
Preservation, Inc.’s Endangered Places list
in 2007. Even though opinions differed
dramatically on how to improve the park,
the community pulled together to inform
Denver’s Civic Center park master plan
in 2005, the design guidelines in 2009,
and to ensure that funding became available as part of the Better Denver Bond
Program.
Guiding the rehabilitation of Denver’s
Civic Center is the park master plan that
sets a clear vision. It also provides a
physical plan along with management
and programming recommendations,
including the need for a non-profit partner. This idea was embraced early by the
community, resulting in the creation of
the Civic Center Conservancy before the
master plan was completed. Today, the
Conservancy is the driving force behind
the innovative programs and activities
enjoyed at Civic Center. Additional guidance was needed to assist with the implementation of the master plan, resulting in
design guidelines that inform all rehabilitation and improvements. Hundreds of
participants representing government, business, neighborhoods, designers, and preservationists were actively involved in working
sessions, public forums, open houses, and
one-on-one meetings, all resulting in the
community supported plans.
The revitalization of Denver’s Civic
Center took hold when funding was
made possible by the Better Denver Bond
Program in 2007. In 2010, phase one of
the park rehabilitation began with the restoration of the Greek Theater, Voorhies
Memorial and the Balustrade Wall. For
the iconic structures, this meant reroofing, stone restoration and replacement,
structural repairs including rebuilding
deteriorated support beams in the Greek
Theater, repair of brick paving, scoping,
replacement or rerouting of 90-year old
roof drains, replacement of failing plaster,
painting, and new architectural lighting.
For the Balustrade Wall, restoration
meant removal of non-historic features—
stepped walls at the central stairs and
more than one third of the balusters—and
rehabilitation of the structure including
stone restoration and replacement, and
structural repairs. Civic Center’s primary
building material, the beautiful purpleveined Turkey Creek Sandstone, is no
longer quarried, meaning a replacement
had to be found. In its place is Wilkinson
Sandstone from Washington State of
a similar color, texture, and physical
and chemical properties. The Voorhies
Memorial restoration extended to the
Seal Pond and historic terrace, where the
pool was repaired including new mechanical equipment, and the deteriorated terrace replaced with new concrete paving.
The first phase of construction in
2010 lasted nine months and took 130
tons of stone, 90 tons of sand, 23,000
man hours, and 16,000 snorkel lifts. In
addition, 2,800 hours of design time was
spent by architects, landscape architects,
engineers, and bird control specialists.
Phase two of the park rehabilitation
began in January 2011 focusing on the
repair and improvement of the Broadway
Terrace, which is the east section of the
park, and an original component of Edward
Bennett’s 1918 composition. Broadway
Terrace is a symmetrical form with two
lawns surrounded by Red Oak trees and
bisected by the grand central promenade
connecting Civic Center to the State Capitol
grounds, and separated from the remainder
of the park by the Balustrade Wall. For
years, deteriorated paving, lack of seating,
drainage issues, poor soils, and heavy shade
limited everyday use and contributed to
undesirable behavior.
Today, the new Broadway Terrace is
an inviting urban park space with a variety of engaging areas, a raised lawn, new
walks that bring people into the center of
the park, and restored historic features.
Non-historic features have been removed
and replaced with elements compatible
with the park’s historic designed landscape, and that accommodate contemporary use. A new broad walkway lines the
Balustrade Wall, showcasing this restored
historic feature, solving drainage issues,
and offering rows of benches. The rightturn lane at Colfax Avenue has been given
back to park users with the vacation of
the right-of-way and removal of the automobile lane. New park spaces occur along
Civic Center’s edges on 14th and Colfax
avenues, adjacent to the rehabilitated east
west walks. The historic brick promenade
walk that connects to Lincoln Park across
Broadway has been restored. Historic
lawns have been re-established and lined
with a rose-colored granite edge, the same
material as the original granite base of the
park’s historic structures.
With the new infrastructure
improvements that build upon Denver’s
Civic Center’s amazing historic features,
the park is on target to regain its rightful place as the region’s greatest public
space. Assisting in this revitalization is
the concerted effort of the Civic Center
Conservancy to activate the park on a
daily basis and to provide small special events. Lunch hour at Civic Center
EATS Outdoor Café is the new place
to be. Tantalizing treats are served up
by a variety of truck vendors every day,
but Tuesdays and Thursdays are most
remarkable when more than twenty vendors attract hundreds of people. Not
continued on page 10
Historic Denver Inc.
3
Historic Denver News
Preservation
Briefs
North High
School
Jane Crisler, Architect
Humphries Poli Architects
Our challenge was to transform the
historic 1911 North High School building
to meet the educational needs of the students, faculty and staff, and to support the
process of academic reform that is already
underway at North High School. The end
goal was to make North High into a 21st
effective and generally better to raze older
school buildings and build new facilities,
rather than rehabilitating existing schools.
However, recent studies suggest that in
many cases it is not only fiscally sound,
but even preferable to rehabilitate older
school buildings from a community, sustainable and academic perspective. Based
on these facts, Denver Public Schools, led
by Project Manager Gary Beutler, undertook a meticulous effort to rehabilitate
the interior of the 1911 building as called
for in the 2006 Master Plan developed
forming 21st Century school. In the words
of a former PTA President, “Older and
historic schools tend to be smaller, more
‘high touch’ and easier to interact with.
They are from an era when neighborhoods
had an identity. They anchor neighborhoods.” North High School is an iconic
building in Northwest Denver whose preservation and revitalization is essential for
it students and the community.
Denver Inner City
Parish
John Olson
Director of Preservation Programs
century high performing model campus
while preserving the historic integrity and
community identity of the building.
Designed by architect David W.
Dryden, the original North High School
building was completed in 1911 and is
considered to be one of Denver’s finest
examples of “Beaux Arts” architecture.
This style is evidenced in the curved metal
roof features, rooftop finials, broken pediments, ionic columns, brick exterior walls
with rusticated brick quoins and pilasters.
There is extensive use of glazed terra cotta
and pressed metal ornament throughout
the buildings’ facades. The adjacent industrial arts building, built in 1913, features
many of the same materials and elements.
The North High School campus has
evolved piecemeal over the subsequent
100 years. In 1959, an addition was
built off of the southeast corner of the
1911 Building to house physical education, which includes a swimming pool.
Another, more contemporary two-story
addition was added in 1983 to include
the existing auditorium, administration
offices, and additional classrooms. Since
these functions were originally housed in
the 1911 building, its interior has inevitably evolved over time and as a result many
“character defining” elements have been
lost or obscured by subsequent remodels.
Nevertheless, in 1996 North High School
was designated a Denver Landmark. This
designation acknowledges the high historic integrity of the building’s exterior as
well as the remaining historic fabric on
the buildings interior.
The average age of American school
facilities is close to fifty years and maintenance on these buildings is often overdue.
Therefore, many believe it is more cost
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This was the second phase of construction
following the window replacement and
exterior rehabilitation undertaken by the
same team in 2007. The school district
passed a bond measure in 2008 that funded both the preparation of construction
documents and the ultimate rehabilitation of the interior of the building, which
included construction of a new central
utility plant to provide all new heating
and cooling systems to the building.
The year and a half rehabilitation project, implemented by Adolfson & Peterson
Construction, restored the pressed metal
ceiling and wood floors in the classrooms,
reinstituted the large central light wells at
the core of the building and rehabilitated
the decorative mosaic tile floors and historic murals that remained in the building.
In addition to these successful preservation efforts, the school was provided with
new lighting and technology systems such
as wireless access as well as a new fire
sprinkler system. Smaller modifications
include retrofitting original wood frame
blackboards to accommodate white and
“Smart” board technologies as well as
restoring the decorative wood chair rail
throughout the building that was removed
in the 1980s.
The success of the rehabilitation project was celebrated at the grand “reopening” of the school on July 29 which coincided with the 100th anniversary of the
1911 Building. At the ceremony, attended by Mayor Hancock, Superintendent
Boasberg and many other City Council
and School Board members, DPS recognized that older schools represent the
history and identity of the neighborhood.
DPS stated that older schools can successfully meet the standards of a high per-
Historic Denver is pleased to announce
the successful grant award from the State
Historical Fund (SHF) for Denver Inner
City Parish (DICP). Historic Denver will
manage the grant on behalf of the DICP.
The DICP is housed in the Gothic Revival
Smith’s Chapel that was built in 1882, a
typical church design for its period. The
Chapel is constructed of rhyolite stone
with a 1920s two-and-a half-story brick
classroom addition on the east side of the
building. Originally a United Brethren
Church, the Chapel is one of the oldest
churches on the west side of Denver and
a significant architectural landmark in
the Lincoln Park/La Alma neighborhood.
Lincoln Park/La Alma is one of Denver’s
oldest neighborhoods dating from the settlement of Auraria City, where the Auraria
Higher Education Campus is currently
located. The majority of the neighborhood’s residential blocks were developed
before 1900. This area of the neighborhood was platted in the 1880s as Smith’s
Addition and the Chapel was purportedly
named for its association with the adjacent residential development.
The Denver Inner City Parish was
founded in 1960 and occupied Smith’s
Chapel in 1961 as a non-denominational, non-profit agency dedicated to
serving the spiritual and secular needs of
low-income residents living in the west
Denver community. Today the building
is used as the home of the DICP’s educational programs, including La Academia,
(a 7-12th grade high school), a night
school for adults earning their GEDs,
summer day damp and after school programs, a summer lunch and breakfast
program and worship.
The
work accomplished
with this grant
will enhance the
learning environment for
the DICP
educational
pro-
grams by replacing non-historic doors
and windows which are now damaged,
non-functional, and non-transparent with
those which are more compatible with
the 1920s classroom addition and will
ultimately operate properly. Additionally,
non-historic materials such as suspended
ceilings and intrusive electrical and cable
systems will be removed or relocated,
restoring the historic volume of the classroom spaces and enhancing existing features such as original fireplaces and Gothic
window openings.
Through the past support of the SHF,
the Denver Inner City Parish has been
undertaking a series of preservation projects that included a Historic Structures
Assessment and exterior restoration of
the original Chapel building. With the
guidance of Historic Denver’s Sacred
Landmarks Program, and the SHF, this
group has demonstrated its commitment
to a full preservation program. This latest project continues that legacy and will
reinvigorate the 1920s addition for many
more years of educational service.
Epiphany Episcopal
Church
John Olson
Director of Preservation Programs
Epiphany Episcopal Church on the
northeast corner of 1st Avenue and
Colorado Boulevard is a landmark in
every sense of the word. If you are driving down Colorado Boulevard, just east
of the Cherry Creek shopping district,
you can’t miss this beacon of light on
the hill. Its concrete aggregate panels and
cubic form culminate in a central tower
that dominates one of the highest points
of the city. A locally designated structure,
Epiphany Episcopal Church is currently
wrapping up a much needed grant from
the State Historical Fund (SHF) to
repair the over 50-year-old roof.
Historic Denver, Inc. has been proud
to have partnered with Epiphany
Church as the grant manager for
this project.
The Epiphany Episcopal
Church was designed in 1941 by
the architect Arthur S. Axtens.
Axtens was a registered architect and engineer with his own
private practice in Denver from
January 1927 through 1957.
The church building is a significant example of inventive modern architecture of
the 1940s. Its art deco sleek
setbacks emphasize the
vertical-
Fall 2011
State Historical
Fund Awards
Discover Denver!
Grant to Historic
Denver
ity of its tower. However, its smooth faced
concrete (added over the original brick in
1959 to match the veneer of the addition)
is accented by the windows with subdued,
flattened, and geometric ornament and
makes it an important bridge to moderne
architecture.
In 1959 a $450,000 addition was
added to house classrooms, a kitchen,
and a chapel. The addition was designed
by Walter Simon and blends well with the
original Axtens design. With the 1959
addition, a sidewalk was extended from
the new Chapel to Colorado Boulevard
and the original concrete entry plaza was
replaced with a terrazzo plaza. With the
expansion of Colorado Boulevard (once
a two lane dirt road in the early 20th
century), stairs to the main entry were
angled towards the northeast corner of
the intersection.
While very modern in appearance on
the exterior, the sanctuary has a Byzantine
feel with intricate painted panels on the
ceiling depicting the life of Christ. Oral
history claims that the ceiling was hand
stenciled by a young German artist after
the Second World War. The church is
filled with liturgical art and features many
symbols painted into the Nave’s coffers.
In addition to Epiphany Episcopal
Church, Arthur Axtens designed the
Dorset House at 1001 Logan Street,
with Streamline Moderne detailing; Steck
School in 1929 and its addition in 1942,
whose verticality is also stressed; the
Evergreen High School in 1948 that is
now demolished; and Porter Memorial
Hall at Colorado’s Woman College in
1939, whose similarly simple design in
stone and brick was deemed 9th on a
list consisting of 18 of Denver’s finest
examples of architecture in America’s oldest architectural journal, the Architectural
Record, on December 10, 1939.
Throughout the building’s history,
Epiphany Episcopal Church has played
a prominent role in the east Denver area.
Epiphany’s charismatic minister of the
1930s, the Reverend Robert A. Russell,
built the previously failing congregation
back up to 700 people and raised the
necessary $60,000 to build the church
which now stands elevated on the hill.
The church sits on the border of the
Hilltop neighborhood that is famous for
its International Style and postmodern
residences, as well as some of the best
traditional Tudors anywhere. First platted
in 1886, Hilltop has preserved many of its
old dwellings, but it is under tremendous
pressure from developers and real estate
speculation. As a significant building in
a neighborhood that is undergoing drastic changes in architecture and redevelopment, Epiphany Episcopal Church is
an important anchor demonstrating the
importance of modern architecture pres-
ervation to the community.
In addition, Epiphany Episcopal
Church has utilized its neighborhood
anchor status to foster many needed
programs for the surrounding community. Included are programs that allow
for home schooled children to gather
once a week and be taught by Aurora
Public School teachers. The church sponsors two Alcoholic Anonymous groups
and a Cub Scout Den. The Denver Ballet
School teaches dance class to neighborhood children and it is a link between
the church and local DPS schools. The
church also provides their facilities for a
Spanish as a Second Language Class for
preschool children. Epiphany has a large
multinational and multiracial presence in
the community through its regular attendance and its mission services.
The church leadership was eager to
protect the interior decorative treasures
and ensure their space was safe and
dry in order that their many community functions could continue. The roof
repair momentum was initiated after
a 2008 Historic Structure Assessment
called out the roof as a much needed
maintenance priority. The church initiated a capital campaign in 2009 to
ready themselves for the roof expenditure
and/or a cash match requirement for a
prospective grant. Discussions between
the church and Historic Denver’s Sacred
Landmarks Program were ongoing in
2009. On October 1, 2009, a SHF grant
was submitted through the help of both
parishioner Boyd Berryman and Fr. Stace
Tafoya. The project got underway after
the grant award was announced in 2010.
To start the repair of the roof, the
existing 50 year old tapered insulation
was taken off down to the concrete decking. Then, new insulation was installed
and structural backing and felt layers
were added to seal the low sloped roof.
The existing pink coping tiles still visible on some of the parapets were carefully flashed to reveal their historic profile
without compromising the weather tightness of the perimeter. A reflective coating was the final application to reduce
heat gain so the roof can last longer and
the church can reduce its mechanical
demands. Front Range Roofing Systems
acted as the contractor and utilized
Garland roofing materials to complete
these much needed repairs.
We are pleased the grant process has
been so beneficial for this Denver community church. The repairs will go a long
way in ensuring the church can serve its
congregation and the many programs
available for the community. Historic
Denver will continue to seek out Sacred
Landmarks in need and support their
significant service by strengthening their
historic structures. =
Alice Gilbertson
Director of Preservation
Advocacy
gather information on our built environment and how we share Denver’s story
within the community.
The pilot program will seek to provide tools and information that have
long term value to the city, state, property owners and the overall community.
Another objective of the pilot program is
to provide a model for process and results
that may be modified for use in other
large-scale survey environments around
the state or country. Throughout the process the program will strive to make the
best use of technology and engage and
educate the community. Finally, taking
stock of the current financial status, the
program will be tailored to fit the human
and financial resources that are expected
to be available in coming years.
The pilot program will focus on three
selected areas and will test four levels of
information gathering, analysis, and evaluation. Three pilot areas will be chosen to
test the strategies. The areas, which will
be both geographically and thematically
defined, are expected to include:
On August 1st the State Historical
Fund (SHF) announced the recipients
of grants. Historic Denver, Inc. received
funding for the next phase of Discover
Denver!, our innovative city-wide historic
resources survey initiative.
The pilot program of Discover
Denver! will survey primary buildings in
• Multicultural areas to assist with develDenver. Only 5% of Denver’s 161,000
oping survey strategies that effectively
primary buildings have ever been surengage diverse communities;
veyed, in large part because of a lack of
• Neighborhoods with strong support for
efficient and cost-effective processes to
survey activity;
address the volume and density of our
• Areas with a range of potential historic
urban resources. Discover Denver! will
resources allowing for refinement of
serve many purposes, including working
determination of significance;
as a planning tool and providing educa• Neighborhoods involved in the Denver
tional opportunities to various segments
Public Library’s Creating Communities
of the public – property owners, developprogram, to leverage the outreach
ers, city staff, elected officials, neighboralready undertaken and the historic
hood associations, realtors, students, and
information already collected in the
preservation groups.
community;
The development of the “how to”
• Areas or themes with existing backstrategy to guide the cityground information, such
wide effort, which was
as existing historic context
completed earlier this
statements.
summer by Winter &
Company, was the first
The project will be man“This promises to be
step in the multi-year suraged by Alice Gilbertson,
a very important and
vey project. The methodHistoric Denver’s Director
useful grant project
ology developed in that
of Preservation Advocacy
that will benefit the
initial phase was also parand Savannah Jameson,
entire state. The test
tially funded through a
Senior City Planner with
of new approaches
SHF grant and was comthe City & County of
and technologies will
pleted in partnership with
Denver, will be leading
result in an improved
the City and County of
the efforts on behalf of
set of survey “best
Denver and with input
Community Planning &
practices” that will
from the Survey Advisory
Development.
Historic
benefit history survey
Group. Representatives
Denver,
in
partnership
with
efforts in all Colorado
from across the commuthe
City
and
County
of
communities.”
nity comprise the Survey
Denver and with involveAdvisory Group, which
Jim Lindberg,
ment from the State Office
has been instrumental in
National Trust for
of Archeology and Historic
shaping the overall surHistoric Preservation
Preservation, will be sharvey approach and work
ing information about
scope for the proposed
Discover Denver! through
pilot program.
the Historic Denver News
The pilot program is
and our website. Check
intended to test the surin regularly to follow our
vey approach, which is
progress on this very excitdesigned to be cost-effective, efficient,
ing project!
inclusive, and a model for how surveys
“The city-wide survey initiative is
can be conducted across the state in the
intended to tell Denver’s story in a way
future. The Discover Denver! pilot will
that is inclusive of all members of the comincorporate a number of innovations,
munity, which will be particularly imporincluding extensive collaboration among
tant to Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation
professional consultants, volunteers, his(INC), which values the diversity of our
torians, students, and public institutions.
neighborhoods and our present and past
The traditional camera and clipboard
residents.” Letter of support signed by
approach to conducting surveys will be
twenty representatives of INC.
replaced with databases compiled from
“This survey will answer the quesmultiple sources of public information
tions about what is important in Denver’s
and with hand-held tablet PCs for use in
built environment and why.” Former
the field. Development of a framework
Denver Mayor Guillermo (Bill) V. Vidal
for Denver’s historic context and themes
“This will be an ideal student volwill build upon the major chapters in
unteer educational opportunity.” Dr.
Denver’s story. The pilot program of
Thomas J. Noel
Discover Denver! will shape how we
istoric
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Historic Denver News
historic denver’s
Annual Awards
Einfeldt Pump Station ::
Denver Water
Historic Denver’s
Annual Awards
For over 40 years Historic Denver has
been honoring the preservation projects
that form the backbone of Denver’s identity and quality of life. The Community
Preservation Awards are given annually
to a handful of projects, institutions and
individuals that have made an exceptional contribution to the preservation of
Denver’s heritage. These projects exemplify high quality restoration, the careful
consideration of the city’s historic fabric
and a commitment to community. The
winners of these awards are essential to
Historic Denver’s mission and the organization takes great pride in recognizing
those who assist us in enhancing Denver’s
built environment.
Denver History
& Architecture
Project :: Bromwell
Elementary
For over ten years teachers at Denver
Public School Bromwell Elementary have
been inspiring a new generation of preservationists with an in-depth study of Denver
history and architecture. Known by a generation of students as the Denver History
& Architecture project, the teachers of the
third grade classrooms immerse students in
local history by taking them on fieldtrips
to LoDo, the Molly Brown House and
the state capitol, integrating planning and
architecture presentations into classroom
activities and by assigning one culminating project- the recreation, in model form,
of the student’s favorite historic building. These models are accompanied by
the student’s own research and selections
range from their own homes to local icons,
such as the Equitable Building and the
D & F Tower. While all Colorado students study local history in the 3rd or 4th
grade, Bromwell has made an exceptional
commitment to history and preservation
through this innovative unit. Students don’t
just learn a few facts, but gain an appreciation for the stories and the places that
make our city unique, an appreciation
they will carry with them as they become
active citizens and community leaders.
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Daniels & Fisher
Clock Tower
The next Community Preservation
Award is given to the Daniels & Fisher
Clock Tower, which is celebrating its
100th anniversary this year. The tower,
completed in 1911, is a local landmark
and listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. Inspired by the campanile of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice,
the structure is the city’s finest example
of Renaissance Revival architecture, and
is also representative of the early days
of Denver’s preservation movement. The
tower was designed by Frederick Sterner
and George Williamson. Designated a
landmark in 1969 the once attached
Daniels & Fisher Department store,
which spanned the whole block, was
demolished in 1971, but preservationists
were able to save the Clock Tower, which
is today the most iconic historic structure
downtown and a fixture in the city’s
skyline. The building is now divided into
separate commercial condominiums and
is governed by an owner’s association, but
several past and present owners give credit for its careful stewardship to Richard
Hensel, who has served as the building’s
advocate for many years. Multiple phases
of renovation have kept the tower standing proudly through its first century.
The Einfeldt Pump House is being
given a Community Preservation Award
for its sensitive addition. After a design
competition local architect Robert Stifler
designed the original Einfeldt Pump
Station in 1932. Denver Water needed the
facility to help spread its services to the
growing city. In the 1960s the pump station was expanded to include a small cinder block structure to house decentralized
Transmission and Distribution Crews, as
the flood of 1965 had taught the utility
the importance of having localized, ready
response after the central headquarters
was incapacitated. By 2001 Denver Water
realized that the 1960s addition was no
longer adequate and began preparing to
replace the structure, however this time
they recognized that the new facility
should be more closely integrated with
the original 1932 structure. Denver Water
hired Wong Strauch architects to design
the sensitive new facility, this time matching and honoring the solid oak finish on
the interior windows, the crenellation
on the parapet, the use of rod-iron and
the repetitious brick patterns that make
the original structure so charming. Their
efforts resulted in a successful and complimentary new structure that is partner
to the 1932 neighborhood landmark and
an asset to the community.
Engine House No. 5 ::
SlaterPaull Architects
Constructed in 1922 as an Engine House
for the City and County of Denver Fire
Department, the 13,500-square-foot
building at 19th and Market is listed
as a contributing building in the Lower
Downtown Historic District, which was
listed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1989. The long anticipated
renovation of Engine House No. 5 was
completed by SLATERPAULL Architects
who now occupy the building. According
to SLATERPAULL, their design solution blended the historic character of
the Engine House with a flexible, collaborative environment through sustainable design efforts. Spectrum General
Contractors worked with SLATERPAULL
on the renovation, which included the
rehabilitation of the windows, repairs to
the exterior masonry and the reuse of the
original interior locker room as meeting
and staff space. “Green” upgrades include
better use of natural light, the reuse of
existing materials and the addition of
chilled-beam technology for heating and
cooling. SLATERPAULL also maintained
the original tower on the structure, which
was used to hang wet fire hoses to dry.
Engine House No. 5 has been named as
the first LEED Platinum historic building
in Colorado. Platinum is the highest level
of green building certification given by the
U.S. Green Building Council.
Holland House ::
Shirley Kinneally
The final Community Preservation
Award is given for the stewardship of the
Holland House. When Shirley Kinneally
purchased the home at 2340 S. Josephine,
now known as the Holland House, she
knew she’d found something special. One
of only four residential buildings designed
to be built entirely of concrete by innovative architect Eugene Groves the home
is a rare find. It also requires a rare type
of owner, one willing to submit to the
eccentricities of Grove’s design and willing to be a steward to a small home on
a large lot that others might not see as
valuable. The home was constructed in
1932/33 and employed a system of precast concrete studs and beams, concrete
slab floors, and concrete stucco over wire
mesh walls. Groves patented technique
eliminated the need for wooden structural members. Even kitchen countertops,
tables, seating and bed units were made of
reinforced concrete. The Holland House
was the first of Groves concrete homes,
but his dream to mass produce the product never caught on. In 2010 Shirley
solicited the help of Historic Denver and
its Partners in the Field program to seek
individual designation for the property.
Formally approved by Denver’s city council on August 16, 2010, the home is now
protected in perpetuity and can be appreciated and admired for decades to come.
It is the only Groves House to have this
level of protection.
Fall 2011
to create two new historic districts in
Curtis Park. Carla also shared Margaret
“Molly” Brown’s flare for fashion and
was known to don Victorian garb, complete with an elaborate hat, when the
occasion permitted. Carla’s death in April
2011 was a loss to the preservation community and the city at large.
Ann Love Award
Larry D. Williams
Molly Brown Award
Councilwoman
Carla Madison
The Molly Brown Spirit Award was
created to honor women who live in
Margaret “Molly” Brown’s spirit today
by devoting many years to civic life in all
its forms, actively engaging themselves in
politics, philanthropy, arts and cultural
endeavors and historic preservation as
Mrs. Brown did. Each year this award
honors a woman who demonstrates this
same level of passion about the world and
who is willing to take the lead, speak her
mind and make Denver a stronger community for everyone.
This year the Molly Brown Spirit
Award is given posthumously to City
Councilwoman Carla Madison. Carla
Madison had tremendous passion for
life and like Molly Brown herself, she
was willing to try almost anything. An
avid traveler with degrees in geography and physical therapy Madison also
once worked as a costumer in a theater
and a hot air balloon pilot, but what
set her a part most was her dedication
to the Denver community. Carla was a
tireless advocate for neighborhoods and
quality of life. In her City Park West
neighborhood she engaged actively in
making improvements, whether related
to zoning or school reform. She was
also a tremendous supporter of the arts,
helping to found the City Park Festival
of the Arts and supporting many other
cultural activities. In 2007 Madison was
elected to the Denver City Council representing District 8. As a councilwoman
she remained committed to her passions,
namely the arts and neighborhoods. She
was a great friend to preservation and
helped to better protect the San Rafael
National Register Historic District, the
Humboldt Street Historic District and
The Ann Love Award was established
in 1997 to honor individuals who may
not consider themselves traditional preservationists but have shown initiative,
creativity, and commitment in preserving the history, culture and architecture
of Denver. The award is named for Ann
Love, wife of Colorado Governor John
Love. Mrs. Love was instrumental in saving the Molly Brown House and establishing Historic Denver but never considered herself a preservationist. She had
remarkable determination and garnered
support for projects she felt were essential
to making Colorado and Denver one of
the country’s best places.
This year’s Ann Love Award is given
to Larry Williams. Although he is the first
to claim he is not a preservationist, for
more than two decades Larry Williams
was a key force behind the preservation
and careful stewardship of dozens of historic schools in the Denver Public School
system. As an architect for DPS Williams
was charged with making key decisions that impacted school renovations,
additions and demolitions. His leadership was particularly appreciated during the extensive rehabilitation of Dora
Moore Elementary at 8th & Corona. He
advocated for the 1889 masterpiece by
Colorado’s first licensed architect, Robert
Roeschlaub, and oversaw several phases
of work funded by DPS with grants
from the Colorado State Historical Fund.
In addition to this showpiece project,
Williams also worked closely with community members and preservationists to
understand which DPS schools were eligible for historic designation and to create
a system for communication and coordination in those efforts. The agreements he
crafted are still employed today despite
Larry’s retirement this year. =
Keystone Award
Lane & Ellen Ittelson
The Keystone Award is a new Historic
Denver Award and was created to honor
people who have made significant contributions over their lifetime to historic
preservation in Denver. This year the
Keystone Award is given to Lane & Ellen
Ittelson. After moving to Denver in 1982
Lane & Ellen became immediate assets
in the historic preservation community.
After serving as the Deputy State Historic
Preservation Officer for New Mexico,
Lane took the helm of Historic Denver as
President, a position he held until starting his own preservation consulting firm
in 1986. In 1989 he was lured back into
the public sector and became the first
Director of the Colorado State Historical
Fund. Since 1999 Lane has served as
the Executive Director of the Colorado
Historical Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to supporting history education
and historic preservation. As Executive
Director of the Foundation Lane has been
instrumental in acquiring dozens of easements that now protect properties across
the state of Colorado.
After also spending several years in
the private sector Ellen became a planner for the City and County of Denver
in 1992. Since joining the City Ellen’s list
of accomplishments includes almost all
the city’s most significant projects. She
served as the city’s representative during
the innovative creation of the Downtown
Historic District, authored the Lower
Downtown Neighborhood Plan, co-managed Blue Print Denver, developed the
reuse parameters for the Elitch Gardens
site and has been a key point person on
the Denver Union Station project. She has
also remained engaged in the non-profit
preservation sector and served as a board
member for Colorado Preservation Inc.
as well as participating in many Historic
Denver efforts.
Join
Historic Denver
in celebrating these award winners
at the Annual Dinner and Awards
Ceremony on November 2, 2011 at the
Brown Palace Hotel and Spa. For tickets and further information please visit
www.historicdenver.org or call 303-5345288 ext. 5.
Join Us
Historic Denver’s
41st Annual Dinner
& Awards Ceremony
November 2, 2011
Brown Palace
Hotel & Spa
Denver
5 o’clock
RSVP
Tickets, corporate tables, and
sponsorships available by
calling 303-534-5288 ext. 16 or
at www.historicdenver.org
Individual Tickets $150
Corporate Table $2,500
Dedicated to providing the
highest quality legal service
cost effectively.
October ,
-- PM
Eight homes from the
ss
including two historic landmarks.
Tickets $$$ in advance /$$$ day of
at all Front Range King Soopers,
and www.WhiiierNeighborhood.org
Information on web site or call
(((()
-----
JOIN IN
THE CAMPAIGN TO RESTORE
COLORADO’S CAPITAL DOME
ShareInTheCareColorado.org
to learn more & make a donation
VISIT
Sponsored by Denver’s Old House Society
or
TEXT“DOME”TO 50555 TO DONATE $10
A signature initiative of
Colorado Preservation, Inc.
Specializing in real estate,
corporate and civil transactions
and litigation, including
eminent domain litigation for
both local and national clients.
Lowe, Fell & Skogg, LLC
370 Seventeenth St., Ste. 4900
Denver, CO 80202
720.359.8200
720.359.8201 [fax]
www.lfslaw.com
istoric
enver
Inc
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7
Historic Denver News
Molly Brown
House museum
the iPods and iPads to show podcasts,
pictures, and music in order to best engage
the students. Designed for thirty participants at a time, the Molly Brown and
Denver’s Growth program is an interactive
program that allows students to not only
learn about Margaret Brown, but also to
learn about the growth of Denver during
her lifetime (1867-1932). This would be
the first educational program to incorporate technology at the Molly Brown
House Museum.
In honor of the 100 year anniversary
of the sinking of the Titanic in 2012 we
have also developed a special educational
program. This new off-site program will
transform students into junior curators.
Students will learn about the Titanic and
Education Corner:
Looking Ahead
Darcie Martin, Museum Educator
For over a decade the Molly Brown
House Museum has been the primary
educational arm of Historic Denver. The
Molly Brown House Museum offers programs for adults and youth, including
approximately 7,000 local school children
each year. Our educational resources have
grown over the years and we now offer
12 different programs and employ a fulltime educator. Education programs at the
Museum are divided into two categories;
programs that happen on-site and programs that travel to schools, libraries and
after-school programs. Historic Denver
is one of only a few history organizations to provide both on-site and off-site
programming. Historic Denver is also the
only organization offering programming
on historic preservation, which has contributed significantly to the growth and
popularity of our programs.
On-site programs include tours of the
home, an environmental theater program
that brings Victorian literature to life, and
teas which educate students about the
manners and customs of the Victorian era.
Off-site programs cover a variety of topics
from mining and the industrial revolution to the science of restoration and civic
activism. These programs bring artifacts
and primary sources into the classroom to
help students learn and follow Colorado
State Standards.
In 2010 the Museum’s education programs served 3,798 students in off-site
programs and 2,700 through on-site programs for a total of 6,498 students. Half
of the schools served by these programs
include students that receive free and
reduced lunches, and nearly 20% of the
schools have more than 25% of the student body receiving free and reduced
lunch. The majority of programs were utilized by teachers and students in third and
fourth grade classrooms studying Molly
Brown as part of their Colorado History
Curriculum. The Museum draws heavily
from the seven-county metro area, with
the majority of students served in Adams,
8
Historic Denver Inc.
Denver, Arapahoe and Jefferson counties.
The goals of the Museum’s educational department include telling the story
of Margaret Brown within its historical context, improving historical literacy
among local students and engaging young
people with local history and historic preservation. At the Museum, we are always
striving to suit the needs of our local
teachers and students. In 2009, teachers
involved with Historic Denver and the
Molly Brown House Museum brought
to our attention a lack of Denver history resources for third and fourth grade.
Historic Denver is currently addressing this
oversight by developing a student Denver
history book and teacher resource packet
with funds provided by the Colorado State
Historical Fund.
This exciting project opens many
opportunities for the Museum. We will
be working closely with the Denver Public
School District in order to make our
Denver history book a success. We will be
hosting a pilot project in Denver Public
Schools that will aim for 1,000 students to
have free access to the 40-50 page book.
In addition to the textbook, the grant also
supports the creation of a teacher resource
packet that will include lesson plans,
designed by local teachers, and field trip
itineraries. We plan to collaborate with
other historical agencies in Denver, such
as LoDo Historic District and Four Mile
Historic Park, in order to make scheduling
field trips much easier for our teachers.
The creation of a student history book
will open new programming opportunities
at the Molly Brown House Museum. In
order to increase our educational impact,
the Museum is requesting grant funds to
expand its program offerings with the
creation of a new program, “Molly Brown
and Denver’s Growth.” This new program will incorporate technology such as
iPods and iPads. Studies, such as one conducted by Speak Up in 2010, are showing
that more and more teachers are using
technology for learning. The survey cites
that thirty percent of teachers are now
using podcasts and videos in their classroom instruction - an increase of over fifty
percent since 2008. The Museum wishes
to foster the use of technology by using
handle reproduction artifacts while wearing a curator’s white jacket and cotton gloves. They will learn not only the
significance of the Titanic, but also the
importance of preservation and artifact
conservation.
The education programs at the Molly
Brown House Museum are funded primarily by the Museum’s event revenue but
rely also on both public and private grant
funding sources. The education programs
also receive support from Historic Denver’s
participation in the Scientific and Cultural
Facilities District (SCFD) as a Tier III organization. If you would like to provide support to our educational programs please
visit our website at www.mollybrown.org
Thank you to the Denver
to make a contribution today. =
Garden Club, Hardy Boy Plants,
O’Toole’s Garden Center, and
Tagawa Gardens for their
generous contribution to the
Molly Brown House Museum’s
garden.
Thank you to the
Denver Garden Club
Hardy Boy Plants
O’Toole’s Garden Center
Tagawa Gardens
or their generous contribution to
F
the Molly Brown House Museum’s
garden.
MOLLY
BROWN
HOUSE
MUSEUM’S
FRIDAYS
October 14 & 21
Be spooked for the first time, or
return and be spooked again by a
fresh selection of wicked writings of long-dead authors. Classic
stories are brought to life in the
dim, flickering candlelight as Edgar
Allan Poe, Edith Wharton and
others haunt you with their tales
of the macabre. Bring someone to
hold on to!
SATURDAYS
October 15 & 22
Performances begin every 15 minutes
from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
ADMISSION
$15 for members, seniors & children
$18 for non-members
TICKETS
On-line at www.mollybrown.org
By calling 303-832-4092 x10
Walk-ins welcome during the event
Advanced purchase is suggested
Fall 2011
The stockyards and pens on the grounds of the National Western Stock Show photographed by the Rocky
Mountain Photo Company between 1920 and 1940. Smoke rises from the smokestacks of the Colorado Packing
and Provision Company and the sheep market barn is beyond the rows of stock pens.
Photo: Denver Public Library
continued from page 1
1919The western section of the
Livestock Exchange Building
opened.
1942The WPA constructed a huge
concrete barn on the facility and a
Quonset hut was installed next to
the barn.
1952
he Denver Coliseum was
T
dedicated on January 10 for the
46th National Western.
1962 The Denver Union Stock Yard
Company built an auction arena in
the yards.
1973The two-level 300 x 390 foot Hall
original Arena was steam-heated and had
stalls for livestock under the seats. The
Arena was designed in neoclassical style
with pedimented entries framed by twin
towers. Flagpoles were built on top of the
pilasters to fly the 12 flags of the Rocky
Mountain states. The arena cost $200,000
to build and was paid for by a consolidation of Swift, Armour, and other packers
that operated the Denver stock yards. For
its first forty years a streetcar line brought
people from central Denver to the Arena’s
front door. Over the years additions and
alterations have been made to the structure that somewhat obscure its original
exterior appearance.
In 1945 the National Western Stock
Show began campaigning for a new stadium. They decided to team up with the
City of Denver and build a stadium that
could be used for large events, such as
basketball, ice hockey and track meets, not
just the stock show. In 1947 a $1.5 million
bond was passed by the city voters to build
a “Municipal Coliseum.” The National
Western Stock Show, the Denver Union
Stock Yard Company, and other livestock
interests raised another $750,000 toward
the construction project. Fortunately, the
land was donated by the Colorado and
Southern Railroad.
Work began on the Coliseum on
September 19, 1949 and it was dedicated
on January 19, 1952. The New York and
Chicago-based architectural engineering
firm of Lorimer and Rose worked on
the new stadium with consulting Denver
architect Roland L. Linder. Linder worked
with Eugene Groves from 1921 to 1929
and then Allied Architects from 1929 to
1931. Linder supervised the completion of
the City and County Building in Denver
as part of Allied Architects. From 1931 to
1951 Linder had his own architectural firm
and designed the Loveland Community
Building (1937), the Fort Collins Library
(1938), the Denver Museum of Natural
History Auditorium (1939), and the wings
of the Museum of Natural History (1948).
Linder’s clean, smooth lines can be seen in
the modern design on the Coliseum.
When the Coliseum was built it was a
state of the art building constructed with
steel reinforced concrete. Construction of
the building used 100,000 sacks of cement,
1,200 tons of reinforced steel and 575,000
feet of lumber. To allow an unobstructed
view from the 8,006 permanent seats, the
ceiling was built with six huge arches and
no pillars for support. This concrete roof
weighs more than 5400 tons. In total the
of Education was opened to the
public. The Beef Palace, Horse
Center, and National Western Club
also opened.
1987 The International Center opened.
1991The Expo Hall and Stadium Hall
opened.
1995The National Western Events
Center, a state-of-the-art
equestrian arena with a 150
x 300 foot floor opened, and
the Paddock and Horse Barn
completed.
building measures 306 feet x 400 feet and
has an 87 foot high ceiling. The structure
was completed before the construction of
1-70 and was easily connected to the older
Stadium Arena. After the highway and
viaducts were built in the 1960s this connection became more challenging.
Perhaps the most quintessentially
“western” structures on the Stock Show
site are not buildings at all, but the
cattle pens, or stockyards, which existed
even before the National Western Stock
Show. The official stock yards, owned by
the Denver Union Stock Yard Company,
opened in 1886. These yards were located between the South Platte River and
the railroad tracks and Franklin Street,
bounded by 46th Avenue on the south
and 52nd avenue on the north. By 1905
the stock yards covered 105 acres and
handled 239,500 cattle, 115,700 hogs,
306,109 sheep, and 22,700 horses and
mules a year. Today the National Western
owns most of the old Denver Union Stock
Yard Company’s open yards and stock
pens. In fact, the National Western Stock
Show is one of the few stock shows that
still use its historic wooden pens. The
National Western has done some restoration of the old wooden display pens and
the large outlying turnout corrals. Many
of the pens retain their antique wrought
iron gates and hinges along with original
cobblestone or brick footing, with some
bricks stamped “1898.”
For the first 75 years of the Stock
Show nearly all the land in the area was
owned by the Denver Union Stock Yard
Company which helped to underwrite and
host the Stock Show. When that entity dissolved in the 1970s it divested its property,
giving some to the National Western Stock
Show Association and selling other parcels. For this reason there are now many
owners associated with the Stock Show
site. For more information and on-going
updates about the Stock Show visit www.
historicdenver.org/programs/currentissues.
As debate continues about the proposed
Stock Show move Historic Denver will pay
attention to the fate of these structures and
the legacy of this important Denver institution. When the temperatures drop and those
fifteen days in January roll around once
again we encourage you to attend the Stock
Show and take a closer look to see the history that is still apparent. =
Sources:
Noel, Thomas J. Riding High: Colorado
Ranchers and 100 Years of the National
Western Stock Show. Golden, CO:
Fulcrum Publishing, 2005.
The Livestock Exchange Building photographed by
Louis Charles McClure between 1908 and 1910.
Photo: Denver Public Library
Simms, Willard E. Ten Days Every
January. Denver, CO: Record
Stockman Publishing Co., 1980.
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Historic Denver Inc.
9
Historic Denver News
Post-War Housing
and the Historic
Denver Pattern &
Design Idea Book
Project
photo: Scott Dressel-Martin
continued from page 3
to be missed are evenings in the park,
especially movie nights, and special
events such as the Civic Center SOUNDS
Independence Eve Celebration that are
the park’s hallmark use. Denver’s Civic
Center will continue to improve as the
Civic Center Conservancy embarks on
their new Centennial Campaign Plan to
extend more activities to more days.
Denver is slated to begin construction in
January 2012 on improvements to bring
the historic Carnegie Library (McNichols
Building) to code enabling its permanent
return to public use. =
Civic Center
Applying for
National Historic
Landmark Status
Historic Denver, Inc. recently completed a State Historical Fund Grant
intended to study Denver’s Civic Center
and nominate it as a National Historic
Landmark (NHL). If Denver’s Civic
Center NHL nomination is accepted,
it will be Denver’s first and the twentysecond in Colorado.
What
are
National
Historic
Landmarks and why are they so important to Denver and the nation? An
answer to that can be found on the
National Park Service’s website:
National Historic Landmarks are
buildings, sites, districts, structures, and
objects that have been determined by the
Secretary of the Interior to be nationally
significant in American history and culture. Many of the most renowned historic
properties in the Nation are Landmarks.
Mount Vernon, Pearl Harbor, the Apollo
Mission Control Center, Alcatraz, and the
Martin Luther King Birthplace in Atlanta,
Georgia are Landmarks that illustrate
important contributions to the Nation’s
historical development.
In contrast, National Register listed
properties tend to have local or State
10
Historic Denver Inc.
Project Credits
OWNER
Design Guidelines
Mundus Bishop and CW&H Graphics
Denver Parks and Recreation Department
Project Team –
Project managers
Phase 1 Construction
Mark Bernstein and Helen Kuykendall
Civic Center Conservancy
Lindy Eichenbaum Lent, Executive Director
Chris Frampton, Chair
Elaine Asarch
Dennis Humphries
Mundus Bishop
Anderson Hallas
Spectrum General Contractors
Building Restoration Specialists and
SlaterPaull Architects
Project Team –
Phase 2 Construction
Project Team
Park Master Plan
Mundus Bishop and Anderson Hallas
significance. Denver’s Civic Center is an
ideal choice to be Denver’s first NHL as
it is one of our city’s great symbols of
the National City Beautiful movement
begun in large part due to the success of
the Columbian Exposition of 1893 held
in Chicago.
Bridget Fisher and the National Park
Service donated cash amounts to begin
the NHL grant project and the State
Historical Fund has guided the process
through their approval, management,
and disbursement of grant funds. Tom
and Laurie Simmons of Front Range
Research Associates are the authors of
the nomination.
Mundus Bishop and Spectrum General
Contractors with Building Restoration
Specialists.
Front Range Research Associates has
been updating the nomination this summer in order to receive final draft comments from local National Park Service
staff. Updated photographs of the most
recent and exciting repairs and restoration efforts will be included with the
final application. Also to be sent to the
official reviewer of the National Park
Service in Washington, D.C. this fall will
be original U.S.G.S. maps and original
historical photographs of the site. We
will keep Historic Denver, Inc. supporters
updated on the status of the application
as it moves closer to final approval. =
Denver and its surrounding first ring
suburbs feature multiple neighborhoods
that exemplify the building boom that
followed the Second World War. While
these homes are distinctive and represent
an important piece of our history, many
are being lost to insensitive alterations
and scrape-offs in favor of homes that
feature more space and modern design.
In recognition of this trend, Historic
Denver has included post-war neighborhoods in its Pattern & Design Idea Book
project with the goal of providing inspiration for additions and modifications that
respect the history of each home, while
creating the kind of space that many
homeowners now desire.
The first Post-War Pattern Book has
been completed for the neighborhoods
of Alta Vista and Allendale in Arvada,
and is available online at: http://www.
historicdenver.org/programs/pattern-anddesign-idea-books/ Residents in our target neighborhoods graciously opened up
their homes to our measuring tapes and
cameras, allowing us to document the
most common as-built designs, which
were then turned over to the graduate student architects at the Colorado
Center for Community Development.
Our architect partners carefully considered each plan and came up with multiple options, including one that would
allow the homeowners to modify just the
interior to improve the use of space, and
one that would add on to the exterior to
increase square footage.
The next step in the project will be to
move on to the Aberdeen Village neighborhood in Littleton, which boasts a fine
collection of intact mid-century homes.
Currently in the planning stages, residents are encouraged to contact Historic
Denver with any questions or concerns,
and we would certainly encourage anyone with firsthand knowledge of this
community’s development to share your
story with us! =
Kara Thompson worked with
Historic Denver this summer as an intern,
researching the history of Aberdeen
Village, documenting the homes, and
creating a style guide to determine the
most significant character defining features of the homes. The accompanying
graphic details some of the most common
features found on mid-century homes,
including a long, low horizontal alignment, a low-pitched roof, a prominent
chimney, a mix of exterior cladding materials, and large windows.
Thank You
To Historic Denver’s New and
Renewing Supporters
April ~ June 2011
William Hoebel III &
Jessica Abegg
Joan Blaik
Brooks & Anne Bond
Pamela Bradley
Karen Brody & Michael
Hughes
Bradley Cameron
Linda Carlson
Josephine Carpenter
Barbara Chapman
Marilynn Chapman
Clara Lou Humphrey
Dene Clark
Nathan Clifford
Peg Clover Stipek &
Michael Stipek
Peter Cohn
William B. & L. Alice
Collister
Michael Coughlin
Elaine D. Douglas
Robert & Barbara Danos
James Fell
Sarah Fisher
Peggy Forberg
Josip R. Galetovic
Dennis Gallagher
Linda Gallegos
Tom & Melissa Gardner
Ron Garrison
Irene Gay
Bryon Gentry
Cornelia & George Gibson
Sue Giovanini
Matt Goebel
Dennis Hamann &
Thomas Hawkey
Lyle & Sondra Hansen
Duke & Pam Hartman
Rudi Hartmann & Kathy
Newman
Karen Harvey
Iris A. Hawkins
Polly Hays
Tobie & Jolie Hazard
Judith Headley
Ralph Heronema
Ann Heyler
S&ra Hinkle
Barry & Arlene Hirschfeld
Tim & Kris Hoehn
Stephanie Johnson
Brent Jones
Marion Jordan
E. James Judd
Rita King
Kronke Sports Enterprises
Christopher Lane
Peggy Lehmann
Burt LeMaster
Merrilyn Leuthold
Elaine Levengood
Carolyn Longmire
Jan Mayer
Colleen McKinley
Mark & Ardis Miller
Betty Mott
Ann Mullins
Christie Murata
Sandra Nearpass
Laurie Niederhauser
Barbara Norgren
H. M. Oeknigk
Kathleen Orozco
Pamala Orr
Thomas P. Owen
Glen Palmer
Nancy Persons
Elmer & Noreene Peterson
Patricia L. Pike
Dan & Laura Pino
Douglas Price & Hazel
Stevens
Marilyn Quinn
Roselyn Reynolds
Nancy & Gene Richards
Louis & Rosemary Ripp
Jerry Robinson
James Rothney
Sage Hospitality
William Saslow
Peggy & Donald Schaller
Sandra Scherer
Paul & Carolyn Schrader
Dee Schranz
George & Julia Secor
Brad Segal
Steve & Trish Setlik
Seventh Avenue
Congregational Church
William Shanks & Carol
Leavenworth
Leonard Shulman
South Broadway Christian
Church
Building Restoration
Specialties, Inc.
David & Yvonne Steers
Phillip Sterritt
Vincent Szafranko
Tattered Cover LoDo
Ruth Telea
Larry & Judy Trompeter
Steve Turner &
Steven Kick
Patricia Untiedt
Carolyn & John
Van Sciver
John Venhoff
Jane Wainwright
Barbara Wasko
Mary Ann Watson &
Flint Whitlock
Jeremy Wells
William West
Norma Wick
Monica Woodard
Nancy & David C. P.
Wyman
Mary Ellen Young
Fall 2011
Your Support
For 40 years our members and donors have
made it possible for us to continue our 40-year
legacy of protecting the historic places that make
our city a great place to live.
In the beginning of this year we announced
some changes that will help us widen our support,
strengthen our advocacy efforts and provide you
with the benefits that are most meaningful to you.
We now use a new term to describe all our
members and donors alike: Supporters. The name
change reflects a wonderful reality of giving - that the ways in which our
Supporters further our mission are as unique as our supporters themselves. From now
on, all individuals that provide us with financial support via annual support renewal,
holiday appeals and ticketed event attendance will be considered Supporters of Historic
Denver. As a Supporter you’ll receive all the same great benefits you’ve enjoyed as a member, including:
n Our informative monthly e-newsletter and electronic Preservation Alerts
n The Historic Denver News in print or electronic form
n Invitations to events, tours and programs and select discount opportunities
n A 10% discount in the Molly Brown House Museum Store
Supporters of Historic Denver with annual gifts of $100 or more will also receive
additional VIP benefits, including invitations to exclusive events and private tours – granting you access to historic places you’ve always wanted to explore.
Additionally, to save both money and paper, those of you who have provided us with
an e-mail address will receive your first renewal notice electronically so you can update
your support quickly and easily on-line. Should you miss that e-mail, or prefer not to use
e-mail, you will receive a letter in the mail during the same quarter you supported the
organization in the previous year. We hope you will continue to support our efforts at the
same level or perhaps a higher level when possible. We will of course continue to send you
our annual year-end appeal as well.
As we make this administrative transition, please do not hesitate to contact our offices
with questions or concerns. We are committed to providing all our Supporters with up-todate information on preservation issues, resources and activities and hope that this new
model will only increase our capacity to achieve our mission.
On behalf of everyone at Historic Denver and the Molly Brown House Museum,
thank you for your continued support!
Become a Supporter of
Historic Denver!
S U P P O R T E R I N F O R M AT I O N
New Supporter
Historic Denver
Holland & Hart is proud
to continue founding
partner Stephen H. Hart’s
commitment to historic
preservation.
-
Mark Davidson
Partner, Board Member
303-295-8572
madavidson@hollandhart.com
555 17th Street
Suite 3200
Denver, CO 80202
Business Supporter
Name/Business ____________________________________________________________
Address __________________________________________________________________
City_________________________________ State ___________ Zip Code ___________
Phone ______________________________ Alternate Phone ______________________
Email ____________________________________________________________________
$25
Proud Sponsor of
Renewal
$50
$100
$250
$500
Other $____________________
Please mail this form with payment to:
Historic Denver, Inc.
1340 Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO 80203
or
Call 303-534-5288 ext. 16 with your credit card information.
Historic Denver, Inc. is a 501 c3 and your contribution is tax-deductible.
We’re going green!
In our ongoing effort to be paperless, we’re doing a lot more communicating by email. Do we have your email address? In order to receive our monthly preservation and event e-newsletter and renewal
notices, please send your email address to: info@historicdenver.org or by telephone at
303.534.5288 x 5.
Note: Historic Denver does not trade or sell email addresses
www.hollandhart.com
Photo Courtesy of the Colorado Historical Society
Historic Denver Inc.
11
Fall 2011
calendar of
EVENTS
Victorian Horrors
Friday, October 14 & 21
Saturday, October 15 & 22
Performances begin every 15 minutes
from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
$15 for members, seniors & children,
$18 for non-members
Be spooked for the first time, or return
and be spooked again by a fresh
selection of wicked writings of long-dead
authors. Classic stories are brought to life
in the dim, flickering candlelight as Edgar
Allan Poe, HG Wells and others haunt
you with their tales of the macabre. Bring
someone to hold on to!
Halloween Full Tea
Saturday, October 29,
11:00 am & 1:00 pm
$20 / person
Halloween was a favorite Victorian holiday. Come explore our traditional decorations, enjoy special tea treats and show
off your spookiest or wackiest costume.
Best costumes win prizes!
Pumpkin Patch
Full Tea
Saturday, November 12,
11:00 am & 1:00 pm
$20 / person
Stay warm & cozy in our Victorian retreat
with a tour of Mrs. Brown’s home followed
by warm tea and yummy harvest inspired
treats on Mrs. Brown’s Third Floor.
Thanksgiving
High Tea
Friday, November 25, 10:45 am &
12:45 pm, $25/person
A great way to express thanks! Bring
friends and family to walk off the turkey
day calories on a guided tour and then
enjoy tea sandwiches and desserts on
Mrs. Brown’s Third Floor.
Holiday High Tea
Select Dates in December
$25/person
Step back in time to a true Victorian
Christmas. Lush garlands, mistletoe and
twinkling lights will greet you as you
enjoy a special holiday tea with family,
friends or co-workers. This event is our
most popular, so be sure to purchase your
tickets early, and don‚t forget to shop for
one-of-a-kind gifts in our award-winning
Museum Store.
“Twas the Night”
Candlelight
Christmas Tour
Friday, December 16, 6:00 pm, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 17, 5:00, 6:00 &
7:00 pm, $13 for members, seniors &
children, $16 for non-members
Enjoy the holiday traditions of Molly’s
time gone by with a special Christmas
tour of the Museum along with special
holiday readings, treats and perhaps even
an appearance from Old St. Nick himself.
Perfect for carolers, candy-cane lovers
and all the family!
12
Historic Denver Inc.
PRESERVATION FOR LIVING:
UPDATE ON THE HISTORIC DENVER WORKSHOP SERIES
Following the successful neighborhood preservation initiatives in Arvada,
Historic Denver’s workshop series continues throughout this summer and fall
of 2011, focusing on the communities of
Littleton and Curtis Park in Denver.
We are pleased to continue our
offering of four workshops, designed
to answer the most common questions
that owners of older homes have. The
workshops are:
HISTORIC
PRESERVATION
BASICS
This workshop is designed to provide a baseline of information regarding historic preservation, including what
historic designation really means, how
a property is nominated for designation, and the benefits and responsibilities
of designation, including how to take
advantage of the tax credits and grants
available for historic restoration of designated properties.
MASONRY &
WOOD TRIM
Old masonry is very different from
modern masonry construction, and
requires a set of skills and understanding
not commonly found today. This workshop will provide information about
causes of common masonry issues, and
how to perform repairs that will not
damage your property or cause additional problems with the masonry. In
addition to the topic of masonry, this
workshop also includes a segment on old
wood trim, including troubleshooting
problem spots, basic repairs, and what to
consider when replacement is necessary.
impact if spent on other upgrades first.
This workshop will provide solid economic and environmental reasons for
why old windows should be maintained
and upgraded, and will include a hands
on segment to demonstrate restoration
techniques, including lead paint issues.
ENERGY
EFFICIENCY FOR
THE OLDER HOME
Energy consumption is a concern for
all homeowners, if not for environmental
reasons then certainly for economic ones.
Historic Denver has worked in conjunction with SolarCity and Strawhat Pictures
to create a video that documents the
energy audit process in three older homes
in Curtis Park, Arvada, and Littleton to
determine where the energy loss is coming from and to detail the most appropriate fixes. This workshop will feature
the video, and a discussion on historic
methods of energy conservation. Finally,
a question and answer session with an
energy auditor to address your individual
concerns will wrap up the event.
All four workshops will be held
during several Saturday morning community events. We hope this format will
be attractive to busy homeowners and
create a more interactive, fun learning
experience for all attendees. If you are
the owner of an older home anywhere
in Denver or the surrounding areas, we
invite you to meet your neighbors and
learn how to care for your home. These
events are free and open to the public.
Dates will be set throughout the summer and fall, so please email or call Phil
Barlow at pbarlow@historicdenver.org
or 303-534-5288 ext. 7 to be placed on
a mailing list, or follow us on www.historicdenver.org as dates will be posted on
the main page of our website.
IN ADDITION,
Historic
Denver is continuing the process of
making video available online for the
masonry, wood trim, window, and
energy efficiency workshops. The
energy efficiency video is already online
at: http://www.historicdenver.org/
programs/preservation-for-living/
CHECK BACK
SOON TO SEE
THE NEW VIDEOS!
Preservation field services provided
by Historic Denver, Inc were assisted by
a Partners in the Field challenge grant
from the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. This project was also paid
for in part by a State Historical Fund
grant from the Colorado Historical
Society.
WINDOW
RESTORATION &
WEATHERIZATION
Windows are often seen as the first
target for homeowners seeking to make
their homes more energy efficient. This
is not the best course of action, however,
as your dollars will have a much greater
Performing a blower door test as part of Energy Efficiency for the Older Home Video