Denver, Colorado was pivotal in opening the passageway westward, allowing pioneers to expand. If not for expansion, we wouldn’t have the current homes we have today. Fast forwarding to the present, interior design in Denver is becoming more popular than ever. From Colorado’s mining aesthetics to overall mountain-themed design, the evolution of Colorado homes is attributed to its rich history.
It all started in 1858 when a prospector found a small vein of gold near the mouth of the Little Dry Creek. Over the next two years, 100,000 prospectors converged on the area in hopes of striking it rich.
Of course, the 100,000 weren’t all men looking for gold. Some arrived with families, and some women came to provide various services to the unorganized mining camps. The United States government was in turmoil during this time, primarily over slavery and the newly elected President Abraham Lincoln. Unfortunately, attempts by the expanding population for national recognition were not immediately successful.
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From Mining Camp to Metropolis
On May 29, 1959, the first Governor of the Territory of Colorado arrived in Denver City three months after the act of Congress created the official territory separate from the Territory of Kansas. In September of 1861, the first meeting of the Colorado General Assembly started the complicated task of creating order out of a mob of undisciplined and largely uneducated constituents. By November 1861, the government body created 17 counties in the territory, including the County of Arapahoe, and named Denver City Capital.
The United States admitted Colorado to the Union in 1876, and Denver City shortened its name to “Denver” upon becoming the provisional State Capital. In 1881 Denver became the official State Capital by state-wide vote. After the Civil War ended, more investment monies transformed Denver from a patchwork campground to a legitimate town.
Earliest Architecture
Miners made the first buildings in Denver out of wood. Locally sourced and roughly hewn, they were little more than shacks. Then, realizing the potential devastation from the fire, a fire brigade was formed. But unfortunately, the equipment never arrived, and the volunteers never trained.
A fire started in the center of Denver on April 19, 1863. The loss was estimated at over a quarter million dollars, not from the shabby structures burned but from the merchandise, stored goods, and personal effects consumed by the blaze. Following the fire, Denver enacted an ordinance prohibiting any new construction out of wood. Instead, Builders used bricks not only to replace the lost buildings but also to enlarge them.
The oldest residential structure in Denver is the Four Mile House. The history behind this fantastic property started in 1859 when two brothers and their families built a two-story log home. A year later, the brothers sold the property to a widow with two children. For ten years, she ran a train stop.
The house was likely named “Four Mile House” because it was four miles from the Denver train station. It became a regular stop for incoming passengers to stop, have a decent meal, and refresh before going to Denver. Four Mile House featured a bar and restaurant on the first floor and dances (a euphemism for entertainment) on the second floor.
Imported Architecture
1881 saw an influx of disposable income represented in the architectural style of public works. The architect of Denver Union Station used an architectural style called “Beaux-Arts,” a fusion motif from France. The cooperation between French neoclassicism, Baroque, and Renaissance designs created Beaux-Art architecture.
The Station has terrazzo floors. A Columbine (a wildflower) pattern lines the spaces’ edges. The beaux-Art architecture features ornate details not featured in more contemporary structures.
History Colorado reports that Denver’s historic buildings preserve at least 36 different architectural styles. Specific examples reflect the various people and economic climates. A partial list includes Rustic, Renaissance Revival, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Collegiate Gothic, Googie (a futuristic architectural style), and Art Deco.
Mixed Traditional Architectural Styles
There are remaining residential examples of the earliest architectural statements made in Denver. One of particular interest is the Molly Brown House. Most have heard of” the unsinkable Molly Brown” of Titanic history. However, you may not know that her wealth came from her husband, J.J. Brown, a mining engineer who had purchased stock in a gold mine in Denver that made them rich beyond their wildest dreams.
The house the Browns purchased was originally the home of another couple who had made their fortune in silver. Unfortunately, in 1893, the United States government repealed the Sherman Silver Purchase Act to stabilize the economy.
This meant that the government no longer purchased silver to coin money. A year after the owners completed the house, they sold it to Molly and J.J. Brown. The style of the home was a combination of Richardsonian Romanesque and classic Queen Anne.
Adapting various elements from different architectural styles became famous as the “nouveau riche” started building into the twentieth century in Denver. As builders developed new architectural styles, the characteristics of those styles appeared in eclectic neighborhoods. It was not uncommon to see a Victorian appearing house next to a glass and steel modern structure on the same street as a Bungalow.
Twenty-first Century
In the twenty-first century, priorities changed. A renewed preoccupation with sustainability and a return to more natural exposures and interiors developed. As a result, the popular “Prairie Modern” style of architecture seems to be the design de jour.
Prairie architecture is a style created by Frank Lloyd Wright around the turn of the twentieth century. The design is linear rather than horizontal to reflect the open plains of a prairie. This layout, combined with large windows and an open floor plan, leaves the Modern Prairie architectural concept open to individual adaptations.
Denver’s Architecture is a Reflection of Its Population
The history of Denver’s architecture is inseparable from that of the myriad of people that came together to form the city. A tour of historic neighborhoods in Denver reveals the ethnic mix and social position of the early immigrants that established their homes, community, and city.
The current architectural style of Denverites is open spaces with modern influences utilizing green energy solutions, which is a good indicator reflecting Denver’s population as a whole. The historical change in the population is how Denver homes evolved over time.
