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West Highland residents propose Packard’s Hill historic district
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Landmark Preservation Commission finds district meets criteria
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Seventeen owners and residents of the West Highland neighborhood have applied to designate their 6-block area of single-family houses as historic, based on its architectural and historical significance.
The proposed district, located roughly between 32nd and 35th Avenues, Lowell Boulevard and the alley between Osceola and Perry streets, includes an original portion of the original Packard’s Hill subdivision, developed beginning in 1886.
Many houses are Queen Anne style structures primarily built before the Silver Crash of 1893. As the economy recovered, the changes in popular architectural styles are seen in turn-of-the century classic cottages and Denver squares.
Preferences continued to evolve as bungalows, English cottages, and terrace type buildings became more prevalent. Packard’s Hill shows Denver’s history of building predominantly in brick, while following nationwide trends in popular building styles. It also contains structures designed by noted architect William Quayle and master stonemasons David Cox and Tilden Cox.
In addition to being representative of the movement of residents from Denver to West Highland, the proposed district is also significant for its strong association with Denver women’s history and women’s suffrage activists. Early residents included Minnie Ethel Luke Keplinger, an artist active in the movement to establish Denver’s first art museum; Spring Byington, an acclaimed Oscar- and Emmy-nominated actress; Mary E. Ford, a doctor; and Bird Bosworth, a writer and newspaper reporter who was active in women’s rights and temperance. Prominent residents also included two Denver mayors — William Fitz Randolph Mills and Benjamin F. Stapleton.
The Denver Landmark Preservation Commission found the proposed district meets criteria for history and architecture at a July 18 public hearing. The Denver Planning Board will review the application on August 2.
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Got the goods on City Park West?
Stop by "Discovery Day!"
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The Discover Denver citywide building survey has completed its field survey work in Virginia Village, and staff is working to assemble the data. Surveyors have just begun their work in City Park West.
Discover Denver will host a Discovery Day for City Park West on Saturday, July 29. Stop by and bring your photos, newspaper clippings, blueprints and memories of City Park West history. We'll scan documents to add to our collection as we research the history of all Denver's buildings! Learn more at discoverdenver.co.
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The 1600 block of Franklin Street, circa 1930.
Courtesy Denver Public Library
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City Park West Discovery Day
Saturday, July 29, 1-4 p.m.
Church in the City - Beth Abraham
1580 Gaylord St.
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Celebrating 50 years of preservation in Denver, continued....
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We’re more than halfway through our yearlong celebration of the 50th year of preservation in Denver. Follow @denvercpd on Twitter and Instagram for daily posts featuring one of Denver’s locally-designated landmarks, like this recent post on the history of the Elitch Gardens Theatre at 4655 W 37th Ave.:
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On the original grounds of Elitch Gardens — which were built by John Elitch Jr. and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Houck Elitch, on a 16-acre farm northwest of what was then the town of Highland — Elitch Gardens Theatre emerged from John’s vision to attract visitors to his country farm for picnics and outings. Having opened in a restaurant near a theater in California, where he lived before coming to Colorado, he developed an interest in vaudeville, actors and entertainers. He hired the architectural firm Lee & Liden to build an open air pavilion, which opened with the gardens in May of 1890 to huge success.
John died a little over a year later, but Mary continued the work on the theater, which was completed and enclosed the following year to form the octagonal theater building that remains today. No lesser stars than Vincent Price, Bernadette Peters, Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney and Debbie Reynolds — to name but a few — performed at the Elitch Gardens Theatre.
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Lend your expertise to help creative spaces
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Are you passionate about helping others achieve safe building designs, or promoting the adaptive reuse of Denver’s existing building stock?
As a complement to Denver’s proposed Safe Occupancy Program, Denver Arts & Venues is looking for 10 skilled architects, engineers, or contractors to volunteer their expertise toward preserving the city’s creative spaces.
In an effort to improve building safety, we hope to connect the tenants of these spaces with individuals (or firms) who are willing to offer pro bono consultations or discounted rates, and who have a working knowledge of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC).
To find out more about serving as a go-to resource, please contact Create Denver program administrator Lisa Gedgaudas at [email protected].
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About Landmark Preservation
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Landmark preservation is an important function of Denver Community Planning and Development. Denver City Council enacted the Denver Landmark Ordinance in 1967 to foster the protection, enhancement, perpetuation and use of structures and districts of historical, architectural and/or geographic significance.
Staff in our Landmark Preservation office and two landmark boards carry out that mission through design review, historic surveys and landmark designations. Staff also assists owners of historic properties by providing guidance and resources for preserving, maintaining and rehabilitating historic buildings and properties. You can learn more about Denver's preservation efforts at Denvergov.org/landmark. Follow us on Twitter at @DenverCPD.
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