Oct 29, 1982
- Charmaine Bantugan
National Register of Historic Places - Alfred Butters House (Butters House)
Statement of Significant: The Butters House attains significance by its association with its builder, Alfred Butters, a prominent political figure in Colorado in the late nineteenth century, as well as being a noted businessman within the state. In addition, the house was the residence of Charles Willcox, important for his connection with one of the most successful dry goods businesses in Denver of the early 1900s. Because of the subtle elegance of its detailing and its state of preservation, the house can also be said to be a significant example in Denver of the blending of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles. The house was designed by one of the Denver's most distinguished architects of the period, Frank E. Edbrooke (1840-1921), perhaps best known for his commercial architecture.1 Edbrooke was responsible for numerous buildings in the downtown area, including the Brown Palace Hotel (listed in the National Register in 1970) and the Equitable Building (listed in the National Register in 1978). However, it is also known that he designed at least forty residences in the city, of which the Butters House is one of few remaining. The architectural style of the house is a successful combination of Colonial Revival and Queen Anne. It was one of a number of grand houses built in Capital Hill between 1885-1893. The area was known as "Quality Hill" because of the large number of wealthy industrialists, bankers, lawyers, and other prominent people who made their home there. The Butters House can be said to be an important surviving representatives of this era, a period of tremendous growth and expansion, which was terminated by the silver panic of 1893. Two of the most notable residents of Capital Hill were Alfred Butters and Charles MacAllister Willcox, both of whom resided for a time at 1129 Pennsylvania. Butters built the house in 1890, were he resided until 1899. Butters' political career began with his election in 1874 to the House of Representatives in the territorial legislature, to which he was re-elected in 1876. In 1876 he was made Speaker of the House and, the same year, was nominated to the Senate of the first General Assembly of the newly admitted state of Colorado. He served two consecutive sessions in the state Senate.3 (At that time he lived on his ranch in Douglas County. It is not known if the residence is still extant.) While residing at his house on Pennsylvania, Butters served as vice president of the Colorado Savings Bank, president (1878-79) of the Colorado Cattle Grower's Association, and a member of the Board of Directors and Supervisors who built the Colorado State Capitol Building between 1890 and 1891. "In 1881, having amassed a comfortable fortune from stock raising and real estate, he retired from active business." Although Butters continued to live in the house on Pennsylvania until 1899, title was transferred in 1893 to William Gordon Russell, who lived in the house for thirteen years, from 1894 to 1908--apparently sharing it with the Butters family for five years. In 1908 he rented it to one of the most powerful men in Denver's history, "merchant king" Charles MacAllister Willcox (1870-1932), vice-president and general manager of the Daniels and Fisher Dry Goods Company. Willcox lived at 1129 Pennsylvania from 1908-1916, at the height of his long and powerful career. Before his employment with Daniels and Fisher, Willcox served in the 1890s as assistant adjutant general of Colorado and as such was in charge of the state National Guard during the bloody miners' strike in Leadville and Cripple Creek. These strikes, which took place in 1894 and 1896 are among the most noted strikes in United States labor history. In 1898 Willcox was recruited by William Daniels to run the major dry goods store in Denver--Daniels and Fisher. Under Willcox, the store became one of the great merchant businesses in the West. Willcox remained the major force behind the business until his retirement in 1929. One of his most visible achievements was the construction of the Daniels and Fisher Tower (listed in the National Register in 1969). It was Willcox who conceived and built the tower between 1910-12. In his later years Willcox became a tireless civic benefactor. As a director of the Denver National Bank, he built up the fortunes of both the bank and the city. He allied with Mayor Robert Speer to plan both Denver's impressive mountain park system and the Civic Center. He was also instrumental in the building of the Moffat Tunnel, one of the greatest engineering feats in the state of its era. In 1917 Willcox moved to 900 Pennsylvania (since demolished), the only other residence in Denver he considered home. Willcox died in 1932. The Rocky Mountain News, citing his place as Denver's first citizen," called his death an "occasion of great sorrow."5 On the exterior, the house remains essentially as it was when built in 1890. The interesting use of materials, the effectiveness and fineness of the detailing make it an important example of its style. Interior features, such as the oak paneling, the impressive stair rail and mantels in the front parlors, have been retained.
National Register of Historic Places - Alfred Butters House (Butters House)
Statement of Significant: The Butters House attains significance by its association with its builder, Alfred Butters, a prominent political figure in Colorado in the late nineteenth century, as well as being a noted businessman within the state. In addition, the house was the residence of Charles Willcox, important for his connection with one of the most successful dry goods businesses in Denver of the early 1900s. Because of the subtle elegance of its detailing and its state of preservation, the house can also be said to be a significant example in Denver of the blending of Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles. The house was designed by one of the Denver's most distinguished architects of the period, Frank E. Edbrooke (1840-1921), perhaps best known for his commercial architecture.1 Edbrooke was responsible for numerous buildings in the downtown area, including the Brown Palace Hotel (listed in the National Register in 1970) and the Equitable Building (listed in the National Register in 1978). However, it is also known that he designed at least forty residences in the city, of which the Butters House is one of few remaining. The architectural style of the house is a successful combination of Colonial Revival and Queen Anne. It was one of a number of grand houses built in Capital Hill between 1885-1893. The area was known as "Quality Hill" because of the large number of wealthy industrialists, bankers, lawyers, and other prominent people who made their home there. The Butters House can be said to be an important surviving representatives of this era, a period of tremendous growth and expansion, which was terminated by the silver panic of 1893. Two of the most notable residents of Capital Hill were Alfred Butters and Charles MacAllister Willcox, both of whom resided for a time at 1129 Pennsylvania. Butters built the house in 1890, were he resided until 1899. Butters' political career began with his election in 1874 to the House of Representatives in the territorial legislature, to which he was re-elected in 1876. In 1876 he was made Speaker of the House and, the same year, was nominated to the Senate of the first General Assembly of the newly admitted state of Colorado. He served two consecutive sessions in the state Senate.3 (At that time he lived on his ranch in Douglas County. It is not known if the residence is still extant.) While residing at his house on Pennsylvania, Butters served as vice president of the Colorado Savings Bank, president (1878-79) of the Colorado Cattle Grower's Association, and a member of the Board of Directors and Supervisors who built the Colorado State Capitol Building between 1890 and 1891. "In 1881, having amassed a comfortable fortune from stock raising and real estate, he retired from active business." Although Butters continued to live in the house on Pennsylvania until 1899, title was transferred in 1893 to William Gordon Russell, who lived in the house for thirteen years, from 1894 to 1908--apparently sharing it with the Butters family for five years. In 1908 he rented it to one of the most powerful men in Denver's history, "merchant king" Charles MacAllister Willcox (1870-1932), vice-president and general manager of the Daniels and Fisher Dry Goods Company. Willcox lived at 1129 Pennsylvania from 1908-1916, at the height of his long and powerful career. Before his employment with Daniels and Fisher, Willcox served in the 1890s as assistant adjutant general of Colorado and as such was in charge of the state National Guard during the bloody miners' strike in Leadville and Cripple Creek. These strikes, which took place in 1894 and 1896 are among the most noted strikes in United States labor history. In 1898 Willcox was recruited by William Daniels to run the major dry goods store in Denver--Daniels and Fisher. Under Willcox, the store became one of the great merchant businesses in the West. Willcox remained the major force behind the business until his retirement in 1929. One of his most visible achievements was the construction of the Daniels and Fisher Tower (listed in the National Register in 1969). It was Willcox who conceived and built the tower between 1910-12. In his later years Willcox became a tireless civic benefactor. As a director of the Denver National Bank, he built up the fortunes of both the bank and the city. He allied with Mayor Robert Speer to plan both Denver's impressive mountain park system and the Civic Center. He was also instrumental in the building of the Moffat Tunnel, one of the greatest engineering feats in the state of its era. In 1917 Willcox moved to 900 Pennsylvania (since demolished), the only other residence in Denver he considered home. Willcox died in 1932. The Rocky Mountain News, citing his place as Denver's first citizen," called his death an "occasion of great sorrow."5 On the exterior, the house remains essentially as it was when built in 1890. The interesting use of materials, the effectiveness and fineness of the detailing make it an important example of its style. Interior features, such as the oak paneling, the impressive stair rail and mantels in the front parlors, have been retained.
Oct 29, 1982
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