1340 Pennsylvania St
Denver, CO, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Molly Brown House (The House of Lions)

Statement of Significant:

The House of Lions, or as usually called "The Molly Brown House," is an "emotional" landmark of Coloradoans, as well as an historical landmark. The house and its onetime residents, Molly and "Johnny" Brown, epitomize so many of the contrasting, colorful, lusty, gaudy, "rags to riches" elements in early Colorado history. It also reflects the tastes and exciting life style of one of Colorado's most colorful women, "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."
In recent years, the story of her life was made into a popular Broadway musical and a movie. The musical, entitled "The Unsinkable Molly Brown," did capture many of the significant elements that made Molly Brown a sentimental favorite to Coloradoans: A young, illiterate girl suddenly finding herself one of the richest women in Colorado; her unsuccessful attempts to bulldoze her way into Denver society (partially by her ostentatious residence) but her success in becoming a favorite in international society through polishing herself by travel and studying at the cultural centers of the world, her many charitable causes and her "never-say-die" attitude.

James J. Brown, better known as "Johnny" was representative of the many men who came to Colorado with little or no money and little or no prior knowledge of minerals or mining, through industry or just plain luck became overnight millionaires. Johnny Brown's success was due partially to the above, but the bulk of it was due to the extraordinary genius he developed in a short time for finding and evaluating mineral lodes This genius not only made his fortune, but added to that of other well-known figures in Colorado history, including David H. Moffat, John Campion, and Eban Smith.
Margaret Tobin (she was often called Maggie as well as Molly) came to Leadville, Colorado from Hannibal, Missouri, with her two brothers when she was only 15. Within a year, she met and married Johnny Brown, almost twice her age, Brown was involved with many mining properties in Leadville, and later would become involved in mining enterprises elsewhere in Colorado and the West. But his most famous mining discovery was the Little Johnny (or sometimes called Jonny) Mine in Leadville.
At Molly's insistence, the couple moved to Denver. They were not the original builders of the house at 1340 Pennsylvania St. It is believed construction on the house started in 1887 by George W. Clayton or Isaac N. Large, but was not completed because of financial problems. The Browns purchased the house in 1890 and completed construction in circa 1892. Molly herself who selected the lavish, even ostentatious, furnishings and decorations.
It was She had hoped this would help her win her way into Denver Society. But, if anything, it worked in reverse, and the so-called "Sacred Thirty-Six" of Denver completely bypassed her.
Snubbed, Molly began a series of journeys to the cultural capitals of the world, primarily New York, Paris and London, to study art, music, design, fashion, languages, etc. Some early trips she made with her husband, but gradually he stayed home more and more to mind his far-flung mining empire, and she went off by herself. They were legally separated later.
Molly became a well-known part of International Society. While in Denver, a parade of visiting royalty and international figures were made welcome at the House of Lions.

In 1912, on one return trip from Europe, she became a heroine of the sinking of the Titanic and acquired the nickname "Unsinkable" that colors her name today. She took charge of one of the lifeboats full of survivors and kept up their courage with her humor, toughness, and by leading them in song. In an interview after they were picked up, she shrugged it off by saying "I'm unsinkable."
Molly was also noted for her many charities, including greatly contributing to and leading the relief effort for miners and their families after the "Ludlow Massacre" in 1914; she was cited for her hospital work for entertaining the troops (she was known for her singing and recitations) during World War I; she preserved the Denver house of one of the city's best known poets, Eugene Field, and turned it over to the city; she erected the Mark Twain Memorial in her hometown of Hannibal, Missouri, and many other causes.
She attempted to turn her home over to the city of Denver as an art museum or other public purpose, but her two children prevented her from doing So.

Johnny Brown died in 1922 and Molly died in 1932 (at age 63). They were buried side by side in their daughter's (Benzinger) family plot in Westbury, Long Island.

The House of Lions has had several owners since sold by the family shortly after Molly's death. More recent and longtime owners have been the Evon C. Snyders and Arthur Leisenring. Currently Historic Denver, Inc., a citizens group working to preserve Denver landmarks, is leasing the home, with option to buy. They are conducting tours of the house as part of their fund- raising efforts to buy the house.