Capitol Hill Historical Homes Tour (Self Guided), Denver

The Byers-Evans House Museum is a Late Victorian home that has since been converted into a museum. This must-see site was built in 1883 by William Byers. Later, it served as a home to Anne Evans, who was known as a prominent arts patron. In fact, Evans was instrumental in the founding of the Denver Art Museum, the Denver Public Library and the Central City Opera.

The house is now owned by the Colorado Historical Society and operated by History Colorado. Located directly behind the Denver Art Museum, the Byers-Evans House Museum is open for guided tours. The house is also home to the Center for Colorado Women's History.

The home was built in an Italianate style and added to over the years. The restoration project, which was begun in 1981, restored the home to the way it looked at the turn of the 20th century. Approximately 90 percent of the house and museum's contents are original belongings of those who previously lived in the home.

Lucky tourists may find that their visit to the Byers-Evans House Museum coincides with one of the many special events that occur onsite. Some of these include book club meetings, writing lessons and cultural events.

Why You Should Visit:
The Byers-Evans House Museum is an important part of the city's history. It also offers insight into the important influence women have had in local culture.

Tips:
The home is an easy walk from the Denver Art Museum, but visitors should still call in advance to ensure the house is open as there are no self-guided tours. The cost is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors, $4 for children under the age of seven and free for members of the military and History Colorado.

The Molly Brown House Museum, also known as the House of Lions, is a significant historic landmark in Denver. This museum was once the residence of Margaret Brown, an American socialite, philanthropist, and activist who gained worldwide fame as the "Heroine of the Titanic" for her courageous efforts in aiding survivors of the ill-fated ship. Her legacy as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" is celebrated in this museum, which offers a rich interpretation of her life, the Victorian era in Denver, and the broader themes of historic preservation.

The house itself, a splendid example of late 19th-century architecture, was designed by William A. Lang and constructed in 1889. It blends various architectural styles popular at the time, including Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque, making it an architectural treasure. Originally built for Isaac and Mary Large, the house changed hands following the economic downturn. James Joseph Brown (J.J.), Margaret's husband, purchased the property in 1894, and it was later transferred to Margaret in 1898.

Throughout her life, Margaret Brown used the house in various ways, reflecting her dynamic and multifaceted personality. The Browns traveled extensively, often renting out the home during their absences. Notably, in 1902, the house served as the temporary governor's mansion while the official residence was being renovated. In 1926, as Margaret turned her attention to new ventures, she converted the home into a boarding house, managed by her housekeeper.

Following Margaret Brown's death in 1932, the house entered a new phase, serving various purposes over the decades. It functioned as a rooming house for men, a settlement house in the spirit of Jane Addams' Hull House, and a series of rental apartments. Recognizing its historical significance, the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated as a Denver Landmark, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

Today, the Molly Brown House Museum stands as a testament to Margaret Brown's enduring legacy and the vibrant history of Denver during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors to the museum can explore exhibits that offer insight into her remarkable life and the era in which she lived, making it a cherished cultural and historical site in Denver.

The Capitol Hill Mansion was built in 1891 in the Richardsonian Romanesque architectural style. The exterior of the home is made from locally sourced, Manitou sandstone. The exterior displays Gothic features, Corinthian columns and Victorian-era turrets.

The original residents of the home were Jeffrey and Mary Keating. Mary Keating was a prominent Denver socialite while Jeffrey was a highly influential real estate developer. It has gone through many changes over the years, from private home to hotel to apartments. It is now operated as a bed and breakfast.

The interior of the Capitol Hill Mansion retains most of its original furnishings, such as stained glass windows, oak paneling and a large, marble fireplace.

The Capitol Hill Mansion is located southeast of the Colorado State Capitol, about halfway between Civic Center Park and the Governor's mansion. Tourists will see a number of historic homes as they explore the area, but the conical roofs and turrets of the Capitol Hill Mansion stand out from among the others.

The Croke-Patteson-Campbell Mansion is a popular stop for lovers of architecture, historic homes and the paranormal. Whether one believes in the haunted history of the Croke-Patterson-Campbell mansion or not, it is well worth the time to see this historic home.

The mansion was built in 1891 by Colorado state senator Thomas Croke. Shortly thereafter, Croke sold the mansion to congressman Thomas Patterson. It was then lived in by Patterson's daughter, Margaret, and her husband, Richard Campbell.

The sandstone mansion encompasses four floors and 15,000 square feet. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In 2011, a renovation project began in the house that unearthed a number of artifacts from the mansion's early days. Items such as old newspapers, clothing and eyeglasses were discovered within the walls.

Believers in ghost stories know the Croke-Patterson-Campbell Mansion well. It is considered among the "most haunted" places in Colorado. People have reportedly seen ghostly apparitions, heard strange noises and experienced inexplicable changes in temperature.

The Crawford Hill Mansion once played a central role in the social life of Denver's high society. During its heydays, the house was considered as Denver's "social capitol" where the city elites schmoozed and partied.

The mansion was built in 1906 for Crawford and Louise Hill. Crawford Hill was a prominent newspaper magnate who inherited the "Denver Republican" upon the death of his father. He was also the second vice president of the Associated Press, director of the Colorado Museum of Natural History and president of a number of land companies and smelting firms.

Louise Hill came from a Memphis aristocratic family, so she was familiar with all the high society rules. She established herself as the leader of Denver's social life and was famous for creating the "Sacred 36", which is a group of individuals considered acceptable to the inner circles of New York and Newport, Rhode Island high society.

Each spring Louise Hill signaled the beginning of Denver’s social season by unveiling a life-size statue of a nude woman holding a bouquet of flowers in her garden. Louise Hill also wrote Denver's first social register.

The three-story mansion is in a French Renaissance Revival style and went through an extensive restoration in 1990s. It is registered as a historical landmark.

Although not available for touring, as today the former mansion serves as a law office, one can still admire its grandness from the outside and imagine the city elites coming and leaving the lavish parties that this place was famous for.

The Colorado Governor's Mansion was built in 1908. Architects Willis A. Marean and Albert J. Norton designed the mansion in the Colonial Georgian Revival style. It was not originally built as a home for the state governor but for the daughter of Walter Scott Cheesman, a Colorado real estate tycoon.

Gladys Cheesman lived in the home until 1923. At that point, the home was purchased by financier Claude K. Boettcher. In 1959, the governor of Colorado, Stephen McNichols, accepted the home as a gift to the state. Many of the state's governors have since lived in the home, either on a full- or part-time basis.

The public is welcome to tour the grounds of the home, including Governor's Park, which offers ample green space and walking paths. Public tours of the home are free, though visitors should call first to ensure the mansion is open.

The Governor's Mansion is located in the Quality Hill Historic District. It is a popular stop for tourists as it is an easy 30 minute walk from either Civic Center Park. Cheesman Park is also nearby, which offers the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory.

The John and Elivera Doud House, located in Denver, is a historically significant property closely associated with Mamie Eisenhower, the wife of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The house earned the nickname "the Summer White House" during Eisenhower's presidency due to the frequent visits by the First Family.

Mamie Eisenhower, born in 1896 in Boone, Iowa, moved to Denver with her family in 1905. The following year, her father, John Doud, purchased the house, where Mamie lived from 1906 until 1916. The house is a classic example of the American Foursquare architectural style, commonly referred to as a "Denver Square" in the local area. It features a rectangular footprint with dimensions of 32 feet by 36 feet.

The Doud House holds considerable historical importance due to its connection to the Eisenhower family. Mamie Eisenhower married Dwight D. Eisenhower in the music room on the first floor of the house on July 1, 1916. Their son, John Eisenhower, was born in Denver during the summer of 1922 while Mamie was residing in the house.

Throughout Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidency, the house served as a retreat for the family, making it a significant location during his time in office. The carriage house, initially built to park a car, was remodeled in the 1950s to accommodate servants and later housed Secret Service agents during the Eisenhowers' visits. Notably, President Eisenhower suffered a heart attack in the house on September 23, 1955, and received treatment at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colorado.

After the deaths of John and Elivera Doud, Mamie Eisenhower sold the house in September 1961. Today, the house remains in private ownership and is not open for public tours, but it can be viewed from the outside. Its rich history and connections to the Eisenhower family make it an important landmark in Denver.