Denver Co. is home to a surprisingly diverse collection of historic buildings. These photos represent some of my favorites as they capture a wide-range of some of Denver’s most interesting architectural styles:

Please check out the National Register for additional information on each photo as well as the Denver architect behind the creation.

Side note: The photo of the Denver Public Library also includes the seven-story addition which was completed in 1995.

Michelle A. Potter
Denver Realtor
RE/MAX Professionals

 

Photo credits: A big thank you to Johnathan J. Stegeman

Denver Squares, aka American Foursquares, are plentiful throughout Denver neighborhoods. The Silver Crash of 1889 called on simpler times.  As a result, the Denver Square replaced many of the opulent homes in the Victorian era as the home style of choice.

The photo reveals the abundance of varieties within the basic Square which vary by price, neighborhood and added adornments.

The Square in the upper left photo brings additional features found in the Classical revival period.  In the upper right corner, an added tower graces the basic Denver Square.  Each photo on the bottom captures the essence of the typical Foursquare.

Dominant features found in the Denver Foursquare:

 

Cubed or boxy shaped structure

Dormer window centered on the roof

Pyramidal shaped, hipped roof

Broad porch surrounded by columnar supports  

An “open floor-plan” when compared to its Victorian era predecessor

Usually 2-stories

Typically 4 rooms upstairs and 4 rooms downstairs

 

Where to find Denver Squares in Denver neighborhoods:

 

Cheesman Park, Capitol Hill (northern section), Country Club, Platt Park, Washington Park, and Uptown.

Feel free to contact me to assist you in selling or purchasing a Denver Square.

Michelle A. Potter

Denver Realtor

RE/MAX Professionals

Amazing photos of Italianate Denver homes courtesy of Johnathan J. Stegeman

Dr. Tom Paradis, Associate Professor at University of Northern Arizona University, classifies Italianate style homes in the Early National and Romantic Style time period.  Italianates became popular in America during the years between 1850 to 1890. Neighborhoods slightly north of Denver are home to many of these beauties.

Interestingly, Italianate style homes originated in England. Europeans spent numerous years revising and perfecting the style by borrowing features from homes of the original Italian Renaissance period. The home style arrived in America in the 1850’s.

Denver Italianate homes are primarily constructed of brick. The Denver fire of 1863 destroyed wooden structures which thereby encouraged the use of brick in rebuilding homes beyond that point.

Predominant characteristics of Italianate Homes:

Vertical – at least two stories in height

Segmented Roman arches adorn the area above the windows

Small ornamental chimney

Low hipped roof

Bracketed eves (usually paired) under the roof

Bay window is typically the focal point

More elaborate designs include a widows-walk

Tall narrow windows

Symmetrical front door often with a Roman arch above the door

Curtis Park (north of Denver) and surrounding neighborhoods offer a wide variety of single family and row home Italianate styles of architecture.  Feel free to contact me with your listing or buying needs in this Denver neighborhood.

Michelle A. Potter

Denver Realtor

RE/MAX Professionals

Fabulous photos of Denver Victorian Era homes courtesy of Johnathan J. Stegeman

The Victorian Era home styles includes: Second Empire Homes (1860-1880); Romanesque Revival (1870-1900); Queen Anne/Stick/Eastlake (1880’s-1910) and Folk Victorians.

The term Victorian refers to a time period in history that encompasses several different architectural styles starting between 1840 and 1860 and continuing roughly through 1910.  The advent of the machine age allowed for the mass production of common ornaments specific to the Victorian age.

Colorado became a State in 1876 which dovetails perfectly with the Victorian-Era period. This also explains the prevalence of Victorians found in older Denver neighborhoods.

The following lists are loose compilations addressing chief architectural features found on Victorian period homes.  Few Denver homes are true or exact representations of the Victorian time period.  Over time, Denver homeowners frequently added adornments that were out of sync within the integrity of the original design.

Characteristics of Second Empire Homes:

(Uncommon in Denver)

Mansard roof

Dormer windows protrude from the roof

Brackets under the bay windows, eaves and balconies

Usually have a small porch entrance-way at front door

Linear windows on main floor

Features of Romanesque Revival Homes:

Typically used for extravagant public buildings or homes for the exceptionally wealthy

Inspired in the United States by Architect Henry Hobson Richardson

Heavier than other styles in the Victorian period

Rounded arches

Semi-circular arches on window and doors openings

Gabled roofs

Square or polygonal towers

Beltcourses

Characteristics of Queen Anne Homes:

Complex roofline

Mixture of size and shaped windows – bay windows typically surrounded by smaller sized colored glass windows.

Asymmetrical shapes used creating an unbalanced look

Hipped, steeply pitched roofs with cross gable(s) in decorative patterns

Fish scale shingle patterns

Wrap-around porches frequently extending around the side of the house

Elaborate exterior details and liberal use of trim work

Massive main bay windows

Chimney(s) with decorative caps

Round tower

Features of Stick Homes:

Popularized by English furniture designer Charles L. Eastlake

More linear than the Queen Anne

Lacy balconies

Less formal than the Queen Anne

Exterior clapboards and shingles are divided by vertical & horizontal boards

Column less symmetrical

Beaded Spindles

Characteristics of Folk Homes:

Often referred to as the “working class” version in the Victorian Era

More symmetrical than either the Queen Anne or the Stick

Usually missing elaborate bay windows, balconies, and 2^nd floor overhangs

Less elaborate construction

Simplified, smaller and plainer than the noted Victorian cousins

The variety of  Denver home styles during the Victorian period is fairly vast.  Denver Neighborhoods offering Victorian-Era Homes: Park Hill, Baker, Curtis Park, Five Points, Capitol Hill, Chessman Park, Congress Park and the Highlands.

***I used the classification system for determining Denver architectural home styles provided by Dr. Tom Paradis, Associate Professor at Northern Arizona University from his website American Architectural Styles Dr. Paradis also offers a downloadable “Architectural Field Guide” on his site that is a great tool to use when identifying Denver architectural styles.

Please feel free to contact me should you be interested in purchasing or selling one of these amazing homes.

Michelle A. Potter

Denver Realtor

RE/MAX Professionals