This article lists the oldest extant buildings in Colorado, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over Colorado. Only buildings built prior to 1880 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.
In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:
- be a recognizable building (defined as any human-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy);
- incorporate features of building work from the claimed date to at least 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) in height and/or be a listed building.
This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.
List of oldest buildings edit
| Building | Image | Location | First built | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa Verde National Park | 
|
Cortez, Colorado | 900 AD- 1350 AD | Residences | Cliff dwellings |
| Cliff dwellings at Canyons of the Ancients National Monument | 
|
Cortez, Colorado | 1300 AD- 1700s AD | Residences | Cliff dwellings |
| Capilla de Viejo San Acacio | 
|
Viejo San Acacio, Colorado | 1856 | Church | The oldest church in Colorado and the oldest building constructed by people of European descent in Colorado. |
| Fort Garland | 
|
Fort Garland, Colorado | 1858 | Fort | The fort has seven remaining original buildings. Kit Carson was stationed at the fort starting in 1866. |
| Coulehan-Johnson Cabin | Wheat Ridge, Colorado | 1859 | Residence | ||
| Doyle Settlement Schoolhouse | 
|
Pueblo County, Colorado | 1859 | School | The oldest one-room schoolhouse in Colorado and the last standing building in Doyle Settlement. |
| Four Mile House | 
|
Denver, Colorado | 1859 | Residence | Oldest house in Denver, possibly oldest frame house in Colorado.[1] |
| James H. Baugh House | 
|
Wheat Ridge, Colorado | 1859 | Residence | It is a log cabin encased inside a 1904 frame house. |
| 300 Spring Street | Central City, Colorado | 1859 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Cornish House | Central City, Colorado | 1860 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Raynold's Beehive | Central City, Colorado | 1860 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Washington Hall | Central City, Colorado | 1860 | Government | It served as the first courthouse and jail in Gilpin County. It was also a city hall and fire station. Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| 120 Spring Street | Central City, Colorado | 1860 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| 200 E 4th Street | Central City, Colorado | 1860 | Residence | ||
| McFarlane Foundry | Central City, Colorado | 1861 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Register-Call Building/Masonic Hall | Central City, Colorado | 1861-1862 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Teller Law Office | Central City, Colorado | 1862 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Francisco Plaza | 
|
La Veta, Colorado | 1862 | Residence/ Commercial | |
| Park County Courthouse | 
|
Fairplay, Colorado | 1862 | Government | The first courthouse of Park County and the oldest courthouse in the state. Moved to South Park City Museum in 1978 from Buckskin Joe, Colorado. |
| Peck House | 
|
Empire, Colorado | 1862 | Residence/ Commercial | |
| Virginia Dale Stage Station | .JPG)
|
Virginia Dale, Colorado | 1862 | Commercial | |
| 414 St. James Street | Central City, Colorado | 1862 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Barney L. Ford Building | .jpg)
|
Denver, Colorado | 1863 | Commercial | Built by Barney Ford, a wealthy businessman and civil rights pioneer who escaped from slavery. The building is the oldest commercial building remaining in Denver.[2] |
| Kimball-Cozens House | Central City, Colorado | 1863 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Gallegos-Easterday House | San Luis, Colorado | 1863 | Residence/ Commercial | ||
| Kimball House | Central City, Colorado | 1864 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Old City Hall | Central City, Colorado | 1864 | Government | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Penrose 2 | Central City, Colorado | 1864 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Pioneer Sod House | 
|
Wheat Ridge, Colorado | 1864 | Residence | |
| 402 Stevens Street | Central City, Colorado | 1864 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| St. James Methodist Church | Central City, Colorado | 1864-1872 | Church | The oldest Protestant church building and congregation in Colorado. The first services were held in the church in 1871.[3] Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Barnes-Peery House | 
|
Golden, Colorado | 1865 | Residence | Built by David Barnes, the first flour miller in Jefferson County. It is one of the oldest homes in the county as well. |
| Ladd House | Central City, Colorado | 1865 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| La Morada | San Luis, Colorado | circa 1865 | Religious | Former meeting place of the Penitentes. | |
| McClellan House | 
|
Georgetown, Colorado | 1873 | Residence | |
| Rooney Ranch | 
|
Jefferson County, Colorado | 1865 | Residence | |
| Roworth Building | Central City, Colorado | 1865 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Squires-Tourtellot House | 
|
Boulder, Colorado | 1865 | Residence | The oldest surviving home in Boulder. |
| Valencia Hotel | San Luis, Colorado | circa 1865 | Commercial | ||
| Walker Ranch Log House | 
|
Boulder County, Colorado | 1865 | Residence | The initial house of the Walker family before the construction of the frame ranch house. |
| Boggs House | 
|
Boggsville, Colorado | 1866 | Residence | The oldest remaining residence that was built in Boggsville by the namesake of the former town Thomas O. Boggs. It is of adobe construction. |
| Gully Homestead | 
|
Aurora, Colorado | 1866 | Residence | The oldest house in Aurora, Colorado. The original portion of the house is the rear kitchen wing believed to have been built in 1866. The main portion was built in 1870. |
| Hildebrand Ranch | 
|
Jefferson County, Colorado | 1866 | Residence | |
| 119 Eureka Street | Central City, Colorado | 1866 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and Medina Cemetery | 
|
Las Animas County, Colorado | 1866-67 | Church | |
| Astor House Hotel | 
|
Golden, Colorado | 1867 | Commercial | |
| Calvary Episcopal Church | 
|
Golden, Colorado | 1867 | Church | The oldest continuously used Episcopal church in Colorado. |
| Father Dyer Chapel | 
|
Fairplay, Colorado | 1867 | Residence/ Church | It was purchased and moved by Moved to South Park City Museum in 1981. |
| Hamill House | .jpg)
|
Georgetown, Colorado | 1867 | Residence | One of the oldest houses in Georgetown. It is now a museum. |
| Lake House | Central City, Colorado | 1867 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Prowers House | 
|
Boggsville, Colorado | 1867 | Commercial | Built by John Wesley Prowers an early settler and politician of Colorado. It served as a stagecoach station, school, county office, and general store. The house is of adobe construction and the woodwork was shipped from St. Louis. |
| Scott House | Central City, Colorado | 1867 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Thomas House | Central City, Colorado | 1867 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| 234 E. High Street | Central City, Colorado | 1867 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Fort Lyon | 
|
Bent County, Colorado | 1868 | Fort | Ten buildings date from the 1867 fort: four Lieutenant's Quarters, two Captain's Quarters, the Commanding Officer's Quarters, the old Army Hospital building, the Commissary Warehouse, and the Quartermaster Warehouse. |
| Mill City House | 
|
Dumont, Colorado | 1868 | Residence | |
| 128 Casey Street | Central City, Colorado | 1868 | Residence | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| 120 Spring Street | Central City, Colorado | 1868 | Commercial | Part of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District. | |
| Baca House and Outbuilding | .JPG)
|
Trinidad, Colorado | 1869 | Residence | |
| Kennicott Cabin | 
|
Custer County, Colorado | 1869 | Residence | Built by Frank Kennicott, one of the earliest settlers in Wet Mountain Valley. |
| Montoya Ranch | 
|
Farisita, Colorado | 1869 | Residence | |
| Quaker Flour Mill | 
|
Pueblo, Colorado | 1869 | Commercial | The oldest building in Pueblo that was heavily modified in 1890. |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Four Mile House:Denver County" https://www.historycolorado.org/location/four-mile-house
- ^ "The oldest buildings in Denver and why they matter We look at 15 of the oldest buildings in Denver for the Chart of the Week." by Adian Garcia, jun 21 2017https://denverite.com/2017/06/21/oldest-buildings-denver-matter/
- ^ Hostetter, Lance. "Prayer, worship and community keep Conejos flock strong". Valley Courier. NewsMedia Corp., Alamosa, Colorado. Archived from the original on December 11, 2010. Retrieved November 25, 2012.