List of the oldest buildings in Colorado explained

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:

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

BuildingImageLocationFirst builtUseNotes
Mesa Verde National ParkCortez, Colorado900 AD- 1350 ADResidencesCliff dwellings
Cliff dwellings at Canyons of the Ancients National MonumentCortez, Colorado1300 AD- 1700s ADResidencesCliff dwellings
Capilla de Viejo San AcacioViejo San Acacio, Colorado1856ChurchThe oldest church in Colorado and the oldest building constructed by people of European descent in Colorado.
Fort GarlandFort Garland, Colorado1858FortThe fort has seven remaining original buildings. Kit Carson was stationed at the fort starting in 1866.
Coulehan-Johnson CabinWheat Ridge, Colorado1859Residence
Doyle Settlement SchoolhousePueblo County, Colorado1859SchoolThe oldest one-room schoolhouse in Colorado and the last standing building in Doyle Settlement.
Four Mile HouseDenver, Colorado1859ResidenceOldest house in Denver, possibly oldest frame house in Colorado.[1]
James H. Baugh HouseWheat Ridge, Colorado1859ResidenceIt is a log cabin encased inside a 1904 frame house.
300 Spring StreetCentral City, Colorado1859ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Cornish HouseCentral City, Colorado1860ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Raynold's BeehiveCentral City, Colorado1860CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Washington HallCentral City, Colorado1860GovernmentIt 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 StreetCentral City, Colorado1860CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
200 E 4th StreetCentral City, Colorado1860Residence
McFarlane FoundryCentral City, Colorado1861CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Register-Call Building/Masonic HallCentral City, Colorado1861-1862CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Teller Law OfficeCentral City, Colorado1862CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Francisco PlazaLa Veta, Colorado1862Residence/ Commercial
Park County CourthouseFairplay, Colorado1862GovernmentThe 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 HouseEmpire, Colorado1862Residence/ Commercial
Virginia Dale Stage StationVirginia Dale, Colorado1862Commercial
414 St. James StreetCentral City, Colorado1862ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Barney L. Ford BuildingDenver, Colorado1863CommercialBuilt 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 HouseCentral City, Colorado1863ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Gallegos-Easterday HouseSan Luis, Colorado1863Residence/ Commercial
Kimball HouseCentral City, Colorado1864ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Old City HallCentral City, Colorado1864GovernmentPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Penrose 2Central City, Colorado1864ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Pioneer Sod HouseWheat Ridge, Colorado1864Residence
402 Stevens StreetCentral City, Colorado1864ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
St. James Methodist ChurchCentral City, Colorado1864-1872ChurchThe 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 HouseGolden, Colorado1865ResidenceBuilt by David Barnes, the first flour miller in Jefferson County. It is one of the oldest homes in the county as well.
Ladd HouseCentral City, Colorado1865ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
La MoradaSan Luis, Coloradocirca 1865ReligiousFormer meeting place of the Penitentes.
McClellan HouseGeorgetown, Colorado1873Residence
Rooney RanchJefferson County, Colorado1865Residence
Roworth BuildingCentral City, Colorado1865CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Squires-Tourtellot HouseBoulder, Colorado1865ResidenceThe oldest surviving home in Boulder.
Valencia HotelSan Luis, Coloradocirca 1865Commercial
Walker Ranch Log HouseBoulder County, Colorado1865ResidenceThe initial house of the Walker family before the construction of the frame ranch house.
Boggs HouseBoggsville, Colorado1866ResidenceThe oldest remaining residence that was built in Boggsville by the namesake of the former town Thomas O. Boggs. It is of adobe construction.
Gully HomesteadAurora, Colorado1866ResidenceThe 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 RanchJefferson County, Colorado1866Residence
119 Eureka StreetCentral City, Colorado1866ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and Medina CemeteryLas Animas County, Colorado1866-67Church
Astor House HotelGolden, Colorado1867Commercial
Calvary Episcopal ChurchGolden, Colorado1867ChurchThe oldest continuously used Episcopal church in Colorado.
Father Dyer ChapelFairplay, Colorado1867Residence/ ChurchIt was purchased and moved by Moved to South Park City Museum in 1981.
Hamill HouseGeorgetown, Colorado1867ResidenceOne of the oldest houses in Georgetown. It is now a museum.
Lake HouseCentral City, Colorado1867ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Prowers HouseBoggsville, Colorado1867CommercialBuilt 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 HouseCentral City, Colorado1867ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Thomas HouseCentral City, Colorado1867ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
234 E. High StreetCentral City, Colorado1867ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Fort LyonBent County, Colorado1868FortTen 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 HouseDumont, Colorado1868Residence
128 Casey StreetCentral City, Colorado1868ResidencePart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
120 Spring StreetCentral City, Colorado1868CommercialPart of the Central City/Black Hawk Historic District.
Baca House and OutbuildingTrinidad, Colorado1869Residence
Kennicott CabinCuster County, Colorado1869ResidenceBuilt by Frank Kennicott, one of the earliest settlers in Wet Mountain Valley.
Montoya RanchFarisita, Colorado1869Residence
Quaker Flour MillPueblo, Colorado1869CommercialThe oldest building in Pueblo that was heavily modified in 1890.

See also

Notes and References

  1. "Four Mile House:Denver County"https://www.historycolorado.org/location/four-mile-house
  2. "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/
  3. Web site: Hostetter. Lance. Prayer, worship and community keep Conejos flock strong. Valley Courier. NewsMedia Corp., Alamosa, Colorado. November 25, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20101211070328/http://conejosvacation.com/conejos_colorado_news/blog.php?BlogID=3. December 11, 2010. dead.