Vanished Denver Landmarks

by Mark A. Barnhouse

From its 1858 birth, the Mile High City has undergone continuous change, with each successive generation putting its stamp on Denver’s architectural character. Along the way, landmarks initially considered first class were later deemed disposable by those who had different visions of what Denver should be. Beloved buildings like the Tabor Grand Opera House, the Windsor Hotel and the Republic Building vanished. Historian Mark A. Barnhouse revisits these lost treasures along with the lesser known and rarely explored, including an apartment building dubbed “Denver’s Bohemia,” the humble abode of one of the early twentieth century’s most successful novelists and the opulent mansion of a man who gave Denver three consecutive baseball championships.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

Published October 11, 2021

Reviews

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched. I looked up just about every address mentioned in the book to see what has become of them. Every single one of them, I would very much like to trade for what once stood. Even the Arapahoe County Courthouse. I relished the photographs in the book, they really made an impact. I appreciated how the author didn't hide his disappointment over the losses. Highly recommend to those Colorado Homegrown who seek nostalgia to reflect on what once was.

"We revere the past because of its expression of man's creation. Expression, no matter how grandiose or naive, is impossible for us to duplicate, or yet even imitate, because we have either progressed or retrograded far from the state of mind that created them."
- Jules Jacques Benoit Benedict, architect
page 144

[Mayah Land · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a difficult read for me just because I was not interested in the topic. I did not like this book. If you’re in search of an information heavy book about local Denver landmarks, this book does a good job of getting to the point to present the information you’ll want.
The buildings discussed include stories of everything from murders to clothing. The book does not accumulate to one story but rather many small ones, making it difficult to have one big takeaway. Mark Barnhouse does a great job of putting the most important information on the pages about each aspect but does not let you chew on the information long. I would say that the broad lesson is that while these buildings are now gone, we can still remember the history of them.
If you are looking for general information about Denver’s lost buildings, this is the book for you, but keep in mind that there are some gruesome stories that may be too intense for younger audiences. Although I wouldn’t pick this book up again, it did complete the job I needed it to do.