Lafayette House
Lafayette House | |
| Location | 600 East Simpson Street, Lafayette, Colorado |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°59′52.7″N 105°5′2.46″W / 39.997972°N 105.0840167°W |
| Built | 1900 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, wood, miner's boarding house |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001300 |
| CSRHP No. | 5BL.823 |
| Added to NRHP | May 20, 1983 |
The Lafayette House is a historic boarding house located at 600 East Simpson Street in Lafayette, Colorado. Built in 1900, the house opened as a boarding house for coal miners working in nearby mines. The structure now serves as a private residence.[1] It is located at the southeast corner of East Simpson Street and South Finch Avenue.
History
The house originally opened as a boarding house for overnight guests in 1900.[2] In 1901 the house was owned by John V. Higgs who promoted it with the motto "The Best is None Too Good."[3] It later served as host for Baldwin-Felts detectives who were brought to Lafayette by coal mine owners to assist in stopping the Colorado Coalfield War.[2] During the 1940s, the house became the Pillar of Fire Church.[3] The wash house was converted to a nursery school, which was the only one in town at the time.[3]
The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 20, 1983.[4]
Architecture
The house is a large two-story rectangular house with a hip roof and small porches on the north and south sides.[3] The exterior was constructed using narrow clapboard siding.[3] The first story windows are bigger than the second floor and have the same simple surrounds with cornice heads.[3] There is a hitching post of Lyons sandstone on the west side of the house.[3] In the 1940s the interior wash house was converted to a nursery school.[3] In 1979 a porch was built on the north side and the house was repainted.[3] This house presently sites on its original site of construction.[3]
Significance
The house is Lafayette's best preserved boarding house. It contributes to the understanding of coal mining lifestyle and the history of the mining town.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Manuel M. Weiss (January 23, 1982). Architectural/Historical Component Form: Lewis House (Report). Colorado Preservation Office.
- ^ a b "Lafayette House | History Colorado". www.historycolorado.org. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Architectural Historical Component Form, Colorado Cultural Resource Survey, Colorado Preservation Office, Manuel Weiss, January 23, 1982.
- ^ "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Lafayette House". National Park Service. May 20, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2026. With accompanying photos