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OAHP 1403 Rev. 9/98

COLORADO CULTURAL RESOURCE SURVEY

A r c h i t e c t u r a l Inventory F o r m

(page 1 of 5)

I. IDENTIFICATION

stff 4J Official eligibility determination (OAHP use only) Date Initials

Determined Eligible- NR Determined Not Eligible- NR Determined Eligible- SR Determined Not Eligible- SR Need Data Contributes to eligible NR District Noncontributing to eligible NR District

A P P E D

Parcel Number: 0132200001000 1. Resource number: 5DV2089 2. Temporary resource number: 028 3. County: Denver 4. City: Denver 5. Historic building name: Smiley Junior High School 6. Current building name: Smiley Middle School 7. Building address: 2540 Holly St. 8. Owner name and address: Denver Public Schools, School District No. 1, 900 Grant St., Denver, CO 80203

II. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION /

Township 3S /NYZJ/4T N W 1/4 NW

9. P.M. 6th

10. UTM reference Zone 13 Easting 506,770 No~

11. USGS quad name: Commerce City, Colo.

Year: 1994 Map scale: 7.5' 12. Lot(s): N/A Block: N/A

Addition: N/A

Range 67W

1/4 of section

4,400,200

32

5 3 ! 4 ft. 3 t L c\WacWc( U T ^ s

Attach photo copy of appropriate map section.

Year of Addition: N/A

13. Boundary Description and Justification: The surveyed area consists of the school building and its associated campus.

III. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION

14. Building plan (footprint, shape): H-Shaped

15. Dimensions in feet: Length 319 X Width 399

16. Number of stories: 3 17. Primary external wall material(s) (enter no more than two):

Brick Terra Cotta

18. Roof configuration (enter no more than one): Flat 19. Primary external roof material (enter no more than one) Asphalt 20: Special features (enter all that apply): Towers. Decorative terra cotta. Finial. Chimney. Fence. Crenellation.

Resource Number: 5DV2089

Temporary Resource Number: 028

Architectural Inventory Form

Page 2 of 5

21. General architectural description: H-shaped, three-story, Tudor Revival style middle school with projecting gymnasium addition on east. Walls of variegated red and brown brick with substantial buff terra cotta ornament and terra cotta from foundation to first story window sills. Flat roof with crenellation and terra cotta coping. Facade (west) features central entrance flanked by octagonal brick towers topped by domes ornamented with green terra cotta and topped by finials. Entrance bay has crenellated parapet and plaque with name of school surmounted by green shield inscribed "1928." Entrance pavilion is clad with terra cotta and has band of quatrefoil ornament above windows. Wide central arched entrance has three sets of deeply recessed double doors with arcaded transoms. Windows above entrance are six-over-six-light double-hung sash with divided transoms; third story windows have segmental arch transoms. Flanking towers are three bays of four windows with shared terra cotta surrounds. North and south walls of west wing have crenellated roofs, paired windows with terra cotta surrounds on the upper stories, and entrances with terra cotta surrounds that have been filled in with stucco and modern flush panel doors. North and south walls of wing connecting east and west wings have two-story projections with window bays clad with terra cotta and with paired windows. Blind arches with stucco cladding on wall above projections. Rear wing has one-story bay on south with terra cotta at the foundation and around windows. Gymnasium projection has double-height walls with buff brick lower walls and brick piers. Projection on north has panels of rectangular opaque windows between piers.

22. Architectural style/building type: Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Tudor Revival

23. Landscaping or special setting features: Large urban site with playing fields on east, basketball and tennis courts to southeast, and parking to north. Building set back from Holly Street. Level site landscaped with grass, trees, and bushes.

24. Associated buildings, features, or objects:

Flagpole. Small brick building in southern courtyard.

IV. ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY

25. Date of Construction: Estimate Actual 1928 Source of information: Denver Public Schools

26. Architect: Williamson, George H. Source of information: Denver Public Schools

27. Builder/Contractor: Continental Construction Company Source of information: Denver Public Schools

28. Original owner: Denver Public Schools, School District No. 1 Source of information: Denver Public Schools

29. Construction history (include description and dates of major additions, alterations, or demolitions): In 1949 Raymond H. Ervin designed an addition, with seventeen classrooms, a music room, and a gymnasium, that almost doubled the space of the original school. The addition was designed to continue the Tudor Revival style of the original building. In 1963 Piel, Slater, Small & Spenst designed a girl's gym and auxiliary gym. Windows replaced.

Resource Number: 5DV2089

Temporary Resource Number: 028

Architectural Inventory Form

Page 3 of 5

30. Original location? Yes Date of move(s):

V. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 31. Original use(s): Education/School

32. Intermediate use(s):

33. Current use(s): Education/School

34. Site type(s): Public school building 35. Historical Background: Construction on a new junior high for the Park Hill neighborhood began in 1927. Architect George H. Williamson designed the three-story H-shaped Tudor Revival style brick school that was trimmed with buff terra cotta. Williamson, a graduate of East High, had designed the new East High in 1925. He has been described as "an innovative school architect who could incorporate modernity and efficiency in educational facilities while maintaining aesthetically pleasing design...." At the time of his death in 1936 he was cited as a "prominent Denver architect, who designed many of the city's most distinctive schools, institutional and office buildings...." General Contractor for the school construction was the Continental Construction Company.

The terra cotta main entrance facing the mountains to the west was flanked by huge octagonal towers surmounted by tourelles of brick, paneling, and domes accented by green terra cotta. Decorations of Tudor roses, shields, and banners ornamented the interior. The building was erected in stages, with a $470,000 center unit built first, and wings to be erected on the north and south as the school population grew. The auditorium seated about 1,000 and initially had a gymnasium floor. Other facilities included a wood shop, a print shop, girls' sewing rooms, food laboratories, seventeen regular classrooms, a library, a science room, a lunchroom and cafeteria, a music room, business rooms, an art studio, and offices. Denver Municipal Facts commented that "the Tudor towers of Smiley Junior High School, located in Park Hill, add to the beauty of its entrance. This fine building is near Montview Boulevard and its silhouette is among the satisfying sites of the northeastern section of the city." The Tudor style was selected "because of the agreeable manner in which this period of architecture lends itself to school house requirements; it permits concentration of architectural details at centralized features and entrances, wide window treatment affording generous light for all rooms and the use of blank wall spaces dignifying the masses of the building."

The first principal of the school, which opened on 5 September 1928, was George E. Hook. The school was named in honor of former superintendent Dr. William H. Smiley, who attended dedication ceremonies on 19 October 1928. Smiley, described as "one of Denver's best beloved citizens," was a graduate of Harvard who began teaching in Denver at Jarvis Hall (a private boy's school) in 1882. In 1886 he became a teacher of Latin at East Denver High School, subsequently serving twenty years as principal. He became superintendent of schools in 1912-1915, and in 1924 was appointed Superintendent Emeritus of Denver Schools. Smiley died in 1934.

In March 1949, the Denver School Board approved an addition to the school as part of its $21 million building program. The new addition, designed by Raymond Harry Ervin, was to include seventeen classrooms, a music room, a gymnasium, and a remodeled cafeteria. The addition almost doubled the space of the original school and was carefully planned to continue the Tudor style of the original building, and included red and brown bricks set in buff colored mortar and with light terra cotta ornament. The building was described as "a perfect blend of grace and beauty in color and line." Dedication ceremonies for the addition were held on 2 November 1950. In 1963, the firm of Piel, Slater, Small & Spenst designed a girls' gymnasium and auxiliary gym.

36. Sources of Information:

Denver Public Schools, Public Affairs Office, School files; Rocky Mountain News, 9 February 1927, 5 May 1928, 5;, 28 October 1928, 12 October 1936, 3, 24 March 1949; Denver Public Schools, Division of Planning and Engineering Services, "Proposed Smiley Junior High School Addition and Remodeling;" George Williamson, "The Smiley Junior High School;" East High School, Denver Landmark Nomination form;" Carl Ginn, "A Short History of the William H. Smiley Junior High School;" Smiley Junior High School Dedication Program, 19 October 1928; Colorado Historical Society, Architect files; Municipal Facts, May-June 1930.

Resource Number: 5DV2089

Temporary Resource Number: 028

Architectural Inventory Form

Page 4 of 5

VI. SIGNIFICANCE 37. Local landmark designation? No Date of designation:

Designating authority:

38. Applicable National Register Criteria: Yes A. Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad pattern of our history;

B. Associated with the lives of persons significant in our past;

Yes C. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or that

possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or.

D. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important to history or prehistory.

Qualifies under Criteria Considerations A through G (See Manual).

Does not meet any of the above National Register criteria.

39. Area(s) of significance: Education Architecture

40. Period of significance: 1928-1951

41. Level of significance: Local

42. Statement of significance: Smiley Junior High, completed in 1928, was part of the program to expand the Denver Public Schools system in the 1920s. Its design and setting reflected the influence of the City Beautiful movement. An addition in 1950 is associated with another important era of public school development in Denver. The building is representative of the Tudor-Revival style and of the work of architect George H. Williamson.

43. Assessment of historic physical integrity related to significance: Nonhistone additions to the building have not impacted the integrity of the original building and the 1950 addition.

VII. NATIONAL REGISTER ELIGIBILITY ASSESSMENT 44. National Register field eligibility assessment: Eligible 45. Is there National Register district potential? Discuss. N/A Only the individual school building was examined in this study.

If there is NRHP district potential, indicate contributing status: 46. If the building is in an existing NRHP district, indicate contributing status:

VIII. RECORDING INFORMATION 47. Photographic reference: 4: 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26.

Negatives filed at: Denver Public Schools Photographer: Roger Whitacre

48. Report Title: Historical and Architectural Survey of Selected Denver Public Schools, 2000 49. Date(s): March 2001 50. Recorder(s): R.L. Simmons/T.H. Simmons 51. Organization: Front Range Research Associates, Inc. 52. Address: 3635 W. 46th Ave., Denver, Colorado 80211 53. Phone number(s): (303) 477-7597

NOTE: Please attach a sketch map, a photocopy of the USGS quad map indicating the resource's location, and photographs.

Colorado Historical Society - Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation 1300 Broadway, Denver, Colorado 80203 (303) 866-3395

Resource Number: 5DV2089 Architectural Inventory Form

Temporary Resource Number: 028 Page 5 of 5

IX. DENVER LANDMARK CRITERIA

1. History

Yes a. Have direct association with the historical development of the city, state, or nation; or,

No b. Be the site of a significant historic event; or,

No c. Have direct and substantial association with a person or group of persons who had influence on society.

2. Architecture

Yes a. Embody distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style or type; or,

Yes b. Be a significant example of the work of a recognized architect or master builder; or,

No c. Contain elements of architectural design, engineering, materials, craftsmanship, or artistic merit which represent a significant or influential innovation; or

No d. Portray the environment of a group of people or physical development of an area in an era of history characterized by a distinctive architectural style.

3. Geography

Yes a. Have a prominent location or be an established, familiar, and orienting visual feature of the contemporary city; or

Yes b. Promote understanding and appreciation of the urban environment by means of distinctive physical characteristics or rarity; or,

No c. Make a special contribution to Denver's distinctive character.

Tier: 1 X. CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES

Terra Cotta ornament

Crenellated roof with terra cotta coping

Octagonal brick towers topped by domes with finials

Terra cotta plaque with school name and date

H-shape

Grouped windows with terra cotta surrounds

Arched main entrance with terra cotta and inset doors

Decorative terra cotta lintel ornaments above third story windows

Terra cotta cladding on lower wall to sill height

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