Mountain States Telephone Building

Coordinates: 39°44′41″N 104°59′42″W / 39.74472°N 104.99500°W / 39.74472; -104.99500
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Telephone Building
Mountain States Telephone Building is located in Colorado
Mountain States Telephone Building
Mountain States Telephone Building is located in the United States
Mountain States Telephone Building
Location931 14th St.,
Denver, Colorado
Coordinates39°44′41″N 104°59′42″W / 39.74472°N 104.99500°W / 39.74472; -104.99500
Arealess than one acre
Built1929
ArchitectWilliam N. Bowman; et al.
Architectural styleLate Gothic Revival, "Modern American Perpendicular Gothic"
MPSDowntown Denver MPS
NRHP reference No.04001555[1]
CSRHP No.5DV.522
Added to NRHPJanuary 26, 2005

The Mountain States Telephone Building (also known as Telephone Building) is a historic building located at 931 14th Street in Denver, Colorado, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 26, 2005.[1]

It served as the headquarters of the Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company, later known as Mountain Bell. Constructed in a variant of the Gothic Revival style named "Modern American Perpendicular Gothic," the building was designed by local architect William N. Bowman. The new building, completed in 1929, was built to provide dial telephone service for the first time in Denver.[2]

It is a 15-story building with buff-colored terra cotta, on a pink granite base. According to its NRHP nomination, the "Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company, the building's original owner, called its architectural style 'Modern American Perpendicular Gothic,' referring to its setbacks, massing, vertically, and Gothic Revival style ornamentation."[3] The Gothic Revival architecture of the Mountain States Telephone Building is featured on many of Denver's Architectural tours.[4][5]

The entrance of the building features 13 murals from the history of telecommunications by Allen Tupper True,[6][7] which were painted in 1929.[8] The murals are located at several of the entrance lobbies and in one location inside the building.[9]

mural by Allen Tupper True, 1929, Denver Telephone Building

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "Directory of Colorado State Register Properties: Denver City & County (S-Z)". Colorado Historical Society Office of Archaeology and Historic Planning. Archived from the original on November 21, 2010. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  3. ^ R. Laurie Simmons; Thomas H. Simmons (October 2004). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Telephone Building / 5DV522". National Park Service. Retrieved October 24, 2017. With 15 photos.
  4. ^ "Denver Architectural Scavenger Hunt". letsroam.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  5. ^ "Rocky Mountain Cultural Tour=2020-01-14".
  6. ^ "Telephone building" Colorado Encyclopedia Accessed Oct. 9, 2021
  7. ^ Hill, David "Historic Allen True murals centerpiece of new downtown Denver hotel" CPR.org (Colorado Public Radio) accessed Oct. 9, 2021
  8. ^ Zimmer, Amy "The murals of Allen True" Colorado Virtual Encyclopedia Accessed Oct. 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "Allen Tupper True Murals" Telecommunications History Group Accessed Oct. 9, 2021.

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