The HiPP is a distinct and standalone plan developed alongside of and used to inform the Parks and Recreation Department Plan Update. The aligned process ensures efficiency and effectiveness in the process for research, community engagement, and staff resources. The aligned outcomes of the plans will be used in current and future departmental, city, county, and state planning initiatives.
BOULDER HISTORIC PLACES PLAN
MAY 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction Project Overview .................................................................................................................1-1 Methodology .......................................................................................................................1-2 Project Process and Community Outreach .....................................................................1-3
Historic Resources Historic Structures
Glen Huntington Bandshell ................................................................................................2-1 Harbeck-Bergheim House ..................................................................................................3-1 Boulder Fire Station No. 02 .................................................................................................4-1 Roney Farmhouse ...............................................................................................................5-1 Platt Farmhouse ...................................................................................................................6-1 Historic Districts Chautauqua Park - Colorado Chautauqua NHL.............................................................7-1 Columbia Cemetery............................................................................................................8-1 Pearl Street Mall ..................................................................................................................9-1
Archeological Resource Boyd Smelter/Mill Site.........................................................................................................10-1
Rolling Stock / Railroad Resources.........................................................................................11-1 Colorado & Northwestern Railroad Locomotive No. 30 Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Caboose No. 04990 Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Coach No. 280 Appendices Roney Farmhouse, Architectural Inventory Form.............................................................A-1 Boyd Smelter/Mill Site, Colorado Cultural Resource Survey Management Data Form.......................................................................................B-1
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Boulder Historic Places Plan Table of Contents
ii
INTRODUCTION Project Overview
The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department (BPR) owns and manages twelve historically significant resources. They include five structures, three historic districts, one archaeological resource, and three rolling stock. These resources include a National Historic Landmark (NHL), three listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), two listed in the State Register of Historic Places (SRHP), and nine local Boulder landmarks. • Historic Structures: Glen Huntington Bandshell, Harbeck-Bergheim House, Boulder Fire Station No. 02, Roney Farmhouse, and Platt Farmhouse; • Historic Districts: Chautauqua Park (Colorado Chautauqua NHL), Pearl Street Mall, and Columbia Cemetery; • Archaeological Resource: Boyd Smelter/Mill Site; • Rolling Stock / Railroad Resources: Colorado & Northwestern Railroad Locomotive No. 30 and its tender, Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Caboose No. 04990, and Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad Coach No. 280. The Boulder Historic Places Plan (the HiPP) is a preservation planning document that will assist the city and BPR in proactively managing the department's historic resources. The HiPP provides baseline documentation, historic context and significance statements, and reconnaissance-level assessments for each resource. The HiPP provides guidance for recommended treatments for the long-term care and stewardship of each resource, and identifies top priorities for immediate and short-term repair or stabilization. The HiPP provides the base for BPR's on-going investment in these resources, and will be used in development of the department's annual HCA Capital Strategy including estimates and multiple year planning priorities. 5 Each resource is documented at a similar level with some variation based on scope and resource type, e.g., architectural and structural assessments and treatment actions are provided for the five structures. Landscape assessments are provided for the historic districts, along with structural assessments for select structures and features within each district. An architectural inventory form is included for Roney Farmhouse and a cultural resource inventory is provided for Boyd Smelter / Mill Site. Each resource is presented as an independent section. The exception is the Railroad Resources section in which the three rolling stock are presented in one combined section. Rehabilitation, which emphasizes repair and protection and allows new additions, is the selected treatment approach for all historic structures and for the historic districts of Chautauqua Park and Pearl Street Mall. Preservation, which allows for code upgrades and emphasizes resource protection, is the selected treatment approach for the Railroad Resources and Columbia Cemetery. The HiPP as developed under the guidance of BPR staff with input from stakeholders and the community. The HiPP was paid for in part by a History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF) grant, who also provided review and oversight. Goals of the Project Project objectives, developed in collaboration with BPR staff, and in consultation with SHF staff, guide the development of the HiPP.
• Identify, review, and assess current and previous documentation;
• Assess condition, analyze integrity, and identify character-defining features for each structure and contributing features for each landscape using readily available data and reconnaissance level review;
• Provide treatment guidance and recommendations resource based on assessments and input from city staff, stakeholders, and the community;
• Identify top priorities for treatment to assist city staff in identifying funding and management strategies, and in identifying opportunities for community involvement, programming, and education.
5 The HiPP closely resembles a master plan in scope, as defined by the city's hierarchial system for naming planning documents.
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Boulder Historic Places Plan
Relevant Planning Initiative and Background Documentation The HiPP builds upon previously developed planning assessments, studies, investigations, and documentation completed for each resource as well as city-wide initiatives that inform planning for historic resources within the City of Boulder. A full list of resources noting previous documentation, designations, and studies used to support the HiPP's findings and recommendations is included within each section. Several past and current city-wide planning efforts influence the preservation and treatment of one or more historic resource managed by BPR. These efforts include the city's Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update, adopted in 2022 that provides a strategic framework and policies to guide future improvements including those for historic resources. Other relevant initiatives include the city's General Design Guidelines for Boulder’s Historic Districts and Individual Landmarks, 2007 and A Sense of Place, a Sense of Purpose – A Plan for the City of Boulder’s Historic Preservation Program, 2013. Relevant planning documents for individual resources include the city's Master Plan for Boulder’s Civic Area, 2015, which includes Glen Huntington Bandshell, and is scheduled for an update. The 2006 Downtown Urban Design Guidelines provide guidance for the historic buildings and structures within Boulder's downtown, including those adjacent to Pearl Street Mall. The HiPP builds upon previous documentation and planning already completed for each resource. The HiPP relies upon previous studies to present history, significance, and relevance to the national and state register and local designations, and to support findings of integrity. Relevant studies, documentation, and planning guidance varies by resource and generally includes listings in the state and national registers, designations by Boulder Landmarks Board, and previous condition assessments and feasibility studies, and master plans. Documentation and recommendations for Columbia Cemetery reference the 1997 Columbia Cemetery Preservation Master Plan .
Methodology
The HiPP is a preservation planning document that follows a consistent methodology for each resource to provide a comprehensive overview of BPR's historic resources and approaches needed for their preservation and stewardship. The HiPP was prepared by an interdisciplinary team of historic preservation specialists, archaeologists, structural engineers, historic architects and historic landscape architects, all of whom are versed in the Secretary of Interior Standards. The HiPP is informed by work sessions and collaboration with city staff, review and oversight by SHF staff in accordance with the SHF funding, and by following accepted preservation standards. The HiPP was prepared using a consistent approach to research, assessment and treatment recommendations for all resources. It was based on using previously completed documentation and conducting limited field reconnaissance. Readily available data was provided by the city and repositories that included state and national register nominations, and the state's archeological record. Data included historic resource studies, inventory forms, nominations and listings in the state and national register, and designations as city landmarks. A determination of eligibility for listing in the State or National Register of Historic Places is not included. Where a resource is listed or has been deemed eligible or ineligible for listing, this is included and used to evaluate integrity. Analysis of integrity was evaluated according to The Secretary of the Interior’s seven aspects of integrity. Accessibility was assessed in accordance with ADA. Treatment guidance is provided for each historic resource, identifying where repair is needed to reveal historic features, retain character, and maintain integrity. Treatment recommendations are guided by The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes and The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation . All future work shall be in accordance with these standards and accomplished by using accepted preservation methods detailed by the National Park Service and Chapter 9-11 (Historic Preservation) of the Boulder Revised Municipal Code. All work shall be in accordance with the City of Boulder General Guidelines for Historic Districts and Individual Landmarks. Design guidance is provided for several historic resources including Chautauqua Park, in which improvements are reviewed by the Boulder Landmarks Board through the Chautauqua Design Guidelines and Chautauqua Park Historic District Lighting Design Guidelines .
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Introduction
Project Process and Community Outreach The HiPP was developed through a collaborative planning process involving city staff, History Colorado's State Historical Fund (SHF) staff, multiple stakeholders, and the Boulder community. The planning process included multiple work sessions with BPR staff and discussions with the Colorado Railroad Museum who manages the city's Railroad Resources. The planning process was guided by a community outreach process that included eight (8) stakeholder workshops and discussions, public open houses, and community events. Updates on the planning progress were provided in tandem with the 2022 Boulder Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update. Community events included surveys and a scavenger hunt. This outreach process and community involvement was fundamental in informing the HiPP's assessments and in guiding treatment recommendations.
The HiPP will be presented to the Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) in 2023 for discussion and action before being presented to Boulder Landmarks Board and Boulder City Council.
Project Timeline
1-3
Boulder Historic Places Plan
1-4
Introduction
GLEN HUNTINGTON BANDSHELL
MAY 2023
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
GRANTOR History Colorado, State Historical Fund* • Jenny Deichman, Historic Preservation Grant Specialist • Korbin Pugh, Contracts Specialist & Property Protection Coordinator GRANTEE City of Boulder Parks and Recreation • Mark Davison, Senior Planning Manager • Regina Elsner, Senior Manager • Tina Briggs, Parks Planner • Charlotte O'Donnell, City Planner • David Choate, Historic and Cultural Asset Program Manager
CONSULTANTS MUNDUS BISHOP
RATIO Architects, Inc. • David Kroll, AAIA, Director of Preservation • Leanna De La Torre, AIA, Architect • Ashley Russell, Historic Preservation Specialist JVA Consulting Engineers • Ian Glaser, PE, Principal, Historic Preservation Director • Christine Britton, PE, Project Engineer • Riley Marshall, Design Engineer I IMAGE CREDITS
Current-day (2020, 2021, 2022) photographs provided by Mundus Bishop, RATIO, and JVA. Historic photographs (pre-2020) provided by the City of Boulder or from online archives at the Carnegie Branch Library for Local History and Boulder Historical Society Collection, unless otherwise noted. STATEMENT The report documents the history, significance, integrity and existing condition and provides treatment guidance for the resource. It does not evaluate for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. If the resource has been previously listed or evaluated it is referenced and footnoted.
*This project is / was paid for in part by a History Colorado State Historical Fund grant. The content and opinions contained herein do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of History Colorado.
Common Terminology........................................................2-4 Property Overview...............................................................2-5 Designation, Eligibility, & Classification Summary ............2-5 Designation Boundary . .......................................................2-6 History & Significance ..........................................................2-7 Integrity...............................................................................2-11 Existing Condition . .............................................................2-14 Landscape Condition . ..................................................2-14 Architectural Description ..............................................2-19 Architectural Condition .................................................2-20 Structural Condition .......................................................2-22 Contributing and Non-Contributing Features . ...........2-25 Additional Images .............................................................2-26 Sketches ..............................................................................2-30 Treatment...........................................................................2-32 Resources . ..........................................................................2-36 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Figure 1-1. Glen Huntington Bandshell within Central Park in Boulder, Colorado, 1940s (source: Carnegie Branch Library for Local History)
COMMON TERMINOLOGY
State/National Register Terminology 1 2 Area of Significance - an aspect of historic development in which a property made contributions for which it meets the National Register criteria, such as architecture, entertainment or recreation. Character-Defining Features - the elements that account for the overall shape of the building, its materials, craftsmanship, decorative details, interior spaces and features, as well as the various aspects of its site and environment. Compatible Feature - a prominent or distinctive aspect, quality, or characteristic of a cultural landscape that contributes significantly to its physical character. Land use patterns, vegetation, furnishings, decorative details and materials may be such features.
Contributing Resource - a building, site, structure, object, or feature adding to the significance of a property.
Designation Boundary - the boundary defined by the Landmarks Board and City Council that encompasses a historic property. This boundary represents a physical area in which any future alterations have historic preservation review associated with them.
Eligibility - ability of a property to meet the State/National Register criteria.
Evaluation Criteria - the established criteria for evaluating the eligibility of properties for inclusion in the State Register and National Register of Historic Places and its level of significance—local, state, or national. Historic Context - information about historic properties based on a shared theme, specific time period and geographical area. Landscape Characteristics - the tangible and intangible aspects of a landscape from a historic period; these aspects individually and collectively give a space its historic character and aid in understanding its historical importance. Local Landmark - a local area or building that has been determined to have a special character and historic, architectural, or aesthetic or value to the city. Period of Significance - the span of time in which a property attained the significance for which it meets the State and/or National Register criteria, and/or Local Landmarks criteria.
Property Type - a grouping of properties defined by common physical and associative attributes.
Integrity 3 Integrity is the ability of a property to convey its significance. It is assessed to determine if the characteristics that shaped the property during the period of significance are present as they were historically. Location is the place where the historic property was constructed or the place where the historic event occurred.
Materials are the physical elements that were combined or deposited during a particular period of time and in a particular pattern or configuration to form a historic property. Workmanship is the physical evidence of the crafts of a particular culture or people during any given period in history or prehistory.
Feeling is a property’s expression of the aesthetic or historic sense of a particular period of time.
Setting is the physical environment of a historic property.
Association is the direct link between an important historic event or person and a historic property.
Design is the combination of elements that create the form, plan, space, structure, and style of a property.
1 United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, “National Register Bulletin 15: How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation” (Washington DC: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1997); Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, History Colorado. “How to Nominate a Property to the State Register.” (Denver, CO: History Colorado, 2018). 2 Charles A. Birnbaum and Christine Capella Peters, The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes (Washington DC: Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1996). 3 Ibid.
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Glen Huntington Bandshell
PROPERTY OVERVIEW
Property Name: Location: Property Address: Latitude/Longitude: Legal Property Description: Parcel Tag: Acreage / Square Footage:
Glen Huntington Bandshell 4 Central Park (northwest corner, north of Boulder Creek) 1212 Canyon Boulevard, Boulder, CO 80203
40.0056 / -105.1643 Block 13 Boulder OT 146330357003 1.1 Acres / 51,000 SF
Date of Construction: Designer(s):
Bandshell (1938); Landscape (1939); Seating (late 1940s) Glen H. Huntington, Architect (1938) Saco Rienk DeBoer, Landscape Architect (1939)
DESIGNATION, ELIGIBILITY, & CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY
Ordinance & Listing Information
Current Designation Level
x Local Landmark State Register of Historic Places (SRHP) National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)
City of Boulder Local Landmark No: Ordinance No: Ordinance Date: State ID: National Historic Landmark No:
95-4 5751 October 17, 1995 5BL5680
State & National Register Eligibility 5
State Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
Areas of Significance
Determined Eligible Delisted
Determined Eligible Delisted
Architecture Landscape Architecture Entertainment / Recreation
Recommended Period of Significance
Date Range: 1938 to 1968
Property Integrity: Aspects
Property Types
x Location Setting x Design Materials
x Workmanship Feeling x Association
District(s)
x Structure(s) Object(s) x Feature(s)
x Sites(s)
Buildings(s)
NRHP Evaluation Criterion 6 x Criterion A: The property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history Criterion B: The property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past x Criterion C: The property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction Criterion D: The property has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history
Individual Character-Defining Features of Property Types
District(s)
Structure(s) G. H. Bandshell Amphitheater Seating
Site(s) Central Park
Object(s)
Building(s)
Feature(s) Stone Retaining Walls Mature Groves of Tree
4 Glen Huntington Bandshell is used in this document as the name of the structure and associated site. It has been known as Boulder Bandshell, Band Shell, and Bandshell. 5 If none are checked, no determination of eligibility has been made. 6 Front Range Research Associates evaluated Glen Huntington Bandshell for NRHP Criterion in Boulder Bandshell Historical Study (1995).
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DESIGNATION BOUNDARY
Designation Boundary Description: Central Park (Southeast Corner of Broadway and Canyon Boulevard) North 170 feet of Block 13, Original Townsite to the City of Boulder.
The Modern Architecture Preservation League (MAPL) proposed the landmark boundary for designation of Glen Huntington Bandshell in May 1995. In July 1995, the City of Boulder Landmarks Board amended the boundary to the 300'x170' site south of Canyon Boulevard. This boundary included the Bandshell and amphitheater seating along with a portion of the park associated with Saco Rienk DeBoer's design. In October 1995, the amended boundary was approved by City Council and the Bandshell was designated as a Boulder Individual Landmark by Ordinance 5751. 7 The designation boundary includes the Bandshell, the open space between the stage and the seating, the amphitheater seating, two concrete paved sidewalks leading to the Bandshell, and the berm and retaining wall south of the stage.
BOULDER BAND SHELL PROPOSED LANDMARK DESIGNATION
MAPL’S APPLICATION LANDMARK BOARD’S RESVISED BOUNDARY
Figure 1-2. Designation boundary for Glen Huntington Bandshell including adjustment by the Landmark’s Board, 1995. (source: Landmark Designation Submittal); Edited for clarity by Mundus Bishop, 2021.
7 Karl Anuta, “Glen Huntington Band Shell,” Endangered Places Nomination Form (Boulder, CO: Friends of the Bandshell, 2015), 3.
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Glen Huntington Bandshell
HISTORY & SIGNIFICANCE Historic Context Statement of Context
Glen Huntington Bandshell is a wood frame Art Deco Style bandshell set prominently in the northwest portion of Central Park in Boulder. The Bandshell and its landscape are associated with the themes of Architecture in the Parks and Landscape Architecture for the works of prominent Colorado architect, Glen H. Huntington and landscape architect, Saco Rienk DeBoer. The recommended period of significance for the site begins with the structure’s construction in 1938 and ends with its decline and temporary closure to the public in 1968. The structure and its landscape were designated a local landmark by the City of Boulder Landmarks Board and Boulder City Council in 1995. The designation boundary includes the Bandshell and its amphitheater seating, and associated circulation, vegetation, and landforms. The Bandshell is locally significant as a rare representative of the Art Deco style and park architecture from the 20th century; association with works of Huntington and DeBoer; and its importance as a civic space within Boulder. It is one of only two Art Deco Style bandshells in Colorado. The other is in Pueblo. 8 Background History Glen Huntington Bandshell was completed by the Boulder Lions Club on June 26, 1938 and dedicated as a public space to be utilized by all Boulder citizens. 9 Landscape architect Saco Rienk DeBoer selected the site for the Bandshell, and prepared initial plans and the landscape plan as part of his role as the City of Boulder’s consulting planner during the 1930s. DeBoer’s 1939 landscape plan included reworked topography, walkways, and vegetation. The Bandshell was a popular entertainment venue in the years following its construction, serving as a venue for musical concerts, cultural programs, educational presentations, and civic gatherings. 10 DeBoer proposed an updated site plan in 1947 that included fixed rows of seating within the amphitheater. The seating and circulation plans were implemented by 1950. 11 A influx of transients created unsanitary conditions and caused the park structure to fall into decline in 1968, resulting in the City Manager declaring the park closed. All concerts were canceled. The Bandshell rose to civic prominence again in the early 1980s with musical events held thereafter. 12 This resurgence of community involvement and events lasted until about 1995 when the structural integrity of the performance stage was questioned as a public safety concern. The Bandshell was under threat of being removed from the park and placed elsewhere from 1970 through 1995. In 1990 a Freedom Festival was held at Central Park to promote local artists and the preservation of the Bandshell. This event kickstarted the formation of a committee to champion the structure's preservation. The committee’s work increased awareness within the community. Alliances made with prominent architectural groups led to the successful local landmark designation and in 1995. At this time, the structure was renamed Glen Huntington Bandshell. The Bandshell was rehabilitated and stabilized in1997. Definition of the Context Glen Huntington Bandshell and its setting are associated with the themes of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. The Bandshell represents the work by architect Glen H. Huntington and landscape architect Saco Rienk DeBoer. Huntington’s Bandshell design reflects the Art Deco Style in its streamlined composition, compound arch, and simplified design. Few Art Deco Style buildings were built in Boulder. The Bandshell is one of the best- preserved examples of this style, and is significant as representative of this rare type of park architecture. Only one other bandshell, in Pueblo, has been recorded in the state to date. Saco Reink DeBoer, a proponent of the early 20th century City Beautiful Movement, recommended the site and designed an elegant and functional setting for the Bandshell, as the whole site was designed to channel flood waters back into Boulder Creek. The Bandshell’s integrity, design and setting makes it an important representative of park outdoor entertainment facilities of the early 20th century. 13
8
Anuta, “Glen Huntington Band Shell,” 3.
2-7 9 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell Historical Study (Boulder, CO: City of Boulder Department of Community Design, Planning, and Development, 1995), 5. 10 Ibid., 10. 11 "Central Park Aerial, 1949," (Denver, CO: Colorado Aerial Photography Service). 12 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell , 12. 13 Anuta, “Glen Huntington Band Shell,” 3.
Development of the Theme or Area of Significance The introduction of the Bandshell to Central Park was part of a national trend of constructing outdoor civic spaces for music and entertainment during the New Deal era. Bandstands and bandshells were built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) across the nation, providing new civic spaces for local communities. During the New Deal era, the WPA installed 228 bandstands and bandshells across the country. In addition to these, local governments and civic groups funded their own bandstands and bandshells, and the number of independently constructed bandstands and bandshells is unknown. 14 Glen Huntington Bandshell is an example of an independently commissioned Bandshell gifted to the City of Boulder by the Boulder Lions Club. The Lions Club was likely inspired by the national trend of bandshell construction in parks. The character-defining features of the bandshell are reminiscent of other prominent semi-circular concentric arched bandshells built during this time. 15 When the Bandshell was proposed, it was noted that the plans for the bandshell were similar to Grant Park Bandshell in Chicago, completed in 1931, which was modeled after the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (built in 1922). A 1937 newspaper article noted that the bandshell in Sioux City, Iowa (built in 1935) may have also influenced the design. 16 Associated Property Types Glen Huntington Bandshell’s structural design is consistent with several types of bandshells that grew in popularity across the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. As a widely used performance space, the “American Bandshell” construction has ranged in styles from classical such as the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, New York, to modern, such as, the contemporary Pritzker Pavilion by Frank Gehry in downtown Chicago. The overall needs of the structure were consistent for each new bandshell construction – provide a structure that will enhance and project sound from the stage to an audience in an open air environment. At the same time Glen Huntington Bandshell was built, many bandshell structures, such as the 1922 Hollywood Bowl in California and the 1935 Sioux City Band Shell in Iowa, were designed to include similar iconic tapering concentric arches, utilized as a method of projection with large concrete wing walls. The American Bandshell structures provided a truly functional performance space and experience, while being of specific architectural styles of the period in which they were built. The Glen Huntington Bandshell stands as a rare example of art deco architecture in Boulder and is one of only two Colorado Bandshells from the early to mid-1900s.. Physical Characteristics and Integrity Glen Huntington Bandshell exemplifies the streamlined, simplified form and character-defining features of the Art Deco Style—semi-elliptical opening at the theater stage, six concentric interior arches, thick buttresses, and elevated stage. The landscape and amphitheater seating retain elements of original topography, circulation, and vegetation including the berm, historic grove, and the orientation of some of the sidewalks. Although a later addition, the fixed rows of seating also qualify as a character-defining feature. The Bandshell possesses a high degree of integrity and retains integrity of location, setting, design, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. The Bandshell remains in its original location within Central Park. The setting has undergone several changes since DeBoer’s initial design was implemented, with the largest alteration being the addition of seating in the late 1940s; however, this modification falls within the site’s recommended period of significance and is a character-defining feature of the site. DeBoer proposed an updated sketch plan for Central Park in 1947, which also included a sketch of the Bandshell with seating. 17 The Bandshell retains its original Art Deco design with no major modifications, giving it a high degree of integrity of design and workmanship. Many of the original materials of the Bandshell were replaced during the 1997 rehabilitation, but all were replaced in-kind, allowing the structure to retain its integrity of materials. As a structure within a park setting, the Bandshell remains as an open civic space, available for community events, retaining its association as a public space within Boulder. While still retaining its feeling as a civic space, some of this feeling is diminished by vandalism. 14 Rachel Carey, Music in Unconventional Spaces: The Changing Music Scene of the Great Depression America, 1929-1938 , (Harrisonburg, VA: James Madison University/ JMU Scholarly Commons, 2018), 26. 15 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell , 8-9. 16 Ibid., 8. 17 S.R. DeBoer, Sketch of Proposed Civic Center and War Memorial , 1947.
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Glen Huntington Bandshell
Relationship to the National Register Criteria According to Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, Glen Huntington Bandshell is significant under National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) Criterion A and C for its association as civic space within Boulder and representation of Art Deco Style architecture within a park setting. The Bandshell is significant for the role it has played in the social and cultural life of Boulder since 1938. It has been the site of numerous concerts, dances, festivals, and other varieties of community entertainment and social gatherings in its long history. The Bandshell expresses the cultural values of the City of Boulder and the Boulder Lions Club, and their mutual motivation to develop public parks and civic space throughout the City. The Bandshell is significant for its representation of the Art Deco Style in Boulder; band shell construction and park architecture from the 20th century, and as a representation of workmanship of Glen Huntington and Saco Rienk DeBoer. 18 Statement of Significance The Bandshell is historically significant for its importance to the “social and cultural life” of Boulder as a performance venue, for its role in the development of Central Park, and “for its association with the Boulder Lions Club and its program of improving Boulder Parks.” The structure is environmentally significant for ”its planned and natural site characteristics.” The Bandshell acts as an established prominent visual landmark within an urban park. The Bandshell is ”architecturally significant as a rare representative of Art Deco Style in Boulder, as reflected in its streamlined composition, compound arch, and simplified design; as Boulder's only example of park bandshell construction and one of a few such examples in Colorado; and as representative work of Saco Rienk DeBoer and Glen H. Huntington, noted landscape architect and architect, who are associated with site design and design of the structure.” 19 According to Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, the Bandshell is significant under NRHP Criterion A for the role it has played in the social and cultural life of Boulder since 1938, as the site of numerous concerts, dances, festivals, and other varieties of community entertainment and social gatherings in its long history. 20 The Bandshell expresses the cultural values of the City of Boulder and the Boulder Lions Club, and commitment to public parks and civic space throughout the City. According to Boulder Bandshell Historical Study , the Bandshell is significant under NRHP Criterion C for its representation of the Art Deco Style in Boulder; as an example of bandshell construction and park architecture from the 20th century; and as a representative work of master designers. The Bandshell's Art Deco Style is reflected in its streamlined composition, compound arch, and simplified design. Few Art Deco style buildings were erected in Boulder and the Bandshell is one of the best preserved structures. It is one of only two bandshells in Colorado. 21 The Bandshell’s integrity of design and setting highlight it as an important representative of park outdoor entertainment facilities of the early 20th century. The Bandshell is a representative work of two Colorado designers, architect Glen H. Huntington and landscape architect, Saco Rienk DeBoer. Huntington was a prominent Boulder architect who designed Boulder County Courthouse and Boulder High School. The design of the Bandshell is based on similar bandshells of the era, that were largely based on the design and success of the Hollywood Bowl. The site is representative of the work of DeBoer, first landscape architect for the City of Denver who served as a consultant for the City of Boulder. DeBoer designed the landscape to reflect the urban form of the city and natural site characteristics. 22 As a component of a central urban park, the Bandshell and its surrounding landscape became an established, familiar, and prominent visual landmark, drawing people in with its arched design and its location near major thoroughfares. 23
18 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell , 16. 19 Chris Dropinski and Ken Ramsey to the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, "City Council Agenda Item, September 4, 1995" (Boulder, CO: City of Boulder Parks Planning and Construction, 1995), 3. 20 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell , 16. 21 Anuta, “Glen Huntington Band Shell,” 2-3. 22 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell , 17-18. 23 Dropinski, "City Council Agenda," 3.
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Recommended Period of Significance The recommended period of significance for Glen Huntington Bandshell is from 1938 to 1968. The period begins with construction of the Bandshell and ends with the year Central Park was closed due to unsafe sanitary conditions. Summary of Use Historic and Current Use Glen Huntington Bandshell was historically used as the site of a variety of musical concerts, cultural programs, educational presentations, and civic gatherings. "At the dedication of the structure, the Bandshell’s role in promoting musical events in Boulder was emphasized. The scope of activities held at the Bandshell broadened over the years to include many forms of outdoor entertainment, although musical programs continued to be the primary use for the structure. ” 24 Glen Huntington Bandshell continues to serve as an outdoor stage and venue for concerts and civic gatherings. Central Park is used for seasonal markets and festivals. Glen Huntington Bandshell continues to serve as a venue for city-sponsored programs and events.
24 Front Range Associates, Boulder Bandshell , 10.
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Glen Huntington Bandshell
INTEGRITY The integrity of Glen Huntington Bandshell has been assessed to determine if the characteristics that shaped the original construction within its period of significance (1938 to 1968) are present as they were historically. Integrity is evaluated according to seven aspects or qualities: location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. The Glen Huntington Bandshell retains integrity in location, design, workmanship, feeling, and association.
Location The Bandshell remains in its original Central Park location, as it has since its 1938 construction.
Setting The Bandshell's setting remains similar to the end of the recommended period of significance. The original oval shape of the entire setting is not as legible as it was historically. Alterations to the walks, seating, and vegetation over time has somewhat modified the setting. Design The Art Deco style bandshell design and associated site remains. No major modifications have occurred since 1938. Rehabilitations in 1997 stabilized the Bandshell but did not alter its original design or historic character. Materials Original materials were either maintained or replaced during the most recent rehabilitation of the Bandshell in 1997. Materials replaced in-kind at that time include asphalt roofing, plywood sheathing, interior wallboard cladding, and wood flooring. The Bandshell's color scheme and paint finish has changed since its original construction. All materials (new and original) remain intact. Workmanship Workmanship is consistent with the type of bandshell construction built across the United States in the 1920s to 1930s and reflects the work of Glen Huntington and Saco Rienk DeBoer. Feeling The structure is open and creates the potential for community interaction and engagement. Glen Huntington Bandshell retains integrity in feeling. Association The Bandshell retains its association and importance with Central Park and the greater Boulder Civic Area, and its associations with Boulder Lions Club.
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Construction & Alteration History
Date Event
Source*
1894 to 1909
Floods occurred during these years in Central Park and Boulder leading to structural, sewage, and beautification efforts. The recurrence of floods influenced the placement of the Bandshell.
Boulder’s Floods & Flood Management, 12-23 5-Year Update to Historic Preservation Plan, 2019 Greenways Master Plan, 2011 Daily Camera Article, 2012
1903
Boulder City Improvement Association (BCIA) established to develop park lands and encourage city improvements.
1906 to 1933 1926 to 1928
The City of Boulder purchased parcels of land to build Central Park. The park was originally owned by railroad companies and called Railroad Park. Saco Rienk DeBoer drafted the first zoning ordinance for the City of Boulder, recommending that the lands along Boulder Creek "be acquired for park purposes along the full length of the creek throughout the city." The city approved the zoning plan in 1928. The Boulder Planning and Park Commission received notice that the Major Activity Committee of the Lions Club sought to fund the construction of a Bandshell for public concerts. Saco Rienk DeBoer, Landscape Architect, consulted on the location of the Bandshell. He recommended the area north of the railroad right-of-way with the location of City Hall at the east end. Glen Huntington developed plans for the Art Deco Style Bandshell. Construction of the Bandshell completed in June of 1938 with trees planted around the Bandshell site. DeBoer developed a landscape plan for the site that included trees to screen the structure. Paths were designed to the structure to prevent people from taking shortcuts through the site. DeBoer’s final plan included deciduous and evergreen trees adjacent to the structure. DeBoer proposed an updated plan for the Bandshell area that included amphitheater style seating. Site redesigned to include amphitheater seating, built of concrete bases, wood tops and rein- forced with rebar. Concrete sidewalk installed on the south edge of the amphitheater (Figure 1-5).
1937
Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 5
Landmarks Board Memo, 12 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 9 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 10 Saco Rienk DeBoer sketch, 1947 Aerial Photography, 1949 to 1953 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 4 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 13 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 13 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 4 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 13 City of Boulder Train History, 1 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 13 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 13 Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 13
1938
1939
1947
1949 to 1951
1956
Rectangular concrete piers/electrical bollards added in front of the stage.
1968
Marks the beginning of decline of the Bandshell and site in relation to decline of Central Park.
1970s
Bandshell proposed for relocation.
1980s
General maintenance efforts included replacement of interior cladding, floor repair and replacement (not in full), and painting. Exact year(s) are unknown.
1981 to 1985
Community events again held in the Bandshell, which helped revive it as a civic center.
1982
Trains relocated to Central Park with the assistance of Boulder Model Railroad Club.
1987
Boulder County Commissioners considered moving Bandshell to Longmont fairgrounds.
1988
Boulder Train Depot Task Force, local officials, business people, and historians recommended removing the Bandshell and relocating the Train Depot to its spot in Central Park. "Save the Bandshell" campaign painted the Bandshell rainbow colors to raise community awareness in an effort to preserve the Bandshell.
1991
* Refer to resources at the end of this section for sources
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Glen Huntington Bandshell
Date Event
Source*
1995
The Boulder Bandshell designated a local landmark. The same year it had officially renamed the Glen Huntington Bandshell. Rehabilitation of the Bandshell completed. Rehabilitation and stabilization efforts included replacement of roofing and plywood sheathing, minor repairs to framing and foundations, paint, waterproofing the stage flooring, and removal of cementitious panels due to asbestos.
City of Boulder Landmark. L-95-4
1997
Structural Review and Boulder Bandshell Historical Study, 4
2003 to 2008 2013 to 2015
Trains adjacent to the Bandshell relocated off-site.
Landmarks Board Memo, 9 City of Boulder correspondence
City of Boulder prepared the Civic Area Master Plan with recommendations to improve civic spaces between 6th Street and 14th Street bordered by Arapahoe Street and Canyon Boulevard to the north and south. During this public process community support called for improvements to increase activation around the Bandshell and in Central Park. JVA performed feasibility study of the Bandshell. Research conducted to determine if the Bandshell should be relocated, determining that relocating the structure would jeopardize its physical integrity. The railroad tracks and fence associated with the trains removed from the Park. Friends of the Bandshell successfully nominated the Bandshell for the Colorado Preservation Inc. (CPI)'s Endangered Places List due to urgencies associated with proposed moving of the Bandshell and/or removal of seating through the Civic Area planning process.
2014
JVA Feasibility Study Memo
Google Earth Aerial Imagery, 2013 - 2014
2015
City of Boulder correspondence
2019
Sandstone paving added at the southeast corner of the amphitheater.
Google Aerial Photog- raphy, 2019
2021
Friends of the Bandshell's letter to the Boulder Landmarks Board requests they consider initiating an amendment to the existing landmark designation boundary to expand the boundary to include all of Block 13. Boulder Landmarks Board recommended amending the designation boundary to include all of Block 13. City Council denied the boundary expansion, alternately of considering the Bandshell and Central Park as part of a potential larger historic district.
City of Boulder correspondence
2022
City of Boulder correspondence
* Refer to resources at the end of this section for sources
Figure 1-3. Bandshell aerial, 1949 (source: Colorado Aerial Photography Service)
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EXISTING CONDITION Landscape Condition Summary of Landscape Characteristics
Glen Huntington Bandshell’s original setting, features, and spatial relationships remain largely intact. The Bandshell is set on the north edge of Central Park and oriented to the south. The setting is characterized by sloped amphitheater seating—a concrete terrace with fifteen rows of wood and concrete benches—that faces the Bandshell. A landscaped berm and remnants of a sandstone retaining wall remain south of the Bandshell's seating define the southern edge of the amphitheater seating. Mature trees frame the site on its north east sides and screen its edges from the adjacent streets, similar to DeBoer's original plans for site. Two concrete paved sidewalks extend from the northeast and northwest corners of the park towards the Bandshell. These paths terminate at a large level area between the Bandshell and the amphitheater seating that is paved with loose gravel. Numerous small-scale features serve typical park functions including lighting, wayfinding, and trash/ recycling. Topography Topography of the site consists of the sloped amphitheater, large level area between the Bandshell and the amphitheater, the berm and sloped south lawn. These contribute to the Bandshell and associated site's historic character. The berm mitigates flooding, as it did historically. The original shape of the Bandshell setting is less defined than it was in 1968. Spatial Organization The spatial organization of the Bandshell and associated site remain similar to the end of the period significance. In the 1940s, the spatial organization of the site was altered by Saco Rienk DeBoer's Central Park's design that added amphitheater seating to the Bandshell setting. This inclusion created a defined space for entertainment and performance separate from the south lawn, which remained open for flexible use. The Bandshell is prominently sited at the north edge of Central Park with the amphitheater seating oriented towards it. A sloped berm gradually transitions into a south lawn creating a visual connection between the spaces. Concrete paved sidewalks at the northern corners connect the perimeter walks to the Bandshell's amphitheater. The overall appearance of the landscape reflects a functional urban park and the original design by Saco Rienk DeBoer.
Figure 1-4. Central Park, May 1938 (prior to completion of the Bandshell) (source: CU Aerial Photographs of Colorado)
Figure 1-5. Glen Huntington Bandshell, post-construction, 1940s (source: Carnegie Branch Library for Local History)
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Glen Huntington Bandshell
Figure 1-6. Bandshell, 2020 (source: Mundus Bishop)
Figure 1-7. Glen Huntington Bandshell, 2020 (source: Mundus Bishop)
Circulation Circulation at the Bandshell site has been altered to meet the changing needs of the park and the surrounding urban context. During the period of significance, pathways were aligned to access the Bandshell. The two concrete paved sidewalks that extend from the north corners of the site to the Bandshell, and are in a similar alignment to those in place in the 1940s. It is unclear if the original walkways were paved concrete or composed of other materials. Historic aerial images indicate that there were paths at the southern corners of the amphitheater. These walkways were removed when pathways were realigned across the park in the 1960s. Sandstone paving was installed at the southwest corner of the amphitheater in 2019. A remnant stone path on the berm south of the amphitheater connects the south lawn to the amphitheater seating. It is unknown if the remnant stone path is original to amphitheater or a later addition. The amphitheater does not currently have a designated accessible route or accessible seating. Concrete paved sidewalks appear to be ADA-compliant in slope for accessible pedestrian access. The slope of the amphitheater is greater than 5% and is not ADA-compliant for accessible access or seating. The large level terrace between the seating and stage is ADA-compliant in slope. The nearest existing ADA-compliant accessible parking space is approximately 525-feet from the Bandshell on 13th Street. 25 Structure Character-defining features of the Bandshell include its original location and role as a focal point within Central Park. Located on the northwest corner of Central Park, the structure is a prominent landmark on Canyon Boulevard. Its placement and prominence within Central Park draws people in from surrounding thoroughfares to the amphitheater and front of the stage. Character-defining features of the amphitheater seating include its sloped concrete terrace with 15 rows, and its three sections. The amphitheater seating is defined on its south edge by the low berm. Small-Scale Features Sandstone wall at the edge of the planting bed is a part of the original construction. Contemporary, non- contributing small-scale features across the site support daily park functions and include regulatory signage, trash and recycling bins, and lampposts.
25 ADA refers to the American's with Disabilities Act.
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