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
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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.
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