Teacher Resource Set Title Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District Developed by Cathy Fuller, Middle School Teacher, Guardian Angels School, Denver CO Grade Level 4 Essential Question Who were the early settlers of Georgetown and Silver Plume? How did social class determine the development of each of these towns? And how did this influence the architecture and design of each? How has this region been able to prosper over time? Contextual Paragraph According to the Colorado Encyclopedia, the Georgetown-Silver Plume Historic District is one of the best-preserved historic mining districts in Colorado. Located in the upper Clear Creek Valley, Georgetown thrived as a commercial and professional center, while Silver Plume developed as a diverse town of working-class miners. The diversities in these two towns provides an excellent opportunity to understand the differences in the cultures tied to the practice in mining throughout Colorado. Silver Plume, home to the men who worked in the mines, is a hodgepodge of different ethnicities. The different sections in the Silver Plume cemetery (organized by religion and ethnicity) offer a greater understanding of who lived and worked in the region. Similarly, the architecture of homes and other structures in Georgetown speak to the class of those who lived in the town. Significant architectural-style structures found in the Historic District and described in the National Register of Historic Places include Hamill House, Maxwell House, Luedde House, Spencer House, Bowman-White House, Public School, Hotel de Paris, Clear Creek County Court House, the Old Jail and Grace Episcopal Church. After World War II, this area evolved into a tourist attraction and continues to be a popular destination for Front Range residents. Georgetown, Silver Plume and the Alpine Valley were added to the National Register of Historic Places November 13, 1966. 1 Teacher Resource Set Resource Set Georgetown, CO Georgetown, CO National Register Hamill House Hamill House, Hamill House Nomination for Georgetown, CO Georgetown, CO Building Survey Hamill House Georgetown, CO View of downtown Georgetown Valley Placed in the National Hamill House, 1951 note on the back Historic American Georgetown from 5th facing south toward Register on May 31, Argentine and Third of the photo credits Buildings Survey, Street. The Alpine Guenella Pass. 1972, the Hamill Streets, Georgetown, Mrs. Edith Wick with 1933 of the Hamill Hose Firehouse is at house is significant for Clear Creek County, the restoration in House. Contains the end of the street. its Gothic Revival CO. 1946. The house is documentation, c. 1939 Architecture and now operated as a photos, drawings, etc. Social History. museum. Because of efforts Georgetown is shown The nomination form Measured drawing of Exterior view of the The main house is by preservationists, nestled in Clear Creek contains 3 high the Hamill House and Hamill House. associated with the street appears Canyon. The photo resolution photos of grounds. Historic Acquired by mine William A. Hamill, who much the same illustrates the layout of the Hamill House and American Building owner William A. made his fortune today. The the town. It was taken its grounds. Photos Survey, 1933. Hamill in 1874. through investments mountains by renowned include the solarium, Additions to the house in the silver mines in surrounding the city photographer William stone stable and and grounds were and around contribute to the Henry Jackson c1901. carriage house. The made between 1874 Georgetown. historic landscape of form also contains and 1881. Hamill the town. detailed descriptions House is listed of the architecture and individually in the history of the house National Register for and the Georgetown its architectural and area. historic significance. 2 Teacher Resource Set https://www.loc.gov/i https://www.loc.gov/ite https://npgallery.nps.g https://www.loc.gov/ite http://digital.denverlibr https://www.loc.gov/ite tem/fsa2000010191/ m/det1994000624/PP/ ov/NRHP/AssetDetail m/co0101/ ary.org/cdm/ref/collect m/co0102/ PP/ ?assetID=da0290b5- ion/p15330coll22/id/22 11e8-4d2f-bb8b- 52 4229264ed2b4 Georgetown, east of Silver Plume, CO Silver Plume School, Silver Plume Georgetown Alpine Nomination for the Rose Street Main Street, Silver Methodist Church Hose Company #2 Alpine Hose Plume, CO Company #2 in Georgetown, CO Stereograph view of Stereograph view of Historic American This Methodist church The Alpine Hose The nomination was Georgetown, CO, Silver Plume, CO Buildings Survey, was built in the Company #2 is two added in the National looking southeast, looking northwest 1933. Contains 1880s. It is located structures with the bell Register on January between 1874 and between 1870 and several architectural at Main and Hancock tower being added in 25, 1973. It contains 1880. 1879. drawings of the in Silver Plume and is 1880 to the Hose both the history of the school. still in use today. House which was built Hose Company and a in 1878. description of its Designed by William architectural Quayle, and built in elements. 1894, it served as a school until 1959. 3 Teacher Resource Set The photo illustrates The central business It reopened as the This Methodist church The 1875 two-story The Alpine Hose the layout of the town district is in the Silver Plume Historical was built in the false front wood frame Company #2 is located in a broad foreground, and Museum in 1970. 1880s and was building housed the significant for its valley that enabled a Republican Mountain originally equidistant Alpine Hose Company architecture and pattern of streets and mines are in the Quayle's extensive between Brownsville No. 2, one of several engineering. What similar to other small background. The haul use of glass, and Silver Plume. volunteer fire makes it different from towns in Colorado at road is visible cutting symmetry, and strong When the former companies organized other hose companies this time. across the entire rounded arches are town declined as the during the late 1800s in the area was the image. indicative of the latter boomed, the to protect the bell tower which was Two story structures, Romanesque style of church was moved a community. The much larger, higher a church with a spire The topography of architecture popular in half mile closer to distinctive 65-foot and far more Silver Plume in 1891. in the background and Silver Plume resulted the late 1880s. The wood frame bell tower prominent than those distinctive residential in structures built in building was meant to located at the rear of of the others and business districts clusters in the narrow be viewed from the the building is a highly speak to the economic valley and along the front as evidenced by visible feature within level of the town hills that surround the the lack of the historic downtown town. ornamentation on the area. side and rear facades. https://www.loc.gov/ite http://digital.denverlibr https://www.loc.gov/re https://erenow.com/co http://legacy.historycol https://npgallery.nps.g m/2006680958/ ary.org/cdm/ref/collect source/hhh.co0002.sh mmon/hiddenhistoryol orado.org/sites/default ov/NRHP/AssetDetail ion/p15330coll22/id/37 eet?st=gallery dwesthauntsofushistor /files/images/OAHP/G ?assetID=b38a3a04- 19 y/hiddenhistoryoldwes E/5CC12.jpg 5167-47de-91ef- thauntsofushistory.file 8f9701233431 s/image021.jpg 4 Teacher Resource Set National Register Silver Plume Depot Interior of the Exterior view of the Map of Colorado Clear Creek County Nomination for the photo from National Everett Mine Tunnel, Maxwell House, Territory Embracing Court House, Georgetown-Silver Register Nomination Georgetown-Silver Georgetown, CO c. the Central Gold Georgetown, CO Plume Historic Form, May 6, 1971 Plume Historic 1974 Region District, November District nominated 13, 1966 October 7, 1991 Nomination form The depot constructed The Everett and Construction began in Map showing the Photo taken by John contains 40 photos in 1884 as the Lebanon Mine 1870; the house was counties of Colorado Vachon in May 1942 of the Georgetown- terminal point of the Tunnels National acquired by B.F. and which are is one of a series of Silver Plume area, CO Central Railroad Register nomination Potter in 1891, who considered to have photos taken in the Alpine Valley, route from Denver to form contains, 2 added the tower and mining stakes. Georgetown. Georgetown Loop the Clear Creek topographical maps decorative elements and I-70. mining region. It has and a diagram to the facade. Mr. and since been restored indicating the drifts, Mrs. Frank Maxwell and is part of the shafts and crosscuts purchased the house Silver Plume train of the two mines. in 1891. station complex. The historic district The Silver Plume The Clear Creek The eclectic style Relief shown by This site also contains nomination form Depot is a reminder of Mining District began includes a French hachures (Parallel Sanborn Fire contains not only the excitement and due to gold strikes. By mansard roof on the lines used in the hill- Insurance maps of the geographic activity that about 1865 silver left of the facade, shading on maps, Georgetown area in descriptions of the characterized the became the Italianate windows, their closeness 1886. These maps region but a Clear Creek Mining predominant ore. The Greek Revival indicates the illustrate the building comparison and District in the 19th mines led in silver- pediments, and steepness of the materials used in the history of two very century. lead production from Queen Anne gradient.) c. 1862. town. They are different towns in the 1872 to 1894, a year patterned shingles. A wonderfully detailed Alpine Valley. Constructed of wood, after the collapse of wood and metal fence and contain a wealth Information about the freight door is the silver market. is in front of the of information about architecture, visible at the far end house, with a hedge, Georgetown’s built economics and of the structure.