Located on Dexter and Montview Boulevard in Denver, Colorado, this is still a library branch. The Park Hill branch library building was built by architects M.R. & Burnham Hoyt and features Spanish tiled roof, stucco exterior walls. Two vases were on either side of the brick steps. The building was enlarged in the 1960s.
"History of the Park Hill Branch Library, 1920
Park Hill Today Land was purchased in September 1919 for $1800. The library purchased this property from A.E. Carlton. A building permit was issued on June 3, 1920 for a one story brick building estimated to cost $20,000.
Noted Colorado architect Burnham Hoyt designed the building in Spanish Renaissance style.
Steel tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated $160,000 to build and furnish eight charming branch libraries in Denver between 1913 and 1920. Five of the branch libraries - Smiley, Woodbury, Byers, Park Hill and Decker - still serve customers today.
Quantrille D. McClung, Park Hill's first librarian wrote in her memory book that Park Hill Branch Library opened on December 23, 1920. Newspaper clipping from an unknown source with the date January 1920 - "The Denver Public Library plans to increase greatly its service to Denver during the ensuing year...Plans for the Park Hill branch library have been approved and accepted and the work of excavating at Montview Boulevard and Dexter will start in a few days... It is expected that this building will be completed late in the summer. The book capacity will be about 8,000 volumes...Two librarians from the main branch will be sent to take charge"
From Colorado Library Association v. 2 no. 15 January 1921 - "The Denver Public Library opened its Elyria Branch building which cost $16,000 completed a month ago and its eighth branch library building in Park Hill was opened this month. The Park Hill building cost $26,000 to complete." A renovation and expansion in 1964 by Smith and Thorson was controversial and labeled "unsympathetic" and created what was known as "the doghouse" and would last until another renovation in 1994. 1960s The Park Hill toy and game library was established on March 29, 1979. The toy and game library founders were: Linda Canaday, Linda Metcalf, and Gina Abegg.
In 1985, the Park Hill Branch Library celebrated its 65th year with a commissioned painting called Cadmium Mellow by Deborah Jang. This painting is now hanging in Tara's office.
Around this time, the library received its first computer, an Apple IIe. Patrons were charged by the hour for its use.
In 1989, the Denver Landmark Preservation Commission named Park Hill Branch Library a historic landmark.
In 1994, another renovation by David Owen Tryba Architects added the patio, the elevator and air conditioning! In 2008, another renovation added new paint, new carpet and RFID stations. The children's materials that were once housed in the original part of the building were moved to where they are today.
Today, The Park Hill Branch houses almost 50,000 items as well as 13 public computers.
We are collecting historical tidbits, photographs and memorabilia to include on the Creating Our Communities website.
The Park Hill Branch library will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2020. Robert Garrison Architectural Terms
Acanthus pilaster
leaded-glass windows
vaulted exposed beams 1979-1994 Robert Garrison (1895-1945)was an American sculptor who made Denver his home. Some of his most famous works are: stone reliefs on the Sixth Avenue side of Rockefeller Center in New York City, architectural sculptures in the style of medieval grotesques at South High School, and the figures of the four evangelists on the bell tower of the former St. Thomas Seminary, Denver. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (from (
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Hours for the library may be found at (
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