1906 & 1925 - Nurses Homes/Post Office and Cooperative Store, J.C.R.S. Sanitorium - Lakewood, CO - Dated Buildings and Cornerstones on Waymarking.com

This building was originally built in 1906 as the Nurses Home. It was remodeled in 1925 as the Post Office and Cooperative Store. Then, obviously again since it is now the finance center for the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design.

"Post Office and Cooperative Store: 1926 (5686). This multifunctional building is a two story brick structure with a coursed stone foundation trimmed with brick. The main door is in the center front, flush with a plain light transom. The windows have stone sills, and are semicircular and recessed with fan brick headers. The roof is medium hipped, covered with Spanish tile, and has projecting eaves, exposed rafters and boxed decorated wooden cornices. In 1940 Raymond Harry Ervin added a rectangular two story wing of rusticated brickwork with a modern plateglass door and window transoms. The original Post Office and Cooperative Store, designed by Harry James Manning, was the center of daily life in Spivak, Colorado. Following the death of Dr. Charles D. Spivak in 1927, the hospital was given the postal address of Spivak to honor his role in the founding of JCRS. The Business Office has functioned in the added wing since 1940. Today the entire building is used for the business office." (from NRHP form, Section 7, pg. 3)

"In the early 1900s, the West Colfax Jewish immigrant neighborhood was also augmented by an influx of impoverished immigrant Jews who came to “chase the cure” to seek a remedy for tuberculosis, the leading cause of death in the United States at that time. Colorado, with its dry and sunny climate, drew tuberculosis victims like a magnet and soon earned the nickname of “The World’s Sanatorium.” Since no publicly supported institutions for consumptives' existed at the turn of the century, the challenge of adequate care for these people was left to private institutions. The Jewish community was the first to come to their aid with the founding of the formally non-sectarian National Jewish Hospital for Consumptives', which opened in 1899. Founded largely by acculturated, well- to-do German Reform Jews in Denver, the sanatorium treated all patients free of charge. Its motto was “None May Enter Who Can Pay, None Can Pay Who Enter,” reflecting its benevolent origins. However, NJH generally treated only patients with incipient tuberculosis and lacked a kosher kitchen in the early years. Moreover, many of the East European immigrant Jews felt their German co-religionists often acted in a condescending manner to the newcomers who brought with them their “Old World” manners, language, religious customs, and dress." (from (visit link) )

The J.C.R.S. campus has been preserved and the buildings are now the campus of the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design. Tuberculosis had a great impact on the history of Colorado as many sufferers came to our dry climate for a cure (remember 'Doc' Holliday of OK Corral fame (visit link) ). Other resources include (visit link) and (visit link) .

Year of construction: 1906 Full inscription: [TOP CORNERSTONE] ERECTED 1906 BY THE DENVER LADIES AUX OF THE J. C. R. S. THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF ESTHER WEINER LEVY FANNIE ELLER LORBER [BOTTOM CORNERSTONE] ERECTED BY THE J. C. R. S. MARCH 1925 Cross-listed waymark: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   09/25/2013 WalkingDuo visited it