On Monday, Denver City Council formally awarded Denver’s University Park neighborhood a Historic District designation. The area contains structures important to the city’s past and the history of the adjacent University of Denver, including Fitzroy Place and the Buchtel Bungalow. Learn more about this notable neighborhood:
A Little History
Fitzroy Place is a historic three-story 1890s mansion that was originally the home of John Wesley Illiff, a successful cattle baron and local philanthropist, and his wife Elizabeth Iliff Warren, who would later found the Illiff School of Theology. The Craftsman-style Buchtel Bungalow built in 1907 was once the Governor’s Mansion for Henry Augustus Buchtel himself, who played an integral part in DU’s early years.
The Thing You Can’t Miss
The Chamberlin Observatory — this national historic landmark was built in the late 19th century and houses a formidable telescope measuring 26 feet long and standing 25 feet high. Currently, the distinctive dome structure is owned and maintained by DU and has been the home of the Denver Astronomical Society since 1949.
University Park neighborhood boundaries. (Denver Maps)
A Place to Stretch Your Legs
Catch some rays at the grassy Robert H. McWilliams Park. It’s known affectionately by residents as “Dinosaur Park” for the large purple dino structure on the playground. There are plenty of large shady trees, a basketball court, and easy access to the East Harvard Gulch Trail. The park was recently renovated by the City in 2021.
A Few Other Things
- Find inner peace at the Zen Center of Denver, a gathering place for the Buddhist community to practice and train. Sign up for a Beginner’s Night to learn more.
- Catch a music or theater performance at the University’s acclaimed Newman Center for the Performing Arts.
- Grab a plate of sushi or a bowl of noodles from one of our favorite Japanese joints in the city, Kokoro.
