Bowles House

The Bowles House is one of the oldest examples of the residential Italianate style in Westminster and for its architectural detailing which characterizes the Italianate style. The house is also significant for its association with the history of settlement in Westminster and meets Criterion A. The house was home to Edward Bruce Bowles, a pioneer community leader who had a great influence on the growth of the surrounding area. He was instrumental in bringing the Colorado & Southern Railroad into the area which prompted its growth.

The Bowles House is significant in the settlement of Westminster because it was among the earliest permanent residences built in the area. Edward Bruce Bowles first came to Colorado Territory in 1863 from the state of Missouri with his family. He was 17 years old and hauled freight from Missouri to Denver, Salt Lake City and Santa Fe, crossing the plains eleven times. Edward was around 24 when he married Mahalia Elizabeth Longan in 1871. That same year the couple homesteaded the land where the Bowles House stands. The original purchase of the land from the federal government was called a "patent" as indicated within the property abstract. To take advantage of the Homestead Act of 1861, the couple chose an area north of Clear Creek and south of Crown Point. At that time this area was known as DeSpain Junction, named after the first homesteader, Pleasant DeSpain who settled here in 1870. Edward B. Bowles became the second permanent resident when he homesteaded south of the DeSpain farm. When DeSpain and Bowles first lived in the area there still were Indians in the vicinity and the only way to reach nearby communities was by the ferry operated by Jim Baker. In the 1890s, DeSpain Junction was called Harris Park or Harrisberg and in 1911 it became Westminster, named for the nearby college.

The Bowles first built a frame homestead cabin to live in and immediately started work on a two-story brick home. The frame house is now gone. Construction took five years, reaching completion in 1876 when Colorado became a state. The Bowles House has architectural significance because, although the brick farmhouse was the center of a working ranch and farm, fashionable and expensive features were included. There was cresting on the rooftop, eave brackets, bargeboards on the gables and a highly decorated front porch. Houses of this style were more often found in urban settings than in rural areas. The Italianate style with decorative brickwork and arched windows reflects the architectural trend in the 1870s. The design of the Bowles House also makes an architectural statement of the influence of Edward Bowles and of the history and culture in Westminster when it was just a small rural settlement and which has now become a progressive and fast-growing suburban community.

The Bowles family raised horses, and planted an apple orchard, wheat, barley and alfalfa on their land. Edward Bowles worked hard to get the railroad to the area and it was completed through his land in 1881. He built a depot on his property to serve the railroad and the citizens of Westminster (then called DeSpain Junction by the railroad). The railroad had a positive impact on the development of the community and surrounding agricultural area by providing convenient transportation to distribute the local produce spurring more growth and development. A sugar beet dump was constructed and farmers shipped their grain and produce from this point. The railroad depot is now gone. The site is not in the nominated boundaries of the Bowles House.

The Bowles opened their home on Sunday morning for the services of the Community Church. It was the only church service in the area and all denominations were invited; later Edward became a charter member of the First Church of Westminster.

Edward later became a member of the school board and an active member of the Sons of Colorado. When Mesa Verde National Park was developed, Edward was hired by the government to work on it. Taking advantage of the nationwide gold fever he began to haul freight to the gold miners in Central City. A breeder of fine horses, he rode one of his best stable horses in the Denver Pioneer Parade each Colorado Day. Before his death, Edward Bowles had become a well-known and respected pioneer of Colorado, Edward and Mahalia raised their nine children in the house. The Bowles were instrumental in the development of the community and their children carried on that tradition of community service.

Edward Bowles died in this house on January 10, 1923, at the age of 76. Mahalia followed him in death the next year. The house remained in the Bowles family and various members lived there until it was sold in the early 1930s.

Gradually the house fell into disrepair. In the mid-1970s the house was sold to the City of Westminster and was scheduled to be used for a practice burn by the fire department. The school children at the Vista Grande Elementary School in Westminster and the Westminster Historical Society started a campaign to save the Bowles House. The publicity shifted public opinion in favor of preservation.

The Bowles House was completely restored to its 1870s appearance by the city in 19791985. The grounds are newly landscaped mainly with native plants (included are the yellow roses planted by the Bowles family). The house is leased by the Westminster Historical Society for a Westminster Historical Museum. Society has spent many hours in research and interviews with members of the Bowles family. They have collected photographs, articles, and various documents related to the Bowles House and its family. Some of these items are currently on display at the Bowles House Museum which is open every weekend.