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Structural Heritage of the Lookout Mountain School for Boys

1881 - 1968

The State Industrial School for Boys ( now Lookout Mountain School for Boys) came into existence as a result of a Colorado General Assembly Act of February 12, 1881.  The five-acre site on which the school was started was occupied first in 1869 by Episcopalian schools for young men. Jarvis Hall was completed in 1871 and the School of Mines Building in 1872. Mathews Hall was built as a theological school in 1873. In 1879, Jarvis and Mathews hall were destroyed by a fire. Soon after that the Episcopal schools were moved to Denver and the School of Mines came under the control of the State of Colorado and moved into the heart of the City of Golden.

sketch of grounds

Sketch of Grounds

 

sketch of grounds after fire

Sketch of Grounds After Fire

The Old Administration Building was constructed in 1894 on the fire-scarred ruins of old Jarvis Hall and in part from salvage brick from Jarvis and Mathews Halls. The building now houses the offices of the Chief Youth Services and part of it is used as a residence of the Director of this institution. Most major buildings were constructed between 1890 and 1910. Following is a list of buildings erected during this period:

Building                                                                             Built

officers quarters  Officers Quarters                           1881

Lincoln Hall  Lincoln Hall                                    1892

Mathews Hall  Mathews Hall                                1893

Infirmiry  Infirmary                                         1893

Old Administration  Old Administration                       1894

Gymnasium  Gymnasium                                    1900

water tower  Water tower                                   1901

dining hall  Dining Hall                                     1904

Paddleford Hall/ Dorm A  Paddleford Hall / Dorm A            1907

Schoech Hall/Dorm D  Schoech Hall / Dorm D                 1909

farm structures  Farm Structures                             1910

dairy barn  Dairy Barn                                      1912

horse barn and blacksmith shop  Horse Barn & Blacksmith Shop  1915/1918

Out of the above-mentioned buildings, Paddleford and Schoech are still in existence and they were remodeled in 1962. They are used as residences for older boys…Officers Quarters are also in existence at present.

There came another era of the development of the physical plant of the Industrial School. This was the period between 1923 and 1940. Major construction projects of this period were as follows:

Building                                                                                 Built

school building/offices  School Building / Offices                 1923

laundry and tailor shop  Laundry & Tailor Shop                    1927

heating plant  Heating Plant                                     1929

paint shop  Paint Shop                                          1931

creamery  Creamery                                             1931

plumbing shop  Plumbing Shop                                   1932

vocational shops & garage  Vocational Shops & Garage             1932

Superintendent's home  Superintendent's Home                    1932

fire house  Fire House                                          1933

library  Library                                                 1934

storehouse/maintenance  Storehouse / Maintenance               1939

Out of these buildings, the school building is now being used as a residence for the older boys. Library building was remodeled in 1959 and since then has been used for the offices of the Social Services Staff. Vocational Shops and Laundry have been remodeled this year and the storehouse was remodeled in 1961 to house the Business Offices. Part of this building is still used for storage purposes. A new semi-automatic heating plant has come into existence this year and the older one will be demolished in the near future. The rest of the buildings are the same. Some of those may have undergone minor changes, but basically they have the original structure.

There was a third period of physical development of this institution. During the period 1956 - 1970 a streamlined school building was constructed and an entire complex of eight modern cottage units came into existence. Also in 1958 a modern interdenominational chapel was constructed, with the help of contributions, on the property of this institution. These new buildings are attractive and functional and they give an impression of the adoption of new rehabilitation ideology.

Buildings                                                                              Built

school & auditorium  School & Auditorium                       1958

chapel  Chapel                                                1958

cottages 1 & 2  Cottages 1 & 2                                  1958

cottages 3 & 4 (4 used for classrooms and recreational activities)  Cottages 3 & 4                                  1959 (Cottage 4 used for Classrooms and Recreational Activities)

cottages 5 & 6 (6 used for classroom & recreational activities)  Cottages 5 & 6                                  1961 (Cottage 6 used for Classrooms and Recreational Activities)

cottages 7 & 8  Cottages 7 & 8                                  1961

power house  Power  House                                     1961

service station  Service Station                                 1968

We are now anticipating to see another period of a final phase of out physical development. The major aspect of this would be the construction of a new Social Services Building in the near future which will give this institution additional dignity of a treatment center, which until recently has had the reputation of a custodial type corrective school. The development of the physical plant is and will be indicative of the progressiveness of the State of Colorado which has been making vigorous efforts to move fast in the areas of mental health and juvenile rehabilitation.1

Aerial Photography

aerial view 1902        aerial view 1930        aerial view 1949
1902                                1930                            1949

aerial view 1955            aerial view 1959            aerial view 1961
   1955                              1959                              1961

                                                                               ______________________

1.     Malcolm Geddis, History of the Development of Physical Plant at the Lookout Mountain School for Boys, Golden: Lookout Mountain School for Boys, 1962. Stored at the Colorado State Archives in RCC 26166 FF 26.

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Last modified June 25, 2003