Westminster Castle
Encyclopedia
The Westminster Castle, also locally known as "The Big Red Castle" or "The Pillar of Fire" is a historic landmark
located in Westminster, Colorado
, northwest of Denver near the intersection of 83rd and Federal. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as Westminster University.
, the "Big Red Castle" started life in 1890 with dreams of becoming "The Princeton of the West" when New Yorker Henry T. Mayham received approval to build a Presbyterian university on his land atop a hill overlooking Denver, Colorado. This beautiful property was named Crown Point and was the highest point in the early, sprawling Adams County.
Architect
E.B. Gregory designed and laid the cornerstone
for the university's main building, which was to be constructed of gray stone from the Coal Creek area. Construction was delayed because of lack of funding, so Mayham hired New York architect Stanford White
to finish the design and oversee construction. White changed a main design element, the stone, to a red sandstone from the Red Rocks/Manitou area. White's design was completed by 1893: 160 ft frontage, 80 ft depth, three stories tall, with a distinctive 175 ft tall tower. The building's architectural style is an excellent example of Richardsonian Romanesque
.
was $50 per year and included indoor plumbing.
1911 saw some changes to the city in which the University was located. The town, formerly known as Harris (for an early settler), incorporated
and changed their name to Westminster, in honor of Westminster University. The next few years were basically uneventful until, in 1915, the Board of Trustees made the decision to exclude women from the University. It seemed like a good decision at the time, but just two years later they found themselves with no enrollment because all of the young men had gone to fight in World War I
. The Presbyterian University closed its doors in 1917, never to realize its dream of becoming the Princeton of the West.
for $40,000 on January 31, 1920. Included in the sale was the main college building, 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) of land, a power plant, and two houses (one a student's dormitory
, the other the President's house.)
The sale was a good deal, but the state of the buildings left the church with $75,000 worth of repairs. Shattered windows, cracked walls, and broken plaster were the main structural complaints, but the once regal building had also become a glorified barn with thousands of chickens in the basement and farm machinery on the first floor.
In spite of the enormity of the work, the new Westminster University opened to students on September 7, 1920, just eight months after the purchase. Within six years of opening, the school, now known as Belleview Schools, had received its accreditation and was ready for decades of education.
In the late 1920s the campus was frequently used for Ku Klux Klan
meetings and cross burning
s. But in 1997, the Pillar of Fire Church
, the school's owner and parent organization, repudiated its historical association with the Klan.
in 1979. The building is also the home of KPOF
AM91 Radio, Colorado's first station to broadcast in HD Radio
.
The public is encouraged to come out to the campus for a family fun day that happens at the castle each June. "Open House on the Hill" features castle tours, carnival rides, games, food, and fun for the whole family sponsored by Belleview Christian Schools and AM91 The Point.
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
located in Westminster, Colorado
Westminster, Colorado
Westminster is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Westminster is a northwest suburb of Denver. The Westminster Municipal Center is located north-northwest of the Colorado State Capitol. The United States Census Bureau that the city population...
, northwest of Denver near the intersection of 83rd and Federal. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Westminster University.
Conception to construction
Now owned by the Pillar of Fire ChurchPillar of Fire Church
The Pillar of Fire International is a Christian organization founded in Denver, Colorado in 1901 by Alma White, with headquarters in Zarephath, New Jersey. The Pillar of Fire was originally incorporated as the Pentecostal Union, but changed its name to distance itself from Pentecostalism in 1915...
, the "Big Red Castle" started life in 1890 with dreams of becoming "The Princeton of the West" when New Yorker Henry T. Mayham received approval to build a Presbyterian university on his land atop a hill overlooking Denver, Colorado. This beautiful property was named Crown Point and was the highest point in the early, sprawling Adams County.
Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
E.B. Gregory designed and laid the cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the university's main building, which was to be constructed of gray stone from the Coal Creek area. Construction was delayed because of lack of funding, so Mayham hired New York architect Stanford White
Stanford White
Stanford White was an American architect and partner in the architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White, the frontrunner among Beaux-Arts firms. He designed a long series of houses for the rich and the very rich, and various public, institutional, and religious buildings, some of which can be found...
to finish the design and oversee construction. White changed a main design element, the stone, to a red sandstone from the Red Rocks/Manitou area. White's design was completed by 1893: 160 ft frontage, 80 ft depth, three stories tall, with a distinctive 175 ft tall tower. The building's architectural style is an excellent example of Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
.
The University opens
Although the construction was completed in 1893, the doors of Westminster University did not open until September 17, 1908 thanks to the Silver Crash of 1893 and competition from a nearby Presbyterian college. Mayham's persistent fund-raising paid off when the first 60 students began classes in 1908. TuitionTuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
was $50 per year and included indoor plumbing.
1911 saw some changes to the city in which the University was located. The town, formerly known as Harris (for an early settler), incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
and changed their name to Westminster, in honor of Westminster University. The next few years were basically uneventful until, in 1915, the Board of Trustees made the decision to exclude women from the University. It seemed like a good decision at the time, but just two years later they found themselves with no enrollment because all of the young men had gone to fight in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The Presbyterian University closed its doors in 1917, never to realize its dream of becoming the Princeton of the West.
Pillar of Fire
At its peak, the Crown Point property was worth nearly a half a million dollars. But after the devastating closure and three-year abandonment, was purchased by Bishop Alma White of the Pillar of Fire ChurchPillar of Fire Church
The Pillar of Fire International is a Christian organization founded in Denver, Colorado in 1901 by Alma White, with headquarters in Zarephath, New Jersey. The Pillar of Fire was originally incorporated as the Pentecostal Union, but changed its name to distance itself from Pentecostalism in 1915...
for $40,000 on January 31, 1920. Included in the sale was the main college building, 45 acres (182,108.7 m²) of land, a power plant, and two houses (one a student's dormitory
Dormitory
A dormitory, often shortened to dorm, in the United States is a residence hall consisting of sleeping quarters or entire buildings primarily providing sleeping and residential quarters for large numbers of people, often boarding school, college or university students...
, the other the President's house.)
The sale was a good deal, but the state of the buildings left the church with $75,000 worth of repairs. Shattered windows, cracked walls, and broken plaster were the main structural complaints, but the once regal building had also become a glorified barn with thousands of chickens in the basement and farm machinery on the first floor.
In spite of the enormity of the work, the new Westminster University opened to students on September 7, 1920, just eight months after the purchase. Within six years of opening, the school, now known as Belleview Schools, had received its accreditation and was ready for decades of education.
In the late 1920s the campus was frequently used for Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
meetings and cross burning
Cross burning
Cross burning or cross lighting is a practice widely associated with the Ku Klux Klan, although the historical practice long predates the Klan's inception...
s. But in 1997, the Pillar of Fire Church
Pillar of Fire Church
The Pillar of Fire International is a Christian organization founded in Denver, Colorado in 1901 by Alma White, with headquarters in Zarephath, New Jersey. The Pillar of Fire was originally incorporated as the Pentecostal Union, but changed its name to distance itself from Pentecostalism in 1915...
, the school's owner and parent organization, repudiated its historical association with the Klan.
Today
Belleview Christian Schools still reside on the Westminster University campus which is home to a wide range of educational experiences including Belleview Christian Childcare & PreSchool (ages 2½–4), Belleview Christian School (K–12), as well as Belleview Christian College and Bible Seminary. Although most of the teaching happens in newer buildings on the campus, classes continue in the historic main building which was entered on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979. The building is also the home of KPOF
KPOF
KPOF is an AM radio station in Westminster, Colorado broadcasting at 910 kHz. The transmitter and studio are located on the campus of Belleview Christian Schools in the historic Westminster Castle, just northwest of Denver, Colorado. KPOF is known locally as "AM91: The Point of Faith" and offers...
AM91 Radio, Colorado's first station to broadcast in HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
.
The public is encouraged to come out to the campus for a family fun day that happens at the castle each June. "Open House on the Hill" features castle tours, carnival rides, games, food, and fun for the whole family sponsored by Belleview Christian Schools and AM91 The Point.