Temple Emanuel; PlatteForum

Erected in the Curtis Park Neighborhood in 1882, this was the first large Jewish synagogue in the Denver area. Designed by prominent architect Willoughby J. Edbrook, the building blends Victorian with Moorish and Romanesque details. Following a fire in 1887, minor details were made to the facade and roofing. This Jewish community became an early hub for philanthropy, and while the congregation left to be closer to members, the building is now home to PlatteForum which offers an art gallery with rotating shows along with 30 artist studios. The organization also offers art classes for local kids from low-income families.

Temple Emanuel was built in 1882 and served as a Jewish Synagogue for the Beth Emanuel Congregation. It was commissioned for $20,000 with Willoughby E. Edbrooke as architect. The building stands out for its eclectic Victorian style mixed with Moorish and Romanesque detailing.

The temple is a three-story structure with two asymmetrical towers. The building displays exposed buttresses and a gabled roof. The front has a sizeable Moorish window and an arched Romanesque main door. In its original construction, the temple had 150 pews, a vestry room, schoolrooms, a choir gallery, and a basement. An 1887 fire nearly destroyed the auditorium but Frank E. Edbrooke, brother to the original architect, designed the reconstruction. The current structure reflects the original design with a few minor changes to the towers and facade.

Jewish immigrants living in Colorado in the late 19th century largely hailed from Germany and arrived like many others during and following the gold rush. The 1880s also saw a large influx of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.

Today the Temple houses PlatteForum, a non-profit arts organization founded in 2002 that sponsors programming that allows Denver youth to work side by side with resident artists. The organization offers professional artist residencies and a year-round high school ArtLab. The organization is often celebrated for its engaging and sometimes controversial exhibitions. 

Temple Emanuel (Curtis St), History of Colorado. Accessed July 16th 2020. https://www.historycolorado.org/location/temple-emanuel-curtis-st-denver.

The Temple, Denver Architecture Foundation. Accessed July 18th 2020. https://denverarchitecture.org/site/the-temple/.