Denver Orphans' Home

The roots of the Denver Orphans’ Home can be traced to the Denver Ladies’ Relief Society, which organized in 1873 to establish a home for the homeless and destitute and to provide temporary assistance to those suffering from sickness, accident, and other misfortunes. In 1874, the group incorporated with the stated purpose of maintaining a home for destitute and homeless aged and infirm women, for the care of the sick, and to provide temporary relief for others. Additionally, in 1874, Richard Whitsitt donated several lots of land at Eighth Avenue and Logan Street to the Society and funds were provided for the rection of a building to house women and children. Completed in 1876, this structure served the Ladies’ Relief Society until it was sold in 1897.  

The Ladies’ Relief Society was dissatisfied with the operations on the Logan Street building, believing that the care of aged and infirm women should be separate from that of children. In 1876, the Society received a donation of eight-hundred-fifty dollars for the care of destitute orphans. At that time, no institution for the care of homeless children operated in the state and there was a growing need for such a facility. The Society felt that the founding of a separate institution for children was beyond their capacity and they urged the creation of a new organization to carry the benefactor’s wishes forward. 

The first meeting for consideration of the creation of a home for Denver’s orphans was held on December 6, 1880 at the residence of Margaret Patten Gray Evans, wife of a territorial governor of Colorado and a long-time Denver benefactress. The Denver Orphans’ Home Association was established on December 30, 1880. The Board of Managers for the organization then included thirteen of Denver’s most prominent women – Margaret Evans served as the Association’s first president.  

The Home was intended primarily to serve the children of Denver, but children from surrounding counties were admitted at different times when space was available within the Home. In 1898, the State Home for Dependent Children was established. The Board of Managers decided to provide temporary shelter and care for homeless children while turning the care of the orphans over to the State Home. The children served by the Home included those from broken homes, children from homes where illness required their care for a short time, children of working mothers, children from motherless homes, and illegitimate children. In 1898, the Home was caring for eighty-three children aged eleven months to fifteen years. 

In 1901 it was announced that the Denver Orphans’ Home property had been sold to a group of Denver businessmen headed by Tyson S. Dines. Local newspapers speculated that the Orphans’ Home would be abolished, but the Denver Orphans’ Home Association quietly made plans for continued operation. The Board of Managers established a fund for the erection of a new building. With the help from subscribers throughout the city, the children were moved from Wyman Cottage to the new building, completed in 1902. The modern building with large grounds at 1501 Albion Street was designed by Denver architects Willis A. Marean and Albert J. Norton.  

Denver Orphans' Home, National Register of Historic Places. Accessed December 14th 2020. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/84129881.

History, Denver Children's Home Website. Accessed January 21st 2021. https://www.denverchildrenshome.org/history.