Judson Moss Bemis House

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Judson Bemis was a Boston manufacturer that came to Colorado Springs in 1881 most likely for his wife's health since she contracted tuberculosis. Bemis had this home built in 1885 to be a permanent house for his family, while he would return to Boston for most of the year to continue his work. The Bemis family was very active in Colorado Springs, taking part in founding or being members of many organizations dedicated to education, healthcare, banking, business, Day Care and nurseries. Made of Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Stick architectural styles, this 10-room, three-story house (with additions made in 1886 and 1887) would in recent years become apartment housing.

Images

Judson Moss Bemis

Alice Cogswell Bemis

The Judson Bemis House as it looks today

Portrait of Alice Bemis Taylor. Can be found in Bemis Hall, located in Colorado College.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Judson Moss Bemis and his wife, Alice Cogswell Bemis, moved to Colorado Springs in 1881 for her health. She may have had tuberculosis. The house was built in 1885 and became the permanent home of Alice Bemis and their daughter, Alice; Judson Moss Bemis lived in the home several months a year and conducted business and lived the rest of the year in Boston. He was the founder of J. M. Bemis Company.

In Colorado Springs, Bemis founded the Business Administration and Banking School, was a trustee of Colorado College and donated monies for the Jackson and Bemis Halls. Alice Cogswell Bemis founded the Day Care Center in 1897. The couple's daughter, Alice Bemis Taylor, donated monies to Colorado College, helped fund the construction of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and the Colorado Springs Day Nursery, and provided scholarships. She was the first woman trustee of Colorado College, founded the Bemis-Taylor Child Guidance Clinic, and in 2010 was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.

The Bemis House, designed by W. F. Ellis, is a blend of architectural styles, including Queen Anne, Colonial Revival and Stick architectural styles. The three story home originally had 10 rooms and a partial basement, and received additions in 1886 and 1887. After 90 years the home was converted into an apartment house with 10 apartments based upon designs by architects MacLaren and Thomas.

Dot Williams and Ruth Williams purchased the Bemis House and the neighboring historic home to create Hearthstone Inn. The second house was built in 1900. For a period of time it was a boarding house for individuals with tuberculosis. The buildings were restored and renovated as an inn with a restaurant and 25 rooms. The architects for the project were Al Feinstein of Colorado Springs and William Odum of Dallas. The inn and its antiques were purchased by David and Nancy Oxenhandler in 1999 for $1,925,000. In 2005 it was sold to Griffis/ Blessing Investment Services.

Sources

"Judson Moss Bemis House - NRHP Nomination Form" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places.
"Alice Bemis Taylor". Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.
Naomi P. Kraus (22 February 2005). Frommer's USA. John Wiley & Sons. p. 695.
Jim Bainbridge (November 16, 2005). "Historic inn sold Hearthstone will reopen after renovation". The Gazette (accessed via HighBeamResearch.com). Colorado Springs, CO.