About

In the heart of Colorado Springs, a captivating tale unfolds along the grandeur of North Cascade Avenue. Standing proudly since 1886, 730 North Cascade Avenue emerges as a captivating Victorian-era residence, casting a commanding presence over its block and the picturesque Monument Valley Park nearby. Perched on a bluff, shrouded by majestic trees, this architectural gem remains a testament to a bygone era, nestled between the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and the bustling downtown to the north.

Once a fashionable haven for the well-to-do, the building has gracefully evolved through time. Today, it accommodates professional offices and apartments, yet its exterior proudly wears the echoes of its original construction. This stately edifice, blending Queen Anne forms with English detailing, tells a captivating story of Colorado’s late nineteenth-century domestic architecture.

The house, a sprawling two and three-story marvel, boasts a multiplaned, asymmetrical roof adorned with prominent gables and a tower reaching for the sky. Stone chimneys punctuate the skyline, emphasizing the vertical lines of this historic residence. The exterior is a patchwork of textures, combining rock-faced ashlar and wood shingles, sourced from the legendary “Divide” north of Colorado Springs.

As daylight dances upon the facade, a symphony of architectural details unfolds. Projecting gables adorned with rounded modillions, molded bargeboards, and decorative stonework frame the structure. The windows, in various shapes and sizes, tell stories of different eras, some embellished with leaded glass and decorative lights.

Venturing within, the interior reveals a time capsule of opulence and craftsmanship. Despite the changes brought by different owners and uses, the original character endures. The central corridor, first-floor rooms, and the magnificent three-story staircase showcase the masterful work of carpenter S. W. Sessions, with dark stained oak paneling, turned spindles, and intricate carvings that whisper tales of the past.

The Gwynne-Love House stands as a living testament to Colorado Springs’ early history, a grandeur captured in time. Its story unfolds against the backdrop of Cascade Avenue, a boulevard designed by General William J. Palmer himself. The avenue, a canvas for the town’s evolution from a frontier settlement to a modern community, witnessed the birth of Addition #5 in 1883—an uncommon layout reflecting the town company’s vision.

As prosperity and health-seeking settlers flocked to this resplendent enclave, the 1880s witnessed the construction of lavish homes along North Cascade Avenue. 730 North Cascade, commissioned by Edmiston Gwynne and designed by Willard B. Perkins, emerged as a symbol of competitive building that defined the era. Gwynne’s untimely death did not dim the house’s allure; instead, it transformed into a guesthouse, adapting to the dynamic growth spurred by the 1891 Cripple Creek gold discovery.

In the early 1900s, the Gwynne-Love House reverted to its original purpose as a residence. Through various owners, from a mill owner seeking solace for his son to the Love family, who landscaped the grounds and preserved its architectural integrity, the house became a cherished landmark.

Today, 730 North Cascade Avenue stands as a testament to the past, a rare survivor amid the changing landscape. Its inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places is a nod to its significance, preserving not just a building but a chapter in the vibrant history of Colorado Springs.

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Timeline

• 1886

  Construction began in October 1886. Soon after the home is completed and the owner, Edmiston Gwynne, dies at age 25.

  It is presumed that Edmiston was a wealthy young man who came to the area for health reasons as early records provide no clue as to his occupation. Instead, it is noted only that he was popular, a fine musician and organizer of the “Amateur Society” for music, and active in many social and civic organizations. Why Mr. Gwynne constructed such a large home for a single young man
  is not readily clear. However, an 1886 newspaper account of the groundbreaking provides some insight with the statement that the plans for the house would have it cover as much ground as Hagerman’s, a mansion built on the 600 block of North Cascade Avenue the year before. Hence, Gwynne’s construction of the house is representative of the competitive building that characterized Colorado Springs in the late 1800s.

  After Edmiston Gwynne’s death, 730 North Cascade Avenue was converted into a residence guest house like many other of other large homes during the turn of the century. The conversion was a response to the growth of the community and the increased demand for housing generated by the 1891 Cripple Creek gold discovery and the associated publicity. During its use as a boardinghouse, the building was managed by several noteworthy early residents including Miss Augusta A. Warren, a former manager of the first Antlers Hotel. Under Miss Warren’s operation, the house was well known for “those substantial, home-like apartments which were very popular, and year after year her house was filled… (with) the fashionable element as well as the more substantial… gathering together in those spacious parlors, enjoying the hospitality of their hostess.” (Facts, p.46)

• 1898

  Miss Augusta A. Warren’s niece, Mrs. E.S. Giles, took over management of the building in 1898 following Miss Warrens’ death.

• 1900

  William A. Moale is listed as a resident in the City Directory until 1901.

• 1902

  Mrs. E.S. Giles was replaced in 1902 by Mrs. M.L. DeCoursey, the widow of Captain Marcellin DeCoursey, an associate of Palmer’s from his Fifteenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Calvary and a principal in the early town company.

• 1914

  The home once again became a private residence for the well-to-do. It was purchased by a mill owner from Indianapolis who came to Colorado Springs for his son’s health. After the family’s relocation the son, Robert Irving, did improve. Although attended by a live-in nurse for most of his life, Robert Irving Love lived to be eighty-two years old. He raised five daughters in the home. Under the Love family’s ownership, the grounds were extensively landscaped and many improvements were made to the house. Fortunately, the wealth of the family enabled them to provide for the necessary maintenance and make improvements in a manner that preserved the architectural integrity of the building. Their care is a primary reason for its excellent condition today.

• 1950

  In the 1950s it was purchased by Douglas Crouch and turned into an apartment house.

• 1976

  It was sold to Barry and Phyllis Goldmuntz who continued its operation of the apartments and added several professional offices.

Additional Resources

• 730 N Cascade Ave Research – a collection of documents compiled during the Historic Uptown Neighborhood’s historic preservation efforts.
• Wikipedia article
• History Colorado article
• National Register of Historic Places