Remnants of the Past: Building Fragments of the 1890 Denver Turnverein Building

Starting with the organization’s founding in 1865, the Denver Turnverein occupied a number of different locations in lower downtown. By 1890, they had moved to a larger and more luxurious building between 21st and 22nd streets at about 2140-2148 Arapahoe Street. 

This building, known as a “Turnhalle,” was designed by the architectural firm of Schulz & Niere and built by the John Mouat Lumber Company. The foundation stone was set on July 20, 1889, and construction of the $75,000 building was completed in June of the following year, with three days of celebrations commencing on June 28, 1890.  

The four-story structure occupied four city lots, had 100 feet of frontage on Arapahoe Street and was 125 feet deep. Built of brick with a brown sandstone façade, iron columns, and heavy plate glass windows, it was one of the largest Turnhalles in America for that time. A large bust of Friedrich Ludwig Jahn was placed prominently on the third floor façade above the main entrance. The well-appointed structure provided a number of amenities for its members: gymnasium, dressing rooms, bowling alley, fencing room, dining room, kitchen, meeting rooms, ball and theater hall, stage, club room, lodge room, and manager’s room.

Today, surprisingly enough, remnants of the original structure’s ground floor still exist - more than 95 years after its destruction. After the fire, portions of the original exterior walls were re-used for a parking garage.  

Currently, the building holds Soneff’s Master Garage, Inc. While most of the remaining facade has been altered or disappeared over time, portions of the original attached sandstone columns found on both ends of the facade are still in place. They and the cornerstone are all that remain of the once famous cultural institution after more than 125 years.

~Posted on Behalf of Archivist/Librarian Martin Leuthauser~