Constitution Hall

The First National Bank of Denver first occupied this site in 1866 in a building that cost $45,000, remained here for 10 years, expanded its rooms, installed fancy gas lights, and in 1875 added a third floor with a fish-scales slate mansard roof. In the winter of 1875-1876, delegates to Colorado's constitutional convention met here to draft a state constitution as Colorado anticipated admission to the Union as the thirty-sixth state. Colorado's first bid for statehood had been defeated by voters concerned about increased taxation, and a second bid had been rejected by a Congress unconvinced of the sincerity of its intentions, but legislation for statehood was finally approved on March 3, 1875. Delegates convened here to prepare the new state's basic charter, and after 87 days of work the constitution drafted here was presented to Colorado voters for ratification and passed by 15,433 votes to 4,062. President Grant declared Colorado a state of the Union on August 1, 1876. Thereafter the building became known as Constitution Hall, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, and in 1977 was set on fire by an arsonist; although the facade was saved during the fire, it was later demolished.

Denver, Colorado · United States