Constitution Hall

Constitution Hall. . , The First National Bank of Denver made its first home here in 1866, with a building constructed for a cost of $45,000. The bank stayed at this location for 10 years, enlarging rooms, installing fancy gas lights, and in 1875, adding a third floor with a fish-scales slate mansard roof. In the winter of 1875-1876, the delegates to the state's constitutional convention met at this site to draw up a state constitution in anticipation of Colorado being admitted to the Union as the thirty-sixth state. Although Colorado's first bid for statehood had been defeated by voters leery of increased taxation and her second bid snubbed by a congress unconvinced of the sincerity of her intentions, Colorado's legislation for statehood was finally approved on March 3, 1875. Delegates convened here to draft a basic charter for the new state. After 87 days of work, the constitution drafted here was presented to the people of Colorado for ratification. It passed, 15,433 votes to 4,062. President Grant declared Colorado to be a state of the Union on August 1, 1876. From that time, the building became known as Constitution Hall and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 1977, an arsonist set fire to the building. The facade, although saved during the fire, was subsequently and tragically demolished.