Skip to main content

Four Mile House

    Named for its location four miles from the intersection of Broadway and Colfax Avenue in Denver, Four Mile House was built in 1859 and served in the 1860s as the last stage stop before the city along the Smoky Hill Trail. When railroads replaced stagecoaches in the 1870s, the property became a farm operated for many decades by members of the Booth and Working families. Preserved since the 1970s as part of Four Mile Historic Park, the house is now the oldest residential building in the Denver area.

    Smoky Hill Stage Stop

    Four Mile House was built in late summer or fall 1859 by the brothers Samuel and Jonas Brantner. In 1858 Jonas had come to Colorado from Ohio to look for gold. After prospecting unsuccessfully on Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, he gave up and staked a farming claim along Cherry Creek. His land was at a spot where various Indian groups had camped occasionally since the 1600s, and it was also along the Cherokee Trail, which had linked Santa Fé to the Fort Laramie area since the 1810s.

    In August 1859, Jonas’s brother Samuel arrived in Colorado, and they soon built a two-story log house on Jonas’s land. Samuel, his wife, and their infant daughter occupied the house in October 1859. The house might have acquired the name “Four Mile House” in 1859 or 1860, when part of the Cherokee Trail began to be used by mail carriers traveling between Colorado City (now part of Colorado Springs) and Denver as well as by immigrants following the Smoky Hill Trail from Kansas to Denver.

    In 1860 the Brantners sold Four Mile House to Mary Cawker. A widow from Wisconsin, Cawker moved into the house with her two children that September. She operated it as a stage station with a bar downstairs and a tavern that held dances on the second floor. Over the next decade, stages regularly stopped at the house to change horses and to allow passengers to change clothes and freshen up before their arrival in Denver.

    The devastating Cherry Creek flood of May 1864 left Four Mile House unscathed but shifted the course of the creek much closer to the house. Cawker apparently had no desire to stay next to a stream that could wreak such destruction. Three weeks after the flood, she sold the house to Levi Booth for $800. An attorney originally from Wisconsin, Booth moved into the house with his family in August 1864. He continued to operate the house as a stage stop and tavern for the rest of the decade.

    After the end of the Civil War in 1865, traffic increased from the east and the Smoky Hill Trail was developed for regular stage travel as an alternative to less direct routes to Denver along the South Platte and Arkansas Rivers. Originally the trail had six mile houses in the Cherry Creek Valley leading into Denver that offered travelers food, drink, and a place to rest: Four, Seven, Nine, Twelve, Seventeen, and Twenty. Aside from Four Mile House, the only other original mile house still standing in the Denver area is Seventeen Mile House.

    Working Farm

    The nature of travel along the Smoky Hill Trail changed rapidly after the Denver Pacific and Kansas Pacific Railroads reached Denver in 1870. The Smoky Hill Trail became a feeder line rather than a main transportation route, and the mile houses became less important for travelers. Many of the mile house owners, including Levi Booth at Four Mile House, began to focus on ranching and farming.

    Booth had already started to increase his landholdings in the 1860s. In 1866 he filed for a 160-acre homestead, and he eventually acquired about 600 acres by the time of his death in 1912. To water his land, in 1868 he dug the First Attempt Ditch, which introduced irrigation to the Cherry Creek area. Over the next four years he added two additional irrigation ditches, making it possible for him to plant a ten-acre apple orchard.

    Members of the Booth family owned Four Mile House for more than eighty years. In about 1883 the Booths expanded Four Mile House, which by that time had acquired board siding over its original logs. The family took down a lean-to that had been used as the kitchen and dining room, and in its place they built a brick addition. After Levi Booth’s death, the property passed to his daughter, Grace, and her husband, Daniel Working, who lived there for the first half of the twentieth century.

    Four Mile Historic Park

    In 1946 the Booth family sold Four Mile House to Glen Boulton, who stayed there for nearly thirty years. During those years, the house, previously on the edge of the city, was surrounded by development as Denver spread southeast and Glendale became an enclave of businesses and bars. In response to encroaching development, preservationists worked to ensure Four Mile House’s survival. In 1968 the house became a Denver landmark, and in 1969 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    In 1975 the city of Denver bought the house and twelve acres of surrounding land from Boulton. Archaeological investigations starting in 1976 revealed the foundations of several lost buildings, including the Bee House, an 1860s building that was later used for beekeeping but burned down around 1940.

    In 1977 the nonprofit Four Mile Historic Park Inc. was formed to care for the property, which was opened to the public the next year as a museum. The nonprofit has restored the house, built two new barns near the original barn locations north of the house, and built a new Bee House, which serves as a gift shop and offices.

    Over the past four decades Four Mile Historic Park has won a variety of historic and community awards for its preservation work and other programs. It hosts special events and educational programs on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday throughout the year.

    Four Mile House served in the 1860s as the last stage stop before Denver along the Smoky Hill Trail. It was named for its location four miles from the intersection of Broadway and Colfax Avenue in Denver. When railroads replaced stagecoaches in the 1870s, the property became a farm operated for many decades by members of the Booth and Working families. Preserved since the 1970s as part of Four Mile Historic Park, the house is now the oldest residential building in the Denver area.

    House on Cherry Creek

    The brothers Samuel and Jonas Bratner built four Mile House in 1859. In 1858 Jonas had come to Colorado from Ohio to look for gold. He did not find any, so he staked a farming claim along Cherry Creek. His land was at a spot where various Indian groups had camped occasionally since the 1600s.

    The property was along the Cherokee Trail, which had linked Santa Fé to the Fort Laramie area since the 1810s. It also connected with the Smoky Hill Trail that led from Kansas to Denver. The house might have acquired the name “Four Mile House” in 1860 when part of the Cherokee Trail began to be used by mail carriers traveling between Denver and Colorado City (now part of Colorado Springs).

    In August 1859, Jonas’s brother Samuel arrived in Colorado, and they built a two-story log house on Jonas’s land. Samuel, his wife, and their infant daughter occupied the house in October 1859.

    Smoky Hill Stage Stop

    In 1860 the Bratners sold Four Mile House to Mary Cawker, a widow from Wisconsin. Cawker moved into the house with her two children that September. She operated it as a stage station with a bar downstairs and a tavern that held dances on the second floor.

    Over the next decade, stages regularly stopped at the house to change horses and to allow passengers to change clothes and freshen up before their arrival in Denver.

    The Cherry Creek flood of May 1864 left Four Mile House undamaged but shifted the course of the creek much closer to the house. Cawker must have had no desire to stay next to a stream that could wreak such destruction. Three weeks after the flood, she sold the house to Levi Booth for $800. An attorney originally from Wisconsin, Booth moved into the house with his family in August 1864. He continued to operate the house as a stage stop and tavern for the rest of the decade.

    After the end of the Civil War in 1865, traffic increased from the east and the Smoky Hill Trail was developed for regular stage travel. It served as an alternative to less direct routes to Denver along the South Platte and Arkansas Rivers. Originally the trail had six “mile houses” in the Cherry Creek valley leading into Denver. In addition to Four Mile House, there was Seven Mile House, Nine Mile House, Twelve Mile House, Seventeen Mile House, and Twenty Mile House. The only other original mile house still standing is Seventeen Mile House.

    Working Farm

    The nature of travel along the Smoky Hill Trail changed rapidly after the Denver Pacific and Kansas Pacific Railroads reached Denver in 1870. The Smoky Hill Trail became less important, and many of the mile house owners, including Levi Booth, began to focus on ranching and farming.

    Booth had already started to increase his landholdings in the 1860s. In 1866, he filed for a 160-acre homestead. He eventually acquired about 600 acres. To water his crops, he dug the First Attempt Ditch, which introduced irrigation to the Cherry Creek area. Over the next four years, he added two additional irrigation ditches and planted a ten-acre apple orchard.

    Members of the Booth family owned Four Mile House for more than eighty years. In about 1883 the Booths expanded Four Mile House, which by that time had acquired board siding over its original logs. The family took down a lean-to that had been used as the kitchen and dining room, and in its place they built a brick addition. After Levi Booth’s death, the property passed to his daughter, Grace, and her husband, Daniel Working, who lived there for the first half of the twentieth century.

    In 1946 the Booth family sold Four Mile House to Glen Boulton, who stayed there for nearly thirty years.

    Four Mile Historic Park

    During those years, the house was surrounded by development as Denver spread southeast and Glendale became an enclave of businesses and bars. In response to encroaching development, preservationists worked to ensure Four Mile House’s survival. In 1968 the house became a Denver landmark, and in 1969 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    In 1975 the city of Denver bought the house and twelve acres of surrounding land from Boulton. Archaeological investigations starting in 1976 revealed the foundations of several lost buildings, including the Bee House, an 1860s building that was later used for beekeeping but burned down around 1940.

    In 1977 the nonprofit Four Mile Historic Park Inc. was formed to care for the property, which was opened to the public the next year as a museum. The nonprofit has restored the house, built two new barns near the original barn locations, and built a new Bee House, which serves as a gift shop and offices.

    Over the past four decades, Four Mile Historic Park has won a variety of historic and community awards for its preservation work and other programs. It hosts special events and educational programs on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday throughout the year.

    Four Mile House is a historic park in Denver. The property has served many purposes since it was built in 1859. It was built as a home and became a stage stop on the Smoky Hill Trail leading to Denver. When railroads replaced stagecoaches, the property became a farm operated for many decades by two families. Four Mile Historic Park opened in the 1970s as a museum and educational center where people can learn about the past. The house is the oldest residential building in the Denver area.

    Four Mile House is four miles from the intersection of Broadway and Colfax Avenue in Denver. It was named Four Mile House because it was the last stage stop before travelers arrived in Denver along the Smoky Hill Trail.

    House on Cherry Creek

    Four Mile House was built in 1859 by the brothers Samuel and Jonas Bratner. In 1858 Jonas had come to Colorado from Ohio to look for gold. When he could not find any, he staked a farming claim along Cherry Creek.

    His land was at a spot where various Indian groups had camped occasionally since the 1600s. The property was along the Cherokee Trail, which linked Santa Fé to the Fort Laramie area. It was also on the Smoky Hill Trail that led from Kansas to Denver.

    In August 1859, Jonas’s brother Samuel arrived in Colorado, and they built a two-story log house on Jonas’s land. Samuel, his wife, and their daughter moved into the house.

    Smoky Hill Stage Stop

    In 1860 the Bratners sold Four Mile House to Mary Cawker, a widow from Wisconsin. She moved into the house with her two children that September. She operated it as a stage stop with a bar downstairs and a tavern that held dances on the second floor. Stagecoaches and wagons stopped at the house to change horses. Passengers could change clothes and freshen up before their arrival in Denver.

    The Cherry Creek flood of May 1864 left Four Mile House undamaged but shifted the course of the creek much closer to the house. The flood must have frightened Mary Cawker. Three weeks after the flood, she sold the house to Levi Booth for $800.

    Levi Booth, an attorney from Wisconsin, moved into the house with his family in August 1864. He continued to operate the house as a stage stop and tavern for the rest of the decade.

    After the end of the Civil War in 1865, more people were moving west. Traffic increased and the Smoky Hill Trail became a major travel route. Six “mile houses” were opened in the Cherry Creek Valley leading into Denver. These houses offered travelers food, drink, and a place to rest. In addition to Four Mile House, there was Seven Mile House, Nine Mile House, Twelve Mile House, Seventeen Mile House, and Twenty Mile House. The only other original mile house still standing in the area is Seventeen Mile House.

    Working Farm

    When the Denver Pacific and Kansas Pacific Railroads reached Denver in 1870, the need for stage stops diminished. The Smoky Hill Trail became less important. Many of the mile house owners, including Levi Booth at Four Mile House, decided to focus on farming.

    In 1866 Booth filed for a 160-acre homestead, and he acquired about 600 acres by the time of his death in 1912. In 1868 he dug the First Attempt Ditch, which introduced irrigation to the Cherry Creek area. Over the next four years he added two additional irrigation ditches and planted a ten-acre apple orchard.

    Members of the Booth family owned Four Mile House for more than eighty years. In about 1883 the Booths expanded Four Mile House. They covered the original logs with board siding. The family took down a lean-to that had been used as the kitchen and dining room, and in its place they built a brick addition. After Levi Booth’s death, his daughter, Grace, and her husband, Daniel Working, lived there for the first half of the twentieth century.

    In 1946 the Booth family sold Four Mile House to Glen Boulton, who stayed there for nearly thirty years.

    Four Mile Historic Park

    During those years, the house was surrounded by development as Denver spread to the east. In response to development, preservationists worked to ensure Four Mile House’s survival. In 1968 the house became a Denver landmark, and in 1969 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    In 1975 the city of Denver bought the house and twelve acres of surrounding land from Boulton. The city wanted to preserve Four Mile House as a museum to teach people history. Archaeological investigations revealed the foundations of several lost buildings, including the Bee House, an 1860s building that was later used for beekeeping but burned down around 1940.

    In 1977 the nonprofit Four Mile Historic Park Inc. was formed to care for the property. Four Mile House was opened to the public the next year as a museum. The nonprofit has restored the house, built two new barns near the original barn locations, and built a new Bee House, which serves as a gift shop and offices.

    Over the past four decades, Four Mile Historic Park has won a variety of historic and community awards for its preservation work and other programs. It hosts special events and educational programs on Mondays and Tuesdays and is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday throughout the year.

    Four Mile House is a history museum in Denver. The house has served many purposes since it was built in 1859. It was built as a home and stage stop on the Smoky Hill Trail leading to Denver. Later, it became a busy farm owned by two families. Now it is called Four Mile Historic Park. People can visit Four Mile House to learn about how people lived in the past.

    Four Mile House is four miles from downtown Denver. It was named Four Mile House because it was located four miles away from the city along the Smoky Hill Trail. The house is the oldest house in Denver.

    House on Cherry Creek

    Brothers Samuel and Jonas Bratner built Four Mile House in 1859. Jonas had come to Colorado from Ohio to look for gold. Jonas didn’t find gold, so he staked a farming claim along Cherry Creek. The land was along the Smoky Hill Trail. This was a dirt path that travelers used to get to Denver.

    Jonas’ brother Samuel moved to Colorado. The brothers built a two-story log house on Jonas’ land. Samuel, his wife, and their daughter moved into the house in October 1859.

    Smoky Hill Stage Stop

    In 1860 the Bratners sold Four Mile House to Mary Cawker. She was a widow from Wisconsin. Mary Cawker moved into the house with her two children. She ran the property as a stage stop. Stage coaches and wagons stopped at the house to change horses. Passengers could change clothes and freshen up before they arrived in Denver. There was a place to eat and drink. Dances were held on the second floor.

    The Cherry Creek flood in 1864 did a lot of damage in Denver. Near Four Mile House, the flood changed the course of Cherry Creek. The creek moved much closer to the house. The flood must have frightened Mary Cawker. Three weeks after the flood, she decided to move.

    In 1864 Levi Booth bought Four Mile House. He moved into the house with his family that August. He continued to use the house as a stage stop.

    More and more people were moving west. They were using to Smoky Hill Trail to get to Denver. Soon, there were  six “mile houses” along the Smoky Hill Trail. These “mile houses” gave travelers food, drink, and a place to rest. In addition to Four Mile House, there was Seven Mile House, Nine Mile House, Twelve Mile House, Seventeen Mile House, and Twenty Mile House.

    Working Farm

    In 1870 railroads and train travel came to Denver. Now, most people traveled to Denver on the train instead of wagons and horses. The “mile houses” became less important for travelers. Stage stops were no longer needed. Levi Booth decided to close the stage stop and begin farming.

    To water his crops, Levi Booth dug the “First Attempt Ditch” in 1868. This introduced irrigation to the Cherry Creek area. He planted a ten-acre apple orchard.

    Members of the Booth family owned Four Mile House for eighty years. The Booths added to Four Mile House. They put board siding over the original logs. The family built a brick addition for an indoor kitchen and dining room. After Levi Booth died, his daughter Grace and her husband, Daniel Working, lived there.

    In 1946 the Booth family sold Four Mile House to Glen Boulton. He lived there for thirty years.

    Four Mile Historic Park

    Denver was growing and soon houses and businesses surrounded Four Mile House.

    People interested in history wanted to make sure that Four Mile House would not be torn down.

    In 1968 the house became a Denver landmark. In 1969 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1975 the City of Denver bought the house and twelve acres of land from Glen Boulton. The city of Denver wanted to use Four Mile House to teach people about history.

    Four Mile Historic Park opened as a museum. An organization called “Four Mile Historic Park Inc.” cared for the property. The group fixed up the house and built two new barns.

    Four Mile Historic Park has won historic and community awards. It hosts special events and educational programs on Mondays and Tuesdays. It is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday.