Edgeplain facts for kids
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Edgeplain
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1106 N. Nevada Avenue, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, Colorado (private residence) |
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| Architect | Thompson Hetherington, Walter Douglas |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 06001048 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 21, 2006 |
Edgeplain, also known as the Arthur House, is a special historic building. It is located on the Colorado College campus in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Today, it is used as a dormitory where students live. This building is so important that it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Edgeplain was first built by a successful lawyer named Lyman Bass. He worked with Grover Cleveland, who later became a U.S. President. The house later became the home of Chester Alan Arthur II. He was the son of President Chester A. Arthur.
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History of Edgeplain: A Special Home
Building the Bass Family Home
In 1881, a lawyer named Lyman K. Bass decided to build a new home. He hired an architect named A.C. Williard to design it. Bass had been a U.S. Representative for New York. He also worked with Grover Cleveland as a lawyer.
In 1874, Bass married Frances Metcalfe. He moved to Colorado Springs because of his health. He hoped the climate would help him feel better. While in Colorado Springs, he became a lawyer for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. This railroad company was owned by General William Jackson Palmer.
The architect, Williard, designed a beautiful home in the Tudor Revival style. It was built next to open prairie land. The couple named their new home "Edgeplain." It cost a lot of money to build, about $115,000. The house had unique stonework with different colors and textures. Inside, there was special jeweled glass designed by John LaFarge. It also had fancy tiled fireplaces and rich wood paneling. The Bass family loved to host singers and musicians in their new home.
Lyman Bass passed away in New York City in May 1889. After his death, Frances sold the house. Several different people owned Edgeplain before it was bought by Chester Alan Arthur II and his wife.
The Arthur Family's Time at Edgeplain
From 1901 to 1922, Edgeplain was owned by Chester Alan Arthur II. He was the son of former U.S. President Chester A. Arthur. People sometimes called him "the Prince of Washington." This was because he enjoyed being the son of a President. He went to many fancy parties and used the presidential yacht and car.
After studying at Princeton University and law at Columbia University, he traveled in Europe for ten years. In May 1900, he married Myra Fithian Andrews in Switzerland. Like Lyman Bass, Arthur and his wife moved to Colorado in October 1900 for his health. He had asthma and bronchitis. The Colorado climate helped him feel much better.
Arthur became the president of the Cheyenne Mountain Country Club. He also loved playing polo, a sport that became very popular in the area. In 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt visited Colorado Springs. He had dinner at Edgeplain and watched a polo match.
After the Arthurs bought the house, they made it even bigger and more grand. They hired famous local architects, Thompson Hetherington and Walter Douglas, to do the work. These architects also built dorms for Colorado College. The Arthur home became a very important place for social events. Many important people from Colorado Springs and Denver gathered there.
Later Owners of Edgeplain
In 1922, a businessman from Oklahoma named Joseph Abraham bought the furnished house. He bought it for $30,000 to use as a summer home with his wife, Fannie. Between 1926 and 1927, the Phi Delta Theta fraternity lived in the house.
After Joseph Abraham passed away, Fannie sold the house to John Shaver in 1929. John Shaver owned a chain of department stores across several states. He had sold his business interests to the J.C. Penney Company in 1927. John continued to work until 1943. His wife, Charlotte, loved gardening and painting. Both Shavers passed away in 1960. Their daughters then sold the home to Colorado College in 1962.
Edgeplain as a Colorado College Dorm
Colorado College bought Edgeplain and first used it as a dormitory for male students. Later, it became a coed dorm, meaning both male and female students could live there.
The dorm is located on the western side of the campus. It is home to about 20 students. The rooms are designed for one, two, or three people. Edgeplain offers a comfortable living space that includes areas for cooking and relaxing.
