Molly Brown House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Molly Brown House
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Front of the house before restoration and painting completed in 2018
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1340 Pennsylvania St., Denver, Colorado |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1889 |
| Architect | William A. Lang, Land Developers John W. Smith and George W. Clayton |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne Richardsonian Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000269 |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 1972 |
The Molly Brown House Museum is a famous house in Denver, Colorado. It was once the home of Margaret Brown, a brave American woman. She was known as a philanthropist, which means she helped people and good causes. Margaret was also an activist, working for important changes in society.
Margaret Brown became very famous after surviving the sinking of the RMS Titanic. People called her the "Heroine of the Titanic" because she helped many survivors. Later, she was known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." Today, her former home is a museum. It teaches visitors about her life, what Denver was like in the Victorian era, and how old buildings are saved. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It is also a special Denver Landmark.
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History of the Molly Brown House
The Molly Brown House was built in 1889. It was designed by an architect named William A. Lang. The house shows off popular building styles from that time, like Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque. Its first owners were Isaac and Mary Large.
The Brown Family Buys the House
In 1893, a law called the Sherman Silver Purchase Act was changed. This made the Large family sell their house. James Joseph Brown (J.J.), Margaret's husband, bought it in 1894 for $30,000. In 1898, the house officially became Margaret's. This might have happened because J.J. was not in good health.
Margaret and her family traveled a lot. Because of this, their house was often rented out. In 1902, it even served as the governor's mansion for the Governor of Colorado. Margaret invited the governor and his family to stay there while their own home was being fixed up.
From Boarding House to Museum
In 1926, Margaret turned her home into a boarding house. This means she rented out rooms to people. Her housekeeper helped manage it. After Margaret passed away in 1932, the house was sold for $6,000. Over the years, it became a rooming house for men and later offered apartments for rent.
Saving the Molly Brown House
The house started to get old and worn down. By 1970, people worried it might be torn down. But a group of people who cared about history formed Historic Denver, Inc.. They worked hard to raise money to save the house. Their goal was to make it look just like it did when Margaret lived there.
To restore the house, the group studied old building plans and looked at original photos from 1910. They even analyzed tiny paint chips to find the exact colors. The Molly Brown House is now owned by Historic Denver, Inc. You can visit it today and take a tour to learn all about its history. It has been a museum since 1971.
Outside the museum, there is a special marker. It is part of the National Votes for Women Trail. This marker celebrates Margaret Brown's work for women's right to vote. The marker was stolen in November 2023 but was found later that same month.
See also
- The Molly Brown Summer House
Images for kids
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Interior doorknob
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Brown Family Photo
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House 1889
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Captain Rostron and Margaret Brown with the Loving Cup
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Votes for Women
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Stained Glass Detail
