Belleview College

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Stanford White designed Westminster Castle around 1908
Enlarge
The Stanford White designed Westminster Castle around 1908

Belleview College is a Christian college in Westminster, Colorado operated by the Pillar of Fire Church.

Around 1890 a New Yorker, Henry T. Mayham, convinced the Denver Presbytery to build a Presbyterian University on land that he owned on Crown Point, the highest point in what was then Arapaho County. The architect E.B. Gregory drew up plans for the main building and the cornerstone was laid in 1891. Funds were scarce in the years prior to the depression of 1893, and construction was delayed. Mayham hired his friend Stanford White, to design the main building, now known as Westminster Castle. White's plan was a three-story structure built from the native red sandstone quarried in Colorado's Red Rocks region. Mayham raised money for the project and Maxcy Tabor, son of Augusta and H.A.W. Tabor, contributed $106K from his mother's estate to the college. The school was incorporated as Westminster University of Colorado. Classes began at the Crown Point location in September of 1908. In 1915 the board of trustees changed the coed University to an all-male school. In 1917 all of the students went to fight in World War I and the college was closed. The school was sold to the Pillar of Fire Church in 1920. The Church established an Elementary School, High School, Junior College and Bible Seminary on the site. In 1925 the name was changed to Belleview College and Preparatory School. The Belleview facility is still owned and operated by the Pillar of Fire Church. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

[edit] External link