Today in Wheeling History: November 12--Henry C. Brown, who worked as a joiner and carpenter in Wheeling and later took those skills to Denver, Colorado, to become a prominent builder and real estate developer, was born in St. Clairsville, Ohio (1820).
Henry Cordes Brown was born on November 12, 1820, near St. Clairsville in Belmont County, Ohio. After becoming an orphan at the age of seven, he worked on farms until he was 16. He then learned the trade of joiners and carpenters and moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, where he honed his skills. Brown married Anna Louise Inskeep in 1841, and they had two children. He traveled extensively, seeking business opportunities across the western United States and South America.
In 1860, Brown moved to Denver, Colorado, where he became a significant figure in the city's early development. He homesteaded 160 acres in Denver and donated land for the state capitol. Brown's most notable achievement was the construction of the Brown Palace Hotel, a luxury hotel that has hosted numerous historical figures, including U.S. Presidents. The hotel, built in 1892, remains a landmark in Denver.
Brown's contributions to Denver's growth and his philanthropic efforts, such as donating land for public use, left a lasting legacy. He passed away in March 1906 in San Diego, California, and his remains were returned to Denver for burial. Brown's life and work exemplify the spirit of pioneering and development that characterized the American West.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/FioIJ), History Colorado Collection (https://shorturl.at/Y50ma)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
Henry Cordes Brown was born on November 12, 1820, near St. Clairsville in Belmont County, Ohio. After becoming an orphan at the age of seven, he worked on farms until he was 16. He then learned the trade of joiners and carpenters and moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, where he honed his skills. Brown married Anna Louise Inskeep in 1841, and they had two children. He traveled extensively, seeking business opportunities across the western United States and South America.
In 1860, Brown moved to Denver, Colorado, where he became a significant figure in the city's early development. He homesteaded 160 acres in Denver and donated land for the state capitol. Brown's most notable achievement was the construction of the Brown Palace Hotel, a luxury hotel that has hosted numerous historical figures, including U.S. Presidents. The hotel, built in 1892, remains a landmark in Denver.
Brown's contributions to Denver's growth and his philanthropic efforts, such as donating land for public use, left a lasting legacy. He passed away in March 1906 in San Diego, California, and his remains were returned to Denver for burial. Brown's life and work exemplify the spirit of pioneering and development that characterized the American West.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/FioIJ), History Colorado Collection (https://shorturl.at/Y50ma)
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons
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