Home notes
Historic and historical are related, but they are not interchangeable descriptions of a home’s status.
In common usage, historic describes something important in history. A home’s significance can be architectural, cultural, or connected to people and events. It is not a label to apply automatically to every older house.
On this site, historical describes any home that is 50 years old or older. That age description does not mean the home has formal historic designation. Records, photographs, and stories can help you explore its connections to the past.
Neither word alone proves a property has formal landmark status. Check the property’s actual designation and applicable requirements before planning changes. Age alone does not establish designation.
Denver’s landmark design review guidance explains how review applies to designated landmarks and historic districts.
A home’s relationship to its street, porch, roofline, windows, and neighboring buildings can tell a richer story than one polished room. Original woodwork, built-ins, and brickwork may be part of its appeal and offer clues to its architectural character.
An older home does not need to be frozen in time. Consider how updates work alongside its proportions and materials, and take time to understand its condition and your plans for it.
History Colorado’s house history research guide offers a starting point for exploring property records. Historic Denver’s context resources can help put a property’s story in perspective.