Highland School, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Highland School is a school building in Boulder, Colorado, constructed from red brick and sandstone with Gothic and Romanesque Revival features. The three-story structure built in 1892 was designed by architects Varian and Sterner, and a matching addition doubled its size in 1923.
Built in 1892 as Boulder's fourth public school, the building reflected the town's wealth from silver and gold mining. After nearly 80 years of operation, the school closed in 1971, but community leaders formed Historic Boulder, Inc. in 1972 to prevent demolition and preserve the structure.
The school takes its name from its elevated location above nearby creeks, chosen deliberately to protect students from flood risks that threatened lower areas of Boulder. This naming reflects how the early community's decisions about growth were shaped by natural geography and safety concerns.
The building sits at the corner of 9th Street and Arapahoe Avenue, sheltered by mature trees and a creek running along its east side. The location is walkable and offers a park-like setting that invites exploration, with the exterior facade visible from the street.
The building was constructed from red brick and light sandstone quarried locally, a deliberate choice to protect against fire that was common in wooden schoolhouses of the era. These durable materials, combined with thick walls, provided safety protection for students.
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