Ambassador Colorado Real Estate, founded October 2011, is an independent boutique brokerage based in Fort Collins, CO. Although Ambassador agents help buyers, sellers, and investors across the Front Range, the Stover Mansion – located at the corner of Mulberry and Remington – serves as home-base. It’s a privilege to office in a historic NoCo landmark, but the truth is we didn’t know much about it. So, we set out to learn more about the history of our office and other historical landmarks in the communities we serve.
The Stover Mansion
Standing tall at 503 Remington Street, the Stover Mansion was built in 1887 as an elegant home for William Stover – a prominent local businessman and community leader – his wife, and three children. Fort Collins residents and visitors marveled at the brick façade and beautiful second story porch, which served as a physical indication of the family’s wealth and power. The Stover family also enjoyed modern conveniences that many were forced to forego: a basement furnace for heating, electricity, and indoor plumbing.
According to the Coloradoran, following William Stover’s death in 1908, the house was sold and privately occupied. In 1931, however, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), purchased the home for $3,500 to serve as affordable housing for female students attending Colorado A&M, now Colorado State University. Between 12 and 20 students occupied the home at any given time. Rent was a mere $35 a month plus one hour per day of household chores and maintenance. AAUW owned the Stover Mansion until 1971, when the home was once again privately purchased and converted to office space.
9 Northern Colorado Historic Landmarks You Haven’t Heard Of
1. Birney Car Trolley – Fort Collins
Enjoy a ride on Birney Car 21, built in 1919. The Fort Collins Municipal Railway Society in partnership with the Fort Collins Museum has worked to restore and maintain this piece of living history. Grab your family for a scenic 30-minute trolley trip from City Park to Old Town any Saturday or Sunday throughout the summer.
2. Bee Family Centennial Farm Museum – Fort Collins
Admire thousands of artifacts including farming equipment, personal documents, vintage wagons, and more. An active family farm since 1894, the Bee Family Farm Museum documents and celebrates the agricultural history of Northern Colorado. We can all learn a thing or two from a 100-year operation.
3. Centennial Village Museum – Greeley
Living history demonstrations such as blacksmithing, rope-making, and scrub board laundry take visitors a step back in time! The museum preserves and interprets the last 150 years of western heritage with over 35 historical buildings, costumed interpreters, heritage farm animals, and beautifully landscaped grounds. Here, you’ll find some of Weld County’s oldest structures.
4. Old Mill Park – Longmont
Located in the heart of Longmont, Old Mill Park includes several buildings, plantings, and artifacts dating back to 1871. Open to the public throughout Spring and Summer, the park is a beautiful backdrop for a picnic or private event.
5. Avery House – Fort Collins
Built in 1879 for Franklin Avery, founder of First National Bank, the two-story home is a Fort Collins favorite and offers visitors a gallery archive of Larimer County history. After the Avery family sold the estate after nearly a century of ownership, the property was slated to be torn down in 1970 but was saved when then Fort Collins first-lady June Bennett individually saved the home. Today, the home hold exhibits showcasing Northern Colorado landmarks.
6. Enos Mills’ Cabin – Estes Park
Built in 1885 by 15-year-old Kansan Enos Mills, the cabin now serves as a museum of photos, letters, and personal belongings of the “Father of Rocky Mountain National Park”. The museum is independently owned and operated by Elizabeth and Eryn Millls, the granddaughter and great granddaughter of the Colorado miner, inn-keeper, and author.
7. Masonville Mercantile – Masonville
The only building that remains of the small gold rush town founded in the 1890s, the Masonville Mercantile is a charming, quirky shop full of interesting goods authentic to the old west. Nestled in foothills just north of Horsetooth Reservoir, this parlor of the past showcases racks of vintage-themed clothing and relics of old western culture.
8. Northern Drylanders Museum – Nunn
A must-see for any history enthusiast, this museum is a treasure of beautiful exhibits of life on the High Plains. The main building is the former municipal hall, built in 1934 as part of the New Deal. “Period rooms” converted to a Victorian parlor, a general store, a covered wagon, a homesteader’s shack, and an Indian teepee exposes visitors to the great breadth of Northern Colorado history.
9. Buckeye School – Wellington
A prairie style schoolhouse built in 1925 with a basement living quarters for a teacher, the Buckeye School was once the center of this rural community. Today, the building is used for community gatherings and private events.
