Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad Depot, Jefferson Colorado

Date added: April 27, 2025

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The Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad (DSP&P) filed for incorporation on June 14^th, 1873. Its founders included Colorado political and financial movers and shakers John Evans, David Moffat, and Charles Kountse. Evans, the prime mover behind the enterprise, envisioned the DSP&P extending from Denver across the Rocky Mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean. In building the railroad, the company decided to utilize narrow gauge spacing of three feet between rails. In Colorado's mountainous terrain, narrow gauge construction allowed for steeper grades, sharper curves, and a lower cost for materials and rolling stock. Track laying began in May, 1874. Funding difficulties resulted in there being only 32 miles of track extending out of Denver by June of 1878. From Denver the route to South Park, via Platte Canyon and the Arkansas River, had to traverse Kenosha Pass at an altitude of 10,200 feet. The track reached Kenosha Pass in May, 1879, and it reached Jefferson later that year.

As was common with Colorado railroading, companies rushed to 'reaching booming mining communities. Competition was stiff, and like many others, the DSP&P experienced bankruptcies, reorganizations, and takeovers. By the turn of the century, it had become part of the newly organized Colorado and Southern Railway. By 1916, there were approximately 416 total miles of track. In general, the dismantlement of the network occurred over a period stretching from the early 1920s into the early 1940s. The 58.59 miles of track passing through Jefferson between South Platte and Como were removed in 1938.

Jefferson was the first South Park area station after Kenosha Pass. For the most part, hay and stock raising supported the local economy. As the DSP&P was built, Jefferson became a railroad tie shipping center. Located at milepost 81.12, at an altitude of 9508 feet, the depot is all that remains of a facility that at one time included stock pens, a coal bin, wye, 47,500 gallon wood water tank, a two-story frame section house, and 3,059 feet of siding.

The depot includes a track side bay window, a feature introduced in the 1870s, that provided the agent with a better view of the tracks. The depot's floor plan is typical of the type, with a freight room and passenger waiting room, separated by the business offices. Living quarters for the agent were commonly included in depots located in areas where access to housing was difficult.

Building Description

The circa 1880 Jefferson Denver South Park & Pacific Railroad Depot is located in an open field on the north side of U.S. Highway 285 in Jefferson, in the South Park area, of Colorado. The depot is all that remains of a station complex that once served the surrounding ranching area. Constructed as a combination depot, it handled passenger and freight traffic and reportedly included living quarters.

The depot is a one story wood frame rectangular building measuring approximately 22x40 feet. Although angled somewhat on its site, the depot may be viewed as facing south. A 4x12 foot bay projects from the south facade. Square nails were used in the original construction. The side gable roof is covered with wood shingles. The wide overhanging eaves are supported by ornamental wooden brackets. A stove pipe projects through the north slope of the roof near the east end. Two chimneys that appear in a 1937 photograph are no longer in place.

The building now rests on a concrete foundation that appears to have been added. To a height of 4 1/2 feet, the walls are board and batten. The upper walls are clapboard. Walls are painted a bluish gray, and the extensive wood trim is painted cream. Signs reading "JEFFERSON" that appear to date from at least 1937 are located in the east and west gable ends.

The original tall, narrow wood framed windows are 4/4 double hungs. Many retain original glass. Most window and door openings are topped with plain board, bracketed hoods, and there are diagonal board panels below the windows. Two windows on the west end of the north wall are believed to have been added circa 1900. They were installed with wire nails and do not exactly match the other windows. The adjacent door was also installed with wire nails.

The main passenger entrance is a single door, with a two light transom that is located at the east end of the south facade. The bay includes four of the tall 4/4 windows. A large eight panel wooden sliding freight door is on the west end of the south facade. It is 7 feet wide and has a five light transom. A similar door with a five light transom was located in the center of the west elevation. This opening has been partially filled with siding that matches the rest of the building. It now has a single door in the south side of the opening.

A plank boardwalk, constructed at an unknown date, runs along the south and east sides of the depot. As recently as 1995 the depot housed a gift shop. It is vacant at this time.

Much of the interior remains intact. The central office and eastern passenger rooms have vertical board wainscotting. Some of the walls are wallpapered above. Narrow board flooring remains. Baseboards are plain, and door and window surrounds are of fluted, flat boards. Doors have transoms, and ceilings have recessed wooden panels. The western freight room has 12 inch wide wood plank floors that are fastened with square nails.