How much do you know about 423 N. Cascade Ave.? Chances are, if you are new to Colorado Springs and live near the Old North End, you may walk past it without even realizing it is one of the oldest standing homes in our city. Dating back to 1873, 423 N. Cascade Ave. was built and lived in by Major Henry McAllister—one of the most influential men in developing Colorado Springs and a good friend to the city’s founder, General William Jackson Palmer.
Born in Delaware but having grown up in Philadelphia, Henry McAllister was said to have loved Colorado—so much so that he was selling property to people out East before he had even moved. He was involved in many affairs during his years in Colorado Springs including, Executive Director of the Colorado Springs Company, President of the Board of Town Trustees, founding member of the El Paso County Pioneers Association, and Chief Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners. He also served for a short time as editor of the Outwest newspaper.
Colorado College alumni have McAllister to thank for the school; he persuaded the Congregational Church to build the campus in Colorado Springs instead of Denver. McAllister was both a trustee and on the building committee.
The McAllister home has been described as an English Gothic-style cottage; it was built by architect George Summers. Asked by McAllister to move to Colorado Springs from Philadelphia, Summers specialized in building well-constructed homes for new settlers, including a home for McAllister’s. Constructed with double thick brick and stone walls 18-inches thick, it was the primary residence for the McAllister family until Henry’s death in 1921.
In 1961, the home was opened as The McAllister House Museum and, in 1973, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours, events, and a gift shop are all open to the public and we highly recommend seeing the beautiful home for yourselves—if not to learn more Colorado Springs history to admire the incredible architecture!
Ticket information, tour times, and more information can all be found at http://mcallisterhouse.org/