Denver's Oxford hotel is the oldest hotel in the city, according to the Historical Marker Database. As such, the hotel has a rich history that saw it thrive, decline and eventually return to its previous glory.
The original portion of the Oxford was built in 1891 and was designed by architect Frank E. Edbrooke. It's located on the corner of Wazee and 17th Street in Denver. In 1912 an annex was built on 17th Street, directly adjacent to the original Oxford.
The hotel thrived in the early 20th century as a primary stop for people traveling by train to and from Denver via nearby Union Station. But as travel by train declined in the mid-1940s, so did the hotel and the surrounding downtown area.
The hotel remained open through the 1950s and 1960s but fell into disrepair. In 1979 Charles Callaway purchased the hotel and shut it down for renovation. His project lasted nearly four years. When the hotel reopened in 1983 it had been restored to its early 20th-century glory and, as of 2010, it still stands as a luxury hotel and a downtown landmark in Denver.
