Gunnison History Tracker
211 South Main Street
Murray House
The 1902 wood frame Murray House is significant as one of Gunnison’s finest examples of the Queen Anne style. The property’s complex floor plan, roof structure, and architectural detailing are typical of the style.
Queen Anne is perhaps the most ornate style of the Victorian period evident in Colorado. Popular between 1880 and 1910, the style varies from the highly decorative to a more restrained version found in many residential neighborhoods. General characteristics include a vertical orientation, asymmetrical massing, corner towers and bays, prominent decorative porches, projecting gables, and contrasting materials, particularly brick and wood.
The degree of ornamentation usually distinguishes the high style. Ornamentation is emphasized on a high style Queen Anne through the use of scalloped and painted shingles in the gables, decorative bargeboards, sunburst detailing, and turned spindles on porches and balconies. The corner tower is prominent, but not always found on a high style building, nor is it always located on the corner.
Simpler Queen Anne buildings are less ornate, but usually feature shingled gables, asymmetrical massing, and some decorative detailing, These examples have enough decoration to distinguish them as members of the stylistic category.
