The historic Callahan House in Longmont is getting ready to begin the task of restoring and renovating its aging exterior with the help of an $180,000 grant from the State Historical Fund (SHF) and an additional $60,000 from the City’s capital improvement fund.

Built in 1892, this popular wedding and events venue is planning to interview and hire a contractor in upcoming weeks to repair, renovate, and restore several areas of concern including

• Restore curved leaded glass window in the library
• Protect all leaded and stained glass windows with tempered glass
• Repair exterior woodwork
• Repaint the house and auto house to historically correct colors circa 1906
• Repair & preserve the historic decorative driveway built for the first automobile in Longmont.

“There are only a handful of contractors qualified in this kind of renovation project,” Callahan House Manager Kathy Korpela said. “Once a contractor is selected, work is expected to take about 18 months.”

The Callahan House and Gardens belong to the City of Longmont and has a limited budget on an annual basis for general maintenance. The SHF grant will supplement the revenue for the much-needed restoration.

Interested contractors can see more information about the City’s Request for Proposal (RFP) on the Rocky Mountain e-purchasing system.

“Located in the heart of Longmont at 312 Terry St., just two blocks from the bustle of Main Street, the Callahan House and Garden is a preserved example of 1890s Queen Anne architecture where citizens and visitors can ‘step back in time’ to early 20th Century-living and stroll through gardens for a peaceful break or photo-op,” Korpela said.

The Callahan House has been on the National Register of Historic Places through the Department of the Interior, National Park Service since 1985. The home was registered with Colorado as a historic property in 1973. “It was one of the first Longmont landmark designations, thereby qualifying it for historic preservation grants and funding,” Korpela said.

T.M. Callahan bought the home in 1896 and the Callahans later gifted the house and its garden to the City of Longmont after they moved to Nevada in 1938.

Read more about the history of the Callahan House at https://LongmontColorado.gov/Callahan.

About Longmont, Colorado
Longmont, Colorado, is a 29-square-mile city with more than 300 days of sunshine and a spectacular vista of the Rocky Mountains. With a population of nearly 100,000, Longmont sits at an elevation of 4,979 feet above sea level. With more than 1,800 acres of parks and open space, a robust craft beverage scene, thriving art culture, fresh dining opportunities, and a Main Street teeming with new energy, Longmont is perfect for everyone from young families to those young at heart. Longmont is also home to several high-tech companies and a nationally recognized school district. Longmont is located in Boulder County conveniently situated 37 miles from Denver, 16 miles from Boulder and 30 miles from Rocky Mountain National Park.