Burnham Hoyt


Burnham Hoyt was a prominent mid-20th century architect born in Denver, Colorado.

Early years

Born in North Denver, Burnham Hoyt was the son of Lydia Tompkins Hoyt and Wallace Hoyt, a carriage designer who emigrated from New Brunswick, Canada. He is the younger brother of Denver Architect Merrill H. Hoyt. He grew up in the house located at 2849 West 23rd Avenue Denver and would return to that residence later in life. Burnham graduated from Denver’s North High School in 1904 and apprenticed with the Denver architectural firm of Kidder and Wieger. In 1908, he left Denver to study at the Beaux Arts Institute in New York City where he won 6 Beaux-Arts design competitions and continued his professional training at the well respected New York firm of George Post and Bertram Goodhue. While there, he designed the interior woodwork for New York City’s St. Bartholomew Church. After serving two years in the US Army during World War I where he designed camouflage in France, he returned to Denver in 1919 to join his brother Merrill and form the Denver architectural firm of M.H. and B. Hoyt, Architects.

Later years

The Hoyt brother's firm prospered during the post war years and they designed numerous commercial, residential academic and religious buildings in Denver. Their buildings incorporated various historical Styles including English Gothic, Spanish Baroque, Greek Revival and Romanesque. In later years, Burnham would embrace and the modernist International Style.
In 1926, Burnham returned to New York when he was commissioned by John D. Rockefeller to design the interior of Riverside Church.
He worked several years as a Professor of Architectural Criticism at New York University, and in 1930 he became the Dean of the School of Architecture.
On February 11, 1933 the Hoyt brother's partnership ended suddenly when his brother Merrill died of a heart attack at age 52.
In 1936 at age 49, Burnham married interior designer Mildred Fuller and returned to Denver.He owned his own firm in Denver from 1933 to 1955. In 1953 he was elected to the National Academy of Design as an associate academician. He received an honorary doctorate from Denver University, the Civic Princeps Award from Regis College and a fellowship for design in the American Institute of Architects.
Burnham Hoyt was diagnosed with Parkinson disease in the early 1950s and died at the home he designed for himself at 3130 East Exposition Ave. in Denver.
A number of his works are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Credited buildings (partial list)

Source:
Building NameLocationDateStatus
Fourth Church of Christ Scientist3101 W. 31st Ave. Denver, CO1920
Merritt Gano Jr. House101 High St. Denver, COc. 1920Country Club National Register Historic District
Denver Public Library - Park Hill Branch4705 Montview Blvd., Denver, CO1920Denver Local Landmark
Merryweather House375 Humboldt St. Denver, CO1922Country Club National Register Historic District
Crammer House 200 Cherry St. Denver, CONational Register of Historical Places
Anne Evans Mountain House 1970 Evans Ranch Rd. Evergreen, CO1924National Register of Historical Places
Cherokee Ranch Hwy.85 Sedalia, CO1924-26National Register of Historical Places
Unnamed House840 Gaylord St. Denver, CO1925Morgan Subdivision Local Historic District
Cactus Club Clubhouse444 14th St. Denver, CO1925Demolished
Colorado National Bank 900-918 17th St. Denver, CO1925
Davis House385 Gilpin St. Denver, CO1925Country Club National Register Historic District
Denver Press Club1330 Glenarm Pl., Denver, CO1925Denver Local Landmark
Maitland Estate 9 Sunset Dr. Cherry Hills Village1925National Register of Historical Places
Phi Delta Theta1111 College Ave. Boulder, CO1925National Register of Historical Places
Standart-Cleworth House2025 E. 7th Ave. Denver, CO1925Seventh Avenue Local Historic District
Harrington School3230 E. 38th Ave. Denver, CO1926
Lake Junior High School 1820 Lowell Blvd. Denver, CO1926Denver Local Landmark
Charles S. and Marie Thomas House380 Gilpin St. Denver, CO1926Country Club National Register Historic District
Donald Bromfield House100 Gaylord St. Denver, CO1927Country Club National Register Historic District
Montview Blvd. Presbyterian Church, Education Wing1980 Dahlia St. Denver, CO1927National Register of Historical Places
Riverside Church 490 Riverside Dr, New York, NY1927-30National Register of Historical Places
Sigma Nu Fraternity1722 Illinois St. Golden, CO1928
St. Martin's Chapel at St. John's Cathedral 1313 Clarkston Denver, CO1928National Register of Historical Places
Steele Elementary School 300 S. Marion Pkwy Denver, CO1929Denver Local Landmark
Albany Hotel 1720 Stout St. Denver, CO1938Demolished
Boettcher School for Crippled Children1900 Downing St. Denver, CO1938Demolished
Maer House 545 Circle Dr. Denver, CO1940
Red Rocks Amphitheatre16351 County Rd 93 Morrison, CO1941National Historic Landmark
Nurses QuartersFitzsimmons Army Medical Center, Aurora CO1942-44Demolished
Infirmary Ward Buildings 203 &206Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center, Aurora CODemolished
Burnham F. Hoyt House3130 E. Exposition Denver, CO1947
10 W. 14th Ave. Denver, CO1955National Register of Historical Places
Garry HouseE 7th Ave Denver CO
Waring HouseHawthorn Pl. Denver, CO
Broadmoor Hotel Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO1941
Central City Opera House 124 Eureka St. Central City, CONational Register of Historical Places