Who was Molly Brown? I really had no idea when I decided to take this tour with my sister, other than she was on the Titanic. They called her the Unsinkable Molly Brown, and sure she was strong willed and determined, but I think she was ahead of her time making her quite remarkable.
So, a little about the house. The Large family (Isaac and Mary) made their millions from silver mining. Wanting to get out of the mountains they had the Queen Anne and Richardsonian Romanesque style house built. The house contained heat, electricity, plumbing and even a phone…for the 1880’s those were unique features. But the silver mining industry crashed and the Large family had to sell the house. JJ and Margaret (aka Molly) Brown, purchased the house for around $30,000 and like any homeowner wanted to make it theirs by changing the porches and the third floor. Since they traveled a lot, the house was often rented and later became a boarding house. Mrs. Brown died during the great depression and the house was sold. However, in 1970 as the house was set for demolition, citizens formed Historic Denver to save it, which they did, and they restored it to what it would have looked like in 1910.
This style house may not be for everyone, but even before I walked in, I loved it. The outside is unique and I love stone. I am used to the basic colonials, cape cods, ranch, split levels, tutors, Victorian , Mediterranean, and have always been curious about the Capital Hill neighborhood with their unique frames. When I walked in the front door, my thoughts were confirmed, this was a cool house. I loved the dark panel walls, the dark elegant stairwell, the thick baseboards and door frames, the crown molding, wallpaper & paint, and of course the hardwood floors.
Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and as she was telling us stories of Margaret. She was active in the Denver Women’s Club, an organization dedicated to improving women’s lives through continuing education and philanthropy, she was multi-lingual, interested in fundraising, advocated for education and literacy for children, and even helped establish a juvenile court. She and JJ separated in 1909, a rare occurrence for the time.
She loved to travel, and in 1912 she was in Europe for several months. Unfortunately she received word her grandchild was gravely ill and she booked a ticket on the Titanic, the first available ship, to get back home. She was a first class passenger and on the morning of April 15, 1912 she was helping many others into life boats that she needed much convincing before she got into boat #6, she took an oar and helped paddle and kept insisting on helping others in the water – which was met with opposition. To this day we don’t know if they helped others in the water, but this is when she earned the name “Unsinkable Molly Brown”.
She died in her sleep in 1932, age 65; an autopsy revealed a brain tumor. She accomplished so much in her lifetime, in an era where women’s rights were virtually non-existent and as a divorcee.
I left the tour so proud of this lady, but yet also sad with how little I’ve done with my life.
Molly Brown House Museum Website
Location: 1340 Pennsylvania Avenue, Denver, CO 80203
Fee: $14 adults, $10 Juniors, $12 Seniors, Military, Students and Teachers (as of November 2019)
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