Colorado State Capital
PANICd#: 2167
Publication date: 03/26/2025
The Colorado State Capitol was constructed in the 1890s and opened in November 1894. It is home to the Colorado General Assembly (opens in new window) and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Treasurer.
200 E Colfax Ave
Denver , CO 80203
Open to the public: Yes
Lat: 39.739891
Lon: -104.984581
Database Summary:
Demographic Rank: 0
History: 1
Stories: 1
Claims: 8
Evidence: 0
Resources: 4
Retrievals: 3084
Vistor Rating: 0.0
Votes: 0
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History
History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.
The Colorado State Capitol was constructed in the 1890s and opened in November 1894. It is located at 200 E. Colfax Ave. and is home to the Colorado General Assembly (opens in new window) and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Treasurer. Designed by architect Elijah E. Myers, the building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol, constructed of Colorado white granite and topped with its distinctive gold dome. The dome itself is covered in copper panels that are gilded with gold leaf from a Colorado mine. The gold was first added in 1908 to commemorate the Colorado Gold Rush.
The inside of the building is adorned with what is believed to be the entire known supply of Colorado Rose Onyx, a rare rose marble from a quarry near Beulah, Colorado. White Yule Marble from the quarries near Marble, Colorado, was also used throughout the building for the floors.
Many of the Colorado State Capitol's windows are stained glass, depicting people and events related to the history of Colorado. The third-floor rotunda is decorated with portraits of the presidents of the United States and other artwork.
The Capitol is the eastern edge of Denver's Civic Center and is part of the national historic landmark. It serves as the beginning of the Capitol Hill District, sitting slightly higher than the rest of downtown Denver. The main entrance hall is open 180 feet (55 m) to the top of the dome, about the height of an 18-story building.
The official elevation of Denver is measured on the west steps outside the building, where the fifteenth step is engraved with the words "One Mile Above Sea Level." From this step, at 5,280 feet (1,609m), the sun can be seen setting behind the Rocky Mountains. A second mile-high marker was set in the 18th step in 1969 when Colorado State University students resurveyed the elevation. In 2003, a more accurate measurement was made with modern means, and the 13th step was identified as being one mile (1.6km) high, where a third marker was installed.
Added by: sdonley on 03/26/2025
DB#:704
Source(s):
https://capitol.colorado.gov/history-capitol#:~:te...
Stories
Stories are just that. Stories and personal accounts that have been reported about the location. This section could also contain research notes as well.
In an article by Ashley Zimmerman entitled "Spooky Oddities at the State Capitol," the author explains several paranormal claims that take place within the capitol building. The article talks about the floating heads of the Espinosas brothers that were brought to the capital building for the Governor to pay for the bounty of the brothers and the apparitions of a woman dressed in Victorian-era garments that appears as a mist near the entrance to the senate chambers and then floats off to either side of the chamber before disappearing. The claims are intriguing and detailed. There is also the report of the woman in a long dress: "A female spirit, appearing in a long, turn-of-the-century dress, is said to wander the steam tunnels beneath the capitol, as well as the capitol building and all the buildings connected to the tunnels in the Capitol Hill area. Employees in each building have reported seeing her read over their shoulders." There is also the discussion of the mysterious tunnels that are underneath the complex, where not only is the woman in the long dress seen, but keys, ID badges, and other items are often pulled away from the body of the owner while they are walking through them. Please click on the link below to read the full article about the paranormal activity at this location.
Added by: sdonley on 03/26/2025 DB#: 1675
Source(s):
https://legisource.net/2014/10/30/spooky-oddities-...
Paranormal Claims
Here are the paranormal claims for this location. These have been found through Internet research, reports from members, or reports from personal interviews. To add a claim, please contact PANICd.com, and we will review and add your information.
| Claim # | Added | Added By | Claim |
| 3654 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | Temperatures have dropped unexpectedly in certain areas. |
| 3655 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | Footsteps have been heard. |
| 3656 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | Voices and conversations have been heard. |
| 3657 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | The smell of vintage rose-scented perfume has been detected. |
| 3658 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | The apparition of a woman in a long dress has been seen. |
| 3659 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | Keys, ID badges, and other items have been removed by people in the tunnels. |
| 3660 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | The apparition of a woman in Victorian-era garments has been seen. |
| 3661 | 03/26/2025 | sdonley | The heads of the Espinosa brothers have been seen floating around the building. |
Additional Resources
This is a collection of Internet resources for this location. This section will house links to other websites that contain information related to history, claims, investigations, or even the location's website.
| Spooky Oddities at the State Capitol – Colorado LegiSource
Added: 03/26/2025 By: sdonley |
Information about the paranormal activity that takes place in the building. |
| Wikipedia Entry
Added: 03/26/2025 By: sdonley |
Wikipedia entry for this location. |
| Stories abound about Colorado’s haunted Capitol – The Denver Post
Added: 03/26/2025 By: sdonley |
Information about the paranormal activity. |
| The Terrible Espinosas
Added: 03/26/2025 By: sdonley |
An article about the Esponosas on the New York Times, time machine. |
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