Leadville, Colorado · 10,152 ft
The house Governor McDonald built to entertain in
An 1881 mansion in Leadville's National Historic Landmark District, now three private units sleeping anywhere from two to fourteen.
Since 1881
Three governors in one day, and this was the house of the third
Jesse F. McDonald came to Leadville from Ohio in 1879 to make his career in mining. Within five years he owned the Harvard, the Penrose and the El Dorado. He was mayor of Leadville from 1899, then state senator, then Lieutenant Governor — and he built this house to entertain the people who passed through town.
On 16 March 1905, Colorado had three governors in a single day. Alva Adams took office; his election was contested; James Peabody replaced him on the condition that he immediately resign — which handed the office to McDonald. He kept it until 1907.
The house was expanded in 1893 and has been kept, carefully, ever since. The floors, the mantels and the twelve-foot ceilings are the ones he knew.
Four ways to stay
Take a room, a unit, or the whole mansion
The house divides into three units that lock from one another. Book one, or book all of it and let the group spread out.
The Whole Mansion
All six bedrooms, all three units, one address
Sleeps 14 · 6 bedrooms · 4.5 baths
The Main Unit
The Governor's own rooms, plus the Parlor
Sleeps 8 · 4 bedrooms · 3.5 baths
The Attic Loft
Third-floor views, private stair, plank pine floors
Sleeps 6 · 2 bedrooms · 1 bath
The Parlor
One room, one fireplace, the whole town outside
Sleeps 2 · 1 bedroom · 1 bath
What you get
A historic building that works like a modern one
Half a block from Main Street
Walk to every restaurant, bar, museum and outfitter in Leadville. Nobody has to be the designated driver.
Three lockable units
Each with its own front door, kitchen and living room — so a big group gets privacy and togetherness in the same house.
A billiard room and an infrared sauna
Plus a hot tub, a backyard grill, and more than twenty board games for the afternoon a storm rolls in.
Original to 1881
Plank pine floors, carved mantels, twelve-foot ceilings and wallpaper reproduced from the English originals.
Outside the front door
The highest incorporated city in North America
Six ski areas within an hour, the two tallest peaks in the Rockies on the doorstep, and a Main Street that still looks like the silver boom. Leadville is the part of Colorado that never got polished.
- Half a block
- to Main Street
- 12 min
- to Turquoise Lake
- 25 min
- to Copper Mountain
- 26 min
- to Mt. Elbert trailhead
- 47 min
- to Vail
- 10,152 ft
- above sea level
Availability
Check dates for any of the four
Book online, or call 720-759-2013 and speak to someone who knows the house.