If you walk down 13th and Spruce today, you’re looking at the elegant, red-brick façade of the Hotel Boulderado. It’s a staple. It’s the place where everyone takes their parents for brunch. But if you’d stood on that same corner back in the late 1800s, you wouldn't have seen the Boulderado. You would have seen the Hotel Julien Boulder CO, or at least the high-society dreams that built it.
The Julien wasn't just a building. It was a statement. In a dusty mining town trying to prove it had class, the Julien was the proof.
Most people get the timeline wrong. They think the Hotel Julien was just a precursor that failed. Honestly, it’s more complicated than that. It was the social heartbeat of Boulder during a time when "luxury" meant having a washbasin that wasn't shared with six other miners.
The Rise of the Julien: More Than Just Brick and Mortar
In 1887, a man named T.C. Abbott decided Boulder needed a world-class hotel. He didn't want a boarding house. He wanted a palace. He built the Julien at the corner of 13th and Spruce Streets, and for years, it was the spot. We’re talking about a three-story brick structure that boasted things that were basically sci-fi at the time: electric lights and "modern" plumbing.
It wasn’t just for travelers. The Hotel Julien Boulder CO served as the de facto living room for the city's elite. If you were a businessman closing a deal or a socialite hosting a tea, you were at the Julien.
The architecture reflected that Victorian-era obsession with looking established. It had those high ceilings that made rooms impossible to heat but looked incredible in photographs. It had heavy wooden furniture and a sense of permanence that Boulder desperately needed while it was still shaking off its "Wild West" reputation.
Why the Hotel Julien Boulder CO Eventually Vanished
Nothing lasts forever, especially in a boom-and-bust economy like Colorado’s. By the turn of the century, the Julien started to feel... tired. Architecture moves fast. By 1905, the city's leaders decided that if Boulder was going to be a real destination, it needed something even bigger. Something that could rival the grand hotels of Denver or even Europe.
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Here is what really happened: The Julien didn't just burn down or go bankrupt in a vacuum. It was systematically replaced.
The community basically outgrew it. The "Boulder Hotel Company" was formed by local bigwigs—we’re talking 256 local shareholders—who raised the capital to build the Boulderado right next door. Once the Boulderado opened its doors on New Year’s Day in 1909, the Julien’s days were numbered. It was eventually integrated and then demolished to make room for the expansion of the newer, flashier neighbor.
It's sorta tragic. The Julien paved the way, proved the market existed, and then got eaten by its successor.
Living in the Shadow of the Boulderado
You can’t talk about the Hotel Julien Boulder CO without mentioning the "ghost" presence it left behind. While the physical building is gone, its DNA is all over the downtown area. When you visit the Hotel Boulderado today, you’re essentially visiting the evolution of the Julien.
Some locals and amateur historians still swap stories about the old site. There’s a persistent vibe in that corner of downtown. Is it haunted? Some say the spirits from the Julien era never really checked out when the bricks came down. Whether you believe in ghosts or just like the atmosphere, there’s an undeniable weight to the history there.
What You See Now
- The exact footprint is now part of the Spruce Street landscape.
- The original Victorian aesthetic influenced the "look" of downtown Boulder for a century.
- Historical markers in the area hint at the pre-1909 era.
The Real Legacy: Why It Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why we’re even talking about a hotel that hasn't existed for over a hundred years. It’s because the Hotel Julien Boulder CO was the first time Boulder tried to be a "destination."
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Before the Julien, Boulder was a supply camp. After the Julien, it was a city.
It set the standard for hospitality in the Front Range. It taught the town that people would pay for comfort, for style, and for a place to gather that felt sophisticated. Without the Julien’s success—and its eventual inability to keep up with demand—we never would have gotten the iconic landmarks that define the Pearl Street area today.
Misconceptions About the Location
I've seen some blogs claim the Julien was located up by Chautauqua. Wrong.
It was strictly a downtown affair. It was built to be near the train station and the pulse of the city’s commerce. If you're looking for where it stood, just stand in front of the Boulderado and look toward the corner. That’s the hallowed ground.
Another weird myth? That it was a "den of iniquity." Honestly, compared to the saloons down the street, the Julien was incredibly buttoned-up. It was the high-ground. It was where you took your grandmother for a Sunday meal, not where you went to get into a bar fight.
Actionable Steps for History Buffs and Travelers
If you’re obsessed with this era of Colorado history, don't just read about it. Go see the remnants.
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1. Visit the Carnegie Library for Local History. This is the gold mine. They have the actual photographs of the Julien. You can see the people standing on the porch in their stiff collars and heavy dresses. It makes the history feel visceral.
2. Book a room at the Boulderado. Specifically, ask for a room in the historic wing. Look at the woodwork. Feel the creak of the floors. It’s the closest you’ll get to the atmosphere of the Hotel Julien Boulder CO.
3. Take the Walking Tour. The Museum of Boulder often runs walking tours of the downtown area. They’ll point out exactly where the Julien’s walls ended and the new era began. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon if you want to understand why Boulder looks the way it does.
4. Check the Archives for T.C. Abbott. If you want to go deep, look into the founder. His journals and business records paint a picture of a man who was betting everything on the idea that Boulder wasn't just a pit stop for miners.
The story of the Hotel Julien isn't just about a building. It's about a town's ambition. It’s about that weird, beautiful moment when a frontier outpost decides it wants to be something more. When you walk past that corner today, remember that under the pavement and modern storefronts, there’s a foundation of 1880s brick and a lot of forgotten dreams.
To truly experience this history, your next move should be a visit to the Museum of Boulder at 2205 Broadway. Ask specifically for their digital archives on "19th-century hospitality." They have high-resolution scans of the Julien’s interior that aren't available anywhere else online. Seeing the velvet curtains and the ornate lobby lamps in those photos changes how you see the modern city entirely.