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Baker House
730 Kimbark Street
Landmark Designation: 1999
Construction Date: 1871
Architectural Style: Vernacular Wood Frame
Charles Henry Baker arrived in the St. Vrain Valley in 1867. He was one of the first residents of Longmont and a unique and colorful character throughout much of its history. Mr. Baker held every public office in Longmont except that of town marshal. He was mayor of Longmont from 1887-1889. Other notable offices he held at various times were: Town Trustee, Town Clerk, City Treasurer, Secretary of the Board of Education, Assistant Fire Chief, and Superintendent of Longmont's Water Department.
In 1870, Mr. Baker was a member of the posse that hunted down William DuBois. DuBois had shot and killed the town postmaster, Ed Kinney, following their public squabble over a "fixed" horse race. Mr. Baker, a cooper by trade, built the coffin in which the slain gunman was buried.
In 1880, Mr. Baker and John Hertha surveyed the first Oligarchy Ditch Extension, bringing the ditch from the vicinity of McIntosh Lake to the county line east of Longmont. In the 1890's, as president of the Supply Ditch Co., Mr. Baker supervised construction of the first dam to form Beaver Lake. Mr. Baker's father, Alexander K. Baker, helped survey Old Town Longmont and Baker Street is name for him.
In addition to and concurrent with his remarkable career as a public servant, Charles H. Baker was prominent in the Longmont area business community. He was a clerk in Burlington's C & H Store, the purchased the store from his employer after it had failed. He renamed it C.H. Baker & Co. and moved it to Longmont after the city was founded. For a number of years C.H. Baker & Co. was one of Longmont's leading mercantile establishments. It was located on the present day site of City News.
Reference
HPC 1999-2