Burr Studio and the Denver Women’s Press Club

The Denver Women’s Press Club met in Burr Studio beginning in 1924 to organize, socialize, and develop their professional interests. Members discussed writing topics, offered feedback, and provided support and friendship.

In 1906, George Burr, an American artist of natural scenes, decided to settle in Denver, Colorado, and he built Burr Studio as his home. This red brick building’s style resembles that of an English cottage. It has restricted decorative elements and horizontal windows. Inside the entrance hall is a small staircase that leads to a loft overlooking the skylighted studio.

After Burr moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1924, the Denver Women’s Press Club (DWPC) purchased the studio. Founded in 1898, DWPC is one of the oldest women’s press clubs in the nation. Members include professional women from various writing occupations such as journalists, editors, essayists, novelists, poets, and historians. Burr Studio was a place where members developed writing and communications skills for publications.

In addition to being a meeting ground for women to organize and socialize, the studio was also a business, and authors could earn a living by working at Burr Studio. President Minnie J. Reynolds was an influential leader for the suffrage movement and one of the first woman political writers for a local newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News. Club members inspired much of Reynolds’s political writings for that paper.

The Denver Women’s Press Club celebrated its 200th anniversary in 1998, and its membership has continued to grow since. In 1980, DWPC expanded its occupational fields to include a wider variety of communication professions, including marketing, electronics, and advertising. Members of DWPC secured Burr Studio a spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. The studio continues to act as a community center and has also grown in functionality to host receptions and other events. Burr Studio has long honored DWPC’s mission by functioning as a gathering place for women pursuing literary endeavors. Above all, it was and remains a haven where members could cultivate friendship, encouragement, and moral support.

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