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Photograph of Highland School
Photograph by Hustvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Highland School

Built in 1891 (Romanesque Revival architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

From the record

“Highland School, also or previously known as Highland-Lawn School, is an 1892 building at 9th Street and Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder, Colorado. It was the fourth school built in Boulder and was used as a school until 1971.”

Wikipedia article Highland School (Boulder, Colorado), CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 92 National Register listings published here for Boulder County · listed in 1978 · category: Building · built in 1891, Romanesque Revival architecture.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. 885 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 80302
  • When was it listed? December 1978
  • Category. building
  • Census division. Boulder
  • When was it built? 1891
  • Architectural style. Romanesque Revival architecture
  • National Register reference number. 78000831 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

894 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 894 fires within 5 miles of Highland School between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,241 acres in total. 30 started naturally. 16 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined713
Equipment and vehicle use47
Smoking40
Natural30
Recreation and ceremony18
Arson/incendiarism16
Debris and open burning11
Fireworks8
Misuse of fire by a minor5
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Railroad operations and maintenance2
Other causes1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undetermined5.0 acresBoulder Fire Rescue DepartmentUNKNOWN
9 September 1993Naturalunder an acreColorado State Forest Service-Boulder Districtnot named
8 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreBoulder Fire Rescue DepartmentUNKNOWN
8 September 2017Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreBoulder Fire Rescue DepartmentUNKNOWN
8 September 2016Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreBoulder Fire Rescue DepartmentUNKNOWN
8 September 2014Equipment and vehicle useunder an acreBoulder Fire Rescue DepartmentUNKNOWN
7 September 2020Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreBoulder Fire Rescue DepartmentN/A
7 September 1994Naturalunder an acreArapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National GrasslandHAWKINS

Every fire recorded in Boulder County

Mines and quarries near this property

10 of 162 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 162 workings within 5 miles of Highland School: 95 past producers, 42 occurrences, 24 producers, 1 unknown. 24 still produce. What was taken out: Gold, Silver, Tungsten, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Copper King Nickel MineNickelPast Producer
East BostonGold, Copper, Silver, LeadPast Producer
Fox Hills OutcropCoal, UraniumPast Producer
Gold Hill Beryl Claims (unverifiable)BerylliumPast Producer
LoganTungsten, Lead, Zinc, Gold, SilverPast Producer
Logan MineGold, Silver, Tungsten, Zinc, LeadProducerVein
Marion MillUranium, VanadiumUnknown
Marion MillTin, REE, TungstenProducer
OklahomaGold, Lead, Silver, TungstenPast Producer
Poormans ReliefGold, Zinc, Copper, Lead, SilverPast ProducerTelluride, Gold, Pyrite

Every working recorded in Boulder County

Storms near this property

60 of 98 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Boulder, the town this property stands in, in 98 storm reports between 1993 and 2023: 64 hail, 15 thunderstorm wind, 13 lightning, 2 flash flood. The reports record 6 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
July 2000LightningBoulder3 hurtThree children were injured, one critically, when lightning hit a nearby tree atop Panorama Point on Flagstaff Mountain. Lightning hit the tree, entered the ground, then struck the children.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindBoulder1 hurt, $20,000Thunderstorm winds knocked a tree on to two vehicles in Boulder. One of the two drivers was injured when the tree smashed the windshield of her car.
August 2009LightningBoulder1 hurtA woman riding her bike in training for an Ironman Triathalon was struck by lightning. She was in the 78th mile of a 100-mile training ride when she was hit. Initially, she lost her vision and couldn't move her arms. After a short stay in the hospital, she made a full recovery.
August 2002LightningBoulder1 hurtA hiker was struck by lightning near the Royal Arch Trail, near the fourth Flatiron. She was briefly knocked unconcious. The hiker and her companion had sought shelter under a rock when the storm hit.
July 1997Flash FloodBoulder$100,000Heavy rain and hail triggered a flash flood which sent a wall of water through the window of the financial aid office at the University of Colorado campus. In addition, ceiling tiles, carpets and dressing rooms were damaged at the Coors Event Center when a pipe draining rainwater broke during the downpour. In all, 10 buildings at CU received water damage causing an estimate $100,000 in damage.
June 2009LightningBoulder$25,000Lightning struck an oil tank. The lid was partially torn off and flames shot out of the tank. The railing around the tank was also damaged.
June 2002LightningBoulder$25,000Lightning struck a garage and caused a small fire. Two vehicles parked in the garage were damaged.
April 2000LightningBoulder$20,000Lightning sparked a house fire in Boulder. The fire damaged a portion of the roof and a bedroom on the third floor.
May 2007LightningBoulder$10,000no account filed
June 2009LightningBoulder$5,000Lightning struck a veterinary hospital, damaging an exterior electrical box.
May 2007LightningBoulder$5,000no account filed
July 1994Thunderstorm WindBoulder$500Thunderstorm winds knocked down power lines in Boulder, causing power outages.
September 2013FloodBoulder-Flooding was occurring along Boulder Creek in Boulder where it crested. Flooding also occurred along South Boulder Creek near Eldorado Springs with flooding impacting nearby homes.
September 2013Flash FloodBoulder-Heavy rainfall and flash flooding washed out the east bound lane of James Canyon. Overland Road was also washed out, along the west bound lane of the Peak to Peak Highway near Jamestown.
June 2006HailBoulder-Large hail broke a car windshield.
June 2006HailBoulder-Large hail broke a car windshield.
April 2003LightningBoulder-Lightning damaged electrical equipment at a Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Station located atop Niwot Ridge, at an elevation of 11,600 ft.
May 1999LightningBoulder-Lightning ignited a small fire in a three-story structure in Sunshine Canyon. The fire was quickly extinguished and caused only minor damage.
June 1997Tornado (F1)Boulder-A tornado touched down near Baseline Reservoir. The tornado struck a home, tearing off part of the roof. A storage building nearby was nearly levelled and 5 trees were uprooted. The twister then moved onto Baseline Reservoir forming a huge waterspout. Several recreational vehicles and a boat dock were also damaged.
June 2023HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2023HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2023HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2021HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2019HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2018HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2018HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2018HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2018HailBoulder-no account filed
May 2018HailBoulder-no account filed
May 2018HailBoulder-no account filed
August 2018Thunderstorm WindBoulder-no account filed
June 2016HailBoulder-no account filed
May 2014Heavy RainBoulder-no account filed
June 2013HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2013HailBoulder-no account filed
September 2013Thunderstorm WindBoulder-no account filed
April 2010HailBoulder-no account filed
August 2010Thunderstorm WindBoulder-no account filed
August 2010Thunderstorm WindBoulder-no account filed
April 2007HailBoulder-no account filed
May 2007HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2007HailBoulder-no account filed
August 2007HailBoulder-no account filed
May 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
June 2006HailBoulder-no account filed
July 2005Thunderstorm WindBoulder-no account filed
August 2004HailBoulder-no account filed
August 2004Thunderstorm WindBoulder-no account filed
August 2004HailBoulder-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Boulder County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Hannah Barker Houseunder 500 feet2019
Arnett-Fullen House0.3 miles2009
Columbia Cemetery0.3 miles1997
Squires-Tourtellot House0.4 miles1978
Northern Colorado Power Company Substation0.4 miles1986
Downtown Boulder Historic District0.4 miles1980

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 78000831 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Boulder CountyAll 92 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.