A historic landmark that once belonged to a biracial couple was taken away from Charles Burdine, a postal clerk in the early 1900’s. 

Original owner: Mary E. Burdine Original use(s): residence Current use(s): office
Historical background:
Though Denver assessor records give an estimated construction date of c.1910 for 1156 Delaware St. (originally 1156 S. 13th St.), other records indicate it was constructed much earlier. Real estate records indicate that lots 5 and 6 of block 33 were purchased by Charles Burdine in1882 and then transferred to his wife Mary E. Burdine the same year. No directory listing could be located for Charles and Mary for 1882-1884, but directories list Charles Burdine living at “123 S. 13th St.” in 1885 and 1886. Directories list Charles Burdine at 1156 S. 13th St. beginning in 1887. 1156 S. 13th St. also appears on the Robinson Map published in 1887 showing it was definitely constructed by this date.
Charles Burdine was born in Virginia in 1847. Census records, as well as some directories and a newspaper article, indicate that Charles was Black. It is unknown when he came to Denver, but records show that he married Mary Steiner in Denver in 1881. Mary Steiner was born in Ohio in 1848. Census and probate records indicate that Mary was White. Census records show that she was in Denver by 1880, when she was recorded being employed as nurse at the Arapahoe County Poorhouse. The marriage record for Charles and Mary indicates that they were both White. It appears that Charles’ race was incorrectly listed as White in the marriage record in order to enable the couple to marry. Interracial marriages (known as miscegenation)

were illegal in Colorado. The territorial legislature passed a law in 1864 stating that: "All marriages between negroes or mulattoes of either sex and white persons are declared to be absolutely void." This legislation was not repealed until 1957.
In 1885, Charles started a job as a janitor at the downtown post office. He remained with the post office until his retirement in 1924, moving up to a professional position as a clerk. According to an article in the Denver Post (1/14/24) titled “Veteran Employee of Postoffice Retires After Forty Years”: “Charles Burdine, veteran Negro clerk in the Denver postoffice, was retired Monday after almost forty years’ service. Burdine entered the postoffice service as a janitor when Robert W. Speer was postmaster and the office was located at Lawrence and Fifteenth streets. He was promoted to clerk when the postoffice moved to Seventeenth and Champa streets, before the first federal building was erected at Sixteenth and Arapahoe streets.” Another article (1/27/24) titled “Denver Postoffice Clerk Who Began in 1885 To Be Retired” announced: “Charles Burdine, a clerk in the Denver postoffice, will be retired under the civil service act within a few days, according to word received from Washington, D.C. Saturday. Burdine . . . has received a letter, expressing thanks and appreciation for his long and faithful services, from Postmaster General Harry S. New.”
Sanborn maps indicate that sometime between the Robinson map in 1887 and the 1904 Sanborn, Charles and Mary added a second residence at the rear of the property on the alley. It seems likely that it was constructed by 1888, since beginning in 1888 directories record various individuals living at the “rear” of 1156 S. Delaware. This first of these was Mrs. Elizabeth McNair who lived here from 1888-1894. The 1904 Sanborn map also shows a small garage built to the south of the alley residence. By 1925, Sanborn maps show the alley residence had been converted to a garage as well.
Charles and Mary Burdine lived at 1156 Delaware St. until their deaths, Mary in 1924 and Charles in 1926. After Mary’s death in 1924, the property passed to Charles. After his death in 1925, the property was purchased by Charles Benson, who worked in real estate. After his death the property passed to Minnie and Edna Benson, his wife and daughter. They kept the property until 1947 when it was sold to N.S. and Alma P. Wagaman. Sanborn maps show that the perpendicular addition at the rear of the house was added sometime between 1925 and 1951, constructed by either Benson or Wagaman. Advertisements for the property indicate that this addition was a separate, contained residential unit. The property appears to be representative of the changes occurring in the Golden Triangle at this time as it shifted from predominantly single family residential to a mix of multi-family and commercial uses. Several real estate advertisements from 1950 promote 1156 Delaware as a two-unit residential property