A lot of people walk by the small house at 1325 Logan St. in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood and wonder what goes on in there.
Now, there are two houses at that location that look exactly alike. One is the historic landmark home of the Denver Woman’s Press Club, and the other a tiny replica perched on a pole in the front yard.
Part of the Little Free Library network, the tiny house recently opened to the public. Inside, passersby will discover books left by neighborhood visitors and some donated by female Colorado authors, all members of the DWPC. All members are current or retired published professional writers. Among the collection are children’s picture books, magical tales, poetry, historical fiction, mysteries, local guidebooks and more.
They’re all free.
The DWPC sits on a mostly non-residential or mixed-use city block.
“We are part of a neighborhood filled with people who pass by on their way to and from work or errands,” said Mindy Sink, president of the DWPC. When asked what gave her the idea to place a library at the DWPC, she said, “it’s an opportunity to let neighbors know who we are and show them this is what we do inside this house.”
Books go fast. Sink often fills the library on Thursdays and by Monday, it is nearly empty. Visitors to the library can leave a book, take a book, or both.
LFL is a nonprofit organization based in Hudson, Wisconsin. Their long-time mission is “to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Libraries.”
The charming replica is a gift from Gail Beaton, archivist for the DWPC, and two artists from Loveland — Beaton’s brother, Mark, and his wife, Paula Weiss.
“We loved doing it and we work well together,” Weiss said. “We created it from photos. Mark constructed the library and we painted it. The structure has approximately 6,000 bricks. A few adjustments were made to the placement of doors and windows, so the whole front of the structure could open to reveal the books.”
The DWPC is one of the oldest women’s press clubs in the United States and believed to be the only one that owns its clubhouse. The club purchased the home in 1924 from artist George Elbert Burr. Several programs that focus on all types of writing are open to the public. Since reopening after the pandemic, the board of directors has been implementing plans to extend community involvement.
The tiny replica LFL is part of that focus.
“You’ll find several of our members’ books inside the LFL. We represent multiple fields of writing, literature, journalism, business and the arts,” Beaton said. “The little library is a way for the community to know about the fabulous work we do and have been doing since 1898.”
