Resource Number: 197Historic Building Name: Tourist Memorial Church/United Brethren ChurchCurrent Building Name: Smokebrush TheaterAddress: 235 S. Nevada Ave.Architectural Style: Late Victorian/Romanesque RevivalYear Built: 1912, 1917Click for more information
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This building has evolved over the years, but is most significant as an example of Romanesque Revival architecture as interpreted by local Architect Thomas MacLaren. The style is expressed through the arcaded cornice, the masonry construction and the round arch windows.
The basement of the church was begun by the congregation known as the Tourist Memorial Church. It was completed in 1912 with the upper portion constructed in 1917. During the interim, the congregation, suffering from a split in its membership, was sometimes known as "The Hole-In-The-Ground Church." Just before completion of the building, the church renamed itself as the First United Brethren of Christ Church, which is reflected on the cornerstone. The addition to the south and east was finished in 1952, and the congregation, in 1968, merged with the Methodist Church, to become the United Methodist Church.
More recently, the building was renovated as an arts center, including studios, a gallery and a performing theater. In 2003, the Colorado Springs Independent, a weekly newspaper, purchased the building for its headquarters. State Register eligible.
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