Laramie Historic Homes – 603 Ivinson Avenue

The Historic Living Project
The Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund

603 Ivinson Avenue, Laramie Wyoming

The Ivinson Mansion is one of Laramie’s major historic gems. This three-story house was built in 1893 during the Victorian Queen Anne period. It represents an eclectic, picturesque style of domestic architecture in America from the 1870s to 1910 and beyond.

This historic house was the home of Edward and Jane Ivinson, who are well known for their leadership efforts in creating Laramie’s thriving community, just as the expansion of the West was occurring with the development of the Union Pacific railroad in the late 1800s. The architect of the house was Walter E. Ware, who was from Nebraska and originally hired as a draftsman to design shops for the Union Pacific yard. The contractor was Frank Cook, who was a prolific builder who hired dozens of carpenters and masons to build the house.

This video is a brief summary of the The Historical Living Project, a video-based journalism initiative that provides residents and visitors with a historical narrative of the people and historic homes of Laramie, from its beginnings as a railroad town, to a thriving community that values its sustainable architecture and historic heritage. This project includes many of the houses in the National Historic District, the University Neighborhood of Laramie.

Mary Mountain, Executive Director

Judy Knight, Local Historian, Docent

Chamois Anderson, Producer

Keith Perschino, Film Assistant

Ted Haskell, Project Assistant