1445 Downing Street was built about 1889 as reflected by building permit number 341 filed that year. The permit lists J.T. Brown as owner of the property and Frank E. Edbrooke as the architect. The first owner of record for 1445 Downing is Nellie B. Nesmith. While the building permit lists a J. T. Brown as the owner, this was likely Junius F. Brown, father of Helen “Nellie” Brown Nesmith.
Junius F. Brown ran the J. S. Brown and Brother Mercantile Company with his brother J. Sidney. The company was first located on Blake and 15th and later at Wazee and 18th. J. Sidney served as the president and Junius as the vice president.
Helen “Nellie” Brown married Samuel Hubert Nesmith on October 3, 1889 and the couple lived at 1445 Downing as early as 1891. In 1908, the property was purchased by doctors Rachael and Archibald Staunton. Members of the Staunton family resided at 1445 Downing until 1990. In 1918, the Stauntons purchased 80 acres of land with a cabin in Pine, Colorado to serve as a second home. Daughter Frances lived with her father, Archibald, at 1445 Downing and at their ranch until he passed away age the age of 90 in 1958. In her last will and testament drafted after her father’s death, Frances left her family’s ranch to the State of Colorado to be developed into “Staunton State Park.”
