While Denver assessor records list the construction date for 1639 E. 22nd Avenue as 1898, the house was likely built several years earlier. The original address of the building, 839 E. 22nd Avenue, is first listed in Denver city directories in 1894. The resident in 1894, contractor Albert T. Baerresen, was likely the builder.
Albert T. Baerresen was born in Denmark in 1852. By 1887, Albert and his brother William joined their brothers Viggio and Harold in Denver. Viggio and Harold already had an architectural and construction company, Baerresen Brothers, in Denver. After their arrival, Albert and William took over the construction side of the business. The Baerresen brothers were prolific architects and builders, responsible for the El Jebel Shrine and Temple, the Tivoli Turnhalle, the Swedish Lutheran Church, the Sheridan Building (1635 17th St.), and the Adams Hotel (18th and Welton). The firm also designed many Capitol Hill residences, including Harold’s own residence at 1718 Gaylord Street. While Albert’s brothers Harold and Viggo are significant for their contribution to Denver, more research would need to be done to know whether Albert and his brother William participated in the construction of these buildings.
