On May 19, 2017, Giant Relay Day, Colorado Academy will dedicate the newly renovated Welborn House. The dedication is set for 1:00 p.m. at the conclusion of the All-School picnic, and the entire CA community is invited.
The renovation means that the Welborn Great Room was restored to its original purpose of the house’s living room. Accessibility was increased with larger entryways. The Admission Office and Business Offices have been renovated, and Welborn is now featured as the center of CA’s campus, with landscaping, an outdoor courtyard, and gathering places throughout the building with expansive views of CA. The project is just one of four buildings that are part of the See it Through Capital campaign; that campaign has now funded two of the four buildings. Pledges and gifts are still being sought to help fund the cost of renovations to CA’s gym and theater buildings. (www.caseeitthrough.org).
Welborn House was once the elegant country home of Jesse and Ada Welborn. It was designed by M. Briscoe and was built in 1909. The house is the last of the original buildings from the Welborn farm when the property was purchased nearly 70 years ago by the Colorado Military School (now CA).
Starting in 1947, it became the center of operations for CA. It has been the home of the school’s former leaders; it has been a military ballroom, a classroom, and a mess hall. It is where the first Board met to design the transformation of Colorado Academy from its military school beginnings, and it has been the venue for many gatherings since.
Welborn remains the oldest building on campus, and through the years, it became CA’s iconic structure; it is the first place families visit as they enter the Admission Office, and it is the very last building that our seniors leave before they walk across the lawn to receive their diplomas.
Andy Rockmore, a CA parent and a principal architect with Shears Adkins Rockmore (SAR) brought his talent, vision, and history to this project. “Our goal is to restore the historic fabric of the Welborn House, and rehabilitate it to ensure its continued service to the CA community,” he says.
The Welborn House has seen several additions and renovations over the years to serve changing uses. Even so, there were structural and mechanical issues that had to be addressed to make the structure both more efficient and more functional. As Jeff Welborn (‘64) puts it, [this work] is “helping CA’s important history be and remain a valuable, contributing part of its challenging future.”
The work was made possible with a lead gift from the family of Trustee and CA Parent Brooke Bansbach Maloy ‘90 and a challenge to CA alumni to help save this structure.
As outlined in the campaign, construction began a day after the graduation of the Class of 2016; the newly remodeled building was opened in January 2017, and it is once again ready for graduation for the Class of 2017.
Giant Relay Day, Friday, May 19, 2017 , Schedule of Activities
- 8:30 a.m. – All-School Assembly
- 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.Lower School Field Day
- 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Carnival Activities for Children, Sculpture Garden
- 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. All-School Picnic, Sculpture Garden
- 1:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.Welborn House Restoration Dedication
- 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. 6th-11th Grade Relay Races, Wright Field
- 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.Giant Relay Race Start & Finish at Wright Field
- 3:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Reception for the CA Community, Welborn House East Lawn, Rain Venue, Campus Center