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Harry James Manning was one of the primary architects of the Bethesda campus in Denver. Manning was born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1877. As an adult, he trained to become an architect and then moved to Denver in 1904. While in Denver, he worked with another architect, F.C. Wagner. They began designing sanatorium buildings for people with tuberculosis because Denver was a popular destination for those suffering from the disease. In 1908, Manning and Wagner won the Roosevelt Medal of the International Congress of Tuberculosis for a sanatorium to be built in Washington, D.C.
In addition to sanatoriums, Manning also built schools, churches, libraries, and homes. Beginning in 1912, Manning worked with Bethesda to design their first buildings, and William Tamminga, a builder of Dutch heritage, help construct the buildings. Manning was chosen as the architect because he "had a reputation of choosing the most appropriate style for the surroundings and the purpose of the buildings. He thoroughly studied all projects he was undertaking to be sure that the style of the building was authentic." Manning placed the original Bethesda building facing the southwest to take advantage of the sun's rays. Manning planned for each room to be designed for two patients with an attached porch/sunroom.
The early Bethesda buildings were traditional Dutch-style architecture because the population who created Bethesda were Dutch. Red tile roofs, red brick with white paint, and "stair-stepped" architecture were all Dutch-inspired features.
According to the Landmark Ordinance regarding the Chapel and our Gateway, "Being a significant example of various architectural styles as both the 1926 Chapel and the 1930's Gateway structures are of Dutch origin with traditional stair-stepped architecture and red tile roofs as seen in Amsterdam, Holland. The main entrance of the Chapel is a tower that is accented with bands of buff-colored brick and is capped with a copper cupola. The entrance door is in the shape of a pointed arch. The Chapel behind the entrance tower is a simple rectangular structure with a red clay barrel tile gable roof with stair-stepped brick parapet walls at each end."
The Chapel was designated as a Landmark (Landmark Number 298) by the City and County of Denver Landmark Preservation Commission in 2000.
Resources
Bethesda "House of Mercy" document
City and County of Denver Landmark Ordinance for Bethesda Chapel and Gateway
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