Breckenridge Historic District Getting Tough

The uncertain distinction between "historic" and "just old" in Breckenridge is getting a lot of attention.

In a case that has received national attention, Randy Kilgore who in the past has been named local contractor of the year for his historic preservation work, was convicted of illegally demolishing a portion of a 122-year-old house.

"The town of Breckenridge has one of the largest historic districts in Colorado and takes very seriously the responsibility of preserving this community's historic past which is anchored by historic structures," said town spokesperson Kim DiLallo.

Kilgore argued that the portion of the venerable J.W. Evans house that he tore down was not historic, but a 1040s add-on, and that he was cited only because town inspectors moved too slowly to confirm that fact before the debris was hauled away.

Kilgore, whose wife, Janet Sutterley, is an architect who sits on the town's historic-preservation commission, contends he left messages with the building department for three days before hauling off the old material. When enforcement officers did show up, they found the entire rear historic structure missing, according to a written report, and later issued a "red tag," stopping work for over 2 months.

Although officials conceded the kitchen that was torn down was not as old as the rest of the house, they still took the case to court.

Municipal judge Buck Allen ultimately suspended the 10-day jail sentence for Kilgore but fined him $1,000.