In the early 1900s it was popular for wealthy Coloradoans to build elaborate summer homes in the foothills for entertaining and leisure activities. In 1917, the Boettcher Mansion, a Tudor style, was constructed of native stone and timber. Much of the building material was gathered within the 110 acres of Ponderosa pine forest and meadow, now the Lookout Mountain Nature Preserve.
     Tudor Revival characteristics include the half-timbered stucco exterior and heavy wooden doors. Craftsman features include clipped gables, overhanging eaves, sleeping porches and exposed beams and rafters. Its original owner, Charles Boettcher, was one of Colorado’s best-known citizens. He ran several businesses and lived in various towns and cities in Colorado. His cement business, the Portland Cement Company, is what probably first brought Boettcher to Lookout Mountain. It was his donation of cement that helped the construction of the Lariat Loop Mountain Gateway Historic Byway, making the mountain a popular tourist destination. The mansion today is used for weddings and meetings and shares the property with the Lookout Mountain Nature Center.