George Washington Clayton spent his first 22 years in urban Philadelphia, where he apprenticed in his father's store, led a full social life, and developed what became a lifelong interest in education. He moved to Denver from Philadelphia in the late 1850's and by 1860 had established a very successful mercantile business. Throughout his life and his involvement in a multitude of enterprises, Clayton was known as a quiet unassuming man interested in the welfare of others, whose acts of kindness were never touted and whose philanthropy was little known. When his wife and only child died in 1861, he was left without heirs. He devoted the rest of his life to civic, business and education interests and served as a county commissioner, was on the Denver City Council, organized the Denver Water Company and was an original stockholder of the Denver Gas Company. At the time of his death in 1899, the value of Clayton's estate was almost two million dollars, the largest portion of which he bequeathed for the establishment and maintenance of the George W. Clayton College. Clayton devised his estate to be devoted "solely and exclusively for the better education and more comfortable maintenance of children than they usually receive from public funds."

Initially an orphanage and school for needy boys, the college (a term in that era broadly used to describe any institution of learning) opened its doors in 1911. Though it opened as a residential school, the emphasis shifted in later years to providing treatment and social services to boys who were deprived of parental care and support. In 1969 and once again in 1986, in response to growing social and demographic changes, the Supreme Court of the State of Colorado extended the language in the will to apply to children of either gender and any race under the age of 21 whose educational, social, and/or human service needs were not being met and who would benefit from the programs developed by the trustees of the Clayton Trust. Today, Clayton Early Learning is dedicated to the early care and education of children in northeast Denver, as well as to improving the training and education of early childhood educators and parents across Colorado.

Constructed from 1909 to 1913, the original sandstone buildings on the Clayton College Campus are examples of the Mediterranean revival style and were designed by Maurice Biscoe and Henry Harwood Hewitt. Biscoe came to Denver as the superintendent of construction for St. John's Cathedral before opening his own practice in Denver. The Clayton Campus is the most notable Denver architectural design for Hewitt, who moved on to Los Angeles in 1913, where he became recognized for the schools he designed.

The plan of the campus shows a formal character, with clearly defined axis and strong symmetries, typical of urban planning at the turn of the 20^th century. Use of sandstone as facing is distinctive to the era and locale, as seen in many of Denver's older homes and office buildings. In 1999, the Clayton campus was given status as a Denver Landmark district. In addition, the Clayton historic district in 2005 received listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Three of the original buildings have recently been restored on the exterior and remodeled on the interior to both preserve their historic nature and to accommodate current Clayton Early Learning programs.

For a more in-depth account of our history as recorded in our 2005 application to the National Park Service for listing of the campus on the National Register of Historic Places, please click on the first document in the box above.

Please click on the second document in the box above to meet two gentlemen that grew up on the Clayton Campus in the 1930's and early 40's as Clayton College boys.