John Brisben Walker

John Brisben Walker (September 10, 1847 – July 7, 1931) was a United States magazine publisher and automobile entrepreneur, in later years a resident of Jefferson County, Colorado.

Walker was born on September 10, 1847 at his parents' country house on the Monongahela River, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1889 he purchased Cosmopolitan Magazine, leading it to marked growth before selling it to William Randolph Hearst in 1905. The 1905 sale price has been variously reported as $400,000 and $1,000,000. He was a co-founder of the Locomobile Company of America and led it through its early successes. He donated 40 acres (160,000 m²) in Denver to the Jesuits in 1887. The Jesuits built what is now Regis University upon that 40 acres (160,000 m²).

John Walker built a home in 1909 atop Mt. Falcon (a mountain slightly west of Denver, Colorado). The house was struck by lightning and was ruined in 1918. He attempted to build a summer white house for the President around 1911. When his attempts to raise money to continue the building failed, the project was abandoned.

He died on July 7, 1931 in Brooklyn, New York City.

He was married three times; his third wife was the prominent suffragette Iris Calderhead.

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  A picture of the ruins from a distance coming up Castle Trail

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  A picture of the ruins from the center

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  A picture of the sign which shows pictures of the house nearing completion as well as a description of the house