Entry No. 79 — the Denver file — filed under: haunted
Lumber Baron Inn & Gardens
This ornate 1890 Queen Anne looks like any restored Highland mansion, but by 1970 it was a carved-up flophouse where two young women were murdered on October 13 — Cara Lee Knoche, a teenage runaway in the Valentine Suite, found strangled under the bed, and her friend Marianne Weaver shot dead on the floor. More than 50 years on, both killings are still unsolved (Weaver has a live Colorado cold-case file). The current owners restored the place into a B&B and lean all the way in, documenting frequent paranormal activity and putting on comedy murder-mystery dinners; the two victims' apparitions are the ones guests report in the Valentine Room and on the stairs.
The story
On paper, 2555 West 37th Avenue is an ornate 1890 Queen Anne mansion built by Scottish timber merchant John Mouat, detailed with carved woodwork and grand Victorian trimmings. But by 1970, the estate had deteriorated into a 23-unit flophouse. On October 13, 1970, two teenagers—17-year-old runaway Cara Lee Knoche and her 18-year-old friend Marianne Weaver—were murdered in Knoche's rented room. Knoche was strangled and hidden under the bed frame; Weaver was shot on the floor. More than half a century later, both slayings remain unsolved, with Weaver’s homicide still sitting open in Colorado's active cold-case database.
Rather than scrubbing out the dark history when restoring the mansion back into a five-suite bed and breakfast, the property owners leaned straight in. The second-floor apartment where the killings occurred became the Valentine Suite—the exact room where guests and staff regularly document paranormal activity, apparitions of the two young women, cold spots, and footsteps on the stairs. Today, the inn stages interactive comedy murder-mystery dinners and haunted house hunts, inviting visitors to roleplay a fictional crime right over the floorboards of a very real, unsolved double murder.
What it's like
You'll pull up to 37th and Bryant in Potter-Highlands, where this three-story turreted mansion sits right on a quiet residential block. Parking is straightforward with a dedicated small lot at Bryant and 38th plus surrounding street spots, but remember people live next door—keep your voice down on the porch and stairs after dark. Everything here is strictly reservation-only: overnight stays, afternoon teas, haunted hunts, and the comedy murder-mystery dinners (which sell out fast around fall and October). Afterward, take the short stroll down to Highland Square around 32nd and Lowell for a drink to clear the room's lingering heaviness.
The move: Book the comedy murder-mystery dinner theatre or a haunted-house hunt evening, then ask the owners about the real 1970 case the fictional one is winking at — a genuinely strange, story-rich night for a couple or small group.
📍 Before you go You'll find this three-story Queen Anne mansion at 37th and Bryant in the quiet, residential Potter-Highlands historic district — it's a real B&B on a neighbor-lined block, so keep voices down on the porch and stairs after dark. There's a small parking lot at Bryant Street and 38th Avenue plus easy street parking nearby. Everything here runs by reservation — the murder-mystery dinners, haunted-house hunts, afternoon teas and overnight stays are all booked ahead, and event nights cluster on weekends and around fall, so plan early (especially near Halloween). Dates and seasonal offerings shift — check ahead. Afterward, the Highland Square shops and restaurants around 32nd and Lowell are a short stroll for a drink.
- 📍 Potter-Highlands / Highland
- 💸 $$$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: Lumber Baron Inn & Gardens, 2555 W 37th Ave, Denver, CO 80211 (Potter-Highlands; the Valentine Suite is the murder room)
Hours: Operating B&B and event venue; murder-mystery dinners and haunted-house events run on a scheduled basis (often weekends/seasonal), afternoon tea and weekend dining also offered. Reserve ahead at lumberbaron.com; events are dated so book the specific night.
Pair it with
- Highland Park / Scottish Village Historic District — Lumber baron John Mouat built this mansion in 1890; head six blocks south to walk the non-grid Scottish-named streets of the 1870s pocket district he helped shape.
- Botanica Yemaya — Stay on the mystical spectrum by heading southwest to Federal Boulevard to browse floor-to-ceiling spiritual candles, oils, and protective charms.
- Diebolt Brewing Company — Head north into Sunnyside to grab French farmhouse ales in a converted meat-packing warehouse when you need to break character after a murder-mystery dinner.
- The Monkey Barrel — Drive a few blocks north into Sunnyside for N64 games and local beer if you need a lighthearted neighborhood pub to shake off cold-case ghost stories.
Good to know
Is the 1970 double murder real, and which room was it?
Yes. On October 13, 1970, 17-year-old Cara Lee Knoche and 18-year-old Marianne Weaver were killed in what is now the Valentine Suite. The case was never solved, and Marianne Weaver’s file remains an active Colorado cold case.
Can you drop in just to look around or get a drink?
No. The Lumber Baron Inn functions strictly by advance reservation for overnight B&B guests, scheduled afternoon tea, and ticketed event nights like murder-mystery dinners.
How do the murder-mystery dinners work?
They are scheduled, ticketed events where guests participate in a scripted comedy murder-mystery performance paired with a multi-course dinner. Tickets must be booked ahead through lumberbaron.com.
Where should visitors park?
Use the inn's small parking lot at Bryant Street and 38th Avenue, or look for free street parking on the residential blocks surrounding 37th Avenue.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: allthatsinteresting.com · apps.colorado.gov · Official site
last checked: 2026-06-07