The Draper 202 Santa Fe Ave.

The Draper building was constructed in 1905 as the headquarters of the newly reorganized Draper Shoe and Clothing Company, a highly successful La Junta mercantile enterprise founded by Alfred C. Draper and Edward V. Price. Designed by prominent local architect Walter Dubree and built by the Kranz Brothers construction firm, the building was completed alongside the adjacent Miller-Hale Block and shared its architectural design. Celebrated at its grand opening by thousands of attendees, The Draper was praised as one of the finest commercial buildings in the state, featuring modern amenities such as extensive plate and prism glass, electrical lighting, and hot water heating system. The project reflected both the growth of La Junta's commercial district and Draper's prominence as a businessman and community leader. 

Walter Dubree's role in The Draper was part of a broader architectural career that significantly shaped southeastern Colorado in the early twentieth century. Trained through correspondence courses, Dubree designed numerous notable civic, commercial, and residential buildings in Otero and Bent counties, many of which are now listed on the National or State Registers of Historic Places. Beyond architecture, he operated a paint and wallpaper business and later worked as a federal construction superintendent before relocating permanently to Arizona, where he spent the remainder of his career in building supply sales. His work on The Draper stands as one of his most admired early accomplishments. 

The Draper also served as an important social and commercial hub. Its second floor housed the Woodmen of the World La Junta Camp Number 8, whose elaborate meeting rooms supported a large and active fraternal membership, as well as various offices over time. The first floor initially accommodated Draper's main clothing store and smaller retail tenants, later evolving through subdivisions and changing businesses as the local economy shifted. Following the decline of the Draper family business around 1930, the building passed through multiple owners and underwent significant remodeling, particularly after its acquistion by Western Federal Saving and Loan Association in 1974. Despite these changes, The Draper remains a key physical record of La Junta's commercial, architectural, and social history.