CHARLES U. DEATON (1921-1996)

Deaton was born in Clayton, New Mexico.  He did odd jobs to buy clothing and books for high school, and studied commercial art at night. He was supporting himself as a commercial artist by the age of 16. Deaton learned design and engineering during World War II at a Lockheed plant in California and, after the war, started designing mostly commercial buildings without a formal education in architecture. His projects include the Wyoming National Bank in Casper and the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City.  This is his only known residential design.  Here's one of his commercial projects, the Colonial Bank in Englewood CO.

1966 - Deaton designed this home for himself near Golden CO.  Built by Clifford Dellzell for $100,000.  The architectural marvel was featured in Woody Allen's 1973 film, Sleeper.  But Deaton never lived there!  The interior was never finished.  He sold it to Larry Polhill in 1993 for $800,000.   It was bought in 1999 by software millionaire John Huggins for $1.3 million.   He found it in disrepair and put several million dollars of repairs into the building and added 5,000 square feet.  Huggins enlisted the help of Deaton's daughter Charley to renovate the interior and her husband, architect Nick Antonopoulos, to build the addition.

In July 2006, Michael Dunahay (shown above) slept one night at the house and knew it was meant for him to live in. “I was amazed that nobody had bought it. Now, I am inspired every day while living here,” he said. Dunahay paid $3,425,000 for Deaton’s sculptured house and wants to acquire the two vacant lots adjacent to the property.