Historic Douglas County, Inc.

Hugo’s Roundhouse Preservation, Inc. (RPI) organization just released their March 20, 2020 Newsletter. Click on RPI March 2020 Newsletter to read what’s going on at RPI.

If you are new in reading about Roundhouse Preservation, Inc’s great restoration work on the Union Pacific Roundhouse at Hugo, you can read about all of the interesting roundhouse lineage and history pn RPI’s website, hugoroundhouse.org; the website is an absolute treasure of information about the roundhouse, its golden history and how you might want to get involved.

On May 1, 2020, the folks at Kit Carson Carousel and Museum announced that the Carousel will be closed until further notice.

The carousel’s regular season is Memorial Day to Labor Day but, unfortunately, the coronavirus caused the alteration of this schedule; and this year the Carousel and Museum is closed until further notice. Keep checking the Kit Carson Carousel website, www.kitcarsoncountycarousel.com, for further information. And, if you have not read this month’s Historic Douglas County homepage (May), please do so …Kit Carson Carousel is the featured article! Let’s all hope, like this year’s Kentucky Derby that the horses will be running again soon!

On August 1, 2020, Castle Rock Historical Society & Museum announced that the Castle Rock Museum has opened to the public and hours will be Wednesdays through Fridays, Noon to 5:00PM and Saturdays, 11:00AM to 4:00PM.

The society is also conducting two walking tours of downtown Castle Rock on August 22: one, at 10:00AM that, as of this posting, still has spots available and one at 10:30AM which is currently shown as “Full.” These walking tours are by reservations only (303.814.3164 or email: museum@castlerockhistoricalsociety.org). Social distancing and masks are required.

Berl Meyer, past president of the Colorado-Cherokee Trail Chapter of the Oregon California Trail Association (OCTA) died on January 20, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky.

Being the past chapter President, webmaster and newsletter editor for OCTA, Berl was well known and well loved. For those who knew Berl and OCTA members are grateful for his leadership roles he assumed for many years, for his commitment to the mission of OCTA and to the Colorado chapter’s interest in preservation of the Cherokee Trail. Berl will be greatly missed by everyone who knew him.

Berl’s obituary online can be accessed at https://www.ratterman.com/obituaries/Berl-Meyer/#!/Obituary and
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/louisville/obituary.aspx?pid=195123201

October 5, 2019 (Maguireville): The Eastern Colorado Museums & Historical Societies (ECMHS) held their 9^th Annual Conference. This 2019 meeting of the annual event brought together some 29 people from Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, El PaSo, Lincoln and Kit Carson Counties representing the non-profit museums & historical societies in their respective counties. The organizations shared the many successes and events with each other along with ideas to enhance and assist in furthering and sharing historical information and education of the general public. It was an exciting event and after the formal meeting, the attendees enjoyed magnificent wonders of Maguireville and the gracious hosts, Donna and Jim Maguire. Mother Nature set the background for the day with sunny, cloudless beautiful blue skies.

DATELINE JULY, 2019, Wind Crest at Highlands Ranch: History is being made in Highlands Ranch! On the Wind Crest Retirement Community property, Denver Museum of Nature & Science is uncovering bones …dinosaur bones! Thought to be possibly a triceratops or perhaps a ‘saur of a new kind, the “dig” is taking place. Norman Fox, one of Highland Ranch Historical Society’s (HRHS) Board members is tracking and sharing this exciting exciting experience. This archaeological experience is truly “History in the Making!”

Norman has written an insightful article about the experience as well as recording it with a few photographs. This “dig” is truly a great adventure and, as Norman says, “It’s happening right in our own back yard!” Norm’s article is truly one which exemplifies how unrelated entities can work together to share knowledge and experiences that records “History in the Making and makes these experiences an educational boon to the general public. West Crest Retirement Community, Denver Museum of Nature & Science and Highlands Ranch Historical Society corroborated to share this article with you. Read this fascinating article at History in the Making, Right Here in Highlands Ranch. Norman’s article is also available as one of the entries on Historic Douglas County’s Picture Galleries. Thanks, Norm and HRHS. Definitely, great work!

DATELINE JUNE 24, 2019, Devil’s Head: After 35 years, 87-year old Billy Ellis officially retired from the U.S. Forest Service. Billy manned the last remaining fire tower operation, Devil’s Head in the Pike National Forest. During the summer, Billy and wife, Margaret, lived in the cabin at the base of the tower and climbed the 135 steps to the tower’s platform. Devil’s Head is one of Colorado’s historical lookout towers, most of which are standing abandoned and unmanned in today’s technology’s fire monitoring systems. Billy worked closely as an integral Forest Service link in their fire prevention and fire alert system. Billy and his manning of the tower, with Margaret’s closely bound assistance, became a legend in Douglas County, the State of Colorado and across this broad nation. Billy will be sorely missed but, as wife Margaret said, “We will really miss it, but it was time.” Congratulations, Billy and great wishes for Margaret’s and Billy’s retirement. We will miss you, Billy. You can view a short video about Billy on Man on Devils Head our HDC’s Picture Galleries page. The video was made about five years ago.

DATELINE JUNE 1, 2019 Larkspur, Colorado:  This morning, Commissioner Lora Thomas, accompanied by Larkspur Mayor Marvin Cardenas, addressed an enthusiastic gathering in Larkspur Community Park, dedicating the 8.6 miles connection of the Colorado Front Range Trail (CFRT) between Columbine Open Space, through the Town of Larkspur along East Plum Creek, to the Greenland Trail. This new, dedicated section of the CFRT joins the New Santa Fe Trail in El Paso County, making a contiguous 56 miles to Fountain, Colorado.

Commission Thomas addressed the overall CFRT project that was initiated in 2003 by Colorado State Parks and supports over 500 stakeholders.  The vision of the CFRT is ultimately to create a multi-purpose trail from New Mexico to Wyoming, connecting communities along the Front Range of Colorado.  When complete, the trail will connect 15 cities, 14 counties and many smaller towns and communities along its 876-mile length.  The Cherry Creek Region Trail in Douglas County provides 17 miles of the CFRT into Denver.

Both Commissioner Thomas and Mayor Cardenas recognized the close partnership between Douglas County and the Town of Larkspur in completing the 8.6-mile segment of the CFRT.  The dedication event was well done with music and ice cream being served.  Mother Nature provided a beautiful morning for the event in Larkspur’s splendid Community Park.  Both Douglas County and the Town of Larkspur deserve our appreciation and thanks …a job well done!

DATELINE APRIL 6: Castle Rock Muesum announces the Grand Opening of the Museum’s new exhibit Continental Divide Raceways (CDR). From its opening day in 1959, Continental Divide Raceways south of Castle Rock was one of the top-ranked race tracks in the West! Owner Sid Langsam, a Denver millionaire, built the raceway to accomodate “almost anything that runs on wheels.” This included stock cars, sports cars, motorcycles and dragsters. Whoa! And, this was part of Castle Rock’s history? Whoa!

Stop in at the Grand Opening of the CDR Exhibit at the Museum on May 18. For more information call the Museum at 303.814.3164 or email mailto:museum@castlerockhistoricalsociety.org. Don’t miss this superb exhibit. Mark your calendar!

One hundred and two years ago, the Silicated Brick Company in the Town of Silica, Colorado, located just south of the present site of the West Metro Fire Station, began to fade into history. The only remaining structure of this little town is the lime kiln. The kiln, using a British design to extract lime from limestone and use it in the manufacture of distinctive white bricks, has been fading into a red brick rubble.

In 2015, the Roxborough Park Foundation received a grant from the State Historical Fund to provide an archeological assessment of the site and a structural assessment of the kiln to see if it could be saved.
As a result of these studies, in the summer of 2018 the Roxborough Area Historical Society applied for and received, a State Historical Fund grant to stabilize and rebuild the kiln. Work began the first week of August and was completed the first week of November. An effort is now underway to improve the site surrounding the kiln utilizing informative signage. The history of this time and place will then be preserved.

The Roxborough Area Historical Society wishes to thank the Roxborough Park Foundation, the State Historical Fund, Colorado Preservation Inc. Building Restoration Specialties, the Community, and all who contributed financially and/or with gifts of “time and effort” for the success of this project! The before and after photos show the amazing improvement in just a few short months.

Keep your eyes open for a Ribbon Cutting Celebration later this Summer, marking the official completion of our historic kiln stabilization.