Southwest Jeffco Trails and Toll Roads 20

HHII SS TTOORRIICCAA LL LLYY JJEE FF FF CCOO

Reflections of a Depression Era Teenager Page 11

Golden’s New Fossil Trace Golf Course Page 1 Published by The Jefferson County Historical Commission (JCHC) CONTENTS Volume 14, Issue 23, 2002 ISSN 1532-6047

Fossil Trace: Tracks Make a Big Impression on New Golden links 1 ......

Glimpses of History: Jefferson County’s Places from the Past 6

Reflections of a Depression-Era Teenager 12 ......

Jolly Rancher: Sweetness in Flux ...... 16 ......

Southwest Jeffco Trails and Toll Roads 20

The National Historic Register The Barnes-Peery House 25

Jefferson County Historic Hall of Fame Robert Williamson Steele Robert W. “Bob” Richardson 26 Pleasant Park: ...... In . . the. . . . Begi. . . . .nni . . .ng . . . . .28 . . .

Ralston Remains 35 Starting from Scratch, .Chi . . . ck. . en. . . Scratch...... 40......

JCHC News & Members 46

JCHC Publications Committee Erlene Hulsey-Lutz, Chair, Jerry Grunska, Editor of Historically Jeffco, Lorre Gibson, Lee Heideman, Lawrence Lotito and Milly Roeder

Design & Layout FinePrint, Golden, CO Jefferson County Court House

Old Golden Rd

Hwy 6 (6th Ave) NEW FOSSIL TRACE GOLF COURSE

Upright fossil ridges N Golden Residential

Proposed hiking/biking trail

Tracks Make a Big Impression on New Golden Links By Jerry Grunska

It’s possible to stroll up Dinosaur Ridge, a couple of miles north of Morrison and west of C470, and actually move back figuratively through millions of years of geologic time. At the base of the hogback an extension of Alameda Park- way angles sideways up the ridge, passing along dinosaur tracks - right next to the road - mangrove fossils, and “frozen” water ripples, encased in rock. Tropical mangroves? Ocean sands, tilted 40 degrees upwards? That’s not the only irony. These traces of fetid swamp life overlooking the city of Denver stretched out

Above: Digital rendering of Fossil Trace Golf Course Right: Triceratops track

-1- the tilt, so to speak. The tilted layers of sediment are starkly exposed in the I-70 cut through the hogback. On the west side of Dinosaur Ridge lies the unmis- takable evidence that dinosaurs stomped along rivers before the uplift, leav- These are thought to be impressions made by raindrops about 70 million years ago. ing their bones strewn below are from the Cretaceous feet deep) but extending thousands along those streams and their foot- period of geologic history, some of miles from the Arctic to the prints embedded in the silt. Bones 100 million years ago. Moving over Gulf of Mexico, right through the found now - there have been ten the “hump” and down the west middle of the continent. quarries in the Morrison vicinity - side of this ridge takes the visitor The next phase of land building are fossilized remains. This means back 150 million year ago, with fos- is also hard to comprehend. Layers that like petrified wood, minerals silized dinosaur bones sticking right of sediment, silt dropping for mil- have seeped into the bone struc- out of the rock. The nimble walk lions of years, hardening into rock, ture, replacing marrow and calcium over this ridge represents a monu- albeit sand-like rock, not granite or with silicates so that what is stuck mental shift in the earth’s history. marble congealed by ferocious heat. in the embalming sediment are The viewer has a right to be awed. Then, tectonic plates sliding miles mineralized replicas of the original If these samples of early life on below the earth’s surface, forcing bony matter. These bones, some of the planet had been known before up the Rocky Mountains, and in them tons in weight, to be extract- the late 1800s, Jefferson County the course of this uplift, the hog- ed need to be chipped out of the could easily have been called back west of Denver is pried rock that encases them. But they Jurassic Park, the real one, not upward, toward the east, like giant are right there for everybody to the fantasy. slabs of wallboard. Only the beach see at the side of Highway 26, the This is how “a day at the beach” and some near shore deposits in 1937 road that drops down the became nearly vertical beds of sand- the sea rise above ground on the west side of the hogback. This was stone peering out over the range- east side of the Ridge. The bulk the original Highway 40 up into land long before people came on of the sedimentary rock is forced Mt. Vernon Canyon. the scene. Much of this is hard to downward, at a 30-40 degree slant, What kind of dinosaurs? imagine. It’s hard to imagine a mil- and now rests two miles below Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Iguanodon, lion years, let alone 150 million of Denver. The hogback, stretching Apatosaurus (a.k.a. Brontosaurus), them. It’s hard to imagine a stupen- hundreds of miles from Wyoming and Diplodocus, to name a few. dous sea, shallow (several hundred to New Mexico, is just the tip of Stegosaurus is the giant with

-2- triangular plates on its back, in the north- while Brontosaurus is the west corner 40 foot monster lizard that is of the state the “mascot” frequently seen (1909), little at Sinclair service stations. work was done to A new discovery uncover fur- of old phenomena ther evidence For a perspective on the Jefferson of Cretaceous County site, it can be pointed out life until the that the very notion of dinosaurs 1930s. High- is only 150 years old. Carcasses of way construc- hairy bison and wooly mammoths tion uncov- had been found intact in some ered more places, in America, Europe, and evidence: the Asia (along Federal Boulevard mangrove locally!), but those specimens imprints, sand were only 10 or 15 thousand ripples from years old. That is like yesterday wave action, in dinosaur time. and huge foot- The Dinosaur Ridge prints and prints them- fossilized dinosaur bones north selves. of Morrison constitute the first The ready major discovery of dinosaur bones accessibility in western North America, in of pre-historic 1877. A School of Mines college evidence, how- professor, Arthur Lakes, happened ever, is what across them and alerted paleontol- makes this ogists out East, in Philadelphia exposure pre- and at Yale University. Lakes carious. The extracted some bones and shipped entire array them by rail to a Yale scientist is subject to named Othniel C. Marsh. Before damage by long other paleontologists came people who to Colorado to inspect the finds, have been in and the Ridge became “a kind of Colorado less Mother Lode for people from all than 200 over the world,” according to Joe years. Such is Palm frond impression approximately 13 feet long. Tempel, Director of Friends of also the case Dinosaur Ridge. It still is a power- with fossil ful magnet attracting hundreds of dinosaur footprints and plant fos- surface, right next to Highway 6, scientists regularly. sils a few miles north of Dinosaur narrow buttes that are packed with Surprisingly, though, after the Ridge, where fossiliferous beds palm frond impressions in stone, initial flurry of excavating in the have dived under U.S. Highways leaf molds, and dinosaur tracks, late 1800s, plus an almost simulta- 40 and 6 and where clay mining from the Cretaceous period, just neous discovery north of Canon has gradually uncovered them near before whatever cataclysm blew the City (also in 1877) and a 1900 the Jefferson County Courthouse animals away forever. Because these find near Grand Junction, in in Golden. fossils are younger than those at addition to the huge site at A series of parallel and vertical Dinosaur Ridge, they consist of Dinosaur National Monument sandstone beds stick out of the entirely different species.

-3- The “wall” in the foreground contains palm fronds and Triceratops tracks (see previous page).All of the golf course is on the opposite side of the wall, plus a little to the left of the end of the wall.Thus, there will be no interference between golfers and people viewing the fossils.

W.T. Caneer, an affable retired Fairway dangers sions and dinosaur footprints. geologist who acts as unofficial But a pall hangs over the possibili- “Golfers won’t disturb them, guardian of this treasure (he has ties of preservation too. The city of but the elements might,” Caneer had an emu-like dinosaur named Golden is turning this tract north says. The rock formations are ver- for him, Magnoavipes caneeri), of the county courthouse and east tical, clay having been extracted believes it was a meteor hitting of Highway 6 into an 18-hole golf between them. Thus the sandstone near the Yucatan Peninsula in course called Fossil Trace. Much of traces, exposed to dripping mois- Mexico that darkened the skies the land was previously mined for ture and frost, and possible van- and destroyed vegetation. The brick-making clay by the Parfet dalism, remain truly vulnerable. resultant pall over the earth for family, three generations of them. “Besides,” he says, “We have to several years, while blotting the T. Caneer – he prefers T – although figure a way for the public to sun and killing the plants, also light-spirited and charming, is also appreciate them.” To that end the killed those animals who were feisty and persuasive. He has con- 380 member organization, called herbivores and therefore deprived vinced the Golden City Council Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, that the meat eaters of sustenance also. and the construction company to oversees the museum at the cor- “Only a few shrews and gnats sur- spare the wedges looming up two ner of Alameda and Rooney Road vived,” Caneer said, “Maybe some stories or so. At one time there was has proposed a plan of fronting worms, things that could make it a proposal to bury some of the the most fragile remains with Plex- eating dead matter.” [Worm trails animal tracks. The 13th fairway will iglas, constructing walkways to the are indeed visible in the sand- skirt the formations, on the opposite, without encroaching on the stone buttes.] site side of the palm frond impres- golf course, and providing inter-

-4- the back of the records secured in rock. Humans state’s official wouldn’t come on the scene until dinosaur, late in the day, December 31st, 15 Stegosaurus. seconds before the New Year. The The imagination invention of golf would probably can transform occur a split second before the this into a sym- singing of Auld Lang Syne. bol of Jefferson County’s own Sources heritage. Attenborough, David, Life on Earth, Anthropolo- A Natural History, Little, Brown & Co., Boston, 1979 gist David Hunt, Adrian, and Lockley, White, et al, Attenborough in Historic Quarries of the Dinosaur Life on Earth Ridge Area, Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, Denver, 2002 contrived anoth- Lockley, Martin, A Field Guide to er form of trans- Dinosaur Ridge, Friends of Dinosaur formation Ridge, Denver, 2001 (slightly modi- Jenkins, John T., Jr., and Jannice L., Colorado’s Dinosaurs, Colorado fied), compress- Geological Survey, Denver, 1993 ing the entire Ward, Nancy, “Dinosaur Ridge,” pp. 18-23, continuum of Jefferson, The Magazine, Golden, November, 1999-January, 2000 time into a single year for comparative reflection. If The track above the hammer was probably made the age of by an ornithopod dinosaur (plant eater).The track our solar sys- T. Caneer (partially exposed) below the hammer handle tem, with its appears to have claws, and it was most likely made by a carnivorous theropod. Hammer is 12 in. long. planets and all, were pretive panels in front of the squeezed into images, much like the present dis- a single twelve-month period, plays on Dinosaur Ridge itself. the first three-quarters of the This effort to protect and reveal year would be devoid of life. has not been formalized yet, and The earth would just be a roil- both Caneer and Joe Tempel know ing ball of volcanic extrusions, that they still have a mission to with almost continual rain and complete. It’ll take imagination, the forming of continents, tec- fund-raising initiatives, and all the tonic plates shifting about. persuasive powers the jaunty Rudimentary forms of life Caneer can muster. would first appear around the In between the Cretaceous out- latter part of September, mole- croppings off 6th Avenue (extend- cules able to replicate themselves ed) and Dinosaur Ridge are Her- (initial DNA), algae and single itage Square and a gravel quarry. cell protozoans, amoebas and Colfax Avenue swings south such. October would bring on toward Interstate 70. High on the higher forms of life, creatures hogback across from the gravel easing out of the sea, then lum- diggings is a ridge topped with bering animals, but by Novem- large plate-like boulders resembling ber they’d be gone, only their -5- Glimpses of History Jefferson County’s Places from the Past

By Kathleen Norman by ranch families to provide educa- built in 1939. tion for their children. A few one- Mount Vernon Canyon — now tra- Historic buildings scattered throughout room schoolhouses remain, carefully versed by I-70 and traveled daily by Jefferson County are reminders of early preserved, while many others have thousands of tourists, truckers, and residents. The plains and foothills been moved, demolished, or convert- commuters — once contained a began as a conduit with prospectors ed to other uses. Rockland School at ranching community. Nicknamed and pioneers traveling into the moun- 24100 U.S. 40, south of the junction “Rockland” on account of the stony tain mining districts to the west during with Lookout Mountain Road, is a soil, the area supported a dozen or Colorado’s initial gold rush. Soon, reminder that Mount Vernon Canyon so ranch families. During the 1870s newcomers settled in the county, find- was still a rural, sparsely populated those families built a one-room ing fertile soil for crops and forage for location when the schoolhouse was school schoolhouse and a gabled livestock ranching. Scenic beauty attracted visitors too, who arrived by Above: Rockland School Genesee Below: Clifton House stagecoach, railroad, then automobile. Development of hotels, resorts, parks, and summer cabin subdivisions attracted people into the mountains. Taking a closer look at historic places can reveal how the county began and how it grew. This article describes four properties that help tell the story of early Jefferson County.

Rockland School Rural Jefferson County was once scattered with small schoolhouses, built -6- wood frame church and to serve the community. During the initial gold rush Mount Vernon Canyon was a stage and wagon route to the gold fields, but by 1880 it featured a rugged road used mainly by local travelers. Washouts plagued the rudimentary wagon trail, and in 1913 the canyon was bypassed as an auto route into the mountains when the Lariat Loop road was built up Lookout Moun- tain instead. Mount Vernon Canyon became more accessible in 1937, when U.S. 40 was dyna- Clifton House Barn mited through the canyon. This coast-to-coast highway square dance contests, group sings, and oxen that were then sold to brought a steady stream of motorists and talent shows. The Rockland freighters and stagecoach companies. and also encouraged people to move School-Genesee Grange today hosts Most signs of this animal-powered into the foothills. The expanding community meetings, art classes, travel have vanished — the barns, community outgrew the original and the Grange’s annual pig roast. stables, stock corrals, and roadside 1874 Rockland schoolhouse (torn The little brick schoolhouse also inns. But three stage inns still stand down during the 1969 construction contains the Rockland Piano as links to Jefferson County’s pio- of I-70). Local voters approved a School. neer past — the stone Centennial $8,500 bond issue to construct House midway up Golden Gate another schoolhouse of beige brick Clifton House Canyon, the yellow Midway House designed by well-known Denver In the 1860s, thousands of gold on U.S. 285 east of Aspen Park, and architect Eugene G. Groves. The prospectors rushed through Jeffer- the Clifton House on U.S. 285 west handsome building opened its doors son County on their way to gold of Conifer. in fall 1939 for first through fifth strikes at Central City, Idaho Owner Benjie Pitsker, who is graders. Older students were driven Springs, Fairplay, and Leadville. presently restoring the building as to classes in Golden. Gold seekers traveled along crude a bed and breakfast, rescued the After World War II, the Lookout roads dug by hand through the Clifton House at 12414 U.S. Mountain vicinity continued county’s narrow canyons — toll Hwy. 285 (off Foxton Road) from expanding, and soon a larger school roads built and operated for a prof- deterioration. The house was built was needed. The third Rockland it. Teams of straining mules hauled by Rudi Pollitz, who homesteaded School opened in 1955 and the orig- freight wagons into the mountains. on Elk Creek in 1870 raising live- inal beige brick schoolhouse became and passengers journeyed in stage- stock, hay, and potatoes. Pollitz the meeting hall for the Genesee coaches pulled by four pairs of hors- built a small house that he expand- Grange #219. Founded in 1917 and es. Along the way, settlers opened ed into a 14-room inn in the 1880s. becoming defunct in 1936, the stage stops, way stations, and road- He also erected an enormous barn Genesee Grange re-activated in 1951 side inns to provide food and shelter to store hay harvested from the as a community organization for for weary travelers and rest for foot- meadows to the south. Travelers rural residents. Membership grew to sore livestock. and tourists frequented the Clifton 200 members, and the Grange Hall Transportation became a major House, and it also housed the area’s became the heart of the mountain early industry, as local ranchers har- first telephone exchange and switch- community, with potluck suppers, vested hay and raised horses, mules, board from 1888 to 1921. The -7- but the Skankees quickly replaced it with a modest wood frame ranch house. In 1943 Chloe, Harold, and Florence Nelson bought the Skankee Ranch at 34787 Gap Road. Because the three siblings were serving in the military, their parents, Carrie and Ture Nelson plus grandfather Edward Powers ran the ranch. For several decades the Nelson family raised cattle and grew a few vegetables. Today, Florence Nelson Gruchy and her husband David Gruchy own the ranch property. The 1900 ranch Skankee-Nelson-Gruchy Ranch house and the collection of barns, stables, and outbuildings stylish two-story inn had clapboard anything other than potatoes or let- illustrate how ranching took place in siding and had a two-story porch tuce, and it took forty acres of sparse the early days. The Skankee-Nelson- with stunning views to the southeast. grass to raise a single cow. Gruchy Ranch is one of the most In 1916, Pollitz’s stepson Charles The 14,000-acre area now occupied intact ranch properties remaining in Long opened the first auto garage on by Golden Gate Canyon State Park Jefferson County. It is also a favorite U.S. 285 beside the stagecoach road. north of Golden is a patchwork quilt place for the Coal Creek Canyon Long’s sons, Harlan and Rudy, ran of sixty or so former homestead prop- Seniors’ group, which gathers there the business as Long Brother’s erties. These high country ranchers each summer for their annual picnic. Garage, which is still operated by raised beef, dairy products, and root members of the Long family near vegetables sold to the hungry miners Justus Roehling House the Kings Valley subdivision. in Black Hawk and Central City. By the 1920s, the west Jefferson In the 1990s, Benjie Pitsker Today most of the homestead cabins, County mountains had become Den- acquired the Clifton House property claim shacks, ranch houses, and barns ver’s playgrounds. The City of Den- from the Long family. The stagecoach in the park have been lost to deterio- ver developed a network of land- inn had become a crumbling relic, ration or demolition. scaped parks linked by scenic auto but Pitsker is renovating it. He also Just north of Golden Gate Canyon roads, and it advertised them to visi- rents the huge old hay barn for wed- State Park along the Jefferson-Gilpin tors, tourists, and local residents. dings, dances, and other events. County line, the Skankee-Nelson Villages and mountain subdivisions Ranch remains to tell the story of sprang up as developers urged auto Skankee-Nelson-Gruchy Ranch ranching in the rugged mountains. tourists to “own your own mountain Most of Jefferson County was first Martin Skankee homesteaded 160 home.” Charles and Anna Kittredge settled by farmers and ranchers. Set- acres, moving his family into a log laid out the town site of Kittredge tlers homesteaded on the county’s cabin made from trees felled on the along Bear Creek in 1923 and pro- eastern plains and creek valleys, where property. The Skankees put up pole moted the former cattle ranch as a irrigation ditches and canals watered fences and milled lumber from native trout fishing resort. Charles Kittredge cattle herds, fruit orchards, and crops wood to build a large hay barn and a had developed several Denver subdivi- of vegetables and grains. People cattle barn. Mr. Skankee was a cob- sions east of Capitol Hill and erected homesteaded in the mountains too — bler and spent each week in Central the gray granite commercial building as late as 1940. However, the long City repairing shoes while his wife that bears his name at 16th Street and winters, frigid temperatures, and rocky and children ran the ranch. The Welton in the city. Charles and Anna terrain made it difficult to cultivate homestead cabin burned in 1900, then retired to Kittredge and devoted -8- themselves to developing the town. scores of houses, from Kittredge met a youthful German cabins to mansions, in carpenter in Evergreen, Justus the Kittredge and Ever- Roehling, who was summering in a green area. He also built mountain meadow cabin seeking the several stone churches. outdoor cure for his tuberculosis. The Justus Roehling resi- Roehling had gained carpentry skills dence is now owned by in Germany as a wagon maker’s the builder’s son, John apprentice, a “spokes shave” who Justus Roehling, and is hand crafted wagon wheels. Kittredge still situated west of the hired the young carpenter, after entrance off Avenue F which Roehling became the builder in Kittredge. of Kittredge. Roehling constructed The stories of these Justus Roehling House the town’s first new house (other four properties were uncov- than a circa 1875 ranch house ered as part of a three-year project Historic Commission sponsored the remaining from the Luther Ranch) at focusing on the historic places in Jef- project with funding from State His- the northwest corner of Avenue F ferson County. The Cultural toric fund grants, a Scientific and and Columbine Street, as a model Resource Survey examined over Cultural Facilities grant, and from home to entice potential property 4,000 historic (pre-1950) cabins, Jefferson County. The author has owners. During the late 1920s and lodges, ranches, farms, and commer- been the project historian. the 1930s, Roehling built many cial buildings in unincorporated Jef- Craftsman style bungalows in Kit- ferson County. The project identified Addresses tredge. To showcase his skills, the around 800 intact properties that Florence and David Gruchy carpenter-contractor constructed a represent some aspect of county his- 34787 Gap Road Golden, CO more elaborate house for himself just tory or serve as examples of distinc- John Roehling west of the model home. This wood- tive architectural design. These four 2753 South Depew Street Denver, CO shingled beauty features decorative properties are among sixty that were Benjie Pitsker stone details, whimsical curving researched in detail, photographed, P. O. Box 141 Conifer, CO gables, and a balcony overlooking and documented as part of the sur- Genesee-Lookout Mountain Foundation Bear Creek. vey project. The Survey Reports will 4750 South Dudley Street, Unit 8 Littleton, CO During his sixty-year career, the be available soon in Jefferson Coun- prolific German builder constructed ty libraries. The Jefferson County

ABOUT THE AUTHOR historic places. In and Around Colorado Historian and author Cathleen City – A Walking Tour Guide describes Norman has worked on cultural the pioneer settlement that grew into resource surveys for Lakewood, a suburb located between Manitou Lafayette,Victor, Longmont, Springs and Colorado Springs. The Nederland, Canon City, and Manitou Penroses,Tutts and El Pomar – A Pikes Springs. She holds a Bachelor’s Peak Partnership, co-authored with Dr. degree in English and a Master’s Thomas J. Noel, narrates the history Degree in U.S. History, with a minor of Spencer Penrose, who built in historic preservation, from the Colorado Springs’ Broadmoor Hotel University of Colorado at Denver. and the auto highway up Pikes Peak. Ms. Norman has written three She also writes feature articles on books. Golden Old and New – A history and historic places for Walking Tour Guide, depicts the numerous publications. Cathleen has history of Golden told through its lived in Jefferson County for 22 years.

-9- Reflections of a Depression Er a

By Jerry Grunska, overseer on a farm in Potenza, at a dollar a day. After Rocco with Lawrence Lotito Italy, southeast of Naples. The year Lotito was born in 1887, Larry’s was 1886, and the grandmother grandfather had enough saved If it weren’t for the Italian was pregnant with Larry’s father to send for his family, and they Mafia, Larry Lotito probably Rocco. A Mafia guy came calling settled in Denver, where the wouldn’t have been a U.S. citizen. on a shakedown mission, elder Lotito became a fruit and Wait, that may be a bit strong. demanding protection money, and vegetable peddler. The fact that his grandfather killed the grandfather shot him. Because Young Rocco, apprenticed as a a Mafia bully resulted in Lotito’s this was tantamount to his own saddle and harness maker, took being born in Colorado. Does that death warrant, Vincenzo fled to over the route when Vincenzo died sound better? the United States, leaving his in 1909. The next year an arranged Here’s the story. Larry’s family behind. He ended up in marriage took place in May with grandfather Vincenzo was the Idaho, working for the railroad Concetta Ruoti from the same

-10- This farm proving too small, the southeast, a solid bank of dark in 1932 Rocco bought a 30 acre brown clouds. We closed all the parcel at the southeast corner of windows, but the dust penetrated Howell Avenue (present Kipling) and covered all the furniture. and Ridge Road in Arvada, south Kansas and Oklahoma devastation of the Coors railroad tracks. is well known, prompting ‘blown- Eventually he had chickens and out’ folks to head for California, pigs, several cows for milk, three but many dispossessed people horses for plowing, and a variety came to Colorado where conditions of fruits and vegetables to sell to were only marginally better. the groceries. “We had Okies as hired hands,” First, though, he had to dig a Lotito recalled. “Good workers and well, build a home, and bring in grateful for the opportunity, power and telephone hook-ups. usually one or two at a time. Pay By 1940 the horses were replaced was supposed to be 25 cents an by tractors. hour — government stipulation — The household needed water, as but all dad could afford was a did the crops, and to counteract the drought Larry’s father had to Left: The cow manure from the dairy have the well. “In those days there was piled on the fields until the time were ‘diviners’,” Lotito said, came for plowing (fall or spring), and then loaded in the horse drawn manure “People with magnetic power to spreader that scattered the manure locate underground sources. They over the land. It had to be hand loaded, held a forked willow branch, one as shown, with Lawrence Lotito and Joe Conte doing the job. Spot, the terrier, section in each hand and with the looks on from the seat of the spreader. single stick outstretched, walking carefully over the terrain. When Below: Ronnie Lotito, grandson of Rocco, standing in a field of papered they were over a hidden stream, pascal celery. Celery was prepared for some force would tilt the willow the October-November market, and the downward. Then they walked famous trenched celery was basically for the Thanksgiving and Christmas periods. over the area from another angle A sheet of the Denver Post was wrapped to pinpoint the likely spot for around the celery plant, tied top and a well.” bottom with twine, and then the soil was How to dig a well? No high- heaped around the bottom. With the light excluded, the celery “blanched.” Er a Teenager powered drills in those days. A hand auger would only delve a few feet. Larry described the process: village in Italy where Rocco was “Two well diggers scooped a six born. Four children came along, foot square hole down 20 feet. including Lawrence in 1921. Larry Then, putting in 4-foot pre-cast reminisced recently about growing concrete rings to prevent a cave-in, up in the Depression. Lotito’s dad they went down another 12 feet. Rocco, recognizing that chain [That is three stories deep!] That’s grocery combines such as Piggly when their feet were in water… Wiggly would displace individual The well never has failed. It’s peddlers, rented a five acre farm in use today.” in Wheat Ridge to see if he and “Several years of drought the older sons could make a accompanied those harsh times living growing their own fruits when I was about eleven,” he said, and vegetables. “Those dust storms blew in from

-11- dollar a day. I fried up some up in sheepskins to keep warm, picked up coal along the railroad potatoes and eggs for lunch. As heavy fabric coats with wool tracks, putting it in buckets. long as we had chickens and hogs collars. We had to put water in the Firemen on trains spilled coal we had eggs and meat. We grew radiator for a trip and then drain while heaving it from the coal everything we consumed.” Lotito’s it when we reached our destination cars to the fire pit under the mother had passed away in 1933, so it wouldn’t freeze. We had to engine boiler.” The cost of coal after dwindling in health following pour water in it again when we was prohibitive, seven dollars a a bout of Spanish flu, contacted headed back,” Lotito explained. ton from the Leyden mines. during WWI. Larry was the chef He remembered the necessity to “Christmas trees had little four and housekeeper before he was scavenge coal. “The only source of inch wax candles,” Lotito went a teenager. heat was a fireplace in the living on. “They fit in a little cup with So many things we take for room and a stove in the kitchen. a spring that was clipped to the granted at present, such as anti- We had to cut 40 large cotton- branches. The candles were lit freeze in the car radiator and fuel woods that grew along Swadley when we brought out the presents. for heating and cooking. “Our Ditch that ran through our One year the tree caught fire, 1921 Dodge touring car didn’t property. But wood didn’t give and while everyone yelled, my have any windows, just open off enough heat, and besides we’d godfather Joe Trancredo’s son spaces. In winter we had to bundle be running out. Consequently, we Jerry rushed to the kitchen and

Rocco Lotito planting raspberry canes in the mid thirties. Background: far left, stack of alfalfa that had been cut and dried for cattle food; barn, with corral extending to a little structure – a WPA two-holer constructed for $15, subsidized by the government to give people work in the Great Depression.“Although we had indoor facilities, this was useful for the hired help,” says Lotito.

-12- came back with a big pan of water that he dumped on the flaming tree. While hauling the burnt tree out to the yard we learned that Jerry had pulled the pan off the stove. It had been placed there to make the spaghetti.” Larry Lotito recalled school days and schoolteachers with fondness. He reported, “I was a freshman at Hunting jackrabbits near Roggen, Northeast Colorado. Jack Lewis, left, and Lawrence Lotito, about Arvada High in 1935. 1939.Three or four hunters could bag 30 or 40 rabbits in a day. November was the best month. With $10 at ‘Monkey Wards’ (Montgomery Ward) my dad would outfit me Principal Ray Fitzmaurice, and would be the same as providing a with a pair of shoes, corduroy teacher Marjorie Katz. Teacher paradise for rabbits where before trousers, a couple of shirts, and a salaries were approximately $1,000 they could only hop around the finger-length lined ‘lumber jacket.’ a year in the thirties, and the sage brush and yucca. Threats to “I learned the ‘Palmer Method’ individuals were fortunate if they livelihoods were dealt with in of penmanship from Miss Ellen got anything at all as an increase. straightforward fashion. Hambly, who, incidentally, “My favorite present as a Delicate sensibilities weren’t invented the Smokey Bear symbol; youngster was a .22 rifle,” Lotito prevalent at the time. “Up near and I learned a ton of practical testified. “My brothers and I went Hudson there were neighborhood things from our Agriculture teacher out to a place northeast of drives,” said Lotito. “‘Chasers’ Mr. Thomas D. Vanderhoof, such Keenesburg and bagged as many formed circles and clubbed the as how to solder, how to dehorn as 35 jackrabbits at a time. They rabbits as they skittered about, calves, and how to castrate pigs — were pests, you know. I could then gave them to poor people to all of which I did on the farm. sometimes hit one while it was skin and eat.” Getting on during Vanderhoof has an elementary bounding furiously.” those rough days 70 years ago school named for him at 64th and It may be hard for current wasn’t for the squeamish. Ward. Mr. Joe Weber, junior high readers to coach, dealt with us surly and fathom, but one must A moment of relaxation. Lawrence Lotito, 12, and sister rambunctious boys this way. At Lucille, 9, on Beauty, a lovely, intelligent Percheron mare the beginning of the school year remember that was with the family for many years. he passed a large paddle around that putting the room, letting each person feel in fields of it. He never said he’d use it, and celery, carrots, as far as I know he never did. But radishes, getting the heft of it was enough. asparagus, We were a pretty docile bunch raspberries, after that.” tomatoes, Other teachers Lotito recalled, peppers, and some of whom also have squash (not schools named for them, are to mention Superintendent Homer Peck, pansies!)

-13- John F. Kennedy visits Denver during his election campaign. He is warmly greeted by Dorothy and Bill Harmsen with gifts of cowboy hat, candy, and boots. Kennedy’s plane,“The Caroline,” is in the background. THE JOLLY RANCHER Sweetness in Flux

By Jerry Grunska called and said she had just bought an international renown: by showy ice cream store on Washington Street promotion of regional gear and In Meredith Willson’s musical “The in Golden. “You’d better come home. by handing out gobs of addictive Music Man” an anvil salesman is We’ve got a business to run,” she said. confections with their tongue- portrayed as an object of derision, Future President John F. Kennedy smarting flavor. because his sample case has con- came to Denver on his campaign trail Just like any other enterprise that siderable heft. The notion that anvils in 1960 where he was greeted as he grew to significant proportions, Jolly aren’t exactly quick selling items is came off the plane by Dorothy and Rancher started small, in a ranch also part of the gag. Bill Harmsen. They handed him a house kitchen, to be exact. “They When 33 year-old Bill Harmsen cowboy hat, cowboy boots, and a box packed the candy in my bedroom,” gave up flying in 1949, he found of candy. The candy was the son Bill, Jr. said of his mother and himself selling safes to make ends Harmsen’s “brand,” Jolly Rancher father’s early cookery. “I woke up meet, and his satchel must have been melt-in-the-mouth sweets, and the every morning to the smell of candy pretty burdensome too, with little boots had the firm’s hand-tooled logo and these huge candy boxes all over room for mirth. He was on the road embossed on the shanks. the bedroom. Now I’m not so fond one day in Wyoming when his wife That’s how a local business gained of candy.” -14- At its peak, before being bought Ranch ten miles west of Denver in addition to their store at the base out by Beatrice Foods in 1967, the 1942, they began growing raspberries of the welcoming arch in Golden, Jolly Rancher plant on Ward Road in and strawberries, plus 250,000 they set up franchises in Cheyenne, Wheat Ridge (just north of I-70) gladiolas. They were determined Denver, and Pueblo. Bill was nothing worked two daily shifts, had 250 to be in business as a team. if not creative, and doggedly deter- employees, and produced up to In Colorado Bill continued flying mined. He began experimenting 125,000 pounds of candy a day - for a while and then grounded with taffy, cooking up batches in that’s over 65 tons. They had fleets himself and sold the “heavy stuff, the barn loft, adding generous of trucks distributing candy all safes.” But when the berry and portions of Colorado beet sugar over the country, plus supplying flower enterprise failed to produce a (“That was the secret ingredient,” international customers in Europe, sufficient profit, he transformed the he later said), and sprinkling in Australia, and China. hayloft in the barn into a woodshop heavy doses of cinnamon. As business pioneers - the where he made doll beds and shipped They called the candy “Fire Stix,” Harmsens later called themselves them all over the country. Material and they named their firm the Jolly “Twentieth Century 49ers” - Dorothy shortages forced the couple to Rancher. “The name was borrowed and Bill moved in fits and starts. abandon this venture and lay from the Jolly Miller Hotel in They lived in Minneapolis in the off the eight employees they Minneapolis,” a town well known for early 40s where Bill was a pilot for had accumulated. processing grain. Someone said the Continental Airlines. But they Then the naive Harmsens shortly stinging candy “tasted like a dreamed of moving West “to snap up discovered that ice cream was only mouthful of branding iron.” a portion of paradise.” Although they a seasonal treat for Coloradans. So Aggressive promoting was the had no idea how to operate a truck they took on a line of chocolates, mainspring for success. Several farm when they bought the Johnston made by a supplier in Denver. In thousand school children have

Box line for candy Stix, boxed according to flavor.

-15- apple, and water melon flavors. Nothing heavy for salesmen there. For fourteen years after its founding the plant on Ward Avenue, called Sugar Bar Ranch after it was refurbished from truck farm headquarters into a candymaking facility, operated assembly-line style with hand cutters and people wrappers. Then in 1963, with orders coming in faster than they could be filled, the Harmsens contracted with engineers from England, Germany, and Italy to build machines for automation. When the bulky devices were flown to Denver, they shifted in the plane upon landing, the cargo sliding down to the tail of the craft. This load shift lifted the wings and front wheels off the ground, nose pointing skyward, so that the plane froze in a take-off posture. But automation and IBM computers for tallying payroll, billing, and delivery turned the Jolly Rancher operation into a thoroughly high-powered modern Above: Business being ahead of production, Kiss machines were flown in company. from Europe in 1963. Forgrove high speed Kiss machines flew high until land- When hard candy sales overtook their ing, when they broke their moorings and tilted the nose of the DC6 in the air. line of fine-dipped chocolates in the Below: Denver Western Stock Show. Probably in the 1950s. mid-sixties, the Harmsens shifted exclusively to the “hard stuff,” and got inched through the plant each year, given bundles of candy to pass out. out of the “Willy Wonka” business. leaving with handfuls of wrapped The Harmsens made sure that Bill Harmsen’s son Bob took over as candy. Five citrus flavors were Halloween was a sugar-and-corn- president when conglomerate Beatrice introduced, later expanded to syrup bonanza for all youngsters in Foods bought the company in 1967. “Smoke Stix” (licorice), Jell-O, the surrounding area, handing out Bob said, “I was on a mountain hiking lollipops, and saltwater taffy. In the thousands of bags of the nickel trail in Peru. I looked down and saw a 50s Governor Dan Thornton was sticks gratis. The prominent truck in Jolly Rancher wrapper on the ground. persuaded to send candy boxes to the movie “Smokey and the Bandit” That’s when I knew for sure that we the governors of every state as is a Jolly Rancher semi (carrying were an international presence.” Christmas presents. Harmsen also Coors beer). The 13 flavor sticks This past summer Michelle Zupan, curator of the Golden Pioneer Museum at sponsored rodeos and drag racing now retail for 50 cents apiece, and th cars. Politicians of every stripe were they include butterscotch, green 923 10 Street, said, “Colorado is losing a piece of its industrial heritage,” in lament- ing Jolly Rancher’s impending move out of state. Hershey Foods purchased the business in 1997, and Bob Harmsen stepped aside as president. Father Bill passed away at age 89 in 2001, and that autumn Hershey announced the transfer of Jolly Rancher production either to Illi- nois, Pennsylvania, or Canada. But the

-16- Caption of original photograph, published in the 1950s by Jolly Rancher:The Jolly Rancher Family of Fine Employees, top row – children, too – Bill, Jr., Mike, Bob, Bill, Sr., and Candy Cowboys. Left below – Dorothy Harmsen and attractively uniformed Candy Cowgirls. Sabre, the guard dog. 1954 move hasn’t been finalized because Her- it for the backdrop,” Michelle said went to his ‘lab’ upstairs every night shey itself may merge with a candy maker proudly. Ms. Zupan has titled her after delivering candy to franchise from Europe. Nestle has been identified exhibit “The Pot of Gold at the End stores and kept adding more as a possible suitor. (Two hundred forty of the Rainbow,” referring to the cinnamon to achieve the ultimate workers were dismissed, and Hershey spectrum of citrus and other fruit ‘zing’,” Michelle added. “It’s probably Foods closed the Jolly Rancher plant flavorings of the savory products. the second most successful business on October 18, 2002.) Zupan also said that the reason to start in Golden, next to the The Harmsen family donated the hard candy rose so rapidly in brewery.” Michelle Zupan also pictures, original implements, and early popularity in the fifties is that the mused, “When the wind is right, production apparatus such as cooking product was a true novelty. wafting over from Wheat Ridge, drums to the Pioneer Museum, where “Nobody else in America was the aroma from the candy-making curator Zupan has set up a full-room making anything like it,” she said. process at Jolly Rancher mingles with display of memorabilia. “I even went She said too that Bill and Dorothy the smell of the Coors complex. The over to the factory and peeled off a were literally obsessed with fragrance is unusual to say the least, chip of red paint so that I could match developing intense flavors. “Bill the combination of candy and hops.”

-17- Southwest Jeffco Trails and Toll Roads

Overview of the Pleasant Park area from the top of Legault Mountain.

By Lee Heideman walked up Turkey Creek Canyon a very important part in contract (past present Tiny Town) on his way awards. Because Bradford had In 1859 the cry of “Gold, discovered to the gold fields. But he stopped at received a military commission as at Tarryall,” started a large scale McIntyre’s sawmill (now Meyer Brigadier General and was appointed migration to South Park and the Ranch) to make a little money staff aide to the Honorable Robert mountains. Potential prospectors, before continuing on. Hiking over W. Steele, of the Assembly of sometimes accompanied by their the hill across the road from Jefferson Territory in December of families, trundled up gulches and McIntyre’s place, he found a 1859, Steele awarded a grant to drainages to gold diggings. Some beautiful area. Reportedly, it was so Bradford to establish the toll road, were actually on their way to the attractive that he decided it would allowing him to take in as many distant California Gold Mines, and be a “pleasant place to park.” Then partners as necessary. some were headed to Leadville, he sent for his family, homesteaded At about the same time Steele also Colorado. a parcel, and settled in that locale. created twelve counties for the They came in covered wagons The Legault family was largely territory and three judicial districts, drawn by oxen, on horseback, and a responsible for settling the Aspen incorporated Denver City, and few walked, following trails left by Park and Pleasant Park areas. passed many laws including a one- wagons or by the Indians on their But travel was slow and cumber- dollar poll tax to help finance the way to their hunting grounds. Many, some, and the need for a road to government. The miners refused however, became so intrigued by the replace the worn tracks being used to accept this “unauthorized beauty of ascending the first few for that purpose became apparent government” and created their own, miles that they just stopped and to a Denver businessman. Entrepre- rendering the Jefferson Territorial settled before getting too far into neur Robert B. Bradford petitioned government powerless. the high country. the Territorial Government for a Bradford’s road ran southwest Joseph Legault was one such man. charter to build a toll road from toward the Dakota Hogback near In 1869 he came from Montreal, Auraria (across the creek from Den- present C470. Parts of it, faint but Canada to seek his fortune. He took ver) to the mountains. with some rock base still visible, can a stage coach to Denver City, and Even at that time, politics played be seen along the east side of the

-18- hogback south of night, seven Morrison. This skimpy miles further on trail, hardly more than into Denver.” a two-rutted byway, Travel was entered what is now not all sweet Ken Caryl Ranch and harmony on eased up over the those roads rugged hills to the either. The west of the Bradford Golden Mansion. It probably Transcript came out on what is published this now South Turkey story on Creek Road in the September 23, vicinity of the West 1868: “As Mr. Ken Caryl gated Settlers coming to the mountains. Earle and Major entrance. Bradford, both A company named Meyers, put on it at that time. If you put all of Bradford, Jefferson County, Bradford and Williams was on one wagon you never would get neared the upper Platte bridge, Mr. established and granted a charter to to town. This fellow with a single Earle kept driving across the road in build this road to the mountains. It team was stuck. Couldn’t go no front of the Major’s team, and the angled from the Platte Valley past place. We put on four horses and Major took it as an insult. Wanting Mississippi and Sheridan and on up we couldn’t pull it. We put on him to quit, the Major tried to pull to Morrison, then over to what is twelve head and we couldn’t pull it. Earle out of his wagon. Earle now the Ken Caryl Ranch. This was We put on four head more and naturally resisted but almost had his the Denver, Auraria and South Park pulled the wagon in two. The hind clothing torn off. The Major drew Wagon road, south and east of end stayed there and we had to dig his revolver and shot Earle through current Highway 285, probably with pick and shovel to get it out the abdomen. Seeing a shotgun running through Homewood Park, of that old muck and stuff. Yesiree, standing by a stump near the road, Phillipsburg, and Fender’s, ending we had to do it! We unloaded all Earle jumped out of his wagon and where the Intercanyon Fire his lumber and then couldn’t get got it, and then shot the Major Department is now. Bradford the gears out. It just cemented through the arm and leg.” It seems established a town named Bradford around them wheels, you know. We mighty convenient that a gun was City there. The terrain on this road pulled the thing out and got it just “standing by a stump,” but the was so steep and the road so narrow propped up, and put his lumber on summary in the newspaper was even and in such poor condition that for him. We all got to Midway that more peculiar: “Neither are seriously wagons had a terrible time hurt. Mr. Earle went on crossing the foothills on it. Alden & Betty Legault home, homestead of Joseph home and the Major, at To illustrate the difficulties Legault. Original outside log walls are still visible. the time of writing this, is encountered on this road, Dan at the Planter’s House.” Berrian, a freighter, told this story. Either guns did not have “On the Mt. Carbon road the quite the fire power that teamsters would go together, so as they do now, or else the to double each other out of a shots were merely surface hole. One of the boys in a wagon wounds. had only a single team, and he In 1859 to 1860, was pretty well behind. I was another toll road was built ahead with four horses and two from Mount Vernon, wagons. You had to load them which was called the light, so they wouldn’t sink. One Denver City Mt Vernon wagon wouldn’t take all you could -19- and Gregory Toll Road, sometimes Bradford dug a well in the center of the one granted a charter from the called the Mt Vernon Road, and it the two roads to “water both men territorial legislature on February 1, ran over the hogback nearly parallel and animals.” The road was moved 1866, to build the Turkey Creek with current I-70. This road went slightly in l937 and the well now Wagon Road from Denver up to “Bergen’s House.” It ran to stands close to the yellow barn on Turkey Creek Canyon. approximately where El Rancho what was Bradford’s property. On that charter this road was is now, through Bergen Park and In 1865 another charter was called Denver, Turkey Creek and down to Post South Park (Evergreen). Road, but it That road is now just followed what called Turkey old timers Creek referred to Canyon as the Ute Road. The Trail. It was grades were believed that milder, since the Ute this road Indians followed the under Chief base of the Colorow used mountains that trail to along Turkey get to their Creek, rather hunting than trying grounds. to cross over Later it was the top of extended to formidable what is now hills. Because the Conifer of the area “on the convenience, road to Mountain Stage Coach traffic shifted Tarryall,” once again present Highway 73. granted to build a new toll road to this new road. In 1860 Bradford again from Denver through Morrison, Then in l869 Parmalee and petitioned the territorial over less rugged terrain, to be several other men petitioned government for a charter to build completed in one year, at the risk Jefferson County to connect the the Denver, Bradford and Blue of defaulting on the plan. John D. Turkey Creek Road to Bergen’s River Road. This was granted and Parmalee agreed to work on this House in what is now Bergen Park, the road was built to continue Bradford-sponsored road in and that rudimentary trail through from Bradford City, to join the Mt. exchange for a percentage of the Kittridge and up Troublesome Vernon road, creating a junction, toll collections. But the road was Creek continued on to Idaho (Barkley road and Highway 73). not completed in the allotted Springs. This permit was granted Then Bradford bought 320 acres time, putting Parmalee in a and the road built, which is still at that site, improved the land and prime position to take over the known as Parmalee Gulch Road. named it Bradford Junction, project himself. The charter for the Denver, modern day Conifer. Once again politics became South Park Wagon road was Bradford further capitalized on important. Because John Parmalee granted in 1872 and the road was his ventures by building a hotel and had been elected to the Jefferson constructed from Bradford Junction “saloon.” This soon became a stage County Republican Central to Urmstrom, (now Shaffer’s stop, and he put in a restaurant of Committee and had become a Crossing). Ostensibly, this road sorts and grocery store. In 1862, resident of Mount Vernon, he was was to continue on to Tarryall and -20- Southwest Jefferso n County 1870 & 1880

Leadville, but that is another story. convenient stopping place for (Park County), the Clifton House In l873, the ambitious Bradford travelers. The fire started in the (across from Long’s Garage), the and his uncle, William Bradford laundry and because of high winds, Ellis Hotel (Elk Creek Road), Waddell (who organized the Pony it burned quickly. Only the bar Conifer Hotel (built by the Express) and Alexander Majors fixtures, two sacks of flour and a Kennedys of Beaver Ranch started a freighting business. barrel of sugar were saved.” prominence in 1860 across from Bradford then sold his interest in Many places became stage stops Foxton Road), the Midway House, his property at Bradford Junction at that time. Several two-story (Meyer Ranch, Aspen Park), Twelve- to a Col. James Nassar. But on buildings were built and used as Mile House (Bradford City, September 27, 1878, the Denver hotels. Generally, a place was Intercanyon Fire Department locale) Daily Times, reported that the hotel needed for the horses to be watered and Bradford Junction (Barkley burned down. According to that and cared for, as well as to have Road and Highway 73), were article, it had been used as a “stage passengers fed and bedded down. some of the popular stage stops. station and watering place and a The Trading Post in Shawnee Riding in a stagecoach in those -21- HINTS FOR PLAINS TRAVELERS In 1877, the Omaha Herald and take your chances; if you jump, “Never attempt to fire a gun or published Hints for Plains Travelers. nine times out of ten you will be hurt. pistol while on the road, it may “The best seat inside a stagecoach is In very cold weather, abstain entirely frighten the team; and the careless the one next to the driver... with from liquor while on the road; a handling and cocking of the weapon back to the horses, which with some man will freeze twice as quick while makes people nervous. Don’t dis- people, produces... seasickness, but under its influence. cuss politics or religion, nor point in a long journey this will wear off, “Don’t growl at food stations; stage out places on the road where horri- and you will get...less than half the companies generally provide the ble murders have been committed. bumps and jars than on any other best they can get. Don’t keep the “Don’t linger too long at the seat.When any old ‘sly Eph,’ who stage waiting; many a virtuous man pewter wash basin at the station. traveled thousands of miles on has lost his character by so doing. Don’t grease your hair before coaches offers through sympathy “Don’t smoke a strong pipe inside starting out or dust will stick there to exchange his back or middle especially early in the morning. Spit in sufficient quantities to make a seat with you, don’t do it. on the leeward side of the coach. respectable ‘tater’ patch.Tie a silk “Never ride in cold weather with If you have anything to take in a handkerchief around your neck tight boots or shoes, nor close- bottle, pass it around; a man who to keep out dust and prevent fitting gloves. Bathe your feet before drinks by himself in such a case is sunburns... A little glycerine is starting in cold water and wear lost to all human feeling. Provide good in case of chapped hands. loose overshoes and gloves two stimulants before starting; ranch “Don’t imagine for a moment or three sizes too large. whiskey is not always nectar. you are going to a picnic; expect “When the driver asks you to get off “Don’t swear, nor lop over on your annoyance, discomfort, and some and walk, do it without grumbling. He neighbor when sleeping. Don’t ask hardships. If you are disappointed, will not request it unless absolutely how far it is until the next station thank heaven.” necessary. If a team runs away, sit still until you get there.

days must have been quite an off the Indians, while bumping adventure. In addition to dealing along on hard wooden seats. with deep mud and snow, these ABOUT THE stage riders and drivers had to fend Sources: AUTHOR Bentley, M. Upper Side of the Pie Crust, Lee Heideman Jefferson County Historical Society, is a member of Pleasant Park School, now a Grange Hall, Evergreen, CO, pp. 10-22. the Jefferson as it looks today. Also used by the Berrian, Dan, Interview, Oral History Tapes, Pleasant Park Neighborhood Association. Jefferson County Historical Society. County Photo by Karen Land Cranford Denver Daily Times, September 27, 1878. Historical Commission and Heideman, Lee “Bradford Junction,” writes a history column for the Mountain Connection, Conifer, CO, Mountain Connection. Retired September 2001. from the National Park Service, Lomond, Carole, City and Mountain Views, spring 2001. where she was a writer/editor, Warren, Harold, Bits and Pieces of History, she has also taught history, KR Publications, Bailey, Co, 1994, p. 8. language arts, and Spanish in secondary schools. At the adult level she has taught classes in creative and memoir writing. She has a book in progress, scheduled for publication in 2003.

-22- THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER The Barnes-Peery House

By Charles Hanson Pennsylvania native, Barnes came As a recent immigrant to to Colorado’s Russell Gulch in Colorado from the East coast, The Barnes-Peery House is one 1861. In 1864, he relocated to Barnes may have wanted to of the earliest extant dwellings in Golden, where he built his large introduce an Eastern sense of Golden, dating to 1865. Possibly mill on the banks of Clear Creek. culture and sophistication to the the first two-story brick house At least two other flour mills were West, using his mansion as a in Golden using a coherent established in Golden by the tangible statement of his own architectural style, good taste. newspaper reports Not to be upstaged of the day con- by a neighbor’s sidered the house building a nearby one of the finest house in 1867, Barnes residences in the began constructing town. The house is the north addition in a notable example August of that year. of a local inter- This statement of pretation of confidence in the Italianate styling town probably was an in Golden. It has important gesture to survived remarkably the community well with the because Golden had prominent original recently lost its claim features and the as territorial capital streetscape relatively to upstart Denver. unchanged and David Barnes’s the two generic The Barnes-Peery House house was a standard additions discretely bearer for a growing placed at the rear of the building. 1880s, but the Golden Mill was merchant class that built landmark In the mid-1860s, the town of the first one. structures, widely imitated, Golden witnessed a transition In 1865 Barnes constructed his contributing a sense of Eastern from a transportation hub mansion at 622 Water Street as a cultural refinement and per- servicing the Clear Creek gold symbol of his growing prosperity. manence to the community. towns to a settled community Barnes chose to build using The Peery family occupied with its own agricultural and European elements common in the house during much of the industrial economy. Wealthy the more developed parts of the twentieth century. merchants like David Barnes country but possibly unseen in a In 1993, the Golden Historic contributed to the growth of this frontier town such as Golden in Preservation Board approved the community by investing in their the mid 1860s. His construction Barnes Mansion at 622 Water residences and businesses. Barnes of this large home used a coherent Street as a Golden landmark was the owner of a large flour architectural style and likely was a and historic site. mill, the Golden Mill, located just statement of his presence and one block away at Ford Street. A permanence in this community.

-23- JEFFERSON COUNTY

Robert Williamson Steele Jefferson Territory Governor

Robert Williamson Steele was born He was re-elected and served than two years, those who followed January 14, 1820, on a farm near as governor until the Jefferson Steele were influenced by his Chillicothe, Ohio. He attended Territory was replaced when dignity, scholarly dedication and district schools, later taught in a integrity. Steele moved his family rural school and saved money to to Georgetown in 1865 where he begin his studies for a law degree. lived a relatively uneventful and He married Susan Nevin on frugal life prospecting for gold September 6, 1848. After his and practicing law until he graduation from the died in 1901. According to Cincinnati Law School, they Volume I of the “History settled in Warren County, of Nebraska” by Morton, Iowa. In 1855 they moved Steele is the “Father of to Omaha, Nebraska Colorado.” where he entered into In 1926 the the real estate business. Daughters of He was elected to the Colorado, placed Nebraska legislature and a granite marker served from 1858-59. surrounded by an iron Attracted by the news of fence at Mount Vernon. the discovery of gold in The marker states: this region, Steele brought "Homesite of R.W. Steele – his family to settle Governor of the Provisional at Mount Vernon, and Territory of Jefferson 1859- was elected Governor of a 1860 – From which the provisional government in Territory of Colorado was October 1859. Steele was the created February 26, 1861." first and only governor of Robert Williamson Steele Robert Williamson Steele Jefferson Territory, which formed was elected to the Jefferson several counties, including the Colorado Territory was formed County Historical Commission Jefferson County and stretching in June of 1861. Hall of Fame in 2002. from Henderson to Central City. Although he “ruled” for less

-24- HALL OF FAME

Robert W. “Bob” Richardson Railroad Author and Preservationist

Robert W. "Bob" Richardson has gave him the opportunity to ride Narrow Gauge Motel and began chased trains all over the world. passenger trains and electric inter- to collect rapidly vanishing from Ohio to Colorado to Iran. urban cars around northeastern remains of the state’s narrow He has photographed nearly Ohio. Serving in the Army Signal gauge railroad history. He every train he has come across, Corps during World War II, he founded the Colorado Railroad beginning in 1931. When was sent to Iran where he Museum in Golden in 1958, looking for a permanent home located at 17155 W. 44th for his collection of railroad Avenue, and until his artifacts, he chose Golden, retirement he served as Colorado. Founded in the museum curator and Alamosa, Colorado, in 1948, executive director. Richardson’s museum has Richardson’s efforts go grown from a personal beyond railroading. He was collection of locomotives active during his museum years and cars to the premier in promoting and encouraging railroad history repository in tourism in Golden. In 1991, the Rocky Mountain Region. the Colorado Historical He has gone from being Society awarded him its an "eccentric" collector of prestigious Stephen H. Hart discarded railroad flotsam Award for Historic Preservation. (including documents, maps, In his review of Richardson’s correspondence, photographs, Chasing Trains, Dick Kreck of station signs, and other The Denver Post wrote, "Every hardware) to recognition as a Colorado railroad fan should foresightful preservationist of face Golden once a day and the state’s railroad history. say a blessing for Robert Born in Rochester, Richardson. It is thanks to him Pennsylvania, May 21, 1910, Robert W.“Bob” Richardson that so much of Colorado’s Richardson was reared in Akron, rail history has survived." Ohio. Robert came to rail-roading dispatched trains to Russia and Robert Richardson was elected almost by accident. He was hired spent free time photographing to the Jefferson County Historical by a group of homing-pigeon wartime locomotives. After the Commission Hall of Fame enthusiasts to carry birds to war, he moved from Ohio to in 2002. distant points for release. This job Alamosa, where he opened the

-25- Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Historical Society Elsie Gray feeding calves in front of the grainery in 1916. Pleasant Park: In the Beginning

First Place, Writers’ Award Contest south of Conifer may not have County and instead ascended a by Karen Land Cranford considered their own fortitude ways into the mountains. His extraordinary, but their descen- grandson, Torrence W. Corbin, It is probably hard for most dants have long admired the a popular Jefferson County people to visualize an empty dedication of their forbearers. Courthouse figure, said in a 1972 landscape where today throngs of interview that Harvey probably people go about their daily living. A founding patriarch did this “because he and his It may be equally hard to envision Harvey Leander Corbin, a young friends and relatives were all people trekking along singly or in Confederate soldier, had been mountain people in North 1 small clusters, moving up water- taken prisoner at the battle of Carolina.” courses into the mountains, bent Gettysburg. After the close of the It’s reported that Corbin on making a satisfactory life. war, his release meant a chance reached the beautiful valley Some individuals headed for the for a new life, and he headed located on the east side of gold diggings but stopped along west. Reaching the territory of Highway 285 between Conifer the way and found an appealing Colorado, he passed up the and Critchell and observed, alternative. The pioneers who valuable and productive land “This looks like a pleasant place settled the picturesque territory below the foothills of Jefferson to park,” and gave it its name.2

-26- In reality Corbin settled on this property by squatting in 1868, then returned to North Carolina for his family and moved out permanently in 1870 or 1871. The name Pleasant Park may actually have been in place as early as 1860. Even then it wasn’t its first name. The Western Mountaineer had an article on January 25, 1860, headlined “Illian” and said “The above is the very pretty name of a new town which has just been laid out on Bergen Hill... our informant says there is plenty of building and saw timber and limestone in the vicinity and also good farming and ranching claims within a few miles and good mill sites on Bear Creek five miles distant. Success to Illian.”3 A month later, February 15, 1860, the same paper ran this: “We noticed a new town two or three weeks ago by name of Illian... Since then the name has been changed to Pleasant Park. The town includes 320 acres consisting of prairie and timber land and has been surveyed and partly platted. Photo courtesy of Dean Corbin There are several living springs Harvey and Lucinda Corbin – 1878. upon the town site, which will afford an ample supply of water. it is a place called “Junction Ho,” down the valley, not considered Already several houses are started. which would sit today at the Pleasant Park, that came to be We paid a visit to the pleasant crossroads of Highway 73 and known as Resort Creek. One valley where Pleasant Park is Barkley Road in Conifer. She particularly hard winter he’d situated and were much pleased says “southeast of this Junction oversold his hay, leaving with the location... Liberal is a trail extending several miles insufficient feed for his own donations we understand will be through ‘Hay Claim Park,’ now animals, and then he decided as made to those who will build.”4 known as Pleasant Park.”5 Hay a last resort to move the cattle to A third name for this area was an important crop there. that nearby lower valley. The move came by way of the 1881 Atlas When Harvey Corbin returned saved his herd, which prompted of Colorado by F. V. Hayden, to Colorado with his wife and him to name that next locale the U.S. Geological Survey of the three sons, they built a log cabin “Resort Creek.” After his first wife Territories. Margaret Bentley, in and named their new home “Echo Lucinda died, Corbin remarried her book The Upper Side of the Valley Ranch,” because of the and moved his new wife and Pie Crust, says this map shows the resounding echos that resulted family to this Resort Creek. He sketchy beginnings of south- from every loud noise.6 In 1878 eventually had seven children. western Jefferson County, and on Harvey purchased additional land In 1898, Harvey Corbin sold

-27- sleeping in an old trailer house next to them. It took them two years to build a new home.8 By the time “Doc” Corbin died in 1979, he had had a major impact on Jefferson County. He’d been a cowboy, a ranch hand, a blacksmith and even a bronc rider, as was his Uncle Ned. “Doc” started working on the roads for Jefferson County in 1930. He served as bailiff for the County Court and election judge for Elk Creek and Pleasant Park precincts. He was President of Jef- Photo courtesy of Dean Corbin Harvey and Lucinda Corbin - 1878. ferson County Schools, District 35, for three years and Secretary of Dis- Echo Valley Ranch, the Pleasant hospital at the time. According to trict 19 for nine. In spite of losing Park property, to his eldest son “Doc’s” wife Madge, a wood stove both his legs in the early ‘50’s due Henry Pinkney Corbin. Henry, had been jarred the night before, to complications from a logging although a rancher, was well knocking the chimney pipe loose. accident, he began full time educated and became involved in Thinking they’d fixed it, they employment with Jefferson County politics. In 1914 President Wilson went to bed and next morning in 1951. From 1959 to his retire- appointed him to head the United tended chores as usual. When they ment in 1973 he was Deputy Asses- States Boundary Commission. He gathered for breakfast and opened sor for the county.9 died in 1922 in El Paso, Texas, the door to the other room, “Doc” and Madge sold Echo still serving in that capacity. though, they found that part of Valley Ranch in 1977. Today, The Pleasant Park ranch next the house on fire. There was no Madge still lives in Golden next went to Henry’s son, Torrence way to douse the blaze, and they to her daughter Arlene Munyon. “Doc” Corbin. In 1972 this tract lost everything. They then moved Tom Koehler, owner of The Mor- of land was selected by the into an old bunkhouse up the hill rison Inn in Morrison, has owned Colorado State Fair as the oldest with sons Dean and Hank, the original Ranch property since continued ownership of a farm or ranch land in Jefferson county. An Glen Gray on horse working for Huff Corbin. Photo courtesy Jefferson County Historical Society interview back then found “Doc” remembering the original log house where “deer hides, scraped paper thin, substituted for glass in the windows and the family cooked in a four-foot wide stone and mud fireplace.” He also remembered his dad and grandfather using deer tallow to mold candles for light and cooking in bear grease.7 January 1940 brought disaster upon the family, however, because that same log house burned to the ground. “Doc” and his youngest son Hank were both in the

-28- 1995 and has built a beautiful home there. “Doc” got his nick- name because he was naturally talented at providing vet services for the animals and livestock in the area, licensed veterinarians not being numerous back then.10

Legault Photo courtesy Jefferson County Historical Society The promise of gold is 1897 – Ned Corbin – Bronco busting contest. Overland Park Denver Mtn. & Plain. what brought Joseph Legault of Canada to Pleasant been done to keep up with a World War II. He retired at age Park. Legault, (pro-nounced Loo- growing family, but some of 66 from Jefferson County Main- go) left the stage in Denver and the original outside log walls tenance. Alden Legault’s wife Betty walked up South Turkey Creek are still visible. says life on the ranch is sometimes Canyon around 1870. A quick Alphonse did timber work and “isolated” but she still likes living affection for this special valley also drove a stagecoach between there. She and Alden have four replaced his dream of finding Denver and Leadville. He and his daughters. One of them and a riches. In 1871 he sent for his wife wife Cornelia had ten children grandson still live nearby on the Delphine and son Noah. By 1875 altogether. All the family’s clothes original property.13 he had obtained a loan for $610 to were hand-sewn by her. But she’s secure a homestead made up of also remembered for the tenacity Gray 160 acres.11 Joseph also convinced she showed when a big storm Tom and Elsie Gray came to the two of his grown sons by his first came one day late in the fall. area with their family in 1913. marriage to come to Colorado at Cornelia had just given birth to They bought 480 acres next to that time; and one of them, one of their children, but within Legault’s property from Albert R. Alphonse, established another two hours she was out in the field Fisher who had bought it homestead adjoining his father’s. picking up potatoes to keep from originally from one Jesse Ray. Today’s Legault Mountain stands losing their cash crop. Tom, born in 1850, and Elsie, in 9,074 feet just north of the two Legault family members also left 1869, had homesteaded property homesteads. Eventually, Elmer their mark on this state. Alphonse in Oklahoma and then spent a Legault, the youngest son of helped cut the stone for the year and-a-half in Kansas; but Joseph Sr. and Delphine, acquired Capitol Building in Denver and Pleasant Park captivated them too.14 both properties, and from there for the first City Hall of Denver, The Grays had six children... they ended up belonging to and he also helped build the Olive and Anna, and sons Sharon Elmer’s two sons, Adrian and Turkey Creek and Deer Creek or “Buzz,” Othal D., T. Glenn and Alden Legault. Later, Alden roads. He listed his occupation J. Harold. Glenn was 13 years old bought out Adrian’s share. in the 1900 Census Records as when they moved to the.foothills. Although Alden passed away “mining of ores.” He did own a In a 1977 interview Glenn Gray in 1984, his wife Betty still lives mine on Richmond Hill Road that remembered working for the in the house that contains the held some gold, silver and copper, Corbins around 1920 when their original homestead. The cellar has but it never amounted to much.12 two ranches were “tied together.” stone work done by Alphonse, Alden Legault was born in 1906 Glenn said it was Henry Corbin’s who was a stone cutter by trade. and remained on the Pleasant Park property but son “Huff” was Over the years remodeling has ranch for all but four years during running it, and “they took a lot

-29- of hay out of at the end of Pleasant Park” for Kuehster Road Resort Creek. A which runs big snowstorm south from in April of Critchell. The 1920 caused settlement the Corbins to called lose a lot of cattle Critchell because they just was about couldn’t get feed six miles to them. “Oh, it southeast of was snowing like present day the dickens and it Conifer, snowed for three on current days and nights.” Pleasant Park It was a month Road. The before the roads Kuehsters had opened up again. four children, Glenn’s father with Carl mostly raised hay. Henry Corbin – Pitching hay onto a wagon. being born He said they also in 1881. Carl plowed and planted crops such the original log cabin that Buzz built later married Gertrude Huebner, as rye, barley, and oats, but they back in 1923. Bill serves as Treasurer daughter of Joseph and Clara always had plenty of hay and for the Pleasant Park Cemetery Shaffer Huebner of Pleasant Park. potatoes. Several years he said they Association.16 Carl and Gertrude became a part had 50 to 60 tons of potatoes in of Pleasant Park history when they the basement. There were times Kuehster and Huebner built a house in 1915 on property they got as high as $6.00 a Another prominent name in the that had been owned by I. B. hundred and others when they area is Kuehster. Frederick Kuehster Green. This ranch sat halfway got as low as 50 cents a hundred. came to America in 1848 and between their parents’ places. Glenn said they finally stopped worked in the mines in Central Gertrude’s father Joseph Huebner growing potatoes because the City. He married Caroline built Pleasant Park School House, weather changed. “It just got Strehlke in 1872, and in 1875 and Huebner Peak is named for so dry...”15 they homesteaded the property this family.17 Today, Buzz Gray’s son Bill Rogers Home – Earl, Ethel, Fredrick Rogers holding Rogers – lives in the red Ruth, Helen (Thompson) Rogers and Avis. Granzella house on the The Corbin west side of property sat Legault Lane on the south on property side at the named Angel end of Acres that Oehlmann their family Park Road, bought in and the 1970. Bill’s Frederick brother Ed Rogers’ lives on the property east side of sat on the Legault Lane in north side.

-30- Frederick and Helen Thompson Rogers homesteaded their land in 1898. They had two children when they first came to Pleasant Park and eventually had eight more, with one dying in infancy. The most well known of these children is Margaret, fifth in order of birth. She married James Granzella. In a 1977 interview Margaret said her dad built a log house and barns that don’t exist anymore. They raised cattle, kept work horses, grew vegetables in their own garden, and raised chickens and pigs. They Photo courtesy of Jefferson County Historical Society churned their own butter, Pleasant Park School – 1919 and as soon as Margaret was old enough to hold the Webb, the oldest former pupil to taught at the school from 1940 to bucket, she milked cows too. Like attend the alumni picnic held in 1942. Phebe then taught six weeks many of the youngsters in the area, 1960, said his mother asked the the next fall until another teacher Margaret and her siblings attended neighbors in the area to help her was found. Many of these teachers Pleasant Park School during build a school. Jess Ray had a boarded with the Huebners or summers. “With so much snow sawmill in what is now Aspen Park the Legaults. and everything in the wintertime, and he donated all the logs and The school closed in 1946 due and people lived so far away lumber while the men in the area to the decrease in population but that the kids had to go in the built it in a day! Wedged in the was opened again from 1953 to summertime in order to get there side of a hill meant that the back 1955 for grades four through six most of the time.” Margaret’s and part of the sides were because of overcrowding at the brother Fred, known as Fritz, died protected by earth. One window Conifer school. Pleasant Park in 1949 from pneumonia and is in the front was the only light Grange No. 156, which was formed buried in the Pleasant Park available, and the door could be in 1907, took over the school in Cemetery. Margaret and her left open for air circulation when 1956 and has kept it in good repair husband are also buried there weather permitted. to this day. It has been used for along with a number of other When a bigger school was community meetings and events.19 family members.18 needed, the structure that stands today was built in 1894 by Joe Pleasant Park Cemetery Pleasant Park School Huebner. It was one of the few Most early day communities had Before the existing Pleasant Park schools in Jefferson County to their own cemeteries that could be School building was constructed have summer sessions only. In easily spotted from roadsides. The on Pleasant Park Road, there was the late 1930’s Mrs. Bonnie Pleasant Park Cemetery is difficult an earlier school. In fact, this was Pickell, a teacher, got the school to find, though, because it sits on the first school in District 19 and year changed. private land. This burial ground is was a half “dug-in” and half log Phebe Granzella, author of located within Legault property structure not far from highway 88 A Century of Jefferson County lines, but at one time it belonged on Oehlmann Park Road. John Mountain Schools, said her mother to the Gray family. According to -31- person buried there was a lies saw promise in the pristine envi- Mrs. Brown, who passed ronment, and through creative dili- away in 1875.21 After that gence they built solid if unspectacu- it became sort of an lar lives. Their offspring consider unofficial neighborhood them adventuresome and resource- cemetery with the familiar ful. Many of them rest in the place names mentioned earlier they found ultimately satisfying. on markers and head- stones. At one time, Sources four grave sites in this 1. “Golden Man’s Land Kept in Family,” Golden Daily Transcript, September 1, 1972. cemetery would have cost 2. A Century of Jefferson County Mountain a total of $2.50.22 It’s also Area Schools, Phebe Granzella, p. 14. the final resting place for 3. “Illian,” Western Mountaineer, January 25, 1860. Torrence “Doc” Corbin’s headstone in Pleasant Park many infants and young 4. “Changed to Pleasant Park,” Western Cemetery one of the largest family plots here. children. A sign at the Mountaineer, February 15, 1860. 5. The Upper Side of the Pie Crust, Margaret V. entrance to the cemetery Bentley, p. 244. Glenn, his dad, T. M. Gray, deeded asks visitors to please 6. Biography of Harvey Leander Corbin, Hiwan the cemetery in 1919 to the Pleas- chain up the gate when leaving. Homestead Museum. 7. “Golden Man’s Land Kept in Family,” ant Park Cemetery Association. “Doc” and Madge Corbin’s Golden Daily Transcript, September 1, 1972. Years later his folks sold that north daughter Arlene Munyon said that 8. “Madge’s Story,” as told to her daughter, quarter to Elmer Legault. Arlene about ten members of the Arlene Munyon, 2001. 9. Obituary, Torrence Corbin, provided by Munyon, Torrence Corbin’s daugh- association, all people who have Dean Corbin ter and Secretary of the Cemetery relatives buried there, gather each 10. Interview with Arlene Munyon, 4/29/02. Association, says Alden and Betty June for their annual meeting and 11. The Upper Side of the Pie Crust, Bentley, pp. 111-112. Legault donated another half acre to help clean up the area. 12. The Upper Side of the Pie Crust, Bentley, adjoining the southern end of the A soldier, a miner, and a farmer pp. 116-118. cemetery to the association in the brought life to the attractive valley 13. Interview with Betty Legault, 4/22/02. 14. The Upper Side of the Pie Crust, Bentley, p. 95. 20 of Pleasant Park. The impressive late ‘70s. 15. Transcribed interview with Glenn Gray, A reference in the book From views, the proud pines and the fer- 1977, Hiwan Homestead Museum. Scratch by the Jefferson County tile ground held them there. These 16. Interview with Bill Gray, 4/26/02. 17. Mountain Memories, Betty Moynihan and Historical Society says the first several enterprising pioneer fami- Helen W. Waters, pp. 108-109. 18. Transcribed interview with Margaret Granzella, 1977, Hiwan Homestead Museum. 19. A Century of Jefferson County Mountain ABOUT THE AUTHOR was named one of Area Schools, Granzella, pp. 14-18. Karen Land Cranford fifty Outstanding 20. Interview with Arlene Munyon, 4/25/02. spent twelve years in Working Women by 21. From Scratch, A History of Jefferson County, Colorado by Members of the Jefferson County the broadcasting Colorado’s Council Historical Association, p. 128. industry during which on Working Women. 22. Mountain Memories, Moynihan and Waters, p.110. time she and her She is also a past husband owned and president of the Headstone for Lenora Gray, Ed operated radio stations Englewood BPW. Gray’s wife, in the Gray family in Colorado and She was selected area in Pleasant Park Cemetery. Photo by Karen Land Cranford Nebraska. She won Miss Colorado 1976 numerous awards for and still travels the her news stories and commercials, country as a judge.Today she is a and she spent a years as TV news full-time mom to her eight- year- anchor for the ABC affiliate in old son, Cory, is involved in PTA Kearney, NE. Karen is past chairman and works as a freelance writer. of the Board for Mt. San Rafael She and her husband Tony live hospital in southern Colorado and in Morrison. -32- Ralston Remains Denver and Rio Grande Western with Ralston Depot far right, 1939. Otto Perry photographer, courtesy Denver Public Library

Second Place, Writers’ Award Contest and left traces of gold in Ralston profitable link. Ranchers brought By Martha Martin Creek. Flecks of this gold were the their cattle in from the summer first samples of the precious metal mountain pastures to Glencoe, near Ralston Creek rises in the center of found in Colorado, by a Lewis the base of the buttes mentioned Gilpin County, a few miles north of Ralston from Georgia in 1850, above. Alfalfa fields and haystacks Blackhawk, near Dory Hill, and it who basically ignored his find and filled sections of the valley, courses east-southeast past Golden returned home, unlike so many providing both fodder and income. and through Arvada, joining Clear thousands of others who became At one time several small Creek at present Sheridan Boulevard. inflamed with the prospect of communities dotted Ralston Valley Its approximate length is 20 miles. scooping up nuggets and “making from Glencoe to Ralston Crossing The Ralston Creek valley west of it rich.” This valley also contained on Arvada’s Pioneer Highway 72, Arvada is a flood plain north of coal, however, still mined today, east to Denver View. At various North Table Mountain, a volcanic plus traces of uranium. The times in Ralston Valley’s history outcropping. Today Ralston Creek Leyden, Murphy, and Ralston the name Ralston was used in is impounded just west of state coal mines were notable local conjunction with railroad depots Highway 93 in Ralston Reservoir. producers, with the Leyden Coal and stations along the Ralston line. Ralston Buttes and Little Rocky Flat, Mine still continuing production. A Ralston settlement may have been also called Leyden Flats, border this In the late 19th century the associated with the Ralston Coal watershed on the north, while valley’s agricultural crops and fruits Mine, which was located south of Golden Gate Canyon also spills out supplied inhabitants of the mining Glencoe on Little Dry Creek (Van toward it from the west. At one districts, forming a second tie Bibber). Other Ralston Valley point thousands of years ago Clear between Ralston Valley pioneers and communities were Murphyville, Creek overflowed – from the south – these districts. Ranching was a third Tindale and Leyden, named for their -33- negotiating the turn. According to Mary Ramstetter in her book John Gregory Country, much of the Ralston Wagon Road through Ralston Canyon is eroded and overgrown as could be expected of a crude route carved out of clay and rock over one hundred years ago. Ralston Crossing was the name of the community on Indiana Street between 64th and 80th Avenues, extending east to Simms Street and west to Churches Ranch. Prior to Arvada’s official naming by Mrs. B. F. Wadsworth, that settlement was Ralston Crossing School House, 1894-1895. variously known as Ralston, Ralston Point, and Ralston Station. Ralston related coal mines. Ralston Canyon. The Golden route, Crossing was an important junction The Glencoe Land Company at Pine Ridge Road, followed a broad on Pioneer Highway 72. Here, one time owned property in Glencoe valley behind the lower hogback Ralston Road branched from a Valley with holdings at White Ranch formations northwest from the towns main highway that went north to and the entrance to Ralston Canyon. of Golden and Golden Gate City Louisville, Marshall, and Boulder. By 1926 parcels of land encom- along the eastern border of Jefferson Ralston Road continued west past passing the smaller hogback for- County’s White Ranch Open Space McIntyre, Quaker, and Easley Roads. mations were purchased by Coors holdings, near Pine Cliff Stable. Small jumbles of rocks and scat- Brewery Company for porcelain Ralston Valley pioneers could tered aged timber mark the shafts mining. Later Coors’ acquisitions travel to and from the Gilpin and of numerous hard rock mines in the included acreage on Ralston Creek. Clear Creek County gold mining Ralston Mining District. Uranium Public travel along the Ralston districts along numerous toll roads, surface deposits were also noted by Wagon Road was effectively halted one being the Ralston Wagon Road. the early miners, and significant high- by the Ralston Dam construction in Another name for the Ralston Wagon grade hard rock uranium ore deposits 1937. When Ralston Reservoir was Road was the Freighters and Farmers were subsequently rediscovered in the filled, the settlement at Glencoe was Road. Today a graded service road Precambrian rock at the onset of the inundated, although occasionally has replaced the original wagon road. Cold War, whereupon the entrance structures are still visible under a That pioneer route up the stream is to Ralston Canyon moved under the low waterline. Remains of the brick still visible and is even bridge supports for a creek crossing traversable in places. The Ralston Cemetery plaque and marker. at Glencoe probably supported a first route left Ralston wagon road or the Ralston Railroad, Creek, and its narrow which ran to Glencoe Station. path climbed a hill Ralston Wagon Toll Road was opposite Ralston Buttes incorporated in 1865.1 The wagon following an unnamed road started in Arvada as Ralston intermittent spring’s Avenue, became a toll road at the course down a tree-lined buttes, and roughly followed Ralston ravine. A tight switch- Creek to Gilpin County, passing back would cause through portions of today’s Golden problems for a vehicle Gate Canyon State Park. Golden and today, but one can Boulder connections on a Golden to imagine narrow-beamed Cheyenne Road led hopeful miners to freight wagons -34- authority of the Atomic Energy Commission. Ralston Canyon became a “Secret Garden,” the entrance hidden behind the flank of the Ralston Buttes’ uplifted hogback. Ralston Creek bisects Ralston Crossing near 68th Avenue and Indiana Street. Homes and barns dating to the early settlement are still standing, many in need of paint and repairs. The Ralston Crossing Church at 7400 Indiana Street has been restored as Randall’s Photography Studio. The West family barn standing north of Ralston Creek on the east side of Indiana in more recent history Photo courtesy Denver Public Library Original homestead of Henry J. Juchem, 1890. Ray on Johnny the donkey, Minnie, Guy E., served as a temporary foster home Henry J., Rover the dog and Harold H.Taken at what is now 52nd and Independence, 1904. for Colorado Horse Rescue charges awaiting placement.2 Numerous Easley and running northwest. The and deaths. Therefore, the cutoff fires have destroyed structures at map indicates that at some time from 44th and McIntyre may the junction of Ralston Road and between 1889 and 1935 track was have been used as a preferred but Indiana. The burnt remains were re-laid from the first cutoff through undocumented alternate track, bulldozed when the road was widened Fairmount to Churches Ranch. bypassing Golden. to accommodate increased usage. According to Lynn Yehle, a geologist Slag used for the Ralston Railroad Arapahoe City is Jefferson County’s who has been mapping the course of fill at the Churches Ranch/Van earliest settlement, part of Fairmount the Ralston Railroad and area school Bibber Creek crossing remains one district. It was a close neighbor due locations, this cutoff shouldn’t be on of the few evidences of the railroad’s south of Ralston Crossing and north of the map because the track had been presence. Lynn Yehle believes the Clear Creek at the base of North Table abandoned. He maintains that an Ralston Railroad had two depot Mountain. The Ralston Railroad line active line should have been running locations, the first being moved 400 diverted from the Colorado Central northeast to assume a McIntyre feet when the tracks were moved Railroad main line from Denver to alignment, then crossing Ralston from the east side of North Table Golden at Arapahoe City, striking Creek two blocks west of Indiana. Mountain to the west side. Other northwesterly through Fairmount. The Railroad ties now imbedded in the sections of track fill had been visible Golden City and Ralston Ditch and embankment mark the crossing and before being replaced by the Long the Arapahoe Ditch diverted water are easily seen from the Ralston Lake Regional Park soccer fields. from the north bank of Clear Creek, Creek trail. An abundant water supply being with courses traversing the east flank If the 1939 map is correct, this necessary for mining, farming, and contours on North Table Mountain line seems to have been a “mystery ranching, as well as for steam near this line. Railroad grades and dry railroad.” Yehle almost jokingly powered trains, the ‘59ers established ditch lines remain. retells the folklore of the “mystery priorities on Ralston Creek and Clear Joyce Manley’s interpretation of railroad’s” existence. Apparently the Creek. Extensive ditch and canal a 1939 USGS map of the Denver to incline into Golden on the Denver- systems were developed, resulting Golden railroad and tramway track Golden line was steep. This was a in ponds and irrigation channels. lines through Fairmount, in her place of frequent accidents involving Among the first Ralston Creek filings Arapahoe City to Fairmount, shows railroad cars running into each was the Ballinger and Bunny Ditch, an active track line running an Easley other, and sometimes catching men incorporated in 1862 and drawing Road alignment, crossing 64th and unawares, causing debilitating injuries water from the south bank of Ralston -35- Creek. The Ralston Wagon Ralston Crossing Road Ditch Company also School had been filed rights on Ralston moved to Freemont Creek in 1865. Elementary School Jefferson County’s first off Ralston and ditch, the Arapahoe Ditch, Ward Roads. Because diverted water from Clear of this confusion in Creek near Golden a the identification of distance of two miles, to Arvada area schools, the Arapahoe Bar placer the Ralston Crossing gold mining operations.3 School’s whereabouts Today, the Arapahoe Ditch Ralston Crossing Schoolhouse, Lakewood Heritage Center at Belmar, 2002. at that time were is known as the Farmer’s unknown. and High Line Canal and Reservoir and in another reference it is clas- However, in 1956 the pioneer Company, with thirty-eight miles sified as a previous settlement on schoolhouse was moved from the of ditch line servicing Ralston Ralston Creek. The Ralston Railroad east side of 68th and Indiana Street Valley and Arvada. and the Golden to Cheyenne Road to the grounds of the John F. Vivian Additional water priorities were crossed Ralston Creek at this Elementary School near 25th and established with claimants changing ephemeral town site and proceeded Kipling, where it served until 1983 as when rights were transferred or sold. west to Ralston Buttes. The crossing a temporary classroom. Millie Roeder Ditch lines took the names of the is most likely under Highway 93. of the Jefferson County Historical local settlers, with the following Despite this “ghostly” record, Commission recalled that this among the earliest priorities: Tucker, however, the Jefferson County structure was moved in two sections Churches, Picquette, Haines, Juchem- Republican newspaper continued down Kipling and across Alameda Reno, Swadley, and Wannamaker to carry news from the Ralston to the Lakewood Heritage Center at Ditches. Today most of the channels community until the 1940’s. Events Belmar. Surviving as an example of a are dry, with traces still discernible such as choir performances, dances, rural Jefferson County schoolhouse, circling around the flattops and and meetings at the Ralston Crossing it has been well cared for, a gracious snaking through Ralston Valley and School were reported, indicating that and fitting retirement for its hundred Arvada. In addition to the Farmer’s the schoolhouse continued serving as years of service. and High Line Canal, the Agricultural a social community center, acting Records for both the Ralston Ditch, Churches Ditch, and Croke much like a grange hall. Crossing Schoolhouse and John F. Canal are presently in service. The Ralston Crossing School- Vivian Elementary School show Today, draining off high and house in district #12 represents a why the Ralston Crossing School distant Dory Hill, once rural Ralston preservation success story in the saga relocated to Wheat Ridge, and why it Creek curls through sedate and of Ralston remains. The white wooden resides presently in Lakewood. The clean-looking Arvada neighborhoods, schoolhouse, active at Ralston Vivian family had a close attachment behind manicured back yards, Crossing from the 1870s until the to the structure, and when scheduled accompanied by a sylvan path for 1950s, outlived the district #7 brick for demolition it was moved to the bikers and pedestrians. In this dry schoolhouse east of Highway 93 and grounds of the newly constructed year parts of it seep beneath the 64th Avenue that was dismantled John F. Vivian Elementary School. surface, so that it too resembles around 1900.4 Arvada historical Former Colorado Governor John C. a ditch, trickling intermittently records indicate that the Ralston Vivian sold property to the school instead of murmuring. Crossing structure may have been district in 1954 for the school named Much of what remains of the used as a church in the late 1860s in his father’s honor. His mother, Ralston settlement is either under with a M.F. McQuinstan as the Addie Higgins, surely attended the water or has been paved over. deeded landowner. In the early Ralston Crossing School inasmuch as Jefferson County’s site listings 1970s when the Arvada Historical her father, John Higgins, served on identify the town of Ralston in Commission wrote the history of the first recorded school board. section 33 as abandoned by 1900, Arvada, it was assumed that the Ralston Valley High School at

-36- th Crossing and Fairmount are among Denver Public Library. Western History/ 80 Avenue and Alkire Street near Genealogy Department. Western History Leyden, is Ralston’s first high school. the earliest recorded burials. The Photos. Copyright: Denver Public Library, Opened in 2000, Ralston Valley High list of burials at the cemetery is Colorado Historical Society, and Denver Art incomplete, because many families of Museum, 2002. School’s site south of the railroad Lakewood Heritage Center. Permission to tracks occupies the last recorded area these pioneers had remains relocated photograph Ralston Crossing Schoolhouse. associated with the name Ralston. to other cemeteries, including Mt. Spring 2002. Olivet, Crown Hill, and the Arvada Jefferson County. Archives and Records; Clerk The Alkire House, a foursquare brick and Recorder; Millie Roeder, Jefferson County farmhouse owned at one time by and Golden cemeteries. Having been Historical Commission telephone interviews. Wayne Harkness of Ralston, was rescued from a planned housing Spring 2001. th development, the Ralston Cemetery Jefferson County Open Space. Natural Resources moved west on 80 Avenue during Special Usage Access Permit: Ralston Canyon the school’s construction and is was enclosed in 1995 by a wooden Holdings. Apr. 9, 2002. being restored. rail fence, and numerous vandalized Jefferson County Public Library. Special Maps markers have also been restored. A Collection; Northwestern Jefferson County. The Ralston pioneers left an Courtesy Karen Jones. Summer 2002. marker and plaque have been erected impression on the landscape with John F. Vivian Elementary School. Jeffco Public their roads, ditches, mines, and and dedicated to the early pioneers Schools. Communication Services: School Profile. Apr. 2001. settlements, but they themselves didn’t who rest there. Manley, Joyce. Arapahoe City to Fairmount: stay. Many people moved back and 1 From a Ghost Town to a Community. Gold mining dredging operations on Copyright: Joyce Manley, 1989. forth between mining strikes, and Arapahoe Bar resumed at the turn of the past some returned to their homes in century and during the Depression. A marker More Than Gold: A History of Arvada, Colorado, During the Period 1870-1904. Arvada: Arvada other states. A few families, including and plaque dedicated in 1946 to honor the Historical Society, 1976. original settlement at Arapahoe City can be the Belgins and Tuckers, remained in viewed on 44th Ave. west of McIntyre St. Ralston Valley High School. Jeffco Public the Ralston area, their descendents Schools. Communication Services: School 2 This may have been either the Ballinger or Profile, May 2002. living on the same ground their Haines School. The Leyden Schoolhouse is Ramstetter, Charles and Mary. John Gregory grandfathers homesteaded. recorded as serving after 1900 and given Country: Place Names and History of Ralston The Ralston Cemetery is slightly designation district #7. For the past decade it Buttes Quadrangle Jefferson County, sat in a clearing west of Indiana and 64th Ave. Colorado. Charles and Mary Ramstetter southwest of 64th Avenue and Editors. Golden: C Lazy Three Press, for Eldridge Street, on a knoll with Sources Charles and Mary Ramstetter, 1996. Steele, Rick. “From DSP&P to C&S: C&S Narrow the Golden City and Ralston Ditch Arvada, Just Between You and Me: A History of Gauge History.” Online webpage. and the Farmer’s High Line Canal Arvada, Colorado, During the Period 1904- http://www.railway-eng.com/dspp/dsphst.htm. 1941. Boulder: Johnson Pub. Co., for the Feb. 2002. meandering nearby. The earliest Arvada Historical Society, 1985. Waters of Gold: The History of Arvada, Colorado Arvada Cemetery. List of burials for Ralston recorded burials date to the late During the Period 1850-1870. Cemetery. Courtesy Arvada Cemetery staff. 1860s, with the last interments before Arvada: Arvada Historical Society, 1973. Colorado Railroad Museum. Records and Files; 1910. Some folks believe this site Ralston Railroad. Courtesy Kenton Forrest “Waters of Gold” reference used with permission began as an Indian graveyard. The and volunteer staff. Spring 2002. of Marcetta Lutz, Arvada Historical Society, Apr. 2002. 1899 Willets Farm Map labels it Colorado State Archives. Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration: Colorado Yehle, Lynn. Telephone interviews Mar.- Apr. simply as a graveyard above Hyatt Corporations 1861-1875. Online website. 2002. Ralston Railroad Van Bibber Creek Lake. Children who perished in the h t t p : / / w w w . a r ch i v e s . s ta t e . c o . u s / c o r p / Crossing Field Exploration-Churches Ranch, nearby communities at Ralston rc o r p . h t m. Feb. 2002. Apr. 15, 2002.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR when the prey escaped through another burrow, and I’m told July 1, 2002 marked my fifth anniversary he always grieved his mistake. with Jefferson County Public Library. My Last year’s essay,“County of Vivian,” supports the nucleus daughter is planning for college, so I am for a thesis on Jefferson County history. I’d never wanted to preparing for life as an empty-nester at the undertake such an endeavor before because the fright of a tale end of the baby-boomer generation. I fifty-page paper has been too much to contemplate. have two pet ferrets. My great-grandfather hunted with a Colleagues have told me I should write a book to which I ferret in Indiana. I remember stories of his adventures in reply,“Who’d read it?” However, the more research I the woods hunting rabbit, possum, raccoon, and squirrel. conduct, the more I’m finding the story I’m relating in bits On one occasion his dogs followed something in the dark and pieces every year lends itself nicely to a book and after the lantern had been knocked over, and they were chapter format. Future essays will cover bootlegging and never seen again. He accidentally clubbed his hunting ferret Federal Prohibition enforcement in Jefferson County. -37- STARTING FROM SCRATCH Chicken Scratch

Special Award, Writers’ Award Contest Avenue to the north, Sheridan His parents were Italian immigrants By Fran Hackethal Boulevard on the east, Fenton Street who had arrived in this country at on the west, and the north side of the turn of the century and settled Based on their contribution to the West 29th Avenue on the south. in north Denver near Mt. Carmel commerce and industry in Jefferson The adjacent south side of West Catholic Church. He was the mid- County, Roxy and Frances Vendena 29th Avenue was considered a dle of nine children. When Roxy are true pioneers The way they con- “no man’s land.” was five the family moved to the ceived and built their businesses Roxy and Frances Vendena settled northeast area of Jefferson County identifies them as resolute entrepre- in this area in 1942 and started the in Arvada on Rhea Avenue, now neurs of the WWII years and the Ridge Valley Poultry and Perma- called 60th Avenue, between Lamar mid-century. green Plant Food, two businesses Street and Sheridan Boulevard. Until the 1940s the county was that have continued to offer prod- Roxy’s parents operated a truck definitely rural. Then, farms, ucts and services to Jefferson Coun- farm, growing celery, carrots, beets, orchards, green- houses, developing ty and its surrounding communities and lettuce. His father sold produce suburban commercial clusters, and for the past sixty years. This is a to local grocers in and around Den- new industries signaled exceptional story about the Vendenas and their ver as well as at Denver’s busy growth. The far east end of the successful journey, starting from Denargo Market, an every day county was unincorporated, and very modest beginnings. wholesale outlet for fresh fruits and within this sparsely settled area was Roxy Vendena was born Rocco vegetables that sold to grocers from a place called Columbia Gardens. Its Vendegna at the family home in in and out of the state. The market boundaries bordered West 33rd north Denver on January 4, 1916. encompassed an area several blocks

-38- square and was located under the had been present 23rd Street viaduct in town sheriff lower downtown. for many Roxy’s formal schooling ended years and, at the eighth grade, which was not her parents unusual for farm children in the mid operated a 1920s. At about age fourteen he left dairy farm. home to live with one of his older Her mater- brothers and did odd jobs for people nal grand- in and around Arvada and Golden. mother That included building brick and lived with mortar ash pits which were used for the family collecting burnt ashes from cook much of stoves and wood burning fire places. the time. These conical structures consisted of Frances bricks mortared in a circle with an recalls hav- opening at the ground level so that ing a lively burned ashes could be removed. As childhood. this procedure continued with one She was a row of brick attached to the next, spelling the design closed in to form a dome champion with a large opening at the top. It in elemen- took Roxy several days to construct tary school one ash pit. He recalls being paid and a cheer- “around $5.00 and that included the leader in materials.” It is possible that an ash high school, pit or two may still be standing in addition today, perhaps as a planter in some- to studying one’s back yard. piano and In addition to building ash pits, voice. Upon Roxy Vendena worked occasionally at high school the Piggly Wiggly grocery in Arvada. graduation In his 1914 Model “T” Ford pickup in 1935, Above: A caricature of Roxy that appeared in a local news- he also delivered and spread mush- accompa- paper in the 1950’s. Left: Brooder houses (in the background) were built to house room compost that he purchased nied by and shelter mature turkeys as well as for their roosting at night. from Savory Mushroom Farms, and her mother manure that he bought from outly- Lucy, the encounter for her too. ing farms around Denver. This Frances took the train to Denver for Roxy and Frances describe their was his first venture in independent classes in cosmetology at the Denver courtship as ordinary. He was work- enterprise. Eventually, though, he Beauty School. She was joined a ing hard and she was in school for found full time work in a grocery week later by her grandmother Eliza, long hours, but they spent time market in east Denver and learned who was to stay with her during together on weekends. Roxy owned a about retailing. Around 1935, Frances’ schooling. Just nine hours black 1929 Model “A” Roadster. He age 19, about five years after he after her arrival in Denver she and had it painted white with red flames left home and was on his own, he her mother and some Nebraska that cascaded over the hood and met Frances Lucille Feese and was friends who were already living in down to the running boards, and instantly smitten. Denver went to the Denver Dancing there was a Gilmore lion head decal Frances was born on January 1, Academy for the evening. There on each door. The couple went on 1918 in Alma, Nebraska. She was of she met Roxy Vendena, and there drives in the mountains, and they Irish/German heritage. Her father was an immediate magnetism in ate out on Saturday nights, and went

-39- beauty salon, and grandma Eliza agreed to remain to help with the family.

What Came First, the Idea or the Opportunity? After working for Safeway stores for about three years and with the added responsibility of a second daughter in 1939, Roxy decided to develop a private business of his own. Recognizing an opportunity to supply dealers on busy Market Street in Denver, he began hauling live poultry. With his 1932 Chevy four- door sedan and $50 borrowed from a friend, Roxy and Frances began their poultry business. First, Roxy contrived a “frontbed” for the Chevy sedan. Using wooden pallets that he attached to the front of the car, he was able to secure a few chicken coops, each coop holding twenty-four chickens. Eggs he trans- ported inside the vehicle. He began each day at 5:00 a.m. by placing the empty chicken coops on the “frontbed.” He borrowed additional funds from Eliza, and drove to out- lying towns north and east of Den- ver where he bought live poultry. Then he returned to Market Street in downtown Denver to sell his daily “haul.” The 1937 Reo pick-up filled with chickens. Roxy quickly realized the benefit of direct sales, because eager cus- dancing. Along with Frances’s grand- to begin her first job. In the mean- tomers approached him for fresh mother, they went to church on time, Roxy had secured a position poultry right off his truck. Soon he Sunday and visited Roxy’s parents with Safeway Stores and was ready was able to afford another vehicle, and family. He recalls that they also to propose marriage. They were and he purchased a 1937 Reo pick- went to Lakeside and Elitch’s amuse- married on May 1, 1937 at Mt. up truck. He fashioned a post on ment parks and to Eldorado Springs, Carmel Catholic Church in Denver. the back of the truck to hang a and they also motored to Inspira- With scant funds in the midst of scale for weighing the poultry that tion Point in North Denver, where the Depression they had no honey- he would buy by the pound. He he “just held her tight.” moon, just a hamburger and malt recalls that he paid 5 cents per Frances finished her beauty and dancing at the Rainbow ball- pound for old roosters. Hens, ducks, course, took the state cosmetology room. In the fall of 1937 they geese, turkeys, whatever the farmers board exam, and went back to learned that their first daughter would have and what he could carry Nebraska to wait for her grades, would arrive the following June. became his load for the day. He after which she returned to Denver Frances abandoned a career in a would catch about five chickens at a

-40- time, place them on the hanging scale to report their weight, pay the farmer, place the chickens in the coops, then then hoist them onto the “frontbed” and return to Denver to sell his quota for the day. Having lived in the north Denver area for the previous three years, in 1942 the Vendenas moved to the Columbia Gardens community in east Jefferson County. Because of complications due to Roxy’s father passing away, a place to locate their growing business was delayed, but at length for a borrowed The 1932 Chevy four-door sedan – before it became the “frontbed.” Roxy $300 down payment they pur- at his parents home on Rhea Ave. in Arvada. He was about 24 years old. chased a home at 2893 Depew Street with its detached single she returned to her daughter’s home Water, Water Anywhere car garage and five additional 25 ft. in Nebraska. Along with the increasing volume of lots. This property allowed them to For their holiday business in 1942 business, the Vendenas were up begin their venture in a business Roxy bought fifty turkeys at about against an obstacle that meant a that would become known through- 15 cents per pound - live weight to problem for their processing proce- out Denver and its surrounding sub- the farmer. At Thanksgiving that dure. As mentioned earlier, the urbs as Ridge Valley Poultry. Along first year they sold the birds oven- south side of West 29th. Avenue was with launching a brand new busi- ready, dressed weight for 49 cents a “no mans land,” not considered ness in 1942, their last child was also per pound. After this sample of part of the Columbia Gardens. The born, a son. success for their first Thanksgiving water supply for this side of the At their new property the single and Christmas season, they rewarded avenue came from the Ashland car garage became the processing themselves with a brand new 1943 Reservoir on West 29th Avenue at facility as well as a retail store. The two-ton Chevrolet flatbed truck Fenton Street, moving through a Vendenas’ enterprise rapidly devel- that made buying trips much more pipe in a gravity flow. Consequently, oped into the production of fresh efficient. Before long they hired a there was little volume and pressure dressed poultry and fresh eggs. helper or two, including Roxy’s in the running water, and with the Dressed poultry means slaughtered younger brother as well as a couple Vendenas’ needs for dressing fresh and scalded, feathers plucked, of part-time people to candle eggs. poultry it became a problem. Know- entrails removed, whole or with the Egg candling featured a box-like ing that Columbia Gardens received carcass quartered, cooled in ice apparatus with a rubber-rimmed its water from Denver, Roxy water and then refrigerated. Roxy one inch hole and a light bulb on explained his water difficulties to taught Frances the process. While he the inside. Each egg was held to the president of the Columbia Gar- was on buying trips, Frances attend- the light and observed for its air dens Association, asking for a hooked to business matters, answering space (which indicated the age of up to the Denver water main. When the phone, taking orders, and on the egg or other irregularities.) this request was taken to the board, Saturdays waiting on customers. Selling fresh eggs, meant making an interesting trade-off transpired. Grandmother Eliza helped with sure they were perfect. The smaller The Columbia Gardens Volunteer cooking meals, doing laundry, and sized eggs were considered “seconds” Fire Department was short of day- helping with the children. Eliza con- and were sold to several nearby time manpower, and because Roxy tinued living with the family for institutions. Egg candling was a was close-by and many of the male nine more years, until 1949 when very meticulous job. residents worked elsewhere during

-41- ued the product because “there were not enough hours in the day.” Along with regular buying trips for poultry and eggs, he began buying chicken, cow, and horse manure. He bought some used paper sugar bags from Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola. In an area behind the poultry processing plant, he and his workers mixed the concoction, filled 200 of the sugar bags and displayed them in the front of the retail store to see how they would move, selling them for 79 cents per bag on Saturday, Left: Roxy and Frances in 2001. Right: Roxy and Frances a week or so after their marriage in 1937. always their busiest day. They sold out so quickly that they were oblig- the day, they asked him if he could Depew Street, just south of the busi- ed to stop production after experi- join the force and help with fire ness. In Roxy’s and Frances’s new menting for two or three weeks. calls. Although still working ten or home in 1950 Frances sewed cloth- This success convinced Vendena more hours each day, with the help ing for the children, went weekly to that he could succeed selling that he now had Roxy then began downtown Denver to do the bank- fertilizer for a profit. going out on fire calls. ing, played the piano accompani- Another problem surfaced in The Columbia Gardens Associa- ment for the dancing school where 1950, however, that signaled major tion disconnected him from the old her daughters studied, and finally changes in buying live poultry. water source and hooked the busi- could be involved in PTA and play- Because of competition with grocery ness onto the high pressure system, ing the organ at church. stores in the city, many poultry supplying the volume of water need- farms ceased operating. After the ed to process the fresh poultry. Diversify, Diversify war buying trips took Roxy further Today Roxy Vendena is proud of Later the Vendena’s were able to away to eastern plains towns such as the Captain’s badge that he earned diversify by purchasing several prop- Brush, Ft. Morgan, Sterling, Akron, for his years of service in the erties in the adjacent block on West and Wray and even to some western fire department. 29th Avenue as investments. Ever Nebraska villages. He became disap- The business grew so rapidly economically creative, in 1950 Roxy pointed, however, with the diminish- during the 40s that Roxy knew he experimented with another idea, ing quality of poultry from these would have to find easier and better processing fertilizer to bag and sell. farms. Compared to turkeys avail- ways to do things. He constructed From his former days of hauling able in the grocery stores, the farm additions to the original single and spreading manure, he knew turkeys lacked flavor and plumpness garage to provide more room for that fertilizer was a product that because of inadequate feeding prac- both the processing area and the could be in demand. He had an tices. Therefore, he decided to raise retail outlet. He designed, built, and eye on a property in Arvada at 55th his own turkeys and began easing installed machines to automate the and Harlan Street, a big old barn “off the road” for good. As far as dressing plant. Then he added scald- with an acre of land, envisioning it purchasing other poultry for the ing tanks, a room-sized walk-in for a fertilizer plant. store, he would buy it “ready refrigerator, and he developed an Another of the Vendena ventures dressed” from local poultry process- automated device for bleeding the was producing a pet food that he ing plants. Eggs could be purchased poultry. He opened up the attic called, Chick’n Dinner - For Your from the Market Street egg dealers. with a pulley-type elevator that gave Pets. He used ground chicken parts In that same year he bought four added storage, and by 1949 he and packed in cottage cheese cartons more acres of land adjacent to the Frances made plans to build a new and sold frozen. The demand Harlan Street property to raise home on a parcel of their land on became so great that he discontin- turkeys and to process fertilizer. -42- Roxy named the product Perma - potting soil for house plants. In a degree. In 1942 Roxy sold turkeys green by combining the words per - short time the truck fleet multiplied for 49 cents per pound. When they manently and green. The “barn” as to six or seven. retired in 1976 they were selling the family called it, became a multi- turkeys for 59 cents per pound. Their purpose establishment. One end of Expanding, Expanding prices were always a little higher than the building was used for processing By 1960, the Vendenas had expanded the super markets, though. Freshness the fertilizer and the other end was their trade to include a shoppette on and high quality were key factors in remodeled for raising baby turkeys. the corner of 29th and Depew. The selling out a couple of weeks before About 3000 young turkeys were pur- businesses at the shoppette as well as each holiday. chased early in the year for the those on the adjacent block of West In 1976, the Vendenas retired and Thanksgiving holiday in 1950. They 29th Avenue included a bakery, a sold the poultry business. They con- were housed on the inside until they dairy, a laundromat, a beauty shop, tinued, however, to own and lease the were about six weeks old, and then a dry cleaning establishment, a pizza peripheral properties until 1990 when they were turned out into the fields parlor, and a dance studio. The the Ridge Valley Poultry sold again. It to mature. Vendenas also added on and remod- then became known as Wheat Ridge Permagreen, like Ridge Valley Poul- eled the Ridge Valley Poultry retail Poultry and Meat, which today con- try, became an immediate success and store for the final time tinues to market fresh poultry and grew very quickly. A full-time crew of Today Permagreen Products Com- eggs as well as beef. This firm also 8 to 10 people was hired during the pany, owned and operated by the processes about 1,000 head of deer, peak of the season. A couple of Vendenas’ son, offers a variety of elk, and bear each year. In 1994 the heavy duty trucks were purchased for landscape services and garden prod- Vendenas liquidated all of their West transporting manure from farmyards ucts. The Ridge Valley Poultry on the 29th properties. as well as for taking deliveries, after corner of 29th & Depew Street When the Vendenas left their which Roxy again invented machines remains a tribute to the family and thriving businesses, they built a for a faster, more efficient produc- their years of hard work. During the home high above Clear Creek near tion. Accounts were established in holidays in their first year of business the west end of Inspiration Point, hardware, grocery, and discount in 1942, Roxy Vendena sold fifty and they remain residents of Wheat stores in Colorado, Wyoming, turkeys at Thanksgiving and Christ- Ridge, At 86 and 84 years of age, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and mas, but by the time of their retire- they enjoy their home, three children, Texas. Soon, Vendena also processed ment in 1976 they were selling six six grandchildren and three great and bagged mountain peat moss thousand turkeys during the holidays. grandchildren. This year was very from a bog in Jefferson, Colorado. Prices for poultry over the years special; they celebrated their 65th He blended products and added a really have not escalated to a great wedding anniversary on May 1, 2002.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR institutions and in her home. In 1973 she began work at Wheat Francille E.Vendena Hackethal is a native Ridge Junior High School as an educational assistant. Early on she of Jefferson County, having lived in the developed a program for enhancing self esteem in adolescents. Columbia Gardens area as a child until Along with a team teacher and an educational grant through the 1958 and in Wheat Ridge for the Colorado Education Association and the Jefferson County School following 37 years. She is the first-born District, she worked with students over a five-year period to daughter of Roxy and Frances Vendena. In implement this curriculum. She also co-authored a teaching 1996 Francille and her husband moved to manual that was published in 1980. In the following 14 years Fran the Applewood area in Lakewood. She was in the first graduating worked in the gifted and talented program while continuing to class of Jefferson High School in 1956, and she and her husband instruct life-skills studies. She was also the cheerleading coach and Clem were married in 1958.They have one son, Clem III, and a student government sponsor.After 26 years she retired in 1999, at grandchild, Stefan. that time serving as event coordinator. Mostly a stay-at-home mom when her son was young, Fran Fran is pleased that the Historical Commission is publishing later worked part time giving organ lessons for several this tribute to her parents.

-43- JEFFCO HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEMBERS

Deborah Lucy Bambrey Denzil (Denny) Donald E. Lorre Gibson Liz Grady Jerry Grunska Max Haug Andrews Teaches Boeka Ebner Recent Olympic Has served Retired English Past President Founder Anthropology, Retired, Jeffco Retired torchbearer; many charitable teacher and Olde Town Andrews & Archaeology, Sheriff’s Dept.; executive Chemo Angels organizations sports referee, Arvada Assoc, Anderson Earth Sciences, Received Metro Chronicler of volunteer; author of Arvada Architecture, Environmental Law Enforcement history, Ken program assistant sports Historical Historic Law & Property Association Caryl Ranch at CNI Center officiating books Society. Realtor restoration Law. Humanitarian for Brain & Spinal specialist Award Tumors

JCHC NEWS Cathleen Norman’s article “Glimpses of the Past” in this issue contains at the end an explanation of her mission in identifying and researching over 4,000 properties in the county that have significant historic value. This three-year cultural survey has been sponsored by the Jefferson County Historical Commission and funded by grants from the Colorado State Historic Fund. The Commission continues its program of identifying historic sites with its Place Names Directory project, headed by Chuck Hanson.The Commission website contains over 3,000 place names of county historical sites: http://www.co.jefferson.co.us/archives/search.cfm Hanson and another Commission member, Jack Raven, have also spoken at various service clubs, explaining the function of the Commission and offering tidbits of county history. Commission member Jefferson County Don Ebner’s wife Dolores and Commission member Milly Roeder also appeared on public television, giving interviews on historic preservation of the Bradford House in Ken Caryl Ranch and the Foxton Post Office. Historical Commission Preservation and education continue to be main thrusts of Commission activity, and toward that end members have helped plan a Rocky Flats Cold War Museum (most notably Chairman Max Haug’s involvement) and have assisted grants’ applications that resulted in $868,000 distributed for eleven projects, among which are building restoration efforts at the Hiwan Homestead Museum in Evergreen. Commission member Ebner has reported that additional programs awarded grants from the State Historical Fund include interpretive signage at Red Rocks Park and log repair at the Chief Hosa Lodges. Results of other Commission activities appear in this magazine: writers’ award contest winning articles, Hall of Fame selections, an addition to the National Register of Historic Places (the Barnes-Peery house in Golden), and even compelling childhood memories of member Lawrence Lotito.

JEFFCO HISTORICAL COMMISSION MEMBERS (continued) COMMISSION STAFF

Rita Peterson Jack Raven Milly Roeder Richard Simmons. Joyce Weedon Duncan Susan American Cancer President Arvada English-German Writers’ Award Former member Society and Historical Society, translator, Chair; McCollum Casteleneto Historical & Jefferson Archives & Senior Resource Arvada Lions consultant for Pilot, flight Architectural Center boards. Club,Arvada Urban Design; instructor; County Records Sites Commission Archives & Management Real estate Cemetery historical Manager & and other appraiser Association. researcher; grant Principal Records secretary community Manager Retired Safeway writer Sunamerica organizations Manager Securities -44- Norman Meyer Lee Heideman Viona "Vi" Mae Charles Hanson Erlene Carole Lomond Larry Lotito Tim Hader Architectural Hulsey-Lutz Publisher City & Retired U.S. Pilot, rancher, Montgomery Former writer/ journalist, editor, taught Historian. Past Historian, Real Estate Mountain Views Army 1981, Active in Arvada Manager Golden History Broker magazine and Weather Officer developer. Much City Council, history in jr/sr of Meyer family high school, Chamber of Graduate book: "Historical in Europe and Planning & Zon- Commerce, student CU Tour of Lariat Korea, civilian ranch now Jeffco ing Commission. writes history Open Space column in Astor House & Denver, Loop Heritage career in Europe Certified Public Foothills Art Certified Public Area & US Park. Colorado Accountant & “Mountain Native; lives near Connection” Center Accountant Management Conifer. Consultant

Six Commission members participated in a weekend Historic Preservation Conference held by Colorado Preservation, Inc. at the end of January. Among DISCLAIMER the sessions summarized was a report on “ghost signs” by Erlene Hulsey-Lutz. The information in this magazine is solely These are not religious graffiti but instead are faded or partially covered provided by the authors. JCHC, the Board of commercial emblems from the past which signal a new use for a building, such County Commissioners and the Historically Jeffco as a railroad’s depot being transformed into a boutique or an old schoolhouse committee are not responsible for the opinions of authors and the content of their articles. becoming a grange hall. An ongoing record of county history is on display in the courthouse atrium, OBTAINING COPIES with panels being renewed each month. Attractively presented topics this year Copies can be purchased for $5 at the Depart- have included backgrounds of pioneer families in the Morrison area (mounted ment of Archives and Records Management.The by Sally White, on behalf of the Morrison Heritage Museum) and illustrations magazine is available free of charge to members of early railroading, by the Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden, Charles Albi, of Jefferson County Historical Societies. President, and Kenton Forrest, Historian. One month’s presentation also featured a portrayal of Commission projects. FOR MORE INFORMATION Further examples of the Commission’s own efforts at discovery are Lee The Archives and Records Management Heideman’s story in this magazine about early wagon roads and Norm Meyer’s Department has further information for follow-up efforts to find remnants of early trails. Heideman used maps of late those interested in history and historic preservation in Jefferson County, plus 1800s toll road construction, while Meyer flew his Cessna over the route from applications for Commission membership. South Turkey Creek to the Ken Caryl Ranch, photographing the steep forested Call Duncan McCollum at 303-271-8446. terrain to see if faint trail markings were still evident.

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JEFFCO WRITERS AWARD CONTEST Jefferson County Historical Commission invites writers of all ages to participate in its Writers’ Award Contest. All topics must relate directly to the factual history of Jefferson County. For new contest The Jefferson County Historical Commission members rules and application forms, please are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The current County Commissioners are (from left): contact Duncan McCollum at Archives Richard Sheehan, Michelle Lawrence and Pat Holloway. and Records Management Department at 303-271-8446.

-45- A Glimpse of Jeffco History – From Dinosaurs to Covered Wagons and Candymaking

Above:“Tracks Make a Big Impression on New Golden Links,” page 1; below “Southwest Jeffco Trails and Toll Roads,” page 20; right:“Jolly Rancher,” page 16.

Jefferson County Historical Commission Archives & Records Management, Rm 1500 Prsrt Std 100 Jefferson County Parkway U.S. Postage PAID Golden, CO 80419 Permit #148 Golden, CO

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