|
|
|
|
Do you know about this present day historical location?
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
Come into the museum for the answers to these questions.
|
|
|
Last Month's Photo
In November of 1896 Douglas County's first High School burned to the ground. Within weeks plans were developed and money appropriated for construction of a new school. Designed by architect William Quayle, this impressive building of locally quarried rhyolite is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It opened in time for classes in August of 1897. Grades 1 - 12 occupied the schoolhouse which came to be known as the Cantril School.
|
|
|
|
This antique sled could be used for hauling wood, groceries, or other supplies, but most important to any youngster, it could also be used for downhill sledding. The metal runners along the bottom are screwed on. The two metal rings at the front served for attaching a rope to pull the sled. There are no brakes of course and this early model is also sans steering.
Sledding today has evolved into three separate Olympic events: bobsled, luge, and skeleton.
|
|
History Corner
It's been snowing all night! Will it snow enough?
YES!!! SNOW DAY!
By 10:00am I'm ready to go. Two blocks away is the Grade School Hill. The town fathers have blocked off 3rd Street from Lewis Street down the hill to Front Street. Town residents are blocked from driving down 3rd Street or even crossing it on Cantril Street.
It's the mid-1950's in small town America. I'm at a perfect age, in a perfect place and I have one of the fastest sleds in town (anyway, that's how I remember it). After a day or two of sledding with freezing nights, Grade School Hill acquires a glassy sheen of perfect icy-ness to allow for greater speed and longer distances. One of the goals becomes, "how far can you go?". I remember one great day when I not only made it to the blockade at Front Street, but I went under the blockade, crossed the railroad tracks and made it all the way to the Rio Grande Depot. At the age of 10 or 11 there was no fear of cross traffic on Front Street or even a railroad train. It was "so cool".
Of course, not all adventures on Grade School Hill were perfect. One day, some of us boys built an ice jump about half way down the hill on the right side of the street. Now the question was, "who will go over the jump first on their sled to see if it is safe"? "Let Mikey try it". Fortunately, one of the guys had his younger brother tagging along. He would be the perfect sucker/person to try the jump first. Off he went and over the jump he flew. However, during his landing, while he remained on the sled, he lost control of it and headed into the drainage ditch paralleling the street. Down the ditch he flew. The problem was that at the bottom of the ditch was a culvert running under Cantril Street. We started running down the hill to try to save him before he was decapitated by the top of the culvert, but to no avail. We were too late!!! But he was too little! His sled and body disappeared into the culvert - even his legs were gone. When we got there and looked in we could only see the bottom of his boots about 3 feet in the dark culvert. His brother crawled in and we pulled both of them out, scared, but whole. And so were we.
Small town America, ain't it great!
John E. Berry
Castle Rock Resident
|
|
- Historical Society News
|
|
Castle Rock Historical Society Board
President - Dorothy Kelly
Vice President - Cindy Malone
Secretary - Lynette McNairy
Treasurer - Jim Allamian
Education - Guy Mordeaux
Events and Fundraising -
Historian -
Thank you to Sandy Schenecker for organizing many events. Your hard work is appreciated.
Thank you to Fred Edison for volunteering as the Historian. Best wishes to him on his move to Michigan.
|
|
Volunteer Opportunities
Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum
Member Meeting Refreshments – Sign up to bring and/or coordinate members to bring refreshments to membership meetings. Cookies and drinks are all that is required, but your inspirations would be great too. The Society holds monthly program meetings for the benefit of its members.
Tour Planner and Organizer – The society and museum plan visits to local sites related to exhibits at the museum or tours to sites of interest to the historically minded. Past trips have included an historic tour of Denver, tours to local rhyolite quarry sites, tours to interesting sites around Douglas County, a tour of Glen Eyre (home of Gen William Palmer) and others. A Tour planner would arrange for several tours a year and serve as host for the tour.
Historic Marker Manager – The Historical Society has initiated the Historic Marker Program in Castle Rock. A local site with an interesting history has a metal plaque with a QR code (readable by a smart phone) with information and pictures about the history of the property. Twenty markers have been placed thus far. More locations certainly qualify. The manager would keep current markers up to date and work to add sites to the program.
Docent – The museum can use docents to cover for vacation time for museum staff. Docents conduct tours of the museum. A great way to increase your knowledge about Castle Rock and meet interesting people at the same time. Volunteer for as little as two hour commits.
Gift Shop photographs - The museum gets a lot of requests for postcards and copies of its old photographs. The museum could use a volunteer to arrange for some of its photographs to be made into postcards and prints for the gift shop.
|
|
|
We have several Douglas County Historic Calendars from years gone by that are available at no cost. They include the years 2010, 2012, and 2013. If you missed those years, stop by and get a copy while they last.
|
|
|
-
The museum is asking if anyone has any old copies of the Castle Rock Journal newspaper or other local newspapers from 1875. Please contact the museum if you would be willing to let us take a look at the papers.
- We are also looking for any photos of Mary Briscoe who was a nurse in Castle Rock from 1895 - 1958.
Commemorative Brick Courtyard
The courtyard at the Castle Rock Museum is continuing to expand, stop by and purchase your own commemorative brick for yourself, a loved one, a business, or even your most cherished animal companion.
|
|
|
Festival of Trees
Check out our little tree by the big tree in Festival Park.
|
|
|
Choo Choo!!!
Thank you to the Castle Rock Bank for the wonderful christmas train.
Come by and see santa on his way North.
|
|
Looking for a unique gift? Come down to the Castle Rock Museum's gift shop for all your historic Castle Rock and Douglas County gifts. We are stocked in 2016 calendars, Robert L. Lowenberg's book "CASTLE ROCK: A Grass Roots History," a handful of children's railroad themed toys, and a limited number of local Castle Rock postcards.
December Specials
Mary Cornish 1994, Limited Edition, "Historical Castle Rock." These are 11x14 matted prints, originally $45, now available in time for Christmas for $15.95.
Hal Rice
"Castle Rock, Denver & Rio Grande RR, c. 1902." Only three of these prints from the original watercolors by Colorado artist Hal Rice. Two 11x14 matted prints for $15.95 (orig. $45), and one framed print of the same size for $29.95 (orig $65).
Either of these two artist's prints would make
a wonderful addition to your family room or den,
or a gift to loved one out of state.
We are also offering special prices on our entire selection of Vintage matted prints of Castle Rock. Selections include, 1920s Wilcox St., 1930-40s Starlighting, and many more. Normally priced at $24, these are now available for $9.95.
.
Also: we have received numerous 8x10 matted, color photographs of Roxborough Park, and wildlife, available for $5.95.
We still have lots of B&W and color photos, 8.5x11 for $4.75.
2016 Calendars
The new 2016 Historic Calendars are here!! Published by Historic Douglas County, Inc., the Calendar is now available here. Suggested donation - $5.
We also have available, for free, leftover calendars from 2010, 2012, & 2013.
Also now available in our gift shop: homemade "jams and/or jellies" in various sizes and flavors.
|
|
New to the gift shop at the Castle Rock Museum
"Chronicles of Douglas County Colorado"
Join the Castle Rock Writers for a journey through the history of this land and the diverse legacy left behind by those who made it their home.
|
|
|
Along with these popular titles...
|
|
You can now support CRHS by shopping on Amazon!!
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support the Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum, every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the CRHS. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device, search and select Castle Rock Historical Society and begin shopping and supporting CRHS.
|
|
|
|
Think of the Castle Rock Historical Society and Museum on Colorado Gives Day.
Donate Here.
|
|
|
Thank you
Renaissance Elementary School
Your Sustainability Class has adopted us as your go to can recycle center.
We appreciate the continued support.
|
|
Recycle - Save those aluminum cans!! A HUGE thank you to those who have been donating cans!!
The museum collects and recycles aluminum cans to raise money for matching grants. Bring those cans to the museum and use the green container next to the bathroom. Aluminum cans only please. Anything else will be removed by the recycling company. Help the environment and raise a little money for the museum.
Many thanks to those who have already contributed!
|
|
|
Lionel Oberlin, the first Director of the Castle Rock Museum, has moved to Seattle to be near his daughter, Wendy. You can send all letters through his daughter Wendy at,
4015 Wallingford Ave N.
Seattle, Wa. 98103-8218
I am sure he would love to get a card from his many old friends.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mission: The Castle Rock Historical Society operates the Castle Rock museum, celebrates, educates, and brings together people interested in the preservation of the heritage of the Castle Rock, Colorado area.
|
|
|
|
Support the Castle Rock Historical Society. Join as a member, make a donation, or sell an item on eBay.
|
|
|
|
Opportunities to Contribute
You know we need you!! Thank you to those who help with hands, time and money. Whatever your skill is, it can help the community in your historical little town of Castle Rock.
To find out how you can help email president@castlerockhistoricalsociety.org .
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
