Looking back . . .

All the beauty that surrounds us in the Colorado foothills is underpinned with the stewardship of generations past.
From the earliest of times as Indian hunting grounds to settlers who worked their ranches to Denver aristocrats with summer retreats, the wildlife and natural beauty endures.




Homesteader Thomas Cunningham Bergen arrived in 1859, establishing a ranch and stage stop north of present-day downtown Evergreen. He built a cabin in the valley known as Elk Park, in the middle of the summer hunting grounds for the Ute and Sioux bands. The Bergen Park settlement was situated along the Mount Vernon toll road to the mining districts. The Bergen home was expanded and provided a meal and night’s lodging for $1.00 for weary travelers and freighters.

When the Evergreen Township survey was completed in 1861, the government’s land became available for homesteading in 160-acre parcels and settlers were required to file their homestead with Jefferson County.

In 1862 Amos Post built a general store near Bergen’s lodging house, and, with Bergen, built Evergreen’s first school. By 1877, Post opened a trading post, called “The Post,” along the banks of Bear Creek. A number of stage stops and lodging houses sprang up in Bear Creek Canyon and in the area now known as Evergreen.

Subsequent settlers homesteaded south of Bergen along Bear Creek Canyon and the downtown area grew around the confluence of Cub Creek and Bear Creek.



In 1943 Darst Buchanan bought 1,000 acres from Ted Johnson. Buchanan was the owner of Hiwan Ranch, including what is now the Hiwan Homestead Museum. Buchanan gradually amassed a ranching property of 10,000 acres and bred prize-winning Hereford cattle on his Hiwan Ranch.

In 1945, Buchanan bought Hamrick’s ranch, and the 200 acres at its southwest corner completed the property that is now Elk Meadow Park. In 1949, Cole A. Means and his brother, Robert, purchased the northern portion of the meadow for summer grazing for their Texas herds.

Rather than pursuing a proposed commercial development, the Means family decided to keep the entire meadow as open space, selling their 1,140 acres of Means Meadow to Open Space in September, 1975. 1

25 known floods have occurred in the Bear Creek basin that collectively caused 45 deaths and considerable property damage. These floods occurred in 1866, two in 1878, 1885, 1886, 1893, 1894, 1896, 1903, 1907, 1908, two in 1921, 1923, 1925, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1946, two in 1957, 1965, 1969, 1973 and more recently 2013.

Fire destroyed 7 businesses and 4 homes in the early hours of November 10, 1926. Residents formed a bucket brigade but wind fanned the flames, destroying a pharmacy, butcher shop, barber shop, restaurant, four homes and 2 vacant buildings.

City & Mountain Views of Jefferson County is an excellent resource for the history of our area.
Follow the links below to discover when your neighborhood and others hit the map.

Evergreen
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... index.html

Heart Of Evergreen
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... green.html"

Upper Bear Creek Road
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... creek.html

Greenwood
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... nwood.html

Hiwan
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... hiwan.html

I-70 Corridor Neighborhoods
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... index.html

Genesee
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... nesee.html

Mount Vernon Country Club
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... ernon.html

Panorama Estates
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... tates.html

Paradise Hills
http://www.citymtnviews.com/neighborhoo ... hills.html


http://www.citymtnviews.com/index.html

1 http://jeffco.us/open-space/parks/elk-m ... k/history/

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The allure of the mountains has always been powerful as it's a throwback to a simpler way of life, in a setting that's more serene and quiet than our daily lives. Add to that a living history experience on a 1930s ranch complete with goats and chickens, classes on the life ways of the period, an art gallery, antique store, hiking trails, and special events, and you have a place to remember.

The Kinnikinnick Ranch was established in 1920 by the Humphrey family to be just that place. Today it is run by the nonprofit, Humphrey History Park and Museum. The ranch sits on 35 acres nestled in the foothills of Evergreen, Colorado.






The Museum began in 1995 through a bequest of Hazel Lou Humphrey. The bequest specified that the property would be used “to preserve the history of the Humphrey family and the natural aspects of the grounds to provide an area for the use and pleasure of the public.” The Museum Board struggled for years to obtain these goals and ultimately closed the Museum in September 2009. In early 2011, the remaining two members of the Board conducted a facilitated retreat. The result reorganized the Museum’s mission, operating plan, internal structure, board composition, and hired a museum professional as the executive director.

Today, visitors interact with daily activities following the “Manual of Housekeeping,” (Monday is wash day, Tuesday is ironing day, Wednesday is mending, Thursday is gardening, Friday is cleaning, and Saturday is baking) in the original Humphrey home set in the 1930s and 40s, garage, cattery, play house, teacherage and visitors cottage; reconstructed barn; restored flower and vegetable gardens; and numerous outdoor activity stations.

The Park is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm year round. Classes on the life ways of the 1930s and 40s are offered on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

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Stairway of Prayer
In 1954 a twenty-two foot statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, carved by an Italian artist was mounted on an eleven foot base and erected above the Heart of Stones with 373 steps leading to the top of the Mount of the Sacred Heart. The stairway follows the path Mother Cabrini, the sisters and the children took to the top of the mountain. This stairway following the Saint’s footsteps is also symbolic of the pathway Christ took on His sorrowful way to His crucifixion and death, through the stations of the Cross.




353 steps leading to the statue of Jesus


Mother Cabrini was naturalized as a US citizen in 1909, and was the first U.S. citizen to be canonized
by the Roman Catholic Church, beatified on November 13, 1938, and canonized on July 7, 1946, by Pope Pius XII.
She loved the foothills west of Denver and the Colorado mountains. Frances X. Cabrini negotiated the purchase of land on the east slope of Lookout Mountain from the town of Golden for a summer camp for her charges at the Queen of Heaven Orphanage in Denver. No reliable source of water was known to exist on the property at that time.


THE SPRING
The only water was in a small pond next to the spring house. All of the water needed for drinking and cooking had to be brought up to the summer camp from the stream at the bottom of Mt. Vernon Canyon. In September 1912, the sisters complained to Mother Cabrini that they were dying of thirst and there was no water to be had. She answered, “Lift that rock over there and start to dig. You will find water fresh enough to drink and clean enough to wash.” The spring, which is housed in an 8,000 gallon tank, has never stopped running. Many pilgrims, through their faith, believe the water has brought healing and peace to their lives.



The winding road leading to the shrine climbs to stunning views as far as the eye can see overlooking Denver and points far north, south and west. Wildlife in this peaceful place will likely greet you on your journey.



Directions:
Take I-70 West to exit #259 to Hwy 40, follow the signs to the Shrine.
Take I-70 East to exit #256 to Hwy 40, follow the signs to the Shrine.


For more information visit http://www.mothercabrinishrine.org/

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