HRHS Happenings

Denver Mob Tours

2024 Thursdays ---May 9, June 13, August 8, September 12, October 10 @ 10:45 am - 2:30 pm Cost: $55 HRHS members         $65 Non- HRHS members Small group  tour to 20 sites in Denver, followed by lunch at Gaetano’s. Meet at Gaetano’s Restaurant where our Tour Leader...

2023 Community Programs

The Highlands Ranch Historical Society loves to participate in local and especially Highlands Ranch Community Events! DECEMBER 2023 HOMETOWN HOLIDAY --Here we are at the December Hometown Holiday Event at Town Center.  Embracing the brisk weather and handing out...

Paul McKeag, HRHS VP, Retires!

Thanks for the memories, Paul McKeag! After a decade of service, in November 2023 Paul McKeag retired from his role on the Highlands Ranch Historical Society Board of Directors. Serving 10 years, he has had many roles and responsibilities for the Historical Society,...

A Visit to Memory Lane

A Visit to Memory Lane:  Thursday, August 31, 2023 HRHS members were treated to an old-fashioned visit to Memory Lane, presented by Business Sponsor Charter Financial Resources with Rick and Darren Martin.  A delicious BBQ lunch in the 1950s diner  was coupled with an...

Roxborough’s Silica Kiln

Roxborough’s Silica Kiln Just outside the entrance to Roxborough State Park is the only remaining structure from the town of Silica, Colorado. The old brick kiln sits on the site of the Silicated Brick and Clay Company. Its distinctive white bricks were made from...

John Fielder, A Friend is Gone Too Soon

John Fielder was an honored friend of the Highlands Ranch Historical Society.  We were saddened to hear of his passing on August 12, 2023. He visited  the Society many times over the last 10 years,  always presenting interesting programs, all with accompanying music. ...

Cowboys and Ranch Hands

Cowboys and Ranch Hands “A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse" – William James (1892-1942) western writer The first documented reference to the term cowboy was almost 300 years ago in 1725. It is thought that the author Jonathan Swift brought the word into common...

Where are the Cherry Trees?

Cherry Creek, Cherry Hills, Cherry Creek State Park, Cherry Street. It’s amazing how often the cherry name appears in the Denver and Colorado area. Ever wonder where the cherry trees are and why so many places are named “cherry”? Cherry orchards once thrived on the...

Carnations for the White House

She had dozens of carnations shipped from Colorado to the White House weekly. Marie Geneva Doud, known as “Mamie “, was born in Iowa but raised in Denver. She attended the Wolcott School for Girls, a finishing school for wealthy young girls. While visiting friends in...

“Douglas County Colorado: Prehistory to 2020”

 "Douglas County Colorado: Prehistory to 2020" Historic Douglas County, Inc. (HDC) is an organization that provides broad communication with the public about the historically rich venues, events and cultural values upon which our pioneering forerunners built a...

General Iron Works

Soft Serve Ice Cream, Cheerios and Bilge Pumps Have you ever thought of these things together? What can they possibly have in common?  Just up the road from Highlands Ranch, in Englewood, is the former site of General Iron Works.  According to an article written by...

Mile Houses Along Cherry Creek

The Cherry Creek Valley has long served as a major transportation corridor, from Native American footpaths to the proposed route of Interstate 25. In the 1860s, six “Mile Houses” along Cherry Creek provided food, lodging, and other services for travelers heading to,...