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,...
Tidbit: HRCA Receives “Association of the Year” Award from CAI
HR Historical Society is pleased to report the good news that our Community Partner, HRCA, just received: November 2023 Announcement from Highlands Ranch Community Association: "The Highlands Ranch Community Association (HRCA) is honored to have been named...
Touring Louviers: A Dynamite Way to Celebrate Our Volunteers
Touring Louviers: A Dynamite Way to Celebrate Our Volunteers On Monday, September 18th the Highlands Ranch Historical Society hosted a tour of Louviers and a picnic lunch to honor our Wranglers - the volunteers who help to make our monthly programs run smoothly....
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...
History Tidbit: 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...
2023 New Highlands Ranch Historical Society Board Members
At the January 2023 HRHS Board of Directors meeting, two new officers were elected to serve on the Board. These are: Marian Robinson – Board Secretary Mary Beth Watkins – Board Treasurer In addition, Forrest Dykstra from the Highlands Ranch Metro District became a...
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...
The Transformation of Denver’s Toni to Broadway’s Tony
The Transformation of Denver's Toni to Broadway's Tony Born June 1888 to wealthy parents in Denver on what later would become Colfax Street, Antoinette Perry developed a love of the theater during stays with her aunt who lived in Park County, on what is still...
“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,...
Colorado Gold – Highlands Ranch And The Colorado Gold Rush Sparked By Local Creek
This October 2022 presentation is about two discoveries: a recent very minor discovery by Rolf Asphaug of an intriguing little label on a local map, and the earthshaking, world-changing 164-year-old discovery which that label referenced. It is mainly of the 1859...
Aurora History Museum, DeLaney Farm Visit by the Wranglers, Sept. 2022
September 2022 The HRHS Wranglers enjoyed a Volunteer Appreciation outing to the Aurora History Museum and DeLaney Farm on a cool and cloudy day in September. Under the capable leadership of Sandy Chamberlin, Volunteer Director, with assistance from her husband Paul,...
Joe Blake Made Highlands Ranch Into Hometown USA
Joe Blake Made Highlands Ranch Into Hometown USA Article Written by Shirley Cavanaugh, Publicity Chair HR Historical Society Video Tribute and Oral History by Mark Stevenson, Special Projects, HR Historical Joseph B. Blake might not be known to most Highlands Ranch...
Fire Fighting in Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch South Metro Fire Dept. Puts Out More Than Fires: The History of Fire Fighting in HR Highlands Ranch’s early residents had no fire and rescue services. “Before 1986, Highlands Ranch was not located within a fire district,” said Eric Hurst, Public...
Douglas County Sheriff Substation in Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch Douglas County Sheriff Officers Visible in Community Douglas County sheriff deputies are visible in Highlands Ranch—more often as goodwill ambassadors rather than law enforcers. But this is getting ahead of the story. The county’s law...
Animal Art in Public Places, Highlands Ranch
Busy Highlands Ranch residents might not take the time to notice the various forms of animal art found in their community. When Town Center was being built, a group of gorillas—yes, gorillas—was erected next to the Target parking lot. “Gorillas were put in the...