Ruth Memorial Chapel
Discover how Parker went from a tiny stagecoach stop to a thriving frontier town in the heart of Colorado ranch land. The Parker Area Historical Society launched its interactive audio tour in summer 2023. You can experience it in one of three ways:
1) Take the tour remotely. Visit their website (https://www.parkerhistory.org/) , scroll down to the interactive map and click on the sites to see photos and hear the audio descriptions;
2) Do a walking tour. Download the TravelStorys app (https://travelstorys.com/download/) on your phone and walk from site to site – the audio descriptions launch automatically as you approach each story location; or
3) Do a driving tour. Down the app and listen to the TravelStorys app as you drive from site to site.
Parker Consolidated School
While you can start the tour at any location, the recommendation is to begin at O’Brien Park where you can find convenient parking and also the historic 20 Mile House Monument.
This monument marks the location of the 20 Mile House stagecoach stop.
There are several other notable sites in O’Brien Park to check out if you have time.
Other highlights from O’Brien Park
Don’t miss the “secret” tunnel that takes you from the park to the western side of Parker Road, where you can see the old 20 Mile House Post Office and view the Run to Twenty Mile sculpture.
From there, you will cover about three quarters of a mile walking through notable historic sites in downtown Parker. Along the way, you can stop and have a coffee or a bite to eat or enjoy one of the many shops along Main Street and the side streets.
The storied façade hiding the original Rhode Island Hotel.
Hoskins House, now a chiropractic office
A mixture of old (forefront) and new (Victorian) along Pikes Peak
Walking through all nine sites and pausing to view the historic photos and listen to the audio descriptions takes about an hour. Head out to downtown Parker and take in the sights, stories, sites and sounds of its history!
Written by Marian Robinson, 2024. Photos courtesy of Marian Robinson. Logo of Parker courtesy of Parker.
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