Mrs. Joseph K. Badey and her two sons, Joseph K. Badey, Jr. and Frank W. Badey, offered to donate four acres of land to Augustana Lutheran Church for a new mission. First worship service was held September 21, 1958 in the North Arvada Park Cottage School. The cornerstone was dedicated, February 28, 1960. Pastor Richard Egland held the first service in the new church on September 14, 1960.

In 1924 the Episcopal church purchased the property operating as a camp for convalescent children and infants. Fire destroyed some part of the building, but it was rebuilt in 1952 to 1956.

The church was organized in 1947 and their first building was built in 1949. The new sanctuary finished in 1966.

Dedicated February 10, 1947. See St. Bernadette Church.

The present structure was built in 1952 as a mission church on the site of community (burned) buildings of the late 1880s. Currently, it serves a large mountain parish with visiting priests presiding.

On June 28, 1972, Archbishop James V. Casey assigned Father George L. Weibel to the task of studying the feasibility of establishing a new parish in the Columbine area southwest of Littleton. This assignment was preceded by extensive discussions between Episcopalians and Catholics concerning the possibility of the two groups establishing an ecumenical parish in the area. A census was completed indicating that 500 Catholic families would be served by a new parish. The first Sunday masses were celebrated September 9 and 10, 1972 in the Columbine Hills elementary school with 862 persons in attendance. Dialogue was continued with Father Jack Knight of the Episcopalians, and agreement was reached on a joint parish site at West Chatfield Avenue and South Pierce Street. In January 1973, A. Aubrey Spenst was retained as architect and on September 18, 1973, R.N. Fenton & Co. were hired for the construction. Father Weibel was appointed as pastor on December 26, 1973. Father Leonard Alimena, Pastor of St. Mary’s, Littleton, officiated at a cornerstone laying ceremony on June 30, 1974. This was followed by the first mass in the new church. On September 21, 1974, Archbishop Casey dedicated the new church. On March 12, 1975, St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church was dedicated by Bishop William Frey. As neighbors, the two congregations are involved in a variety of joint programs. St. Francis Cabrini parish now has 860 families with a membership of about 3000.

Named for Christ’s disciple. Organized in 1951, met in Wheat Ridge Grange, then a remodeled house at 44th and Brentwood. Church building 1957.

The second Parish of Arvada was created August 22, 1967 by Archbishop Casey. Father James W. Rasby, a pastor at Saint Anne’s, was appointed pastor of the new church and named the church Saint Joan for the French martyr. Before the church was built, initial meetings were held in Arvada Square Shopping Center. Charter members met for mass in the the gym of Arvada West High School. The first mass in the 900-seat new church was held on Thanksgiving, 1968. Father Rasby, named rector of the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Denver on March 26, 1969, was replaced at Saint Joan of Arc by Robert I. Durrie who replaced the rectory at 58th and Independence Street with a new one next to the church. Father Durrie was transferred in 1982 and was followed by Michael A. Walsh, who dedicated Orleans Community Center to the parish in 1988.

This school was intended as a grammar school to qualify students to enter a university having already obtained some credit. The school opened in 1870. Founded by Episcopal minister George Randall. The school was built on land donated by Charles Welch on the present site of the Lookout Mountain School for Boys. The first building constructed was Jarvis Hall and served as a grammar school. Matthews Hall was built to serve as a mining school and another was built in 1872 to serve as a divinity school. In 1874 Jarvis Hall and the divinity school were destroyed by fire. Matthews Hall survived and was moved to the present site on the campus of the School of Mines in 1879.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church was responsible for organizing St. Joseph’s Chapel in 1964, to grow with the new Green Mountain area.

The church was built in 1967 and they celebrated their 25th year at that location.

There is no information known for this structure.

Named for St. Mark. Organized in 1963, church dedicated June 2, 1966.

St. Mark’s-in-the-Wilderness, one of the very first area churches, was built in 1874 on the site of the present Evergreen Cemetery, and first services were held that year and until 1878. The parish register ends in 1883. In 1886 St. Mark’s was traded for what is now St. Philip’s Church in Sedalia. The St. Mark’s original structure was later moved to Main Street in Evergreen. The altar was eventually installed in the first Mission of the Transfiguration. Name from St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery section of New York City, which provided funds.

The Mission was organized in 1902. A church building was built at 57th Avenue and Yukon Street in 1905. It served the Arvada community until 1916, when it was abandoned. The building was vacant until it was sold to First Church of Christ, Scientist, in 1919. Currently, this is the site of the Empire Savings Building.

St. Paul’s church was organized in 1947 under the sponsorship of St. John’s Cathedral of Denver. A new sanctuary was built in 1957.

Named for the disciples Peter and Paul. Organized in 1948, met in Weakland Building Store, 110 families. School and convent built. 1955 (450 families). Church in basement. Main building completed in 1980, Pete Ricci family sold ground for a reduced price.

Name is same as the parish, referring to the disciples Peter and Paul. School and convent built in 1955, grades 1-8.

Formation of the church was begun in 1971 by Reverend N. Everett Hedeen. On April 30, 1972, the charter was signed by 79 adults. On May 21, 1972, St. Philip was officially organized as a congregation of the Lutheran Church in America. In August 1978, ground-breaking ceremonies were held for a new worship center under Reverend Gerald Kline. The worship center was dedicated on November 11, 1979. An addition was built and completed in January 1988. At present the congregation consists of 865 members. Reverend Donald E. Marxhausen is the pastor.

The retreat house was owned and operated by the sisters of St. Mary of Wisconsin. Mrs. Mary Neosho Williams had purchased a tavern from Jock Spence and given it to the sisters. In 1986 the sisters sold the property to the Church of the Transfiguration.

Origin of name unknown.

School District #46 was organized in 1899 and its first school house was a rented log cabin across the creek from Phillipsburg. In 1925 a brick building with a full basements and a tile roof was constructed three miles south of Phillipsburg, near the present locale of Deermont. In 1964 with dwindling enrollment, the school was closed and purchased by the Sampson Community Club. It was named for an African-American man named Sampson who discovered the largest gold mine in the area in the 1880s. Designated a county landmark 9/8/2003.

This park is walking and nature trails and open space.

According to Agnew, Lahn and Harding “On May 18, 1996 … a human induced wildfire burned nearly 12,000 acres of the Pike National Forest and surrounding private lands, destroying 10 dwellings and costing millions in suppression costs and property damage. Less than two months later on July 12, 1996, a high intensity thunder storm dumped approximately 2.5 inches of rain on the fire ravaged terrain causing severe flooding, which resulted in the washouts of Sand Draw and Jefferson County Highway 126, and the destruction of the City of Buffalo Creek’s potable water and telephone facilities, and the deaths of 2 Buffalo Creek residents.”

Located in Water District #7, the Sanderson and Slater Ditch has priority No. 23 (July 1, 1862). Water was diverted from the north bank of Clear Creek. Claimants for adjudication in 1884 were A. Slater and William Sanderson.

Located in Water District #7, the Sanderson Ditch has a priority No. 31 (May 31, 1863). It diverted water from the north bank of Clear Creek. The 1884 claimant was William Sanderson. The ditch was not in use as of November 1, 1919.

Sanderson Gulch starts around Jewell Avenue, near the radio towers and the White Fence Farm. It travels along Colorado Avenue to the Platte River.

This c. 1899 two-story, irregular, rectangular brick structure was built in several stages during the 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, and the 1950s. The original building was used as a private residence by Eugene F. and Ella Conant. In 1909, Dr. Gibson acquired the building for treating tuberculosis patients and was known as the Gibson Home and Sanitarium, also known as the Cedar Lodge Home and Sanitarium. In 1917, Conant regained title and sold it to Ida F. Sands. This institution was established by Ida F. Sands who cared for indigent tubercular women patients in her Denver residence until moving to Wheat Ridge in 1917. All of its patients continued to be “charity cases.” In 1948, it became a nursing home for cancer patients. Additions were built in 1956 and 1959. In 1968, it became a rehabilitation center, Julia Temple Center North, associated with Lutheran Hospital Later it became the Johnson Center, operated by the Jefferson County Community Center for Developmentally Disabled, before its current use as an Alzheimer’s disease care facility.

In 1906, William Edward Sanger and his wife, Mary Evan Sanger, bought 480 acres from Ellen M. McGill and James Abbo. In 1911, they purchased another adjoining parcel of 40 acres from the United States government. The property’s original house is gone, but three log and frame barns of the ranch exist. The hay barn and the livestock barn are c. 1906 construction and the dairy barn was constructed in 1945. The post World War II rerouting of U.S. 285 took 39.8 acres and split the ranch in two. In 1969, the property was sold for development. The livestock barn has been altered by the addition of dormers on the west side. The dairy barn has been remodeled into a real estate sales office. Only the hay barn’s appearance is unaltered.

In 1878 the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad built the Garfield branch line to the Satanic Mine site and Garfield Quarry.

Christian and Mary Stocke (pronounced Sto-key) moved to Arvada in 1904 and built the beautiful brick house at 7011 Grandview Avenue. Mr. Stocke built the first north-south street east of Wadsworth, which was then known as Stocke Avenue. Prior to the Jefferson County revision of street names in 1949, this street was known at different times as Third Street, Cherry Street, and Cedar Street. Since 1949, this street has been known as Saulsbury Street for Willard Saulsbury, who represented Delaware in the United States Senate, 1859-1871.

This uranium mine was operated by Cotter Corp. and owned by Saunders & Sutton. The operators drilled two 150-foot notary probe holes vertically searching for uranium since the nearby Grapevine mine has been producing.

About two miles long, this gulch drains the north slope of the ridge between Centralia Mountain and Mt. Tom and runs north into Ralston Creek immediately below where Nott Creek comes in from the north. Named for sawmill which operated approximately midway up the gulch. A lot of railroad ties were made here. Remnants of the mill remain, along with numerous cabin sites.

Built ca. 1880. Mr. Sawyer’s wife Mary B. and daughter Minnie lived there until Mary B.’s death in the late 1970s. Minnie is in the Bear Creek Nursing Home, but the house is still her residence. William Sawyer was a Justice of the Peace, drove a stage coach, and worked in the Rooney Coal Mine. Mary worked at the Morrison Post Office and at J.B. Walker’s Pavilion.

Located in Water District #7, the Sayer and Lee’s Ditch had priority No. 22 (June 14, 1862). Its water was diverted from Clear Creek via the south bank of the Slough Ditch. The 1884 claimants were David Lees, Anna A. Sayer, Sarah Locknane, and John Juchem. State Engineer’s “Water Rights Report” shows water transferred to the City of Golden on June 17, 1986. Lee, Sayer, Lochnane and Juchem were early Arvada farmers.

Built ca. 1875. Thomas C. Bergen, founder of Bergen Park in 1859, occupied this dwelling in 1887. In 1892 his daughter, Sara Bergen Post, lived there till August 6, 1904. Jake and Nellie Schneider lived there until 1948. Their son, Bill Schneider, lived in and operated a drug store in Morrison until his death on March 14, 1992.

This house was built in 1925 by Daniel and Alma Schneider. Dan was the son of Jake Schneider. Alma Schneider was a Kittredge, whose father promoted the town of Kittredge and built the Kittredge Building in Denver. Alma was the director of the Denver Mint during the Eisenhower era in the 1950s.

This was a two-story frame building with stairs outside. Maggie and Harry Hines ran the hotel in 1899. It burned down in 1931 and was replaced by the present one-story brick building. Morrison Grocery now occupies the building.

Recognized as a Colorado Centennial Farm, the property includes a collection of residential and agricultural buildings and structures. Established in 1888, it is the last remaining example of an early farm complex in the Bear Creek Valley area of Jefferson County. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (5JF1030) on February 14, 1997.
The original land off South Wadsworth Blvd. was purchased in 1891 from the Hodgson Brothers by Fred C. and Sarah Schnell. They worked hard to increase their land size to 60 acres. When their son, Fred Edward Schnell married Cecil Christiansen Schnell in 1925, they moved to the farm with his parents. After the death of the older Schells, Cecil and Fred moved into the 1901 house. Fred rejected society and chose to live his life as a recluse. But while his wife Cecil did enjoy the simple things, she never rejected society as her husband did. Fred died in 1975 and Cecil in 1991. The Schell family continues on with son Fred Eugene and his wife Kathleen Schnell. The Schnells are currently restoring the 1901 farm house.

Dated by picture owned by Leavitt Booth as existing in 1893. It was a one-room log cabin. Children attended classes May 1 – September 30 to avoid bad weather.

District 10 of the Guy Hill are was formed c. 1868 according to the Colorado Transcript accounts. Its first building was built by 1875. In 1887, the district had a population of 74 students (42 male, 32 female). For most of the district’s history it had two school buildings.

Organized c. 1870. This district’s first building was erected c. 1870, and its second in 1880. It had a population of 41 students in 1887.

Organized c. 1872. Had a population of 58 students in 1887.

This was a joint school district with Estabrook in Park County until absorbed into the Jefferson County R-1 School District in 1950. Organized prior to 1872. First schoolhouse was built by 1884. This schoolhouse was located on Echo Valley Ranch about 8 miles south of Bailey, and held the name of the ranch. Another schoolhouse was Mendenhall School, about 3 miles south of Echo Valley School. With growth of the Pine area, these were replaced in 1898 with a substantial frame schoolhouse built, and the school district became graded. The schoolhouse itself closed in 1956 due to a lack of students, and still exists today as a private residence. The district had a population of 81 students in 1887.

Organized prior to 1872. The original schoolhouse in this district was a half “dug-in” and half log structure built in 1873, located near Highway 88 on Oehlman Park Road. This was replaced by a frame schoolhouse, built by Joe Heubner in 1896 farther west on Highway 88. For many years Pleasant Park was one of the few school districts in Jefferson County to hold sessions in the summer only, due to the long-distance travel needed from children and the severe winters prevalent at 9,000 feet. In 1946 Pleasant Park School ceased to exist due to a lack of students. After revived use as a school in 1953-55, the schoolhouse was taken over in 1956 by Pleasant Park Grande #156, which still uses the building today. The district had a population of 28 students in 1887.

Organized on September 9, 1872. Originally known as Lakewood. Its first school building (wood) was built in 1872 (Lakewood road at West Colfax Avenue). The second school (a frame building known as Robb School) was built in 1876 at the southwest corner of Wadsworth at West Colfax Avenue. Its third (brick) building was built in 1892. Its fourth building (Lakewood High School) was built in 1933. The district had a population of 30 students in 1887.

Organized prior to 1873. This school district had classes taught in rented rooms and houses until the Park Siding School was built around 1910 at Foxton. It was used about 5 years, and is now incorporated into a cabin. In the late 1930s an abortive attempt was made to build a new schoolhouse near the junction of Kennedy Gulch Road (now Foxton Road), and the South Platte River. The second and last schoolhouse consisted of a boxcar remodeled into two rooms. School District 24 ceased to exist in 1944 due to a lack of students, and its last building has since been destroyed. The district had a population of 16 students in 1887.

District No. 25 was originally organized before 1875. Its first school building was constructed in 1886 near Jones (or Kinnear) Lake. It had a population of 27 students in 1887. District No. 25 survived and was consolidated into the Jefferson County R-1 School District in 1950. Some of the schools listed above continued to exist after 1950.

Organized prior to 1875. This was a joint school district with Park County, and its original schoolhouse and accouterments were the only buildings that stood at what is now Pine Junction. The school derived its name from Pine Grove Gulch. The original schoolhouse was a rough hewn log structure. A boundary dispute occurred in 1886 when Park County’s first school district was created which annexed Jefferson County land into it, which was soon settled. The schoolhouse was destroyed when Highway 285 was reconstructed, and a new frame building was built a short distance down the hill to the south. However, a lack of students forced Pine Grove School to cease existence when the structure reverted back to the owner of the land. The schoolhouse still exists today as a private residence. District had population of 24 students in 1887.

Organized in 1881. Its first school building was constructed by 1884. In 1923, it was consolidated with other districts to become School District C-2. Originally known as Buffalo Creek. Its original directors were P.L. Stull, James Miller and J. Higginson. The district had a population of 49 students in 1887.

Organized in 1885. Had population of 17 students in 1887.

Organized in 1886. The original schoolhouse was built in 1886, and the district’s first teacher was Effie Smith. By the late 1920s the original schoolhouse was outgrown, and classes were moved to a unique frame sextagonal building just south of Highway 285 at Shaffers Crossing. At this point, the schoolhouse became known as Elk Creek School. A new brick school for the district was built in 1936 a short distance west of the sextagon. The school district survived to the countywide consolidation in 1950, but its schoolhouse burned to the ground in 1951. The fate of the original school building is unknown; the sextagon still exists as a stock barn. The district had a population of 15 students in 1887.

Organized in 1886. The original schoolhouse was a log building constructed in 1886 atop a high promontory about 5 miles south of Critchell. This was destroyed by fire in 1887, and replaced by a second log building constructed in the same location. The Lamb school was named for the Lamb family who operated a nearby post office. Della Dudley was the district’s first teacher, beginning on January 3, 1887. The second school building still exists today. The district had a population of 22 students in 1887.

Organized in 1890.

Organized prior to 1895.

This school district was formed when Bancroft School District 41 and Washington Heights School District 50 merged. It met at Washington Heights School until the R-1 School District was organized.

School District 8 was organized May 16, 1867. Its first school building was in 1867 at West 32nd Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard. Its second school building was in 1874 at the site of the future Wheat Ridge High School. The third school building was built in 1889. The fourth school was a brick building in Berkeley in 1897. The district was graded in 1898. The district’s fifth building (High School) was built in 1937. District 8 had a population of 93 students in 1887 (51 male, 42 female).

Organized c. 1868. Had a population of 39 students in 1887.

1957 70-foot tunnel dug with nothing of value found.

Built ca. 1872. Jonas Schrock came from Germany, and his wife Elnora came from England. Mr. Schrock had a saloon in Morrison at 307 Bear Creek Avenue. Later he homesteaded on Mt. Falcon where John Brisban Walker later built his home and planned the castle which was to be The Colorado White House. There have been five generations of Schrocks living in Morrison.

In 1949, Fred Schwartzwalder discovered secondary uranium minerals and radioactive float while investigating an abandoned copper prospect at the site of the present mine. Schwartzwalder obtained a lease from the property owner, Paul White. Very little work was done until 1951, at which time he obtained a Defense Minerals Exploration Administration loan of $30,000 for developing the property. The ore body was classified as a typical hydrothermal ore deposit with primary pitch blende as the principle ore mineral. The ore was purchased by the Atomic Energy Commission at a price fixed by the government and processed by the Vitro Chemical Corporation in Salt Lake City. In 1985 the property was valued at $13,651,000. In 1956 the property was purchased by Denver-Golden Corporation. Shipments of ore to January 1, 1965, totaled approximately 133,000 tons, 1,700 tons produced by Schwartzwalder. 97% of uranium ore mined on the Front Range came from this mine.

Began as a mission of Sovereign Grace Fellowship of Denver. Met in the Wheat Ridge Grange Hall, 3850 High Court, since 1984 organization. Doctrine similar to Baptist.

This Jefferson County District R-1 School was built in 1954. It was named for Charles Ellsworth Secrest, a farmer who came to Arvada in 1880. Secrest was a member of the Arvada District No. 2 School Board and his home still stands at 6820 W. 64th Avenue.

Hoskinson brothers donated the land in 1960 to Jefferson County for park and recreational development. Secrest Park and Recreation Center provides a multi-use facility, separate from the school, and can be used year-round. In August, 1961, the first agreement was made between North Jeffco and the R-1 School District for the development of school lands to be used for recreation purposes. This center includes a recreation building, swimming pool and tennis courts. The complex was completed in 1968.

This two-story frame building was the section house for the Denver South Park and Pacific Railroad, later the Colorado and Southern Railroad. Sold in the 1930s to the Elliot family.

Sellman Ditch is in Water District No. 7, a lateral from the Farmers High Line Canal. The ditch was named for Thomas Sellman, landowner in southwest corner of Section 2, Township 3 S, Range 69 West, shown on Willit’s “1899 Farm Map of Jefferson County.”

A plat for the townsite at Semper was applied for in February 1886, but it never materialized. The settlement consisted of a few houses, a depot, a store, post office and a school. The settlement was named for Charles S. Semper, who was born in England in 1833 and came to Colorado in 1859. He was a printer for the “Rocky Mountain News” and set the type on the first issue of Denver’s first daily newspaper on April 23, 1859. He organized and was a charter member of the Denver Typographical Union No. 49, the first in Colorado. Charles Semper died on September 5, 1917, at age 87. He was survived by his niece, Miss Marie McGrath of New York, who had come to care for Mrs. Semper in 1915. The variant name “Sempter” was listed on Geographical Name Information Service Map No. 0546, Federal Status, BGN-1895 (Bureau Geographic Names).

Although Semper School was originally in School District #25 from 1886 to 1897, a reorganization of the Districts place Semper Elementary School in District # 39, from 1897 to 1904. The school was named for Charles S. Semper who deeded his property along with John Dennison, on April l8, 1891. The first school was a frame building and was replaced by a one-room brick building in 1895. The school building no longer exists.

Denver Utah and Pacific Railroad left mail off at the Semper Post Office on Dec. 28, 1882, after the post office was named, established and registered in Washington, D. C. The community and the post office was named for Charles S. Semper. The post office was discontinued on Aug. 31, 1900, was replaced by Rural Free Delivery and the post office was moved to Broomfield. Mrs. Julia Semper was the first postmistress and served until June 13, l889. Charles T. Harvey served from 1889-1895, and John Church was postmaster from 1895-1900.

History not available

Runs from S6, 5, 8, 9, 16, 15.

The Seven Devils Prospect Mines are 3 ore grade uranium claims, Holy Terror No. 1 and No. 2 and Hiroshima No. 1, located along the floor of the South Platte River.

First meetings were held c. 1915 in one of the Renz buildings at Ford and 11th St. When the Renz building was sold, the congregation moved into the empty Christian Church on 10th St. (Golden High School was built on the site in 1923. Pastor Morris Landa built the church at 810 Washington Ave. c. 1922. It was a two-room brick building with the church in the front room and the church school in the back. On the advice of Elder Swena, the congregation bought two adjacent lots from the railroad. The lots and the church were sold to Chevron in 1958 when a new church was built on South Golden Road.

The church was built in 1960, with a fellowship hall and sanctuary in 1969.

S.K. Development Company and City of Arvada entered into an agreement for Shadow Mountain Subdivision, Filing 1 on September 17, 1979. Filing 2, January 3, 1980 for bridge construction over Ralston Creek on Eldridge St. Filing 3 for 135 acre-sites equal to 6 % land dedication requirement on an existing 100-year flood plain. Open Space Funds were used for the completion of Shadow Mountain Park and extension of Ralston Creek Trail, in 1986. Shadow Mountain Park was probably named for shadows cast by North Table Mountain.

S.K. Development Co. and City of Arvada entered into an agreement for Shadow Mountain Subdivision, Filing one , on September 17, 1979. Filing two, January 3, 1980 for a bridge constructed over Ralston Creek on Eldridge. Filing three for 135 acre-sites, equal to six per cent of land dedication requirement on an existing 100-year flood plain. The City’s portion of Open Space funds, approved by the Jefferson County Commissioners, were used for the completion of Shadow Mountain Park and extension of Ralston Creek Trail in 1986. The park was probably named for the shadow cast over the area by North Table Mountain.

Samuel A. Shaffer of Wyoming settled in the area in late 1870s and purchased a ranch. After deciding a town should be established, he gave a town lot measuring 25’x125′ to anyone who would build a home. Soon there were several cabins, a drug store, a grocery, a Grange, a general merchandise store, and later, a Methodist Episcopal church, a blacksmith shop and a saw mill. Twenty-five mailboxes lined the Shaffer’s crossroads early in the twentieth century. The early stages crossed Elk Creek at this location on the way from Denver to South Park and Leadville. Former names of the area were Urmston, Willowville and Belleville before Samuel Shaffer named the town for himself. Records in the County Assessor’s office indicate the land was platted by Thomas A. Shaffer and Samuel A. Shaffer in 1914.

This was established in 1865 where the Denver Leadville Stage crossed Elk Creek. Nearby a Willowsville Post Office was established in 1879 and Belleville Post Office in 1881 on the same site. Samuel Shaffer owned the site and the Crossing and Post Office were named for him.

It was named for the family owning property along the gulch.

Place name origin unknown.

It was probably named for a formation resembling the animal.

This Jefferson County District R-1 School was named for the subdivision in which it was located. The school was built in 1980.

George Yule owned this 160 acres in 1865-1895 when he moved to Marble Colorado on Yule Creek. After 1900 this was the location of feed store, grocery, Skaggs Grocery. Now King Soopers and miscellaneous smaller shops occupy the site, leased from Joe Pearson heirs.

Probably named Sheridan Station for the former name of Wadsworth Avenue. Wadsworth Avenue was not so named until Arvada was incorporated in 1904.

Located in Water District #7, this reservoir is filled with water diverted from Ralston Creek. Appropriated November 12, 1948.

Located in Water District #7, it has a Priority No. 7 (June 14, 1860). Water was diverted from the south bank of Clear Creek. Claimant in 1884 was W.W. Sherrick. “Map of Ditches in District No. 7, Division No. 1 Colorado,” by G.L. Chatfield, Engineer, November 1, 1919, indicates the ditch was abandoned, but it still appeared on the June 1989 State Engineer’s Report. A list of “Water priorities by District No.7 Commissioner Wm. Elliot (no date) indicates water was transferred to Agricultural Ditch. Lands belonging to Sherrick is shown on a 1915 “Map of Denver and Surroundings,” by R.W. Gelder, C.E.of Greeley.

The name was taken from a Biblical term meaning “Place of Peace.”

Shingle Creek is a southern tributary to Mount Vernon Creek. It begins about a mile south of Interstate Hwy. 70 at Mt. Vernon Canyon and joins Mt. Vernon Creek about a mile southwest of Mother Cabrini shrine. Name source unknown.

Probably named for a mill operation along creek.

This two-story frame house was completed in 1900. There are silhouettes drawn on the rafters inside the house of people who had stayed overnight in the past.

The Church site was purchased from William Gunther by Bishop Tehen for $1000. James Manning, a Denver architect, designed the building, parishioners excavated the site, and J.K. Mullen, owner of Denver Shale Brick Co. 1908-1921, Construction Co. built the Shrine of Saint Anne. Before the church was completed, parishioners held services on the second floor of the First National Bank Building. The church was dedicated by Bishop Tehen in 1922 with Walter Grace as the first pastor. It was named for Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary. Saint Anne’s wrist bone is said to be in the tower of the Shrine. At this time, it was said to be the tallest building in Jefferson County. A night-light, shown at the top of the tower was another outstanding feature of the church. Soon it was attracting many people in the Arvada community, and “The Arvada Enterprise” reported that this impressive building was the reason the road from Denver to Arvada was paved in 1925.

This school was built in 1971 and was named for the Sierra Vista community in which it was located. Sierra is the Spanish word for ‘range of mountains,’ and the subdivision used that name because of its view of the Foothills.

Sierra Park is a joint park/school development. The park consists of 4.8 acres adjacent to the school grounds, which was completed between Oak and Quail Streets in 1976. It was named for the school on whose land the park was built.

This c. 1915, Late Victorian, two-story, cross-gabled, light-color brick dwelling was converted in 1970 to an office and clubhouse for a 400 unit apartment complex. Its features include a round tower, covered front and side porches, entry door, large front window and external stairs leading to the front entry. It was built for Lewis C. Goldsborough, a Denver real estate agent, who lived there from 1915 to 1941. In 1941, Morris Sigman bought the house. The Sigman family owned K & B Packing, Sigman Meat Company, and Gump Glass.

Established 1879. The first two burials were the Combs children who died from diphtheria. Silver Springs Cemetery has also been known as Combs Cemetery, Pine Gulch Cemetery, and Pine Grove Cemetery.

The origin of name unknown

The ranch began operation in 1872 as one of the earliest in the Platte Canyon of Jefferson County. It developed into a tourist facility, a summer camp for girls, and eventually an outdoor environmental laboratory for the Jefferson County School District. The ranch contains an important collection of Rustic style buildings. Designated on the Directory of State Register Properties on June 12, 1996, 5JF837.

Among the more popular, longest-lasting and notorious roadhouses during Prohibition in Jefferson County, the Silver State club stood at the county’s eastern edge ready to take business from nearby Denverites. Known to be a gambling resort, it was ran by Mike Mongone, Lena Mongone, Emma Gaskin and the infamous John Doe. Silver State was permanently busted in 1927, padlocked by the Court and its assets liquidated.

This c. 1870 house was built by William M. Simmons on his 400-acre homestead. The large frame two-level house has two bedrooms on the ground floor and living quarters on the second floor.

John Clark homesteaded 160 acres in 1869, built a north-south lane through his property, and called it Clark Street. Years later, it became Arapahoe Road on the portion from West 64th Avenue (Ralston Road) to West 82nd Avenue. The name was probably changed for the Arapahoe Indians who were frequently seen in this area. When Jefferson County devised a more consistent plan for naming the streets in 1949, this thoroughfare became Simms Street, named for pioneer Leonard F. Simms.

This street was more of a lane to a residence or driveway, the name does not occur elsewhere.

Originally built in 1922 by George Cranmer, later Denver’s Manager of Parks, and his wife, Jean Chappell Cranmer. Cranmer built his home of local stone and a sod roof for insulation. He also constructed some trout ponds on the property. Cranmer sold the ranch in 1943. It became first a well-known restaurant, then for a while a summer resort and dude ranch. In 1971, it was bought by Glen West, president of the West Brandt Foundation which operates West Brothers chain of stores in five southern states. West’s purpose was to develop an environment for interdenominational Christian camps and conferences. The remodeled and expanded facilities on 250 acres are used for adult retreats, seminars, conferences, and for family activities.

Name origin unknown.

Origin of name not learned.

Located in Water District # 7, the Slater Ditch’s water is diverted from Clear Creek via the south bank of Slough Ditch. Claimants in 1884 were William Sanderson and A. Slater, priority dates from May 16, 1862. Abraham Slater came to Colorado, June 14, 1859.

Built in 1955. Named for Abram Slater (1827-1913). Pioneer of Wheat Ridge, and a farmer.

Two-story frame house

Located in District #7, its water is diverted from Clear Creek via south bank of Slough Ditch. Claimants in 1884 were A. Slater and J.S. Moody. Part of the water has been transferred to the Farmers Highline Canal.

Slaughterhouse Gulch is a sizable gulch that winds down the north side of South Table Mountain, at the center of its north face. During the 1990s it was considered as a possible access route to the top of the mountain for trucks as part of a gravel quarry proposal. The origin of its name may have to do with any of the small farms that once dotted the valley below.

Slough Ditch was in Water District No. 7. It branched off the north side of Clear Creek at Section Line of sections 19 and 20.

Located in Water District No. 7, the Smart Ditch’s water flowed out of Rocky Flats Lake to Standley Lake.

Built in 1922.

Claimant in 1936 was the Agricultural Ditch & Reservoir Company. The reservoir was filled from Clear Creek via Golden or Welch & Agricultural Reservoir Ditch; also by a separate degree through the Ward and Kennefick Ditch. Connection of the enlargement began September 29, 1906 and was completed in 1907. Named for Luke E. Smith of Lakewood.

Dr. Frank Luce had this house built c. 1915. It was built from lumber taken when part of Abbo’s Livery Stable was torn down to enlarge Abbo’s house. Dr. Luce lived here until he moved into the Abbo house in 1922.
Bob Smith is the grandson of Jeremiah Smith, early pioneer and homesteader in the Indian Hills area. His mother was Lucy Beckett, who came to Morrison from London with her mother to join her father in 1882.

Built ca. 1872. This was Mary Tuttle’s home; she was the mother of Seldon Tuttle. Mary and Henry Smith traded a 1928 Ford with a rumble seat and $150 cash for this property a year after they were married. Henry owned the Morrison Garage ca. 1922. Mary is a Schrock, one of the oldest families in Morrison. She was born there in the Schrock House at 314 Spring Street.

Built ca. 1915 by Dr. Frank Luce from lumber taken when part of Abbo’s Livery Stables were torn down so they could enlarge Abbo’s house. Dr. Luce did all the labor. He lived there until 1922. Bob Smith is a grandson of Jeremiah Smith, early pioneer of Indian Hills. His mother was Lucy Beckett, who came with her parents from London, England. Quite a number of descendants of the Smiths and Becketts still live in Morrison.

A gulch beginning on the north side of Bergen Peak and running northward about two miles to join Soda Creek. Name source unknown.

Completed in 1872 as a stage road linking Bergen Park, the stage road from Denver to the mining camps, and the Beaver Brook Station serving the Colorado Central Railroad.

The frame school was located on the north side of Soda Creek about one- quarter mile downstream from where the creek crosses Highway 65. It was built sometime prior to 1884. In about 1945 the school building was sold, moved to Bergen Park and there used as a school for two years before becoming the nucleus of the Bergen Park Community Church.

A subdivision platted in 1975 by Gayno, Inc., Homer Noble, President, Walter H. Williams, Vice President and Secretary. Named from creek.

Soda Lakes is a part of the Bear Creek Lake recreational area of the City of Lakewood, offering water-skiing, sailing, and windsurfing. The 275 acres of Soda Lakes was included in the Lakewood recreational lands in the 1980s.

Claimant in 1936 was Lulu S. Middleton. Construction began March 1, 1887. These Water District #7 ponds are filled with water diverted from Clear Creek via the Farmers High Line Canal. Holdings of Susan A. Soper show on the 1899 farm map in “More Than Gold.”

This canal runs from Boulder County through Golden, Louisville and Eldorado Springs Quadrangles. It belongs to Denver Water Department, and carries water from Gross Reservoir to Ralston Reservoir area to Clear Creek, for the purpose of replacing water down stream on the South Platte River that Denver takes out of the upper South Platte.

This creek draws its name from a designation of its locale.

A creek beginning near the Pleasant Park Grange and flowing easterly below the High Grade Road then north through Deermont to join the North Fork of Deer Creek at Phillipsburg. Name source unknown.

During the 1840s, U.S. Army expedition leader John C. Fremont named the creek for the buffalo in this valley his party observed.

from Cultural Contexts report, 2004:

“South Golden Road (circa 1862)
This road ran between Denver and Golden, preceding West Colfax Avenue, which was built approximately along south Golden Road from Denver through Lakewood in the early 1900s. The road continued west of Lakewood passing through Wide Acres subdivision and Camp George West to reach Golden.”

Built in 1950 , and was named for the south Lakewood area.

This was once a small settlement including a post office, hotel, telegraph office and a stop on the narrow gauge Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad. One building stands today, the South Platte Hotel built in 1912 after the original was destroyed. Named for the river which runs in the area.

from the Cultural Contexts report, 2004:

The South Platte & Deer Creek Tram & Wagon Road (1873)
This was built as a logging road.

There are 2-3 unknown, abandoned graves.

It operated at this small settlement with a post office and a stop on the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad narrow gauge line at the turn of the century. Vacated building still stands today. The original South Platte Hotel building stood until August 2, 1912, when stage driver George Bellew shot and wounded Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walbrecht (the hotel owners), visitor James McWhorter, and shot at other patrons and employees, drove all from the hotel, and burned it to the ground with kerosene while holding a crowd at bay by gunpoint. The present building was constructed to replace the original, likely by Charles Walbrecht.

This was a stop on the Denver, South Park & Pacific Railroad narrow gauge line until discontinued in 1937.

It is recorded as operating from 1889-1937. A partial list of the Postmasters include: Anna Vermillion, 1895; Ida V. Wadsworth,1899; and Mary Culver, 1900. It was named for the settlement.

The South Platte River flows northeast out of the Colorado Rockies until it joins the North Platte River in Nebraska and form the Platte River. At Plattsmouth , Nebraska, the Platte empties into the Missouri River, then onto the Mississippi River and finally the Gulf of Mexico. Its name is the obsolete Anglicized version of “Riviere la Plat” which is French for “the flat river,” describing what explorers felt was its disproportionate width compared to its depth. Known to be one of the West’s finest trout streams, this river and a portion of the North Fork of the South Platte River was to have been integral parts of the proposed Two Forks Dam Project. Public outcry during the 1980s preceded the Environmental Protection Agency ruling against the project in 1991.

Situated on top of a high hill on the west side of Cheyenne Street between Third and Fourth Streets (now 13th and 14th Streets), the South School was built in 1873. Originally Golden’s consolidated schoolhouse, it was designed by prominent Golden architect James B. Baker and built by contractors Robert Millikin and H.M. Root. The two-story red brick school with elegant stone quoins, sills and trimwork housed eight grades and the high school, officially established here in 1873. The first eight grades were on the first floor, while the high school was on the second floor. Before the South School was built, one-half of the school buildings in Jefferson County were made of logs. It was the first graded school in the county. The architecture was similar to the courthouse a few blocks to the east on Courthouse Hill. The cost was $14,690 including the land, grading, well-digging, furniture, and the issuance of bonds. After the North School was built in 1879, it became known as the South School and continued to be used as a high school until a new building was constructed in 1924, and a grade school until the Central School was built in 1936. The building then was sold to the Colorado School of Mines which used the building for geophysics laboratories and storage until the building was torn down in July 1965. Its main staircase, perhaps the only surviving work of Millikin, a noted carpenter, was salvaged and installed as the main staircase of what is now the Astor House Hotel Museum in Golden.

Located in Water District #7, the South Side Ditch’s priority was dated from May 16, 1860. One-half of the water was later transferred to the Farmers High Line Canal. 1884 claimants were J.A. Lewis and Jacob H. Brown, early area property owners. The ditch is shown on a c. 1900 map, once used in the old Jefferson County Courthouse.

This well known and historic creek and area begins in Aspen Park and runs along U.S. Highway 285 and South Turkey Creek Road to its confluence with North Turkey Creek to form Turkey Creek near Tinytown. It was the general location of five ghost towns: Herndon, Brownville, Grotto, Medlen and Reed’s Mill. Through it were routed early stage lines as well as the Denver, Turkey Creek and South Park Wagon Road, established in 1867, and the Denver Bradford and Blue River Toll Road, established in 1861. South Turkey Creek was on the way to the gold and silver mines and ranching and timbering areas farther west in South Park and beyond, and it was the route of the main highway before present U.S. Highway 285 was relocated about 1950.

Southern Gables Evangelical Free Church started as a prayer meeting in October 1962 under the name of Lakewood Evangelical Free Church. By January 30, 1972, a 500-seat sanctuary was planned and a ground-breaking ceremony was held. On February 4, 1973, the parishioners celebrated their first Sunday in the new sanctuary. In 1978 Gerald Nelson became the senior pastor. Under his guidance and direction, the church is building its new facility at 4001 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado, which encompasses one entire city block.

William Spear was the original owner when the house was built in 1920. Attached to the house was an adjoining grocery store. The small brick market was built in a time when few residents had cars and neighborhood grocery stores were an everyday stop for local housewives.

It was named for the nearby rock formation resembling a “Sphinx”

This is a cluster of primarily summer resort homes. The community was named for a near-by “sphinx” rock formation.

Named for the nearby rock formation resembling a “Sphinx,” this subdivision was established in 1931.

Named for the nearby rock formation resembling a “Sphinx.” Established in 1928.

Shrine of Saint Anne was becoming overcrowded by 1970, and Archbishop Casey authorized another parish north of Arvada. Emil Schneider, Sr., donated a large portion of his land, and Saint Anne contributed $50,000 for a new church. Weber Elementary School gym was opened to 200 parishioners for Sunday masses under John Martens, the first pastor of the church. On July 1, 1974 an outdoor candlelight mass was held on the church site. Parishioners named the church, Spirit of Christ Catholic Community Church because it was a steward community, attempting to return “to God a fitting portion of time, talent, and treasure.” Seracuse Lawler and Partners, a Denver Architectural firm designed the structure for a capacity of 750 people. Archbishop Casey dedicated the building July 1, 1975. By 1986 Archbishop Stafford dedicated the $1 million addition and renovation for 3,500 registered families.

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In 1872, Colonel Robert J. Spotswood, McClellan, and J.W. Bogue bought the Colorado Stage Company. The stage line from Denver followed portions of the old Bradford Hill Road through Lakewood, on to Morrison, up Turkey Creek to South Park. When the silver boom erupted in Leadville, the line was awarded the contract to deliver the mail to this new mining camp. The railroads soon caught up and when the locomotives arrived in Leadville, Spotswood and McClellan sold out to in 1882 to Wall and Witter, a Wheat Ridge farmer who owned a farm implement business and the Elephant Corral n Denver, and the Barlow and Sanderson stage line.

It was probably known for the spring at the start of the creek.

It was named for a natural spring in the area and was developed with good gravel roads in the late 1970s with deep wells providing water.

Named for the spring that forms the gulch.

Probably named for groves of spruce trees near-by.

Spruce Lodge was a group of buildings making up a popular summer resort along Bear Creek near Evergreen. The resort was originally built in the early 1860s by John Jackson Hines, who for a time operated a saw milling operation here and tore it down to make way for his home and resort. In connection with this resort he kept a grocery store still known as “Dad’s Store” at the time of his death in 1924. Hines maintained the resort’s popularity well into the 20th century. Spruce Lodge was destroyed when it burned to the ground in 1925.

Built in 1902 by Dick and Bill Ralph. Located about a half mile below Tiny Town. It was used as a church as well as a home. A special occasion was a Fourth of July celebration in 1914. Ralph’s sold Spruce Lodge in 1914. Grange was formed in 1901. It was called Wild Rose Grange

An early and short-lived county organized by R. A. Strain in opposition to Thomas Bergen’s Ni-wot County, covering territory more to the south but overlapping some of Ni-wot County. Name probably descriptive.

Located on the west side of Highway 73 about one mile south of North Turkey Creek Road. It was built c. 1878. Since the number of the district could not be determined, little could be learned about the school, but it seems that it was no longer in use after the middle 1920s. The building no longer exists.

Sprucedale Resort was a well-known and popular vacation place on Bear Creek in Jefferson County during the 19th century. Its original building was a hotel, whose origin Evergreen historians place as being a log bunkhouse for lumber workers in the area, probably dating to the 1860s. By 1872 this was converted into a hotel by Robert H. Stewart, known popularly as “Grandpa Stewart,” who homesteaded 120 acres and by the early 1890s had built the institution into a popular resort destination. As of 1893 the resort boasted the hotel and 8 guest cottages, as well as a milk house, ice house, well, grain and vegetable gardens, and a large herd of dairy cows to supply boarders with pure milk, cream and butter. Stewart died in 1897 around the age of 75, and the place was also known as “The Old Stewart Hotel.” It was purchased by the Episcopal church and remodeled and converted to the Evergreen Conference.

A school built c. 1878 near the confluence of Cub Creek and Blue Creek. In that year Francis Moulton taught 80 days for $32.

from Cultural Contexts report, 2004

St. Vrain, Golden City & Colorado Wagon Road (1859)
This toll road was incorporated by John W. McIntyre, J. M. Ferrell, Henry Gunnell, and Lucien W. Bliss, with an intended route from Fort St. Vrain on the South Platte River in northeast Colorado through Golden and west to Saratoga West (Hot Sulphur Springs) on the Blue Fork of the Colorado River. The company built a bridge across the South Platte River at St. Vrain and constructed the road southwest to Golden. Bypassing Denver, the road joined the Denver, Auraria & Colorado Wagon Road north of Mount Vernon Canyon at Mount Vernon Junction and continued through Bergen Park to Bradford Junction (Conifer) and on to South Park.

Built ca. 1870 by George Morrison. This was used as a storage building for the stage coaches when not in use. It is now privately owned and is still used for storage.

Built in 1926. This was Morrison’s first fancy Standard service station. The first operator was Dan Schneider, who was born in Morrison. It is now being used as a retail business.

Claimant in 1936 was Farmers Reservoir & Irrigation Co. Filled with water diverted from Clear Creek, Ralston Creek and Leyden Creek via Croke Canal and Church Ditch; also Farmer’s High Line Canal and old rights (September 1, 1869) decreed to Kinnear Reservoir flow from Coal Creek and Woman Creek. Kinnear Lake was situated in the center of what is now Standley Lake. Adjudication records state: Standley Lake “is an integral part and parcel of Croke Canal and is used for the purpose of diverting, carrying, controlling, regulating and distributing in the most economical manner and to the greatest advantage, the waters into and through said canal, as well as for storage purposes and said Standley Lake as a part and parcel of said canal in its use as a carrier of water for direct irrigation, constitutes regulating and expansion basin by which the water diverted into and through said canal for direct irrigation may be checked and temporarily retained for the purpose of making a more economical distribution during the irrigation season.” “Said Croke Canal is also used as a feeder or intake ditch for Standley Lake for storage purposes.” Outlets for Standley Lake are Niver Canal and Big Dry Creek. Construction began March 1902. When completed, it was said to be the largest earth dam then constructed–700 feet wide at the bottom, 1-1/4 miles long and 113 feet high (water was 87 feet deep). Construction was not completed until after 1910. The name ‘Standley’ was chosen for Joseph Standley, President of the company formed to build the lake and canal.

Operation for the construction of Standley Lake was begun early in the twentieth century by the Farmers Reservoir and Irrigation Company, (FRICO) and was named for Joseph Standley, the president of the reservoir company. The lake contains 42,734 acre feet of water, and, by 1994, half of the water was owned by FRICO and the other half by the City of Westminster. The surface water rights for recreational purposes are also leased to Westminster, who regulates how the water should be used. When two attempts to designate Standley Lake and the surrounding area as a regional park, 1958, and as a state park, 1978, failed, the Jefferson County Commissioners approved the purchase of 500 acres with Jefferson County Open Space funds for STANDLEY LAKE COUNTY PARK. This acquisition provided eight parcels of land around the southside of the lake to be used for parks and greenbelt areas. In the 1980s, trails around the lake expansion, known as the Standley Lake View Corridor and Standley Lake Library Trail, were developed.

Standley Lake High School is the fourth Arvada high school built by the Jefferson County R-1 School Distirct. The school was built in 1989 and was named for nearby Standley Lake. Both the lake and the school were named for Joseph Standley who became president of a company formed to build a dam and reservoir in this area in 1907. The dam was completed early in 1911.

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The park was included in the Olmsted acquisition plan. J.J.B. Benedict designed the c. 1923 native stone and timber well house. Ruins of an early 1920s Denver Motor Club building are a reminder of the park’s popularity with Denver motorists. a trout hatchery, destroyed by flooding in the 1930s, supplied the Denver Mountain Park System. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (5JF978) on June 30, 1995.

The Cornerstone was inscribed: “A.D. 1910 State Home and Training School for mental defectives, founded by the State of Colorado, through the efforts of Ella Parish Williams of the State Board of Correctives.” The building where the cornerstone was laid burned, and the cornerstone and its contents were rescued and moved to the Colorado Historical Society in 1992. The school was also known as `Ridge Home’ by the local citizens because it was located on Ridge Road.

Opened in 1881. The primary object of the institution is to reform the youth, teach them ways to break poor habits, and start with a new beginning. It was once recognized as the leading facility of its kind.

Nov. 1893 mine was practically idle.

Built in 1955, and was named for Rose Stein, who was principal after she retired in 1968. A teacher in Jefferson County for 39 years.

This square, wood frame house on a concrete foundation was built in 1907. Original use was a farm and the site includes tin sheds constructed in 1919 and a cinder block barn built in 1929.

William L. Stepp was a ‘59er who moved to Arvada in 1864 and homesteaded 160 acres west of Arvada. He had many interests: carpenter, builder farmer, rancher, prospector and apiarist. The property was sold to G.W. Harkness by William’s wife, Missouri A.E. Stepp, January 29, 1919.

This building and its addition were considered to be the finest to be had when constructed.

Built in 1939. Designated a county landmark 12/1/2003.

The Old Stewart Hotel was a popular name for the hotel resort run by Robert H. Stewart in the 19th century on Bear Creek, known as the Sprucedale Resort. This was later purchased to become the Evergreen Conference of the Episcopal church.

Lee, Stewart and Eskins Ditch in Water District #7 had an early priority, No. 27, April 17, 1863. Claimants in 1884 were William Lee, W.W. Sherrick, William Sanderson, Fred Claus, and J.B. Walker.

This park was named for Mayor Frank “Hank” Stites, who was a long time sponsor of the youth ball programs. It has baseball and basketball facilities as well as a playground and picnic tables.

Opened in 1965. Named for the Stober family, who sold the land for the school.

Christian and Mary Stocke moved to Arvada and built the large brick home at 7011 Grandview Avenue in 1904. Stocke, a German immigrant from Ohio, arrived in Arvada in 1902 and built the first north-south street east of Wadsworth, which was originally called Stocke Avenue (Saulsbury). He also built a well that supplied houses on Stocke Avenue with water. This two-story, 2330 square-foot two-chimney home has been well preserved, over the years. The house has been painted white, fish scaling porch across the front, balustrade above the porch roof, wrought iron fence across front, Palladian motif window with central arched window flanked by two flat arch windows, and oval side windows on each side of the front door. At one time this was the home of Ann Jackson, Arvada’s first woman mayor.

This c. 1860 stone farmhouse near Bear Creek was built by Joseph Hodgson. Built of stones from Bear Creek, it features oversized windows and door frames of rough dressed sand stone quarried from the nearby hogback. Original holder of the land deed was Filormero Mondragon, who enlisted in New Mexico Territory’s volunteer forces in 1848 to fight in the Navajo wars. The 1/2 story side gabled house with a shed extension features sandstone quoins at its corners. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 1, 1975 (5JF.186).

Stonehenge is a stone house with rock-walled gardens on the north side of West 44th Avenue just east of the North Table Mountain Slide. It was originally built as the business office of the French Smelting Works, constructed in 1879 by the French Syndicate that built the facility. It was originally a 1-story stone house built on an embankment overlooking the roadway below with a flight of steps leading up to a central front door flanked by windows, each with segmental arches. Above the doorway in the roof gable was a small diamond-shaped window. Nearby to the northwest was the superintendent’s home, a building of identical design. Both were constructed by the Golden contracting firm of Robert Millikin & Lee. The building continued to operate as the president’s home through 1884, and became part of the property of the nearby Valley Smelting Works by 1885. After that smelter failed, an arsonist attempted to destroy this building and its twin by lighting fires under them to get insurance money. Its twin was destroyed, but this one saved because a person was living in it at the time who caught the perpetrator. Later, this building served as the office of the Carpenter Smelting Works built nearby to the west during the 1910s. Afterwards, it went fully into use as a private residence with stonework terrace gardens built, known as Stonehenge by the 1920s.

Claimant 1936 was Hutoka Stonehouse. These reservoirs were filled with water diverted from Clear Creek via Farmers High Line Canal into the Bright & Brown Lateral. Both were abandoned February 3, 1988.

This R-l District School was named for a Scottish pioneer, David Milne Stott, who came to Arvada in 1890 and farmed 80 acres at 13999 Ralston Road. Stott School was not far from his acreage. The school was built in 1972.

Stott Park is a school and park function situated on a short greenbelt and completed in 1976, The deck tennis court is the first public or private deck tennis court in the city. The name of the park was changed to Yankee Doodle Park in 1979. An ordinance authorized a ground lease within Yankee Doodle Park (.15 acres) to Jefferson County School District, R-1, for an addition to Stott Elementary School. The covenant by the City relating to real property was adopted in 1986 and improvements to Yankee Doodle Park and Trail were made in 1986.

Built in 1880, this two-story, cross gabled frame house with its gingerbread-style cornice was originally constructed in Bear Creek Valley. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was known as Avondale Farm, the Cycler Farm, the Morrison Farm Dairy, and the Kendalvue Balanced Farm. Arthur and Edna Peterson purchased the property in 1940 and farmed it until it was acquired by the Bear Creek Lake Project in 1974. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 10, 1981. It was moved to Belmar Park, now Lakewood Heritage Center, in 1986.

Strolling Acres was the name given to this acreage at Enterprise Road and Davis Lane (72nd and Oak St.) by former owners, Mark and Esther W. Rhoads, 1937-1963.

Built ca. 1922.

Origin of name unknown.

Summit Ridge School opened in September 1994.

This lane went to the Wheat Ridge Soddy and was on the Baugh property.

Origin of name unknown.

Sunrise park was constructed in the summer of 1976. The site selection was determined by the City’s 6% developer’s requirement for Lamar Heights Subdivision. Probably the park was so named for its clear and unobstructed view of the sunrise to the east.

Excavation consists of a cut 4 feet wide, 25 feet long, 12 feet deep. Owned and operated by Walter Wahl. It was a tungsten, silver, and gold prospect. Five claims named Sunset 1, Sunset 2, Shirley, Rainbow’s End, and Last Chance.

This park has a basketball court, shelter, playground, walking trails and open space area.

This park has a swimming pool.

Baseball field, playground, walking trails and play area.

Swadley and Longan Ditch was in Water District #7, with priority dates from April 10, 1861. Water was diverted from the north bank of Ralston Creek. Claimants in 1884 were Jesse Longan, Henry Longan, William Longan, George C. Swadley, and Eli Allen.

Swadley Ditch was in Water District #7, which had various priorities, the earliest was May 14, 1861. Water was diverted from Clear Creek via Slough Ditch. Claimants in 1884 were George C. Swadley, L.S. Rand, William Longan, Jas. Longan, Henry Longan, William W. Allen, B.F. Wadsworth and Mrs. Lizzie Farmer. Farms of all the claimants’s families except the Longans, appear on the Settlement Map in “Waters of Gold.” The Longans owned land near present-day Ralston Road and Independence Street. Part of the water from this ditch was later transferred to Reno Juchem, Agricultural, and Church Ditches and also to the City of Golden.

One of the Fifty-niners, George Calvin Swadley obtained 80 acres under the Land Claim Club in 1860. Eventually, he expanded his farm to over 400 acres. He was most successful in planting onions and field corn. After George and Mary Ellen (Pollock) were married on October 4, 1866, he built his third home in 1894. This large, brick home was demolished in 1966 to make way for the Arvada Regional Library. Mr. Swadley was a very successful and influential citizen of Arvada. He was instrumental in the planning and digging of the Swadley and Wadsworth Irrigation Ditch, served as the president of the First National Bank of Arvada from 1904-1906, and he and his wife planned many corn roasts at their home for the Colorado Pioneers.

Named for owners of the property in this area. George Calvin Swadley requested that a trestle be constructed over his property for a cattle run. The trestle still stands and is used by the Denver and Salt Lake Railroad.

George C. Swadley permitted a railroad right-of-way to be built on his property, providing the Moffat Company build an underpass for Swadley’s cattle to be driven to pasture north of the railroad tracks. The narrow path, down a steep hill, still exists, but the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (originally known as the Denver and Northwestern Railroad, built in 1902) joined the government subsidized agency Amtrak on April 24, 1983.

Johnathan Higginson homesteaded this ranch in the 1870s and has continued as a working ranch. President Dwight D. Eisenhower fished the North Fork of the South Platte River that flows through the ranch, then owned by the president’s friend, Val Swan of Denver, for whom the ranch is named for. Currently the ranch is owned by a group of business and professional men as a private resort.

This R-l District school was built in 1963. It was named for an educator, Olive Watson Swanson who graduated from Arvada High School in 1906, and from Colorado Women’s College in 1913 and taught in the Arvada High School for 13 years.

Circa 1880-1890 cabin and barn inhabited by a local prospector named Swartz. The site is 100 meters north of Miller Gulch. There is a cabin on the west side of the tributary situated in a leveled area about 10’x20′ with deteriorated lumber. A rock pile at the northwest corner of the cabin may be the fireplace or chimney. The second structure is located on the east side of the tributary about 20 meters from the cabin. The site is leveled and contains dimensional lumber. The size of the structure is impossible to estimate because of ground cover. Refuse is scattered in an area of 40 meters x 100 meters, including cabins. Remnants of a stove are scattered over the south part of the site.

A gulch beginning just east of Interstate 70 at El Rancho and running southeasterly to join Bear Creek about one-half mile east of Kittredge. Swede Gulch merges with Kerr Gulch about one-and-one-half miles northwest of Kittredge. The name came from at least five Swedish families who moved into the gulch in the 1870s.

The church was established in 1873 by C. Rydholm who came to Golden from Burlington, Iowa. The church was built on land donated by Loveland and Harsh. The trustees in 1873 were C. P. Johnson, S. Bergstrom, William Johnson, Carl Nollin, Andrew Anderson and J. O. Johnson. According to Dave Crawford, who remembers playing in it as a boy, the church was a small, red brick building. The church was razed c. 1920.

Swift Station was probably named for property owners in this area. The tramway electric route pushed to Leyden in 1903.

1874. Built for Governor Evans of native sand stone by George Morrison, a Quebec stone mason who came to Colorado in 1850 with his family and settled in Mt. Vernon; he moved to Morrison in 1873. It has been billed as Swiss Cottage, The Evergreen House at Morrison, Morrison House, Loreli Park, Sacred Elizabeth Retreat, and Pine Haven Manor. It was demolished in ca. 1980 for a parking lot for the Bear Creek Nursing Home.

Origin of name unknown: developed in late 1970s.

The land was homesteaded by the Bogel family early in the century. A girls camp was built by two Texas women – c 1930 – and named the place. In 1989, the Jefferson County School District bought it for school field trips. It is now called Windy Peak Outdoor Laboratory School (or Jefferson County Outdoor Laboratory School).

It was called Symes Post Office from 1890-1899 then changed to South Platte Post Office. Origin of the name is unknown