Working on the archives in Wheat Ridge’s original Post Office is a rewarding endeavor – but, at the same time, quite challenging. The old building in the Historical Park is chocked full of fascinating information on all sorts of historical topics, ideally on the history of the area, but in reality, ranging far beyond those
I don’t know about you, but in autumn when the weather starts changing, my energy increases. Cooler temperatures prevail, and best of all, apples ripen! Trees change their energy level, too. Sap slows, and crisp, cool nights change the apples; they quit increasing in size and grow sweeter and more flavorful. The Wheat Ridge Historical
“Dogs on Display” seems like an oddly-themed Second Saturday event for the Historical Society to undertake. We do it because it truly is one of the more amusing ways to spend a Saturday with your CBF (canine best friend) and pay homage to the untold number of dogs who literally walked to and through the
As Heritage Day at the Baugh House (West 44th Avenue and Robb Street) approaches, volunteers are readying examples of the Historical Society’s vintage quilt collection for display at the event, to be held Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day was created to recognize the long and colorful history of the actual
In a simpler time, when four-lane highways were in their infancy and automobiles went slower, a popular advertising campaign captivated a nation of motorists traveling the roads from 1927 to 1963. Small red signs with white lettering appeared along the right side of the roads with sequential rhymed messages. The last of the five or
One of the Wheat Ridge Historical Society’s lifetime members passed away earlier this month at the age of 87. We don’t usually publicly commemorate these passages, but this woman was more than a lifetime member. She was born in the Red Brick House long before it became part of the Historical Park. She was the
You’d think a country that gave new meaning to an ageless rite of spring celebration would take the time to actually celebrate it. The closest we get is letting kids deliver baskets of flowers and candy to friends. May 1 has been observed worldwide for millennia. Celts thought it the most important day of the
Goals. Gotta love ‘em. Volunteers in the Johnson Cabin and the Old Sod House have been working steadily toward the goal of bringing both museums in line to illustrate the Century-long Story theme the Historical Society adopted in 2021. The Cabin is around 95 percent done, reports Priscilla Marshall, Director of Collections. The remaining five
Sifting through the archive collections in the Old Post Office at the Historical Park, I find myself again wishing donors who had good hearts and insight into local history had taken a few extra moments to record some details that would add provenance before donating. Scrapbooks by the dozens contain a plethora of interesting information.
Honestly, a recent dive into the origins of Valentine’s Day soon became a slog through a mass of conflicting historical theories, originating with pagan ritual and Roman law versus the Catholic Church, then further amalgamated by legend and popularized by marketing. Western civilization came to observe Saint Valentine’s feast day on Feb. 14, which coincides
With the arrival of each new year, the Historical Society hosts one of my favorite events: the Historical Fashion Show and Tea Party. It’s just ahead on Saturday, Jan. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Baugh House. Past gatherings have featured an array of fashions from mid-1800s prairie chic, to slick bowler-topped
Amidst all the frustrations of a constant need to organize and preserve, workers in the Old Post Office at the Historical Park occasionally delight in a real find. Last week researchers came upon two bound volumes (1912-14) of The Wheat Ridge News, a newspaper published by local luminary Samuel Johnson. Paging through the volumes, I
Curiously, celery has a proud heritage in the Wheat Ridge area. Long ago, after I bought my first house, I could hardly wait to plant a garden. I tilled a 30-by-20-foot plot and planted all the standard vegetables. While seed shopping I had encountered a six-pack of celery, a novelty to me. I put forth
“An apple a day …” Multiply that one apple by hundreds, and you have a beginning vision of the Cider Day Festival, the annual Historical Society’s celebration of “All Things Apple.” Scheduled for Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Historical Park (4601 Robb St.), the biggest draw is, of course, the
I’ve had at least one dog, sometimes more, for most of my life. I love ‘em. Dogs possess such dedication and have interesting, sometimes quirky, personalities. I had a golden retriever once that I could send into my house to check each room and make sure it was safe before I entered; that’s an important
Volunteers are busily preparing the Baugh House for the annual Heritage Day festivities on Saturday, Aug. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., celebrating the colorful history of the storied farmhouse with an ice-cream social and antique quilt show. Originally a log cabin (still evident inside the structure), the house has been through its share
If you traveled West 44th Avenue the afternoon of Saturday, May 25, you may have seen some sort of shindig at the Baugh House on the corner of 44th and Robb Street. It probably looked like a Historical Society event, common on Saturdays. WRHS hosted the event, but its purpose extended far beyond typical Baugh
The Grand Opening of the re-staged Johnson Cabin in Wheat Ridge’s Historical Park was a huge success at the Second Saturday May Festival. Visitors got the first glimpse into a building with an unusual and interesting history. It’s staged to provide a peek into the daily existence of a family newly arrived from the East
By all accounts, this Second Saturday May Festival at the Wheat Ridge Historical Park (4610 Robb St.), scheduled for May 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be one for the history books. Not only will we welcome well-loved standards like maypole dancing (at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.), games, live music,
All things considered, Wheat Ridge claims relatively little of 30-mile-long Wadsworth Boulevard; however, right now, those two miles are truly the bane of our existence. I try to make good use of Teller and Pierce to the east; I even cut over to Sheridan when I have to engage in some serious north-bound travel. I
As a retired schoolteacher, I’m continually fascinated by early public education. Mostly, it’s made me feel lucky to have taught in these modern times – no emptying the coal scuttle daily or whittling nibs for the next day’s lessons. Recently, I had occasion during one of the blizzards to curl up with a good book,
As Valentine’s Day approaches and omicron infections continue to wane (we hope!), the Historical Society plans to hold its February Valentine Second Saturday Social on Feb. 12, two days ahead of the actual holiday. That should allow plenty of time to indulge in the tradition of crafting homemade Valentines instead of dashing to Walgreens for
As the Neighborhood Gazette went to press, excitement was mounting for the Wheat Ridge Historical Society’s first Second Saturday Social of 2022, “High Tea on the Prairie and Historical Fashion Show” at the Baugh House, set for Jan. 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Society has some real pros when it comes to
One of the most vivid New Year’s memories from my childhood is of my father standing at the kitchen sink, eating leftover raw oysters right out of the container while my mother stirred the rest into the milk-based stew steaming on the stove. We always had oyster stew once a year on New Year’s Day,
