History in our own backyard

ROXBOROUGH STATE PARK 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
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Fifty years ago, Roxborough State Park became reality.  After several attempts to make the Roxborough area into a park, starting in about 1917, it finally came to be in 1975 when the State of Colorado was able to purchase the 500 acres of the Fountain Valley.  Since then, the park has grown to nearly 3,400 acres and hosts, on average, 150,000 visitors a year who are awed by its geological beauty and amazed by its wildlife, wildflowers and history.  We all treasure its tranquility.
The staff and volunteers at Roxborough State Park, supported by the Friends of Roxborough State Park, invite you to join them in a year-long celebration of what Roxborough was, is, and will be.  Look for events throughout the year, take advantage of limited-time merchandise to commemorate this special year, and visit the Park to see why it is one of the crown jewels of the Colorado State Park system.  For more information on the 50th Anniversary events and merchandise, visit these links:  Roxborough State Park and Friends of Roxborough.  When you visit the Park, look in the Visitors Center for Roxborough Story Banners that explain significant events in the history of the area and the Park.
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Make plans to join us at the Park for the Roxborough State Park 50th Anniversary Public Event on July 19 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  We will have display tables, games, hikes and presentations throughout the Park.  Be sure to check the Visitors Center for 50th Anniversary-related merchandise.

CALENDAR OF HISTORY-RELATED EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER

July 2025
  • 5, 12, 19 and 26 - Persse Place Open House, 9:30am to 12:30pm
  • 6 - History Table - The Long Expedition, 10:00am to 2:00pm - presented by Roger White, Ann Sarg and Tom Booth
  • 19 - 50th Anniversary Celebration Public Event, 10:00am to 4:00pm
  • 26 - History Table - Ute STEM Kit, 10:00am to 2:00pm - presented by Becky Healy and Karen Hurley

August 2025
  • 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30 - Persse Place Open House, 9:30am to 12:30pm
  • 23 - History Table - Homesteading and the Public Land Survey Systems, 10:00am to 2:00pm - presented by Mike Thomas and Stuart Gentry

September 2025
  • 6, 13,20 and 27 - Persse Place Open House, 9:30am to 12:30pm
  • 13 - History Table - Sundance Ranch, 10:00am to 2:00pm - presented by Mike Thomas and Susie Trumble
  • 20 - Geology Day, 10:00am to 2:00pm
  • 27 - History Table - Mountain Jeannie, 10:00am to 2:00pm - presented by Kevin Schaal and Mike Thomas

October 2025
  • 4, 11,18 and 25 - Persse Place Open House, 9:30am to 12:30pm
  • 18 - International Archaeology Day, 9:00am to 3:00pm
  • 25 - Homestead Hike of South Trails, 8:00am to 3:00pm, sign up on CPW Connect - led by Mike Thomas
  • 25 - History Table, Silicated Brick and the Silica Branch of the Colorado & Southern RR, 10:00am to 2:00pm - presented by Kevin Schaal and Bob Clagett.  Presentation at the kiln site.
  • 25 - Rox"Boo"rough Halloween Event
  • 26 - Homestead Hike of the Fountain Valley, 8:00am to 10:30am, sign up on CPW Connect - led by Mike Thomas
 July Event
Lehow Cemetery Walking Tour
Join the Roxborough Area Historical Society (RAHS) for an adventurous morning with our two local Cemetery Directors. Louise Walker from Lehow Cemetery and Becky Holm from Seven Stones Botanical Garden Cemetery.
We will start the morning at Lehow Cemetery, which is located near Kassler and Waterton Canyon, in southern Jefferson County. It is truly the epitome of an old country cemetery and a hidden gem that few people know about. Its interesting history dates back to the 1870s.

We will make our way back to Seven Stones Cemetery, the first new cemetery built in Douglas County in over 100 years, for a tour and Q&A Panel to learn about the rich history of Lehow, history-in-the-making of Seven Stones, and answers to these questions and more.
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How did Lehow Cemetery and Seven Stones Cemeteries get their names?  Why did people decide to put cemeteries in each location?  Who is buried there?  

We will meet at Lehow Cemetery at 10am      (Google to find it on a map.)

Lehow Cemetery Walking Tour
Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 10:00 AM

followed by

Seven Stones Chatfield Cemetery
9635 N Rampart Range Road
(under the orange shade sail)
​July 2, 2025 at 11:00 AM

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 Upcoming Events​

Public Celebration of Roxborough State Park 50th Anniversary, at Roxborough State Park, Saturday, July 19, 2025
Highline Canal  Presentation and Walk, September
​Cherokee Ranch Tour, October 15

Please email suggestions for events you would like RAHS to sponsor to:  [email protected]

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​Recent Events 

July 2, 2025 - Lehow Cemetery Tour and Guest Panel Presentation
March 9, 2025 - De la Tierra:Reflections of Place in the Upper Rio Grande at Colorado History Center
January 23, 2025 - Annual Meeting - Amache Japanese Internment Camp History​
November 14, 2024 - Slocum Cabin Presentation
October 26 and 27, 2024 - Homestead Hikes in Roxborough State Park
Thursday, September 26, 2024 - Highline Canal and Seven Stones​
Thursday, August 29, 2024 - History of Chatfield State Park​
Thursday, June 27, 2024 - Staunton Cabin Tour
​Thursday, January 25 , 2024- Annual Meeting
* Members Only Event


​Membership reminder:
Become a member of RAHS and you'll assist in bringing information about history in our own backyard to others. Please consider renewing your membership if you are already a member! Annual memberships begin on January 1 of each year and remain active until the following December 31. Individual annual memberships are $25, family annual memberships are $30, lifetime memberships are $200 (includes immediate family) and business/corporate annual memberships are $100.

 Roxborough Historama Map

In January 2021, a historama map created by Gladine Fritz Imes of the Roxborough Park area was installed at the Roxborough Park Community Center.

Ms. Imes served as a professor of art education at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming. In about 1960, the Imes family moved to Denver. We believe Ms. Imes became associated with Roxborough Park resident, Paul Jones and his exhibit firm, Condit Exhibits in the 1970s. Although it is undated, we believe it was during this period that Ms. Imes created the Roxborough Historama Map. There is speculation that the historama map may have been used in early Roxborough Park promotional materials. The Roxborough Historama Map became the property of Paul Jones and was gifted to the Roxborough Park Foundation by his wife, Patricia Jones in 2019.

Visit the historama map in its new location during regular Roxborough Park Community Center hours.

A Special Thank You

At the 2021 Annual Meeting the Roxborough Area Historical Society honored Chad Bergman with a lifetime membership in honor of his efforts on our behalf.

Douglas County Colorado ... Prehistory to 2020
​     "In the early 1990s, Douglas County, Colorado was the fastest growing county in the United States and by the early 2000s, its population had surpassed 350,000.  Douglas County was founded in 1861, when Colorado became a U.S. Territory.  In the 160 years since then, it went from being rural to suburban as cattle ranches and dairy farms were turned into subdivisions and shopping centers.  Throughout history, residents have coped with droughts, floods, depressions, and political change.  Over time some of its small historical towns grew large, while others resisted growth and stayed small.  New towns gobbled up open space, and increased traffic led to continuous new road construction.  But the most important part of the Douglas County story is its hardworking and forward-looking people who often argue about growth but still believe it is a beautiful place to live and raise their families.  This is their story."
     This history is the compilation of 24 writers, covering the County's six historic eras from the end of the Ice Age to 2020, and contains photographs, graphics and an extensive index.  The book is available for purchase on Amazon.com for $24.95.

Images of America: Roxborough
The Arcadia Publishing Company announced that the book Roxborough is here! The Roxborough Area Historical Society was chosen as the organization to launch the history book.
Longtime Roxborough Park residents and co-authors Flo Tonelli and Char Nauman spent months collecting information and images to recount Roxborough’s historical past. Both are founding members of the Roxborough Area Historical Society. 

ROXBOROUGH  receives Metro recognition. Char Nauman and Flo Tonelli’s book ROXBOROUGH was listed as a Denver POST’s Local Best Sellers in the August 21, 2016 edition. ROXBOROUGH placed third in the Paperback Nonfiction section. You can purchase Flo and Char’s popular book by emailing [email protected].