Programs

DEVIL'S GULCH POETRY AND BICYCLE SOCIETY MET FRIDAY (Estes Park Trail Feb. 3 1933)

The earliest newspaper reference about the Glen Haven area was an 1871 article about the accidental shooting death of Charles Miller on the Miller Fork in what is now the RETREAT. The second was in 1911 when gold was discovered on the North Fork near Lost Lake. Until the Estes Park Trail was published in the early 1920s not much is known to have been published. Initially articles appeared in the Trail by unknown authors. Around 1927 a column entitled Glen Haven Gleanings began to appear, no author shown. Then in the 30's there was Glen Haven News, Devil's Gulch News, and starting in the 1940's local Glen Haven residents began reporting local activities.

The April program was "Checkered Tablecloth and Pie", the history of the "Horseshoe Cafe and Glencrofter Country Store" in Glen Haven.

Gerry and Jennie Batchelor opened the store Jan 1967 and the cafe the following June where originally stood the barn and home of Don Adams who ran the stables across the road. Unfortunately they burned to the ground Dec 26, 1991. Ironically the location will soon become the new location for the Glen Haven Fire Department's fire station.

Women played a major part of the history of Glen Haven - who where they? How about Bunnie, Dotty, Clara, Eva, Jessie, Deta and "Mom" and others. Was there a Mrs. Crosier, Piper, Knapp? All are now gone but they left their mark on us one way or another. Many of those new to Glen Haven may have heard about them but may not know how they left their mark.

Sybil Barnes talked about her recently published pictorial history of Estes Park and share stories of adventuring in Glen Haven while she was growing up. "So much of our history is contained in the stories that we tell each other," Barnes said. "I hope that the photographs I show will generate memories and discussion from the audience. Some are from the book and others are from private collections." Barnes will also share information about a quilt restoration project completed by conservator Terri Schindel. The quilt survived the Big Thompson Flood and is now in the collection of the Loveland Museum. "My friend Jody Magnuson gave us the tag line - If you shared more of your history, the past wouldn't be such a mystery. The creator of the quilt is unidentified at this point." With the recent wildfires, disaster preparedness is an issue, the program also touched on some aspects of saving historic objects.

Marcia Tavel of Glen Haven/Estes Park, was a camper in the early 50’s and a counselor in 1954-56. She led us on a short hike along West Creek and relive memories of the camp. Dotty Ferguson (Calico Kate) was instrumental in the camp’s establishment and in moving a building to it from the WW II POW camp near Greeley.

Tom Greenly will also relive the times he spent as a youth in a cabin in that area.

It was about a mile each way and follows West Creek and was an easy leisurely hike.

May 2010

Where is it? Who was Crosier? How do you get to the top? What is Garden Gate, Rainbow Pit, Bathtub Rock, Hubert’s Meadow, The Orchard, Sullivan Park, Long Gulch, Knapp‘s Knob? Was gold mined there? Who were some of its early inhabitants?

Is Glen Haven ready for its close-up? That is, if a documentary filmmaker like Ken Burns came to Glen Haven, would Glen Haven's history be camera-ready, or still in development? Join Estes Park History Rescue Project spokesman John Meissner for a look at the current state of Glen Haven's past, in terms of what is known, what locations have been scouted, and what remains to be done. The making of Glen Haven's history would require a cast of thousands and everyone today could have a major role. So make your cameo at the Glen Haven Town Hall on Tuesday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m. and help write the script. Do you know who owned your land before you ?

How often have you passed by a strange looking rock and wondered what it may be called? Do you know where The Roman Soldier is on the North Fork?

The Glen Haven community took the opportunity to express its appreciation to Steve Childs and his supportive family at an appreciation dinner at the Inn of Glen Haven at 6:30 PM on Friday, May 15.

Without Steve's leadership and the many hours he spent and meetings he attended to represent our community to the County commissioners, Glen Haven would have lost its identity. Our address would have been Estes Park 80517 or Drake 80515.

The history of some Glen Haven businesses was presented by Sonja McTeague. She grew up in Glen Haven in the 40’s and 50’s and well remembers the General Store, Homestead Lodge (now Inn of Glen Haven), Calico Kate's, and the Cook Shack.

Lord Dunraven’s Estes Park adventures are well known. What may not be known is that he built his private hunting lodge in Dunraven Glade to host his special English guests. It has been long rumored that he kept a supply of liquor handy and that it is still there. If true, it would be 124 years old. In 1966 Andy Fitzgerald and some Oklahoma students unearthed nearly 500 empty bottles – not here but on old Dunraven property on Fish Creek. Was that the fabled cache or since they were empty is it still hidden in the Glade?

John Meisner, Estes Park History Rescue Project spokesperson addressed these burning questions and distribute maps - but not tell you where to dig. Duke Sumonia, local historian thinks he knows where but he is not talking.

The GHAVFD was organized in 1964. According to Bunnie Batie in her “Glen Haven Memories”, the volunteers were not very active until 1966 when a terrible forest fire on Fox Creek made everyone realize more protection was needed.

David Nettles, Assistant, Division 1 Engineer, Colorado Division of Water Resources presented “Rain drops are falling on my head”.

What can you do or not due with that water, what is prior appropriation doctrine, who has water rights, how about the Retreat Water Augmentation Plan – why & what does it mean?

For over 125 years the Colorado Division of Water Resources has administered all of Colorado’s water rights according to the Appropriation Doctrine (in short, 1st in time, 1st in right). Most of this work is done by Division offices located in Colorado’s seven major river basins. These offices employ water commissioners to ensure the priority system is followed, enforcing the decrees and water laws of the state. The Colorado Ground Water Law of 1957 established the permitting requirement of ground water wells, and by 1969, surface and ground water rights were administered together. Whether water is used simply to drink from your household tap or to irrigate hundreds of acres of cropland, everyone in Colorado benefits from the orderly distribution and management of the state’s most precious resource.

First, Beulah Behrens shared her slides and what is was like in the early years in the Retreat, including the flood. Next was Kenneth Caulkins with his recollections of years at his father's cabin on CR43 and his grandmother's on Fox Creek. His family lineage includes several prominent people, including Senator Drake.

Sonja McTeague shared with us the series of articles her brother, W.G. Andrews "Bill", rescued from the original newspapers in Brockpoint, NY before the papers were to be discarded.

Jane Wallower graciously invited us to her mountain cabin to hear Sadie Campbell's story at the 100-year-old cabin that was Sadie's.

Gordon Nuttall shared a video with the history of the area that is now the Retreat, starting with the native Americans, through the homesteaders and early residents, and then the developers.

When Dinosaurs Trod and Buffalo
Roamed the Glen Haven Area.
(can you believe it was so?)

Rick Spowart, Colorado Division of Wildlife manager for the Glen Haven and Estes Park area, told us if that were so - along with some history of wildlife of our area. He explained that unless we learn to co-exist with them they are liable to be come as extinct as the dinosaur.

May 2008

This program was about the Colorado Big Thompson Project. How do you get water from the other side of the Continental Divide? What path does it take to Lake Estes and where does it go from there? It goes to places like Horsetooth, Pinewood (Rattlesnake) and Flat Iron Reservoirs, Carter Lake, Boulder, the pipe across the Big Thompson, many canals and ditches, and all the way to Greeley. Some drops may make it so far as the Mississippi and Gulf of Mexico. Have you ever wondered why the Big Thompson sometimes runs dry below Cedar Cove?

Some old and interesting maps. Glen Haven could have been in Nebraska. Have you climbed Far View Mountain?

What does SE1/4SW1/4S27T6N72W mean? What are metes and bounds? Remember Ordnance Act of 1787

Darrell Spangler, who lives on Storm Mountain, shared with us some of the beauties of that world as he sees it ranging from mountain vistas to area wildlife to the wonders of our skies and outer space. He first gained interest in photography at the age of 20 and has never lost his passion for the art. He is known locally for his outstanding nature photographs that can be found on area postcards and calendars and are often featured in local newspapers and television programs. Spangler is also known worldwide for his stunning astrophotography, with his images being used by prestigious organizations like NASA. A photo of comet Hale-Bopp taken in 1997 earned Spangler the honor of an international magazine cover. See his web site at www.darrellespangler.com .

Howard Pomranka, Gordon Nuttall, Vern Burch, and Duke Sumonia did drive up. Learn why even Howard said never again.

We were told that the uranium for the 1st atomic bomb came from Storm Mountain and that at one time there was a buffalo ranch there – only one is true.

Being a volunteer fireman is about as American as you can be. No pay, dangerous work, lots of time, always ready day or night. Why would anyone want to do that? Because they care and want to serve their neighbors and their community. Chief Steve Childs shared stories of its service and beginning.

Gordon Nuttall provided a hands-on demonstration on how to collect your photos (from digital camera or scanned from prints) on your computer, organize them, and then create reprints, photo albums, CDs, slide shows, and DVDs.

Society member Jane Wallower graciously invited us to visit her mountain cabin that was Sadie Campbell’s home from 1905-1955. All of us who have passed the cabin for many years have probably wondered what it was like inside. This was our chance.

After the Eastwood/Adams program at the Town Hall, we car pooled down the canyon to Jane’s/Sadie’s place for a visit, learn more about Sadie, and had refreshments. Jane’s mother, Jo Eastwood Adams, says she last visited with Sadie when Jo was 3 or 4 years old.

Glen Haven (originally Knappville) had its beginnings in 1896 when the Knapp family established their sawmill here. The Retreat started 1n 1971. So - they were the new kids on the block.
or were they ?
The first Knapp sawmill was on Miller Fork - in the Retreat area - in 1893. So - who really are the new kids - them or us?

This was a gathering of Old Timers, New Timers, and Part Timers to go through tons, gobs, and lots and lots of newspaper clippings, photographs and other things to sort and file in our history notebooks. We sat at tables and sorted them by subject and date and put them in the books. When an interesting one, is found, it is read aloud to all. An example would be "GH had a Bicycle and Poetry Society at one time." Some of the old timers ran across articles about themselves. At the same time we shared stories about our lives in Glen Haven.

The legendary Lord Dunraven came to the Glen Haven Town Hall on Tuesday, June 20.

The Right Honorable Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount Earl, of Adare Manor, County Limerick, Ireland (aka Kurtis Kelly of Estes Park) visited Glen Haven on Tuesday, June 20th. His last visit was in 1885. He died in 1926.

In 1872 he “discovered” the Estes Valley and right away decided he must have if for his own private hunting preserve. By the early 1880s he owned or controlled about 15,000 acres. Along with hunting and cattle ranching he soon discovered others enjoyed “his” valley. So, in 1877 he built the Estes Park Hotel, the first hotel in the valley. It was locally known as the English Hotel, catering to the well-to-do. An 1884 add in the Rocky Mountain News offered a special rate of $2.50 per day. It burned in 1911. He also had his private home built which is still standing on Fish Creek. To entertain his special English friends he built a hunting lodge in the Glen Haven area and always had a well-stocked liquor supply. Although the lodge no longer exists that supply may still be here.

Howard Pomranka, photographer and hiker, presented a slide show taking us to one abandoned sawmill site, two geologic curiosities, three "sky thrones", four abandoned habitations, and five summits that can be reached by trails which start in Glen Haven. He was raised in Colorado and spent summers in a cabin across Crosier Mountain. As a volunteer these last seven years he has cleared the trails he will depict.

Where: Glen Haven Bijou Theater
(sometimes known as the Community Building)

February 2006

On February 25 we sorted through lots and lots of material and put it in folders and scanned photos to scan into our computer data base.

December 2005

October 2005

The owners, Bill and Ann Jones, invited us to their place and presented the history of the Forks Hotel (1903) aka The Stage Stop and now The River Forks Inn.

August 2005

Our hike to Piper Meadow and the Anderson cabin was enjoyed by those who went up there. A few brave souls hiked up, Karen and Gordon, Jewell, and new member Wendy Ashenbach (Estes Park). Duke hiked down. The rest rode up with Howard Pomranka, Jane Wallower, David Tavel, Duke and Linda Medley.

August 2005

Rick Spowart – Colorado Department of Wildlife, talked about recent bear activities in the area and other wildlife stories.

July 2005

June 2005

Tom Greenly shared stories about his summers growing up in Glen Haven. He is the son of Earl "Shorty" Greenly, a Glen Haven legend of those days. Shorty was a wrangler in the National Park and in Glen Haven. Tom was in Glen Haven and at the McGraw Ranch.

May 2005

Howard Pomranka and Gordon Nuttall, both Forest Service Trail volunteers, presented a program “Hiking Around Glen Haven” including Crosier Mountain, Danner Pass, North Fork, Miller Fork, Indian Trail, West Creek and North Boundary trails.

April 2005

February 2005

Glen Haven Camps
The different camps that are or were in Glen Haven over the years.

Previous Programs and Activities

May 2010

May 2008

February 2006

On February 25 we sorted through lots and lots of material and put it in folders and scanned photos to scan into our computer data base.

December 2005

October 2005

August 2005

August 2005

July 2005

June 2005

May 2005

April 2005

February 2005