PCHS Newsletter November 2020

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Newsletter - November 2020

New and Improved Signs at

McGraw Memorial Park

Thanks to a grant from the Park County Historic Preservation Advisory Commission (PCPAC) we were able to purchase new signage for McGraw Memorial Park. Each sign is printed on aluminum and mounted on a powder coated aluminum post. They have a 10 year warrantee against cracking, peeling and fading.

There are 10 new signs, one for each of our structures, caboose, bridge, and the Maddox Ice Planer. In addition, there are signs at each entrance to the park and an additional sign on the Annex.

The benefit of the new signage goes far beyond the aesthetics of the displays. On several occasions we have witnessed families, often with "reading-age" children, taking the time to read the history presented in the narrative on the signs. Of course, that is the true benefit of the new signage....keeping Park County's history and heritage alive.

The signs were painstakingly installed by Jim Rittenhouse. If you have ever had to dig a post hole in our rock laden soil you can appreciate what a task it must have been. Thanks Jim!

Since the buildings at McGraw Memorial Park are only open on special occasions or by appointment, many of the new signage include interior photos of the collections. The sign for the Entriken Cabin is a good example of the design for each of the signs.

But, wait.....there is more "Sign News".

This is more than a simple sign. It represents a significant milestone for the Society.

For far too many years, our "Annex" was used for storage. We have made significant progress in making the building suitable for meetings and presentations.

We have moved many items to other buildings, put some items in storage, and for those items that have no historical value or usefulness, we have sold or disposed of them.

While we have accomplished a lot, there is much more to do. Currently, we are using the building for all our Board meetings. No longer will we have to rely on Community Churches, Fire Stations, and even private homes for our meetings. But, we want to go beyond that.

We want to make this building suitable to host future presentations. In preparation, we have considerable work and expense ahead of us. We still have a few large items to relocate, including a seldom used wood stove located right in the center of the room. Probably a good location if we ever used it for heat, hardly the best location for hosting a presentation.

Included in our plans to prepare the room for presentations are: audio and visual equipment including a large LED smart TV, laptop to support wireless connection to TV and speakers, chairs, small kitchenette, and provisions for historical displays. In addition, to make room for our records and artifacts, we will need additional filing and storage cabinets. While our goals are lofty, our funding is limited. That is where you come in.

We have changed our on-line donation feature to allow you to designate where you would like you donation to be applied.

This feature allows you specify an amount to be used for a specific purpose including: Annex Meeting Room, Landscaping, Way Station repair, Caboose Repair, or General Fund.

You may use your PayPal account or any major debit or credit card. You can also designate an automatic monthly donation. How easy is that?

Donate to Support PCHS

Way Station to be repaired

Thanks to a grant from the Park County Historic Preservation Advisory Commission (PCPAC) we are making plans to repair the Glen-Isle Way Station.

Glen Isle Way Station in its original location along the North Fork of the South Platte River. c. 1930s

Whenever possible, the historical structures at the Park are maintained by the Society using funds obtained by our membership, organized events, and donations. The routine maintenance that falls within our means typically includes minor repairs and painting.

We have maintained the Glen-Isle Way Station since its relocation from the Glen-Isle Lodge in 1994. Currently, the Way Station is in a critical state of structural failure and its rehabilitation is far beyond our financial or volunteer means to preserve the Way Station. Thanks for a the grant from PCHPAC we are in a position to restore the Way Station.

The project will include restoring the post and beam structure to plumb (currently listing several degrees). Once plumb the post will be stabilized by a means that preserves the historic appearance. Once stabilized, we plan to replace all bead board on the side skirts and soffit, We plan to remove and replace all facia. Once stabilized and repaired, we will paint the structure consistent with original colors.

This project is long overdue in part to our financial limitations. The current structural state of the Way Station represents a significant historical loss should it collapse and is a risk to our visitors who visit McGraw Memorial Park.

McGraw Memorial Park has become a significant resource for the community and visitors to Park County. In general, the Park provides the history and heritage of early settlers to the area. The signage recently funded by PCHPAC goes a long way in communicating that history and heritage to our visitors.

The Way Station, in addition to its historical value, provides a welcome resource for those visitors - both the local community and out of County visitors - a place to rest, have a picnic, or simply to enjoy a quiet respite along the North Fork of the South Platte River.

Unfortunately, the grant was received too late to take advantage of the summer construction season. However, the project will be high on our priority list next spring.

Maddox Ice Planer to be repaired

As you may know, Maddox Ice Company harvested ice from ponds located near the Platte Canyon High School. The ice was cut into blocks, loaded onto train cars and transported to Denver for sale to individuals and businesses.

From two lakes in the area of the present-day Platte Canyon High School athletic fields, the Maddox Ice Company shipped ice to Denver on the narrow gauge Colorado & Southern Railroad. In the 34-year span, the company seasonally employed 100 or more men to cut and move huge blocks of ice from the frozen lakes onto railroad cars at the Maddox Depot.

Each block was cut to the same exact size. The bottoms of the blocks, those that were on the underside of the lake, had to be trimmed and scraped smooth. That is where the "Ice Planer" came into play.

As the ice block moved along it passed thru the planer. Serrated cutters trimmed the ice to uniform thickness and cut grooves in the ice. It was necessary to trim the ice to uniform thickness to allow for uniform stacking in the railcars and warehouses. The grooves kept the ice blocks from freezing together.

The "Elevator Ice Planer" was patented by J.G. Bodenstein on May 24, 1904.

For years, the Maddox Ice Planer sat in an isolated section of the Park with no explanation of what it was and what it represented. The most common comment was "What the heck is that thing". That is about to change.

The Planer has been unassembled, the bent steel has been straightened, and with the generous help of Moore Lumber, the Planer has been moved to a new location.

New timbers have already been delivered. When spring arrives we will reassemble the planer on the new timbers. And, of course, new signage will answer the question; "What the heck is that thing?". More importantly, it will explain why it is an important reminder of the prosperous ice industry in Park County.

For more information on Maddox Ice Company:

Maddox Ice Company by Laura Van Dusen

Are you bored?

If so, boy do we have a job for you!. The pay is terrible, but the rewards are great.

We are fortunate to have a very collegiate Board of Directors that works well together. That said, there is always room for those that have a passion for history, has time for one Board meeting a month, and is willing to participate in special events.

To apply, all you have to do is contact our President, Linda Watson, and attend our next Board meeting.

We would love to have you join us!

Volunteers Needed.
Have a special talent, or no talent at all, we always have room for more volunteers. If you want to help, just contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Jim Glenn.

Website News

The "Resources" page of the PCHS website continues to grow. If you have articles, documents, or informative links to share, please let us know. This page is invaluable for those who want to learn more about the history and heritage of Park County.

Several new files have been added to the "Resource" section of the PCHS website including:

Article: Doin' Time in Fairplay
Article: Lininger Lake
Article: Remembering Ada B. Evans
Article: Leonhard Summers Safe
Article: Memories of Whistles and Smoke
Article: Zeblulon Pike 1806 Expedition
Article: The Hammonds and Benders
Article: The Hammonds Settle In
Document: History of Ranching in Park County
Links: Park County Local History Digital Archives

While the PCHS website is maintained by volunteers, there is an ongoing service provider expense. If you are in a position to help with this expense, consider a "restricted donation" to defray this ongoing cost of hosting our website.

Membership

Join or renew your PCHS membership now.

Aside from periodic fundraisers and donations, the primary source of our funding is our membership program. The funds raised are used to pay our utility expenses, maintain and supply our public restrooms, make repairs to our historic buildings, landscaping, trail maintenance, insurance, tax preparation, website, and fees to maintain our tax exempt status. Needless to say, the term "non-profit" applies to our organization in every way. We need your help.

There are several membership plans available to fit your needs. They are:

Student K-12
Senior Individual
Individual
Family
Lifetime

$5
$15
$20
$35

$250

You may join or renew on-line using your PayPal account or credit card.

Join or renew you membership on-line

Or, you may select your membership plan and make payment by check.

Join or renew your membership by check.

Or, if you are already a member and still want to help, you can always make a donation.

Donate to support the PCHS

Spotlight on a Piece of History

We are fortunate to be the recipient of so many donations of items that capture the history and heritage of Park County. Many of these donations are used to illustrate pioneer life in our historic buildings. Some, however, are tucked away and not completely appreciated for their historic value. This new section will make an effort to bring some of these "Pieces of History" to light.

This bench, currently stored in our meeting room (Annex), is from the Bailey Depot. Perhaps some of you recall the railroad Depot before it was torn down in 1974. And, perhaps, your parents may have sit on this very bench waiting for the train to take them to their destination.

The structure of the bench is reasonably sound. It just needs a good cleaning to reveal the patina. Perhaps, after a good cleaning, we may find some initials carved by a child who may have been bored waiting for the train to arrive. Can you imagine their excitement when it finally did?

So, for those who can't remember, where was the Depot located?

There are several photographs and maps that show the location of the Depot. But, first let's learn a little about the railroad.

The town must have been all a buzz with excitement when the DSP&PRR arrived in 1878. This photo shows what appears to the workmen tents, a boxcar on the rails and what we believe to be the Barnett Cabin, currently located adjacent to Bailey Propane.

The track lies adjacent to the river. For reference, the caboose in McGraw Memorial Park lies on the original bed of the track.

In this early image you can see the Kiowa Lodge, the first school in Bailey built by Joseph Barnett, the Bailey Country Store, and in the lower right corner, the railroad Depot.

The Depot was a classic design with a broad overhand to provide a little protection from the weather. It does not, however, have the bay window found on so many Depots.

Once the railroad stopped running in 1937, the Depot quickly secummed to the elements. This photo, c. 1971, clearly illustrates that it could have been saved. However, in just a few years it was to be torn down.

Today, while enjoying a glass of wine at the Aspen Peak Winery, listen carefully and you can almost hear the conversations between the passengers at the depot and the whistle of the approaching train coming down the tracks.

An interesting note: Originally, the stop was known as "Baileys". The government stepped in and degreed that the name could not be in the plural. So, "Bailey" was born. :-)

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Park County Historical Society
Box 43
Bailey, CO 80421

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Park County Historical Society · Box 43 · Bailey, CO 80421 · USA