Symposium Success at Ken-Caryl

Saturday’s symposium at the Ken-Caryl Ranch House was a hit with about 50 participants. Keynote speaker Diane Wray Tomasso jolted her audience into a modern reality with the challenge of saving prime examples of late-20th century architecture in Jefferson Co. Her convincing presentation of the importance of modern buildings and the threats they face showed us the potential losses ahead.

An excellent roundtable discussion featured Diane Tomasso with Chris Pacetti (KCRHS), Kim Grant (Arvada), Diane Lange and Matt Poitra (LMHG)

Thanks to our hosts at the Ken-Caryl Ranch Historical Society for a wonderful day.

Here are a few photos of the event. More information later!

JCHC Chair Rose Lewis welcomed symposium attendees.

Hosts from the Ken-Caryl Ranch Historical Society provided local information for participants.


Frank and Pat Weed, of Buffalo Creek, examine the display of County Landmark properties.

Deborah Andrews, chair of the Historic Preservation Committee, chats with Matt Poitra and Diane Lange, who are working to create a Lookout Mountain historical group.

Symposium registration due April 27

Be sure to get your registration in this week for the May 5th symposium, to be hosted by Ken-Caryl Ranch Historical Society. This event is an annual highlight for historians county-wide. Visit our symposium page for more details or download the flyer here.

See you there!

Time Capsule 2061

A grand event, burial of a Jefferson County time capsule, took place on Friday, April 13, 2012. A small crowd gathered for this historic event, to watch this “message to the future” be securely buried for rediscovery in 2061, the county’s bicentennial year.

A crowd was present for the historic burial of the Jefferson County time capsule April 13th.

County Commissioners and JCHC members help bury the county's latest time capsule.

Performing the honors under the watchful eye of "Thomas Jefferson" are (left to right) Commissioner Don Rosier, Historical Commission Chair Rose Lewis, Commissioner Faye Griffin, JCHC member Mary Lindsey, and Commissioner John Odom. Other JCHC members, county staff, and members of the public were present.

Attendees enjoyed cake and refreshments in the Courts and Administration Building after the ceremony.

All photos are courtesy of the Jefferson County Public Information Office.

Specially enclosed and packaged for safekeeping, time capsule contents reflect Jefferson County today.

Capsule contents were donated by historical societies and other groups across the county, and represent Jefferson County in 2011, at the close of the county’s 150 anniversary celebration. The time capsule is of special construction, resistant to deterioration over time, and is registered with a time capsule registry. Contents were collected and prepared in protective packaging by County Archivist Ronda Frazier.

This event strikes a final chord to the county’s 3-year sesquicentennial celebration. Next up: the Bicentennial in 2061! Those under 50 should plan to attend!

Time Capsule Event

On April 13th, Thomas Jefferson’s birthday, the County Commissioners and the Historical Commission will celebrate the burial of the Sesquicentennial time capsule. Mementos of 2011 provided by historical socieites county-wide will be buried for retrieval in 2061, the county’s bicentennial year!

Join us April 13th at 2:30 p.m. in the Atrium at the Jefferson County Courts and Administration Building. Refreshments follow the ceremony.

Download the Time Capsule flyer!

Don’t forget! Abstracts due March 1

Abstracts of about 200 words are due March 1 for papers to be considered for the upcoming Historic Preservation Symposium May 5th. Papers, which may also be published in the 2012 issue of Historically Jeffco, are due May 1st. If authors are eligible, papers may be submitted for the annual Writers’ Award Contest.

Read more about the 2012 Symposium

Download Flyer: Symposium Call for Papers.

What a great party!

Cynthia Shaw-McLaughlin and Rose Lewis of JCHC with Linda McSherry and Commissioner Faye Griffin

Kudos to the Sesquicentennial committee, the County Commissioners and all the county staff who assisted so much, and the historical societies who provided fascinating displays of county history. And special thanks to all who participated and attended, making the culmination of this three-year celebration very special.

Everyone’s efforts certainly paid off handsomely—who would have thought more than 500 people would get together in honor of our county’s history! Please visit our Photo Gallery to see more pictures from this terrific event.

What’s up next for county-wide history? Please see our annual Symposium, coming in May 2012.

2012 Symposium: Call for Papers

“Becoming Historic Jefferson County:
The Cold War, Baby Boom, and Suburbia”

Deadline for Abstracts: March 1, 2012
Papers due May 1st!

The Jefferson County Historical Commission is seeking submissions for our 2012 Historic Preservation Symposium and our magazine, Historically Jeffco. Abstracts of approximately 200 words are due March 1st; papers are due May 1st. In 2011 the County celebrated 150 years since its establishment along with that of Colorado Territory. In 2012 we are inquiring into the most recent, living, history and the decades that significantly changed our County. Details on the event will be posted at the 2012 Symposium page as soon as they are available.

The Rockies cast their spell on the servicemen and women who had passed through Denver during World War II. They returned to settle in the small towns, on the farms and ranches, and in the burgeoning suburbs surrounding the city. Some of the potential topics that may be examined include, but are not limited to:

• Architectural achievement since 1945. This includes those works that are coming up on the 50-year threshold for consideration as “historic”
• Development of infrastructure (highway system, water works, utilities)
• Educational changes
• Political changes (incorporation of new cities and resistance to annexation)
• New industries including federal government research and administration centers
• Social changes

The papers must specifically address Jefferson County, Colorado, in the period between 1945 and the present. Selected submissions may be presented at our annual historic preservation symposium on May 5, 2012, and/or published in our magazine or website at the end of the year. Qualified authors are also eligible for our annual Writers’ Award.