Spring/Summer 2016 Volume 43, Issue 1 JCHSColorado.org

W.P. Snyder. Following that, he served as archivist and director at several other museums in Ohio, before throwing caution to the winds and moving with no job to Boulder, Colorado, in 1992. Teaching history at the boys correctional facility in Golden and later at Red Rocks Community College were preludes to his arrival at Hiwan Homestead Museum in 1994.

John describes his job interview at Hiwan: “I knew it was going to be an off-beat job when one of the Busy Bee

Continued on page 4.

In this Issue:John Steinle Retires 1

President’s Pen 2

Medlen School Days 3

Officers of the JCHS 3

Upcoming Events 5

Pioneer Palooza Canceled 5

Hiwan Book Club 5

Hiwan Homestead Historian RetiresBy Pat Jurgens

John Steinle, Administrator of Hiwan Homestead Museum for 21 ½ years, will retire on April 30, 2016. As we sit in his office at historic Eric’s house, surrounded by local history files, boxes of letters, oral history tapes, books, old photographs and other reminders of the past, it is clear that the “head honcho” of Evergreen’s foremost museum is deeply immersed in his subject. Raised in Hamilton, Ohio, John developed an early love of history encouraged by his parents on visits to historic places such as Williamsburg, Gettysburg, and Jamestown. He first experienced Colorado on a family auto trip west when he was eight years old; it made a strong impression. He was schooled in fine & commercial arts and worked early-on as a designer at Gibson Greeting Cards. But history lured him and by 1976 he was involved with a Revolutionary War re-enactment group, appearing in Bi-Centennial parades in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, and other places. He made many friends in the museum field and found a calling, completing a Master’s degree in Museum and Archival Management in 1980. His first position was an internship at the Ohio River Museum, where oddly enough he lived on board the towboat

I am expecting my daughter and her family to arrive from London next week and thus, I need to get this prepared. Of course, we still have a bit of snow in the yard, but it is indeed the first day of Spring.

The Alternative Gift Fair was again a wonderful success for the Society. We brought in well over a $1,000 this year. Our featured books again sold so well. The reprinted “Upper Side of the Pie Crust” was done just in time and we had a new book by Leslie Poling-Kempes, “Ladies of the Canyons”. Leslie will be the featured speaker at our history series on April 29th and will take place at 10:30 at the Timbervale Barn, just up the road from the Hiwan Museum. It is an incredible piece of research.

We had a coming out party for the reprinted “Upper Side of the Pie Crust” on January 23rd. Board members, Pat Goben, Susan Grannell, Elaine Hayden, and myself prepared homemade pies for the occasion. I must admit it is the first time I made a pie crust from scratch and it was my son’s recipe. Bud Weare shared his wonderful talents as a speaker about his life growing up in early Evergreen.

Between October and March, we have had several meetings with Open Space focusing on the future of the Hiwan Homestead Museum. Our last two meetings have gone very well with Open Space committing to the continued support of the Hiwan Museum buildings, programs, as well as providing a pool of Open Space talents for future endeavors. There have been several changes in the staffing of the museum. As you well know, John Steinle is retiring in April and Meghan Vickers will now be the Hiwan Homestead Coordinator. Andy Spencer will be taking a position with Park County. We certainly appreciate all the

fine work Andy has done for the education programs at the Hiwan Homestead Museum.

On February 29th, Tom Hayden, the husband of Elaine Hayden passed away. All of our sympathy is with Elaine and her family. The Celebration of Life event was incredibly beautiful and heart wrenching. Elaine has recently shared with me that she wants to continue as President elect of the Society and will be voted on as President at the annual Membership Brunch at the Lariat Lodge on June 12.

Jan Murphy, the Society’s historian, presented a humorous program on how she was able to get her books published at the Membership Winter Gala, March 6. Jan has had two great books published in the past few years and one of them is in the second publication. Her two books, “Outlaw Tales of Colorado’ and “Mysteries and Legends of Colorado” are both available at the Hiwan Homestead Museum.

Christine Bradley gave an extremely informative program on “The Gold Rush and Toll Roads” in Jefferson County and Clear Creek County. She actually presented many more topics concerning the development of roads in our mountain counties and the advancement to full fledged automobile roads. We had 48 attendees and all enjoyed themselves. I think we were able to get such a great turn out due to Candy Porter’s terrific work with free printed advertising as well as social media. Thank you Candy you did an awesome job.

Leslie Poling-Kempes will be presenting her wonderful book, “Ladies of the Canyons” on April 29th at 10:30 at the Timbervale Barn.

The 33rd edition of the “Spring Fling” honoring our wonderful volunteers will be held 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM at the Hiwan Homestead Museum. Food will be provided by Fast Tracks Catering and Gwenn Wilson’s OMG ice cream. You will be receiving an invitation by e-mail. Please be sure to RSVP.

In June, the Medlen School program begins for three weeks on May 31-June 16. This program is held for 3 days for 3 seasons. JoAnn Dunn is currently taking registrations via our website JCHSColorado.org. The sessions are filling up quickly. Please refer to this newsletter for further information.

Also in June is the wonderful Pioneerpalooza program taking place on the week of June 13. Please refer to the JCHS website for registration. Please refer to this newsletter for additional information.

The Annual Membership Brunch will take place on June 12th at a new venue in town the Lariat Lodge. It is a brew pub with great food. We will also be voting on our board members and the bylaws at this time. The cost will be $20 and bit more than it has been due to the inclusion of taxes and gratuity, which I failed to include the last time. It will be a lunch this time with a homemade custard hot fudge sundae. Be looking in the mail for your invitation.

The Annual Peach Sale: Yes, we will be having our Western Slope peaches delivered in the early part of August. I will be sending out post cards to all who have previously ordered.

Membership Renewals: Please find enclosed in this newsletter your membership renewal request and envelope. Please send your renewals in by July 1, 2016.

REFLECTIONS: President’s PenBy Diane Fuchs

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Jefferson County Historical Society2015-2016 Officers

President Diane FuchsVice President Elaine HaydenRecording Secretary Juanita WeareTreasurer Hank FuchsCorresponding Secretary Pat JurgensHistorian Jan MurphyPast President Joan BallMembership Pat Gobin

DIRECTORS AT LARGEDirector JoAnn DunnDirector Susan GrannellDirector Max LankstonDirector Dan MetzlerDirector Bud Weare

NON-BOARD POSITIONSBook Sales ChairCarl JurgenWebmaster Jermey GobenCommunications Chair Richard GobenNewsletter Editor Laurie Romberg

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MEDLEN SCHOOL DAYSBy Jo Ann Dunn

Medlen School is a historic property owned by the Jefferson County Historical Society. It is located on South Turkey Creek about half way between the Meyer Ranch Open Space Park and Tiny Town. It was constructed in about 1886 at the height of farming, ranching and lumbering activity in southern Jefferson County. It served as a schoolhouse until 1953 when it became a community center. Restoration, funded by JCHS and a grant from the State Historic Fund, was completed in 1999. JCHS members also contributed many hours of labor to the project. On April 14, 2015 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This year will mark the 18th year of Medlen School Days. Children who have completed at least grade 1 and up through grade 5 can have an authentic experience of school days in the past. Students read from McGuffey readers, write with pen and ink, take part in a spelling bee, perform a part in a play, make hand churned ice cream, make lemonade with real lemons and participate in other authentic activities of early Colorado rural children. We even have a 38 star flag, which is the type that the school would have had when it opened in 1886. There are three three-day sessions: May 31-June2, June 7-9, and June 14-16 from 9 to 12 am, and the cost is $30. Registration forms are available at the Hiwan Homestead museum, the Evergreen Public Library as well as the mountain elementary schools. Forms can also be downloaded on the JCHS web site (www.jchscolorado.org). For more information you may call Jo Ann Dunn, program coordinator, at 303-674-1695.

THERE ARE STILL A FEW SPACES LEFT FOR THIS YEAR’S PROGRAM!

quilters walked through the dining room in the middle of the interview and told me I needed to fix (several items) in the house… and I hadn’t even gotten the job yet!” Once hired, John’s love of enactment took a different turn as part of the Nature Center’s Haunted Halloween Trail program. He was suited-up in a bear costume and sat in a dumpster, to teach people not to feed wild animals.

Anyone who has heard John talk about Evergreen and Colorado knows that he is a compendium of local history. Over the years he has given presentations and portrayed historic individuals, such as Senator Henry Teller, Gov. John Evans, Judge Ben Lindsey, and Charles Dickens. How did he come by all this knowledge? He says, “All kinds of information come in from unexpected sources.” He sought out and talked to the old timers—Hank Alderfer, Tom Hayden, Walt Anderson, Herb Wallower, Eve Jolivette, Joan Landy, Barbara Kirchner, and countless others. An avid historian, he was also able to tap into the lives of early area residents through ongoing research. He likes to reveal historical information to people about their own backyard, and revels in telling anecdotes and stories that are unknown and surprising. And he can amuse an audience using different accents and speech intonations.

Asked what he is proudest of during his time at Hiwan Homestead Museum, he cites these events: World War II Exhibit, Hopi Tiles Exhibit, Civil War Exhibit, annual Fine Arts Festival, and Movies in the Grove. One of the most memorable and emotional was the 100th Anniversary Memorial Service for Pres. McKinley, which took place two days after the 9-11 terrorist attack. John has also been active in historic activities throughout the state, instrumental in inclusion of Hiwan Homestead on the

John Steinle continued from page 1

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Lariat Loop National Scenic Byway, key in gathering the history of Jeffco Open Space Parks and heading up the Historic Sites Management Plan. At the same time he has been the “go to” man for emergencies. One New Year’s Eve he got a call from the boiler technician that the temp inside the museum was a chilling 35 degrees. That night, as countless other times in a 10 yr. struggle with the HVAC system, he was at Hiwan Homestead until 3 a.m. bringing in the New Year.

What has he enjoyed about the job? Working with JCHS and the volunteers, local folks who were big supporters like John Ellis, Barbara & Gene Sternberg, Walt Anderson, Ross Grimes, and Steve Sumner. People who “have joined the feathered choir:” Mary Woodall, Freddie Lincoln, Jackie Dadmun, Eleanor Timmerman, and now Tom Hayden. John has always answered his own phone, graciously met unexpected visitors at the door, led hundreds of

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Attention all members of JCHS!Andy Spencer, our wonderful education coordinator, has just accepted a new job position with Park County and will be leaving on April 18th. Thus, due to limited volunteers and personnel to carry out such an involved program; JCHS will not be sponsoring the Pioneer Palooza program this summer of 2016. We will again revisit the opportunity of providing this program next summer.

Diane FuchsPresident JCHS

Hiwan Book ClubMeets the 4th Wednesday of every month in Eric’s House at 12:30All are welcome

April 27: “Molokai’i” by Alan Brenner

May 25: “The Worst Hard Times” by Timothy Egan

June 22: “Lady and the Unicorn” by Tracy Chevalier

July 27: “The Boys in the Boat” by David Brown

August 24: “Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf

Hiwan Homestead tours and trained tour guides himself. He has inhabited the museum personally, with his jokes and little-known trivia of times past and has become part of its fabric. He will be greatly missed. How would he like to be remembered? “Generous with knowledge, eager to share it and make people aware of their history.” With his anecdotes and stories, John has made Evergreen area history familiar and personal. He is dedicated to the importance of history in people’s lives today and leaves with these heartfelt thoughts: “The people who lived here, the things that happened here somehow entered into the place. Hiwan Homestead has a spirit… a soul that needs to be kept alive.”

Author Pat Jurgens is a Hiwan Tour Guide and Corresponding Secretary of JCHS Board.

UPCOMING EVENTS:March-July : Exhibit on Ranches of Jefferson County

April 29: Leslie Poling-Kempes noted author of “Ladies of the Canyons” April 29 at 10:30 at the Timbervale Barn.

May 2: Spring Fling: Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon at the Hiwan Homestead

May 31: June 16: Medlen School THERE ARE STILL A FEW SPACES LEFT FOR THIS YEAR’S PROGRAM!

June 12: Membership Brunch at the Lariat Lodge 11-1

August 5: Possible Peach Delivery:

August 27: History Lecture, TBA

September-December: Exhibit on Chief Colorow and the Utes in Jefferson County

September 17: History Lecture, TBA

September 24: Quilt Show

November 12-13: Alternative Gift Fair

“Ladies of the Canyons and Their Adventure” A true story of women who journeyed into the rugged outback of the South-west. Join us on April 29th at 10:30 at the Timbervale Barn above the Hiwan Homestead Museum for a review by award winning author, Lesley Poling-Kempes.

P.O Box 703Evergreen, CO 80437

The Record is published two times per year by the Jefferson County Historical Society. Deadline for the Spring/Summer 2016 issue is April 1. Email your submissions to Laurie Romberg at laurie@rombergdesignsplus.com.

For More InformationFor more information about the Jefferson County Historical Society or Events happening at Hiwan Homestead Museum go to

www.jchscolorado.org