HIGHLANDS RANCH —Opulent inside and out, the historic Highlands Ranch Mansion had a humble beginning that is hard to spot at first glance. The first permanent structure there, now built into the much larger and more modern house, was a simple farmhouse, occupied by homesteader .
His name for the farm, Rotherwood, was discovered carved into the stone over the original front door when the between 2010 and 2012, officials said.
“That was one of the most exciting things we uncovered here,” said Susan Appleby, a former mansion volunteer and published historical author who now works as the facility’s administrative and volunteer coordinator. “Here’s the thing about the mansion: It’s full of mystery. We’re still piecing together a lot of the history.”
After a string of colorful private owners, the mansion was donated to the Highlands Ranch Metro District, which now operates it as a museum and event space. Appleby and others lead free of the structure between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. most Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on select Monday evenings.
It is one of many historical sites that dot Douglas County, and the tours and open hours are among the many educational opportunities highlighted by Historic Douglas County Inc.
Residents have shown strong support for preserving Douglas County’s heritage over the years. In a 2006 survey, 83 percent of local respondents agreed the county had a legacy worth preserving, county officials said.
“Our collective investment in, and our community’s support of historic preservation is a testimony to the value we place on our heritage,” county commissioner Roger Partridge wrote in an e-mail.
The nonprofit Historic Douglas County was incorporated in 2009 after the Douglas County Historic Preservation Board reached out to members of local historical societies to see if some might like to start an organization that could raise some money and tie together and promote historical programming across the county, said founding member and president Jim Weglarz.
Its success since then may best be measured in clicks. Historic Douglas County’s website, , brings in 45,000 hits per month, said organization vice president Larry Schlupp.
“We wanted to become the one-stop shop for people wanting to know what’s going on in Douglas County,” Schlupp said.
The site provides visitors with links to suggested reading materials, info on available Historic Douglas County-prepared educational programs and historical character re-enactments that Schlupp, Weglarz and their colleagues offer at area schools.
The calendar this month highlights events including tonight’s ” ” event at the Roxborough Park Community Center, 6237 Roxborough Drive, at 7 p.m.
There, Weglarz and Schlupp will talk about a five-year program Historic Douglas County launched this year: a loaded with a book’s worth of information. When combined, the five calendars will tell the area’s story from the end of the last ice age to modern times.
Historic Douglas County, self-funded through sponsorships and other efforts, works with and promotes events for historical societies from Burlington to Palmer Lake.
Mark Stevenson is a docent at the Highlands Ranch Mansion and member of the . The society will host a president of the developer of the original Highlands Ranch.
Stevenson said: “I look to (Historic Douglas County) as a repository for what everyone in the county is doing, and I look to them for ideas.”
Joe Rubino: 303-954-2953 or jrubino@denverpost.com
Historic douglas county inc.
Info:
Next up: To learn more or RSVP for Jim Toepfer’s talk at the Highlands Ranch Mansion on Monday, call 641-715-3900, ext. 147406#.
