colorado statesman dec 27, 2013

B ★ THE COLORADO STATESMAN’S SPECIAL SECTION ★ DEC. 27, 2013

Governor’s ResidencePRESERVATION FUND

2ND CENTURY CELEBRATION“Preserving Colorado’s Home ~ Promoting Colorado’s History”


PRESERVING COLORADO’S HOME

Former Governors join Hickenlooper at the Mansion

Four Colorado Governorspose for a photo at the

2nd Century Celebration of“Colorado’s Home” on

Nov. 1: Former GovernorsBill Ritter, Democrat, 2007-

2011, and Bill Owens,Republican, 1999-2007;

Gov. John Hickenlooper,Democrat, 2011-present;

and former Gov. RoyRomer, 1987-1999. Former

Dick Lamm, Democrat,who served as Governor

from 1975-1987, was out ofthe country at the time of

this event.

Colorado TreasurerWalker Stapleton, left,

and Senate MinorityLeader Bill Cadman,

R-Colo. Springs, smilefor the camera at the

2nd Century Celebra-tion sponsored by theGovernor’s Residence

Preservation Fund.

PHOTO BY PAM CRESS

Former First LadyBea Romer chatswith Nicole Bopp,executive assistantat the Governor’sResidence Preser-vation Fund, duringthe 2nd CenturyCelebration Nov. 1.

STORY/PHOTOS BY JODY HOPE STROGOFFTHE COLORADO STATESMAN

It was a generational revival at theGovernor’s Mansion on Nov. 1 when fourformer and current governors, and theirfamilies, gathered to celebrate the statelyExecutive Residence at East Eighth Avenueand Logan Street in Denver. Political historywas on display as members of Colorado’sgubernatorial royalty from over the yearsreturned to the mansion for the 2nd CenturyCelebration, an effort to raise money for the

Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund.Bob McNichols, whose father, Gov. Steve

McNichols, was the first to occupy themansion, represented the 1960s era on thisfestive evening, with 11-year-old TeddyHickenlooper, son of Colorado’s currentgovernor, serving as a more modern dayexamplar. Interspersed throughout thecrowd of about 200 were other familymembers and the governors themselves: RoyRomer, Bill Owens, Bill Ritter, and of coursecurrent Gov. John Hickenlooper, swappingstories about their tenures at the mansion

and encouraging guests to help preserve thehistoric building, which was built in 1908,taken over by the state in 1960, and offi-cially called the Executive Residence at theBoettcher Mansion ever since.

“Every First Family who has lived in thishome since 1960 when the Boettcher Foun-dation graciously gave the home to the Stateof Colorado is represented here thisevening,” said Cindy Starks, executivedirector of the GRPF.

“And it’s for a wonderful cause. Our jobis to preserve this home for the people of

Colorado and to open the doors to thepeople of Colorado,” Starks explained.

“We see about 3,000 to 5,000 elemen-tary school children here for standard-based Colorado history, and we alsowelcome another 25,000 people for eventsand fundraising events. It works hard for theState of Colorado.”

The Residence is also used to showcasethe state’s rich cultural and civic heritage.

“You’ll hear many of our governors say,

Continued on

The historic Colorado Governor’s Mansion in the Fall.

The Colorado Governor’s Residence beganas a landmark private home, was transformed into a display of old-world elegance and remains one of the West’s truetreasure houses as it approaches its secondcentury. Part executive residence, partrepository of museum-quality furnishingsand objects d’art, the house is a meetingplace for the past and the future.

‘You know, I made that deal in the PalmRoom,’” Starks related.

The governors shared their own personalanecdotes and historical tidbits with theguests — many of them contributors andsponsors of the GRPF — but top billing forthe successful event went to the former FirstLadies and Starks.

Frances Owens spearheaded the effort torestore the Residence during the Owensadministrations by raising private funds forthe lower gardens and for keeping theCarriage House from being demolished. FirstLady Jeannie Ritter kept the efforts going byestablishing the non-profit Governor’s Resi-dence Preservation Fund, which hascompleted about $500,000 in upgrades andadditions to the home since 2008.

“I had a committee of women that alljoined together to raise money for the offi-cial china that we’ll be eating on thisevening,” Frances Owens pointed out beforesome of the guests moved to the CarriageHouse for a special six-course dinnerprepared by well known local chefs.

“And I’m just grateful that when Jeannieand Bill came in, Jeannie was willing andable to then start the preservation fund,because this house gets very, very littlemoney from the state,” Owens added. “It’sColorado’s home but we as Coloradansneed to support this home.”

Many of the improvements were ondisplay that night. The well-attended recep-tion, for instance, was held in the grandwhite marbled Palm Room on the first floorof the Residence. When Gov. Romer arrivedthat night, he noticed that the large fountainwhich used to be situated in the celebratedvenue during his administration was nolonger there, and he wondered aloud aboutits absence. Gov. Owens, during his remarksthat evening, provided a clue.

“Frances will remember well that foun-tain that sat right here, and frankly, it ruinedthe whole room,” Owens explained as hetalked about the monstrous water fixturewhich used to occupy the middle of thePalm Room.

“So one of the first things that we didwas we said, ‘We want to move the foun-tain, we want to put it in the basement,’ andsome of the folks who have an ownershipinterest in the Boettcher Foundation said,‘No, you can’t, it’s permanent, you can’tmove it.’

“And I said, ‘I’m the governor, I can

move it!” The evening was full of other memories,

as well. When Governor Romer was inoffice, for instance, Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsinand Romer had a big laugh when they hadto rent a carpet because the other carpet inthe Residence was so faded.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock recalledhearing about how Gov. Romer brought theteachers who were on strike to the Mansionand telling them that they wouldn’t be ableto leave until they figured out a solution.

“We sold our house when we were

elected and this was our home,” Romerrecalled. The fact that these furnishingssurvived my family! But I want to say some-thing serious, if I can... the word ‘home’ isreally on my mind. And a home is a veryimportant symbol for all of us; it’s family, itroots a whole lot of our values. This is aColorado home and I want us to think notjust of a governor’s mansion or governor’shouse, but a home, because it’s what weneed in these days to pull us together. I’mtremendously worried about our societyfragmenting in a way that we can’t get the

life we want to live, and a home is a veryimportant thing and that’s what we’re cele-brating tonight.”

Gov. Owens also shared some of hisrecollections of the Residence.

“As some of the earlier speakers havementioned, this really is the people’s home,this is where we introduce Colorado to theworld, is through these halls and in this verybuilding. And I’m so proud of what the firstladies have done and so many of you have

PAGE 3B ★ THE COLORADO STATESMAN’S SPECIAL SECTION ★ DEC. 27, 2013


...Colorado’s First Ladies lead the effort to preserve the Residence

Jerry and Sharon Linhart and Debbie Jessup and Tim Schultz enjoy the reception at theGovernor’s Residence.

Bob McNichols, left, Judi Gervasini, Steve Johnson and Jane McNichols at the Executive Residence on Nov. 1. PHOTO BY PAM CRESS

Charlie Monfort, co-ownerof the Colorado Rockies,Roxane White, chief ofstaff to Gov. John Hicken-looper, and former Gov. BillOwens enjoy the festivitiesof the evening.

Continued from Page 2

Continued on

A Celebration of Premier Colorado Wines was held atthe Residnece’s gardens to benefit the GRPF in 2011.

The Viki and Jack Thompson Gardens at theGovernor’s Residence are maintained primarilyby volunteers. The rose beds are wateredthrough an underground cable system and asprinkler system serves roses surrounding thefountain. Fabric weed barriers topped with barkmulch surround the roses, which are all hardyvarieties. There have been many special eventsheld in the lovely gardens over the years.



...Teddy Hickenlooper joins dad in reminiscing about the Mansion

Cyndy EverettMarsh, Joe Blake

and Tom Marshare among the

guests at the wellattended event.

Above, Ed Nichols, president of History Colorado, chats with BernieBuescher, the immediate past chair of the Governor’s ResidencePreservation Fund.

Left, former Gov. Roy Romer greets Deputy Attorney General CynthiaCoffman as her husband, U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-CD 6, looks on.

done to help make this so special,” Owenssaid.

“I'll never forget when Roy and Beashowed Frances and myself through yourhome, which has since become our home.Our kids are here tonight. Monica, who hashelped organize this event, Mark and Brettboth grew up in this home, I’ve got sistershere tonight, Owens continued.

“When we were taking over [the Resi-dence] we were talking to our friend,General Andy Love. Andy had been ateenager in this house and I’m afraid that hetold our son, Mark, the secret on how to getout of the second floor!”

Gov. Ritter added his own personalmemories of the Residence.

“This is a very special place, for a lot ofreasons for me. This is where GovernorRomer interviewed me and then appointedme to the District Attorney of Denver,” Ritter

recalled. “Jeannie and I really moved into this

understanding the sense of history that wasalready here... Bob McNichols is here and Ithink Bob is the person who probably livedhere the longest ago. Thank you for beinghere and for your family taking it over,”Ritter said.

“But if you have children and you livehere, you live in trepidation,” Ritter admitted.

“It was like the Denver Post and RockyMountain News can say anything aboutyou, but you were constantly worried aboutyour kids... and so I’m in Washington D.C.and I’m testifying for a Senate committeeand it was not an easy go... there weresome tough questions, and I came out andmy communication rep said, ‘You won’tbelieve this.’ My son was of legal age butthey had a picture of him downstairsdrinking out of the hose of a keg... theRocky Mountain News and the Denver Postreporter didn’t understand how you clear

the foam out of the keg. I appreciatedhaving to explain whether the governor’sresidence was being turned into a frathouse,” Ritter good naturedly lamented.

Even young Teddy Hickenlooper got intothe reminiscing act. “I remember when dadwas elected governor and we were...thinking whether we could live here or not,”the budding politician began.

“I had three concerns about the place... Iwas… What was I, seven? Eight, maybe eight.Yeah, eight, just eight. I thought, numberone, too big. Number two, too fancy, andnumber three, as the previous governors havesaid, I might break something.”

“We all have our memories here and Iremember the first year I was governor rightbefore Christmas, right before the holidayswe had an event, which we do every year,for the families of National Guard membersthat are overseas,” Hickenlooper relatedwhen it was his turn.

“... That event is so moving and there are

children, there are spouses and the guardsare not here or in a number of cases theguards are women so we have a husbandand a couple of kids. And we have gifts forthem in front of the tree, again the volunteerwork that decorates this place for Christmas,I'm sure you’ve all seen it, it’s one of themost beautiful buildings on earth. And tosee the families of our military personnelembraced and surrounded by gifts and pres-ents and warmth in the holidays when theirspouses aren’t there, was one of thewarmest things and most touching thingsI’ve ever experienced.

“And again, we’ve all got our memories.You’ve all got your memories. Thank you formaking sure we have the investments tokeep those memories in a place that reallyis as beautiful and well kept up as itdeserves,” Colorado’s 42nd governorconcluded.

— [email protected]


Christine Woolsey,chief communica-tions & marketingofficer at SCLHealth System,and MollyBroeren, secretaryof the Governor’sResidence Preser-vation Fund, areall smiles.

Gov. Steve McNichols and his family.

“We entertained a number of national leaders, includingPresident and Mrs. Harry S. Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt,President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower, President andMrs. John F. Kennedy, Robert and Edward Kennedy, andtheir families, President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson,Adlai Stevenson, Stewart Udall, Vice President and Mrs.Hubert Humphrey… President Truman was a favoriteguest and was always quite at home at the piano.” —Marjory Hart McNichols, former First Lady of Colorado



Monica Owens, who spent part of her child-hood in the Executive Residence, poses withGov. John Hickenlooper. Monica’s publicaffairs firm coordinated the special event onNov. 1.

Former First Lady Frances Owens, left, has raised private funds to restore the Residence’s interior and gardens and to save the Carriage Housefrom demolition. Former First Lady Jeannie Ritter, right, has ensured the ongoing preservation through the establishment of the Governor’s Resi-dence Preservation Fund.

Above, former Gov. Roy Romer, flanked by Denver attorney SteveFarber, left, and Arlene Hirschfeld, right, enjoys the recollections ofhis fellow Colorado governors during the 2nd Century Celebrationat the Governor’s Residence.

Left, former Gov. Bill Ritter and his successor in 2011, Gov. JohnHickenlooper, enjoy talking about some of the fun experiencesthey’ve had as governor of Colorado.

Dick and Jeanne Saunders, two of the foundingpartners of the Governor’s Residence Preserva-tion Fund. PHOTO BY PAM CRESS

Christmas at the Governor’sResidence in 2009.

In the spirit of the season, the American Society of InteriorDesigners Colorado Chapter decked the halls and rooms of theResidence with holiday décor inspired by the State china. Duringthe week of Dec. 14, 2013 to Dec. 20, 2013, the Governor’s Resi-dence opened its doors to the public so that all could enjoy thehistory and beauty of Colorado’s Home. Over 3000 people of allages and their families were expected to attend. Tours were FREE tothe public at this very special time of year.



U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, attorney Steve Farber and concert promoter Chuck Morris of AEG Live were attendees at the special event.

Two former governors named Bill — Ritter and Owens — display their bipartisan cameraderie as they greet each other atthe Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund’s 2nd Century Celebration.

Mary Kay Lowe, sister of formerGov. Bill Owens, with Sandra Solin,founder of Capitol Solutions, andTim Jackson, president of theColorado Auto Dealers Association.

Former Gov. Roy Romer shares hismemories about serving as governorand living in the Governor’s Resi-dence as Gov. John Hickenlooperlistens appreciatively.

A rendition of The Residence at Boettcher Mansion.

The Boettcher Mansion is a formal, late Georgian Revival house. The building is surrounded by awrought iron fence with cannonball finials on thebrick posts. The walls of the mansion are red brick.There is a white wooden frosting under a hipped roofwith prominent gabled dormers. The cornice is pedimented and dentiled. The west side portico hasmassive, two-story fluted Ionic columns.

Patricia and PatrickMcConathy



Executive Director ofGRPF Cindy Starksshares the spotlight withTeddy Hickenlooper, theyoung son of Gov. JohnHickenlooper.

Left, Gov. John Hickenloopershares a moment with sonTeddy at the 2nd CenturyCelebration on Nov. 1.

Right, Gov. Hickenlooperlistens as son Teddy talks

about his family’s considerations about

moving into the ExecutiveResidence back in 2011

when Hickenlooper first took office.

First Lady Jeannie Ritter at the Residence in 2008.

Former First Lady Jeannie Ritter ensured the ongoingpreservation of the Colorado Mansion through the estab-lishment of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund.Since 2008 the Fund has completed over $500,000 ofpreservation projects, has taught Colorado’s leadershiphistory to more than 15,000 elementary students, andhas welcomed 50,000 visitors from around the state andthe world.



Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and John Sie, founder and former chairman of Starz Entertainment Group LLC and president of the Anna andJohn J. Sie Foundation, obviously are enjoying the evening at the Governor’s Residence on Nov. 1.

Tarrance and Kelly Owens Tschatschula,brother-in-law and sister of former Gov. BillOwens, enjoy the evening.

Tally Ritter, daughter of formerGov. Bill and Jeannie Ritter, withPatricia McConathy, foundingmember of GRPF.

CC Dick, Sen. Mark Scheffel, R-Parker, and Eric Dick are supporters of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund.

Tim Schultz, president of theBoettcher Foundation, and ArleneHirschfeld, civic and communityleader.

Five-year-old Heather Lammat the Governor’s Mansion.

Heather Lamm was four-years-old when she and her brother,Scott, moved into the Mansion where they lived from 1975-1987 while Gov. Dick Lamm served as Governor. Built as aprivate residence in 1908, the house has been available foruse by Governors since 1960, both as a home and for officialGovernor’s functions. Non-profit organizations, governmentoffices, corporations and individuals may, for a fee, use theResidence or Carriage House to host private events.



Monica Owens, Jeannie Ritter and Abe Ritter are all former residents of the Governor’sMansion at East Eighth Avenue and Logan Street in Denver.

Tom, Kate and Becky Love Kourlis with her brother, Major General Andy Love and Virginia Morrison Love make it a family affair on this evening.

Right, R.D.Sewald, ShannonFender and Josh

Hanfling, all ofSewald Hanfling

Public Affairs,were out in

force.

Left, Cindy Starks, executive director of theGovernor’s Residence Preservation Fund,and Dr. Cile Chavez at the 2nd CenturyCelebration. PHOTO BY PAM CRESS

Dana Bright and Brett Owens, youngest sonof former Gov. Bill and Frances Owens.

Gov. Bill Owens and First Lady Frances Owens in 2005.

Throughout the years first families worked tomaintain and restore the splendor of the Residence and its grounds. A major preserva-tion effort, led by former First Lady FrancesOwens, raised private funds to restore thehome’s interior and gardens and to save thehandsome Carriage House from demolition andadd the elegant Boettcher Cabinet Room.



Above, former Gov. Bill Ritter poses with GRPF board member Jean Galloway and Dr. Ben Galloway at the Nov. 1 event.Right, Matt Wasserman, incoming board chair of the GRPF, and Robert Sobel smile for the camera.

PHOTOS BY PAM CRESS

Former Gov. Bill Owens with daughter Monicaat the Governor’s Residence on Nov. 1.

PHOTO BY KEITH BOBO

Above, Senate Assistant Minority LeaderMark Scheffel, R-Parker, with DemocratCollon Kennedy with the Denver firm ofColorado Communiqué.

Barry Hirschfeld and Gov. John Hickenlooper converse at the cocktail party prior to the dinner.

The inside of the Residence was beautifully decorated in 2012.

In the wings added to the Palm Room, hand-craftedleaded glass windows that overlook the south lawnbear the Boettcher family initials. The Palm Roomand wings have floors of white Colorado Yulemarble, with Italian Carrara marble statuarythroughout — scrolled pedestal tables, benches andurns. The greeneries add an airy simplicity thatmakes the room ideal for entertaining.

“Born to BuildFoundation”of Taryn andBill Edwards



Preservation and policy consultant Ann Pritzlaff, Marie Patterson, chair of the Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund, and former First Lady FrancesOwens, all have worked hard at preserving and caring for the historic Residence.

Guests were treated to an exquisitesix-course dinner prepared by locallyacclaimed chefs and served on theofficial state china. The meal beganwith Colorado Fall vegetable varietyfrom 2012-13 Colorado Chef of the YearJonathan St. Peter of WesternColorado Community College; asecond course consisted of cornmealcrusted Colorado trout with hominy,sweet potatoes, baby green beanswith crispy pork, leek slaw and wholegrain Remoulade prepared by CherryHills Country Club Chef CraigPeterson; the third course featuredroast pheasant with chanterelle mush-rooms and potatoes prepared by EdJanos of Cook’s Fresh Market; it wasfollowed by a fourth course consistingof Colorado lamb loin and shoulderwith Manchego-saffron risotto,Medjool dates, acorn squash andmicro mustard greens by chef JenniferJasinski of Rioja. Travis Smith of BistroColorado served up smoked salmonwith pickled beet remoulade on atoasted baguette for the fifth course;and the sixth course was a dessert ofRooftop Honey cake with orangeblossom creme brulee, Bergamot gel,cinnamon corn streusel, raspberrybeignet and Rooftop Honey foam byDavid Lewis, executive pastry chef atthe Brown Palace Hotel.

The elegant table settings included the official state china with the seal of Colorado in gold. PHOTOS BY KEITH BOBO

The Colorado Statesman, founded in 1898, is proud to showcase the historicColorado Governor’s Residence to our readers. We encourage you to learn moreabout ‘Colorado’s Home’ at www.coloradoshome.org, or (303) 837-8350, ext. 4.

And you can learn more about our historic newspaper at wwwcoloradostatesman.com(303) 837-8600.

The Governor’s Residence at the Boettcher Mansion.

The mission of the Governor’s Residence PreservationFund is to preserve the historic Governor’s Residence atthe Boettcher Mansion and bring it into full use and enjoyment for Colorado residents. Education programs,public programs and events are statewide, inclusive andnon-partisan. Visitors to the Governor’s Residence todayare surrounded by art and artifacts with connections tothe pioneer Cheesman, Evans and Boettcher families.



Former Governors join Hickenlooper at the Mansion

Four Colorado Governorspose for a photo at the

2nd Century Celebration of“Colorado’s Home” on

Nov. 1: Former GovernorsBill Ritter, Democrat, 2007-

2011, and Bill Owens,Republican, 1999-2007;

Gov. John Hickenlooper,Democrat, 2011-present;

and former Gov. RoyRomer, 1987-1999. Former

Dick Lamm, Democrat,who served as Governor

from 1975-1987, was out ofthe country at the time of

this event.

Colorado TreasurerWalker Stapleton, left,

and Senate MinorityLeader Bill Cadman,

R-Colo. Springs, smilefor the camera at the

2nd Century Celebra-tion sponsored by theGovernor’s Residence

Preservation Fund.

PHOTO BY PAM CRESS

Former First LadyBea Romer chatswith Nicole Bopp,executive assistantat the Governor’sResidence Preser-vation Fund, duringthe 2nd CenturyCelebration Nov. 1.

STORY/PHOTOS BY JODY HOPE STROGOFFTHE COLORADO STATESMAN

It was a generational revival at theGovernor’s Mansion on Nov. 1 when fourformer and current governors, and theirfamilies, gathered to celebrate the statelyExecutive Residence at East Eighth Avenueand Logan Street in Denver. Political historywas on display as members of Colorado’sgubernatorial royalty from over the yearsreturned to the mansion for the 2nd CenturyCelebration, an effort to raise money for the

Governor’s Residence Preservation Fund.Bob McNichols, whose father, Gov. Steve

McNichols, was the first to occupy themansion, represented the 1960s era on thisfestive evening, with 11-year-old TeddyHickenlooper, son of Colorado’s currentgovernor, serving as a more modern dayexamplar. Interspersed throughout thecrowd of about 200 were other familymembers and the governors themselves: RoyRomer, Bill Owens, Bill Ritter, and of coursecurrent Gov. John Hickenlooper, swappingstories about their tenures at the mansion

and encouraging guests to help preserve thehistoric building, which was built in 1908,taken over by the state in 1960, and offi-cially called the Executive Residence at theBoettcher Mansion ever since.

“Every First Family who has lived in thishome since 1960 when the Boettcher Foun-dation graciously gave the home to the Stateof Colorado is represented here thisevening,” said Cindy Starks, executivedirector of the GRPF.

“And it’s for a wonderful cause. Our jobis to preserve this home for the people of

Colorado and to open the doors to thepeople of Colorado,” Starks explained.

“We see about 3,000 to 5,000 elemen-tary school children here for standard-based Colorado history, and we alsowelcome another 25,000 people for eventsand fundraising events. It works hard for theState of Colorado.”

The Residence is also used to showcasethe state’s rich cultural and civic heritage.

“You’ll hear many of our governors say,

Continued on Page 3

The historic Colorado Governor’s Mansion in the Fall.

The Colorado Governor’s Residence beganas a landmark private home, was transformed into a display of old-world elegance and remains one of the West’s truetreasure houses as it approaches its secondcentury. Part executive residence, partrepository of museum-quality furnishingsand objects d’art, the house is a meetingplace for the past and the future.

‘You know, I made that deal in the PalmRoom,’” Starks related.

The governors shared their own personalanecdotes and historical tidbits with theguests — many of them contributors andsponsors of the GRPF — but top billing forthe successful event went to the former FirstLadies and Starks.

Frances Owens spearheaded the effort torestore the Residence during the Owensadministrations by raising private funds forthe lower gardens and for keeping theCarriage House from being demolished. FirstLady Jeannie Ritter kept the efforts going byestablishing the non-profit Governor’s Resi-dence Preservation Fund, which hascompleted about $500,000 in upgrades andadditions to the home since 2008.

“I had a committee of women that alljoined together to raise money for the offi-cial china that we’ll be eating on thisevening,” Frances Owens pointed out beforesome of the guests moved to the CarriageHouse for a special six-course dinnerprepared by well known local chefs.

“And I’m just grateful that when Jeannieand Bill came in, Jeannie was willing andable to then start the preservation fund,because this house gets very, very littlemoney from the state,” Owens added. “It’sColorado’s home but we as Coloradansneed to support this home.”

Many of the improvements were ondisplay that night. The well-attended recep-tion, for instance, was held in the grandwhite marbled Palm Room on the first floorof the Residence. When Gov. Romer arrivedthat night, he noticed that the large fountainwhich used to be situated in the celebratedvenue during his administration was nolonger there, and he wondered aloud aboutits absence. Gov. Owens, during his remarksthat evening, provided a clue.

“Frances will remember well that foun-tain that sat right here, and frankly, it ruinedthe whole room,” Owens explained as hetalked about the monstrous water fixturewhich used to occupy the middle of thePalm Room.

“So one of the first things that we didwas we said, ‘We want to move the foun-tain, we want to put it in the basement,’ andsome of the folks who have an ownershipinterest in the Boettcher Foundation said,‘No, you can’t, it’s permanent, you can’tmove it.’

“And I said, ‘I’m the governor, I can

move it!” The evening was full of other memories,

as well. When Governor Romer was inoffice, for instance, Bill Clinton, Boris Yeltsinand Romer had a big laugh when they hadto rent a carpet because the other carpet inthe Residence was so faded.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock recalledhearing about how Gov. Romer brought theteachers who were on strike to the Mansionand telling them that they wouldn’t be ableto leave until they figured out a solution.

“We sold our house when we were

elected and this was our home,” Romerrecalled. The fact that these furnishingssurvived my family! But I want to say some-thing serious, if I can... the word ‘home’ isreally on my mind. And a home is a veryimportant symbol for all of us; it’s family, itroots a whole lot of our values. This is aColorado home and I want us to think notjust of a governor’s mansion or governor’shouse, but a home, because it’s what weneed in these days to pull us together. I’mtremendously worried about our societyfragmenting in a way that we can’t get the

life we want to live, and a home is a veryimportant thing and that’s what we’re cele-brating tonight.”

Gov. Owens also shared some of hisrecollections of the Residence.

“As some of the earlier speakers havementioned, this really is the people’s home,this is where we introduce Colorado to theworld, is through these halls and in this verybuilding. And I’m so proud of what the firstladies have done and so many of you have

PAGE 3B ★ THE COLORADO STATESMAN’S SPECIAL SECTION ★ DEC. 27, 2013


...Colorado’s First Ladies lead the effort to preserve the Residence

Jerry and Sharon Linhart and Debbie Jessup and Tim Schultz enjoy the reception at theGovernor’s Residence.

Bob McNichols, left, Judi Gervasini, Steve Johnson and Jane McNichols at the Executive Residence on Nov. 1. PHOTO BY PAM CRESS

Charlie Monfort, co-ownerof the Colorado Rockies,Roxane White, chief ofstaff to Gov. John Hicken-looper, and former Gov. BillOwens enjoy the festivitiesof the evening.


Continued on Page 4

A Celebration of Premier Colorado Wines was held atthe Residnece’s gardens to benefit the GRPF in 2011.

The Viki and Jack Thompson Gardens at theGovernor’s Residence are maintained primarilyby volunteers. The rose beds are wateredthrough an underground cable system and asprinkler system serves roses surrounding thefountain. Fabric weed barriers topped with barkmulch surround the roses, which are all hardyvarieties. There have been many special eventsheld in the lovely gardens over the years.