Looking Forward While

Valuing the Past

May 19, 2018

Katy Lewis, Museum Curator

Lakewood Heritage Center

“Lakewood”

• July 1, 1889

• West Colfax Avenue south to West 10th Ave

• Harlan Street west to Teller Street

• William Austin Hamilton Loveland

• Miranda Ann Montgomery Loveland

• Charles Clark Welch

• “If promises of the owners be carried

out, Lakewood will be transformed

from a collection of ordinary houses

and attractions into an extremely

pretty place.

• Denver Republican, 1/15/1891

Firsts

• 1859 – The Stone House

• 1872 – Lakewood School

• 1891 – Denver, Lakewood &

Golden Railroad

• 1937 – First fire department

Family Farms and

Family Mansions

May Bonfils

• 1883 – Born to Frederick and Belle Bonfils

• 1904 – Marries Clyde Berryman

• 1933 – Frederick Bonfils dies

• 1935 – Belle Bonfils dies

• 1937 – Builds Belmar estate

• 1947 – Divorces Clyde Berryman

• 1956 – Marries Charles Stanton

• 1962 – May Bonfils Stanton dies

Belmar

• Built 1937

• Located at Wadsworth and Alameda

• Designed by Jules Jacques Benois

Benedict

• Replica of Marie Antoinette’s

chateau near Versailles, Le Petit

Trianon Palace

• Cost $1 million

• Fountains and facing of Carrera

marble

• 20 rooms furnished from European

trips

• Wild animals and farm animals

• Torn down in 1970

Lakewood

• Incorporation attempts in 1947, 1958, 1961

• 1969 – incorporated initially as “Jefferson

City”, then approved a name change to

“Lakewood”

• Voters also wrote in for

Taxedo Junction, Dogtown,

Lunar Gulch, Hogback Hills,

Tranquility, and Ala-Jeff-Wood

Lakewood Heritage Center

• 1974 – Lakewood Historical Society organized

• 1976 – Historical Belmar Village

• 1977 – Turned museum over to City of Lakewood

• 1996 – Name changed to Lakewood Heritage Center

• Lakewood Heritage Center showcases the history of Lakewood and the many changes, inventions and lifestyles of the 20th century. Located on 18 acres in Belmar Park, the museum has over 10 historic structures, 30,000 artifacts, a festival area and an outdoor amphitheater.

Five State Historic

Register Structures

• Caretaker’s Cottage

• Calving Barn

• Granary

• Tractor Shed

• Auction House

Agricultural Hub

• 1930s House

• Streer-Peterson House

• 1920s Schoolhouse

• Red Barn

Colfax Hub

• Diner

• Variety Store

• Ethel’s Beauty Salon

• Wide Acres Trolley Station

• Estes Motel

• Frontier Gas Station (moved 2010)

• Fire Station

Visitor Center (built 2003)

• Spirit Gallery

• Radius Gallery

• Conservation & Preservation Building (built 1989)

Events

• Earth Day

• Heritage Days

• Rockin’ Block Party

• Sounds Exciting

• Summer Camps

• Cider Days

• Mayor’s Tree Lighting