October 2016

Castle Rock Historical Society
and Museum

Admission is Always FREE!!

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Fundraiser event for Castle Rock Museum

at the

105 West Brewing Company

1043 Park Street, Castle Rock

For the month of October, the staff and food vendors will donate their tips to the Museum.
So, plan a trip to the 105 West Brewing Company and tip generously.

Everyone is invited to join us at the
105 West Brewery
Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm to help support the Castle Rock Historical Society. Come enjoy some local brews, good food and good company.

Meet the Candidates

Look who's running for Castle Rock Museum mascot

In honor of the upcoming Presidential election,
we're having an election of our own.

Come meet the candidates. For the month of October, stop in and help us choose the Castle Rock Museum mascot. Winners will be announced on Wed. Nov. 2nd. You can cast your vote in our antique ballot box.
Follow the candidates on our Facebook page as they discuss their qualifications and plans for the future.

October's Presentation Program

Oct. 13, 2016
Refreshments at 6:45 pm, Presentation at 7:00 pm
Philip S. Miller Library
100 S. Wilcox St. Castle Rock, CO 80104

Please join us on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 for a spooky presentation by Shaun Boyd (Senior Archivist, Douglas County Libraries). She’ll tell stories of mysterious and ghostly happenings in local history. Ghosts at the Old Stone Church? The Cantril School? A park built on a cemetery? Telegraph operator ghosts? Come hear these and other stories!

For more information contact the
Castle Rock Museum 303-814-3164,
museum@castlerockhistoricalsociety.org, www.castlerockhistoricalsociety.org.

October's Calendar

Oct. 13, 2016 - Presentation by Shaun Boyd about local ghost stories.
Oct. 16, 2016 - Come to the 105 West Brewery for a drink with the Castle Rock Historical Society.
Oct. 22, 2016 - Walking tour of Cedar Hill Cemetery at 4:30pm.

Visit www.castlerockhistoricalsociety.org for more information on upcoming presentations and exhibits at the museum.

Upcoming............

Nov. 10, 2016 - Presentation about the Arlington Ladies of Arlington National Cemetery by Lisette Clemons. Come hear about the history of the Arlington Ladies and how they still serve at funerals for veterans by Lisette Clemons.

History Corner

In honor of Halloween this month, our history story pertains to a tragic set of deaths for the Sobey family. It begins with the Grandfather, Frank Perry Sobey. He settled with his wife, Elizabeth Montieth on a homestead west of Sedalia. In 1880 Frank was called as a witness at a trial in Castle Rock. He became violently ill, possibly from food poisoning and died. Frank left his wife and six children. Flash forward now to his grandson, Robert Emmett Sobey. Known as “Bob”, he married Eva Curtis in 1931. In 1935, Eva was appointed Deputy County Clerk of Douglas County. So, the family settled in Castle Rock. Bob suffered from uremia, poisoning of the blood system caused by kidney failure. For the rest of his life he endured nausea, dizziness, convulsions and depression. He liked to take hikes. On one of his hikes up Castle Rock he fell to his death from the top of the rock in 1937. After his death Eva took a better paying job in Denver and remained living in Castle Rock. One November day 1946, a blizzard developed and her train home from Denver got in at 1:30am. The Santa Fe bridge was out, so despite pleas from the depot operator to stay put she began walking home by another route. She said she had to get home to her children. She made it about a mile before collapsing in the snow. A search party of mostly family members found her body the next day under the deep snow. Eva and Robert were both buried in Bear Canon Cemetery. On the tombstone above their heads it reads,
“And the truth of truths is love”.

(information collected from the book, "Our Heritage, People of Douglas County")

Robert E. Sobey

Eva Sobey

Artifact of the Month -

Ballot Box
This ballot box was used for school and county elections for Douglas County. It was used at Deckers Polling Place and at Larkspur Elementary School. The ballot box is held and transported in a metal box that has two handles. It is now being used for the Castle Rock Museum mascot election.
Come in and cast your vote.

- THE 5 W's

Do you recognize this building?

Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?

Last Month's Photo

The Atchison, Topeka, Santa Fe Railroad Depot

This was a one-story, front gabled, wood frame structure built in 1888 in direct competition with the D&RG Depot. In the 1880's the AT&SF shared tracks with the D&RG. The AT&SF built its own tracks in 1887 from Pueblo to Denver on the west side of Plum Creek (west side of I-25). The original building burned down in 1892. Another building was built and then burned down in 1910. The current building that is on this site was built in 1911. It was decommissioned by the railroad in 1942.

Thank you to Meadow View Elementary for coming to visit the museum. We gave all 75 students a tour of the building, a talk about rhyolite and even a tour around downtown Castle Rock.

- Historical Society News

Castle Rock Historical Society Board

Annual Board Elections

It is time for the annual CRHS Board Elections. The election will be held at the beginning of the Oct. 13th presentation meeting. Several positions are open, so please let us know if you would be interested in being a part of this very important Board. Without the Castle Rock Historical Society the Castle Rock Museum would not exist and many other historic features of Castle Rock may have disappeared or still could without your help.

The Castle Rock Historical Society Board meets the first Monday of each month. Meetings are held at the Castle Rock Museum at 5:15pm. All Historical Society members are welcome to attend.

President - Jerry Persall
Vice President - open
Secretary - Lynette McNairy
Treasurer - Jim Allamian
Education - Guy Mordeaux
Events and Fundraising - Open
Historian - Open
Asst. Sec./Treas. - Suzie Perry

Volunteers

Thank you to Donna Scheer for providing the refreshments at the September presentation.

Thank you to Guy Mordeaux for once again teaching the school kids about the history of rhyolite.

Commemorative Brick Courtyard

The courtyard at the Castle Rock Museum is continuing to expand, stop by and purchase your own commemorative brick for yourself, a loved one, a business, or even your most cherished animal companion.

- In the Gift Shop

Looking for a unique gift? Come down to the Castle Rock Museum's gift shop for all your historic Castle Rock and Douglas County gifts. We are stocked in 2016 calendars, books about Castle Rock and Douglas County history. Also, a handful of children's railroad themed toys, and a limited number of local Castle Rock postcards.

New Books in the Gift Shop:

The Castle Rock Museum provided some photos that were used in both of these books.

"Rich People Behaving Badly"

by Dick Kreck

"Take a trip back in time to revel in the scandal, murders, infidelities, financial misdeeds and just plain bad behavior from Colorado's past." The book includes Diamond Jack a notorious Chicago gangster laying low in Douglas County.

"Lost Road Courses"

by Martin Rudow

This book brings the cutting-edge cars, legendary drivers, classic races and all the thrilling action from north America's classic road courses to life including the Continental Divide Raceways which was right here in Castle Rock.

For those who like to plan ahead.... the 2017 History of Douglas County Calendars have arrived.

You can now support CRHS by shopping on Amazon!!

Do you shop on Amazon? A lot of people do. So, how's about you help out the CRHS by going to smile.amazon.com when you do you're online shopping.

You’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the CRHS. To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device, search and select Castle Rock Historical Society and begin shopping and supporting CRHS.

Recycle - Save those aluminum cans!!

The museum collects and recycles aluminum cans to raise money for matching grants. Bring those cans to the museum and use the green container next to the bathroom. Aluminum cans only please. Anything else will be removed by the recycling company. Help the environment and raise a little money for the museum.
Many thanks to those who have already contributed!

Mission: The Castle Rock Historical Society operates the Castle Rock museum, celebrates, educates, and brings together people interested in the preservation of the heritage of the Castle Rock, Colorado area.

Support the Castle Rock Historical Society. Join as a member, make a donation, or sell an item on eBay.

Like us on Facebook

Association of Northern Front Range Museums

Opportunities to Contribute

You know we need you!! Thank you to those who help with hands, time and money. Whatever your skill is, it can help the community in your historical little town of Castle Rock.
To find out how you can help email president@castlerockhistoricalsociety.org .

Castle Rock Museum Hours
Wed. - Fri 12:00p.m. to 5:00p.m.
Sat. 11:00a.m. to 4:00p.m.