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Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area

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Articles from Vol. 23 NO. 8 - August 5, 2023

Letters to Our Community – Thank you, School District 38

On behalf of the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club, I want to thank Lewis-Palmer School District 38 for the contribution of time and efforts to help make the Monument Hill Kiwanis 2023 Fourth of July Parade a huge success. Specifically, I would like to thank D38 Transportation Supervisor Julie Abeyta and district drivers David McDaniel, Tom Rainy, Guadalupe Leonard, David Schindel, Michael Schad, David Bane, Tom Bliss, Winston Brower, Michael Drew, Esther Aniesta, Eric Sullivan, and Hope Lowe for safely and patiently using school buses to shuttle parade-goers from the Lewis-Palmer High School (LPHS) parking lot to and from the parade. Ricky Vestal, Maintenance and Grounds supervisor, and his crew did an excellent job mowing and preparing the parade lineup areas for over 90 events.

Mary Anderson, custodian at Grace Best Elementary, graciously provided her time to open the school to access all the Monument Hill Kiwanis parade signs and equipment before and after the parade. The district also allowed use of the water tap at the bus barn, so the Renaissance Festival folks and animals had water both before and after the parade. Finally, Bridgette O’Connor, principal, and Nick Baker, athletic director, granted Kiwanis the use of the LPHS parking lot for parade-goers to park vehicles, to ride the shuttles to the parade, and to return to their cars on a shuttle back to the high school. It takes many community members to facilitate the success of this parade, and District 38 was certainly a big contributor. Thank you District 38.

Ted Bauman
Monument Hill Kiwanis Club
Parade Line-up Chair

Other Letters to Our Community

Letters to Our Community – Kudos to Monument board and management for Artsites 2023

Since 2003, the not-for-profit group Tri-Lakes Views has brought the arts to Monument. With the cooperation of the town and the Lewis-Palmer School District board, that became an annual rotating display of sculpture along with a permanent collection of public art. That relationship is again being exhibited on the multiple pedestals throughout our community. I encourage you to take the time to enjoy the pieces along with our wonderful installations at the entrances on Baptist Road (Aspen Grove) and Second Street (Ice Harvest).

Dr. Elizabeth Konarski

Other Letters to Our Community

Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – All-time great children’s reads

By the staff at Covered Treasures

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”—Walt Disney

These award-winning books are full of treasure, have stood the test of time, and are still some of the best to foster the love of reading in a child.

The Phantom Tollbooth

By Norton Juster (Yearling) $8.99

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Along the way, Milo realizes life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams!

Julie of the Wolves

By Joan Craighead George (HarperCollins) $7.99

To her village, she is known as Miyax; to her friend in San Francisco, she is Julie. When her life in the village becomes dangerous, Miyax runs away only to find herself lost in the Alaskan wilderness. Miyax survives by copying the ways of a pack of wolves and soon grows to love her new wolf family. The first in a trilogy, this edition features original illustrations, an introduction by the author’s children, her Newbery acceptance speech, selections from her field notebooks, discussion guide, and further reading guide.

Old Yeller

By Fred Gipson (HarperCollins) $9.99

When his father sets out on a cattle drive, 14-year-old Travis is left to take care of his family and their farm. Living in frontier Texas Hill Country during the 1860s, Travis comes to face new and often perilous responsibilities. A particular nuisance is a stray yellow dog that shows up and steals food from the family. But the big canine who Travis calls “Old Yeller” proves his worth by defending the family from danger. And Travis ultimately finds help and comfort in the courage and unwavering love of the dog who comes to be his very best friend.

Rascal

By Sterling North (Puffin) $8.99

Nothing’s surprising in the North household, not even Sterling’s new pet raccoon. Rascal is a baby when Sterling brings him home, but soon the two are best friends, doing everything together—until the spring day when everything suddenly changes. This special anniversary edition includes classic illustrations restored to their original splendor, a letter from the author’s daughter, and material from the illustrator’s personal collection.

Anne of Green Gables

By L.M. Montgomery (Puffin) $8.99

The Cuthberts are in for a shock. They are expecting an orphan boy to help with the work at Green Gables, but a skinny red-haired girl turns up instead. Highly spirited Anne Shirley charms her way into the Cuthberts’ affection with her vivid imagination and constant chatter, and soon it’s impossible to imagine life without her.

In the Heart of the Rockies

By G.A. Henty (Dover) $11.95

Determined to improve his struggling family’s financial situation, 16-year-old Tom Wade leaves England in 1860 and sets out for the untamed wilderness of the American West. Arriving in the small western outpost of Denver to mine for gold, he soon encounters Native American warriors, takes part in big-game hunts, and learns how to survive a mountain winter with nothing but resourcefulness and perseverance. Young readers get valuable, exciting lessons in history from the “Prince of Storytellers,” George Henty, in a grand adventure classic that weaves together the story of a teenage fictional hero and real-life episodes of exploration.

The Castle in the Attic

By Elizabeth Winthrop (Yearling), $7.99

William is devastated to learn that his favorite caretaker, Mrs. Phillips, is leaving. But then she gives him her parting gift—a mysterious model castle that has been in her family for years. The castle is perfect in every way, with a drawbridge, a moat, and a finger-high knight to guard the gates. It’s almost too real. Sure enough, when William picks up the tiny silver knight, Sir Simon comes alive in his hand and tells William a mighty story of wild sorcery, wizards, and a kingdom in need of saving. William embarks on a fantastic quest to another land and another time.

Until next month, happy reading.

The staff at Covered Treasures can be reached at books@ocn.me.

Other Book Reviews

August Library Events – Summer Adventure ends, All Pikes Peak Reads announced

By Harriet Halbig

The library district’s Summer Adventure program ended on July 31 with a tremendous number of participants. Thank you for joining us.

The Monument Library will sponsor three family-friendly concerts in Limbach Park on Aug. 11, 18, and 25 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The park is located at 151 Front St. in Monument. Remember to bring a lawn chair or blanket! For information on the performers, please see the district website, ppld.org, and look under programs by location.

The title for this year’s All Pikes Peak Reads program has been announced. It is The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line: Untold Stories of the Women Who Changed the Course of WWII by Maj. Gen. Mari Eder. The author will visit Library 21c at 3 p.m. on Oct. 7 when she will give a presentation, answer questions, and offer copies of her book for sale.

Please note that all Pikes Peak Library District facilities will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4 in observation of Labor Day.

Harriet Halbig may be reached at harriethalbig@ocn.me

Other Pikes Peak Library District articles

Palmer Lake Historical Society – Take a walk through history

By Marlene Brown

In lieu of the regular meeting in July, the Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS) took a walk through historical Monument. Led by Jim Sawatzki, past president of PLHS and filmmaker and owner of Palmer Divide Productions. His research is rich, showing that Monument is still standing strong. Many of the little houses you see in town were built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Pioneers began settling in the Monument area, and there were business owners, cowboys, and ranchers living in and near the town. There were two hotels near the Rio Grande Railroad train station.

Incorporated in 1879, the town was first called Henry’s Station, after Henry “Dutch” Limbach, Monument’s first town mayor. The train station and hotels were near where Limbach Park is today. The town’s name was later changed to Monument, after the rock formation to the west located in Monument Preserve, near Mount Herman.

Monument Lake was one of the first “ice harvest” towns, because it was on the railroad line. They sent ice blocks by train to the East that were used for cold storage of the meat from the cattle that had been raised in the West. The lake is now stocked with fish yearly and used for recreational fishing and boating.

Jim Sawatzki, past president of Palmer Lake Historical Society, leads a historical walk through Monument on a sunny Sunday morning. Photo by Steve Pate.

Members of PLHS walked along the streets of Monument looking at the homes that were built by the pioneers. The Higby General Store was located where Covered Treasures Bookstore is now at Washington and Second Streets. “Big Red,” a Lewis-Palmer School District 38 building, was built in the 1920s. It had all 12 grades in the same building attended by children from the town to the outlying ranchlands.

Walking with Sawatzki around Monument, you learn that many other buildings you see every day are originals, such as The Bistro on Second Street, which was the original post office. Though there have been additions to the building, the original structure is still under the walls of the restaurant.

Take the time someday to walk around the streets and imagine the life of the pioneers who lived there.

**********

The historical walk on July 15 in Greenland Open Space was called off due to weather conditions. The August meeting has been canceled. Board members will be volunteering and conducting tours at the Reynolds Ranch Homestead House at the Western Museum of Mining and Industry Aug. 12 from 10 a.m.-3 pm for Family Day (wwmi.org) and will be open to the public. PLHS normally meets the third Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Palmer Lake Town Hall.

The mission of the PLHS is to preserve, protect, promote, and provide access to historical data, artifacts, and other items of significance relating to the Palmer Divide area and make resources available to the public primarily through the Lucretia Vaile Museum and annual programming. For more information about membership and volunteer opportunities, go to palmerdividehistory.org

Marlene Brown can be contacted at marlenebrown@ocn.me.

Other Palmer Lake Historical Society articles