Welcome to the Parker Area Historical Society!

20 MILE HOUSE MONUMENT

The original monument was built by Bels Lytle in 1946 on the N. W. corner of State Highway 83 (Parker Road) and Mainstreet in Parker. It consisted of a wooden substructure covered in chicken Wire and faced with petrified wood that had been gathered all around the country side by school children. The monument commemorated the location of the 20 Mile House.

In 1987 the Parker Area Historical Society was notified by the State Highway Dept. that due to the impending widening of Parker Road the monument would either have to be moved or taken down. Upon examination it was determined that due to the rotting of the substructure , moving it was not practical.

The Parker Area Historical Society undertook the job of tearing down the old one and providing the management of building a new one. The person most responsible for the new construction was Loyd Glaiser, local historian, with the help of a local scout, Mike Passannante in satisfying requirements to become an Eagle Scout.

Loyd Glaiser and Bill Brandt designed the new monument. Loyd constructed the base using Rhyolite stones from the old Denver & New Orleans RR well, and Bill Born laid up the petrified wood. The Rhyolite cap was cut from a boulder donated by Hallett Materials of Castle Rock and Frank Swanson cut the cap and installed it.

Funding for the project was provided by a grant from the Town of Parker, and by donations from individuals and area firms and organizations.

The rededication ceremony came at noon on the 4th of July 1988. In 1991 a time capsule was placed inside the monument to be opened in 2031. The capsule contains among other memorabilia Microfilm of documents, slides and a reproduction of a pioneer doll.

This web page material updated in January 2009 by Larry T. Smith

Location: From Mainstreet and Parker Road, drive East on Mainstreet .1 miles. Monument is on the left in O’Brien Park.

Site created by Alex Hernandez, Alvie Sellmer, & James Vallejos 2009