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 from all around the countryside by schoolchildren. The monument commemorated the location of the 20 Mile House.

 

In 1987, the Parker Area Historical Society was notified by the State Highway Department 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 since the substructure had rotted, moving it was not practical.

 

The Parker Area Historical Society undertook the job of tearing down the old monument and building a new one. The person responsible for the new construction was Loyd Glaiser, local historian, who had the help of a local Eagle Scout, Mike Passannante.

 

Loyd Glaiser and Bill Brandt designed the new monument. Loyd constructed the base using Rhyolite stones from the old Denver & New Orleans R.R. 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, 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, a microfilm of documents, slides and a reproduction of a pioneer doll.

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