An 1880s Victorian Mansion in the Colorado Rockies: The Estemere Estate at Palmer Lake Read online

  Newspaper and manuscript collections at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., and the Western History Collection at the Denver Public Library were also invaluable. Some material we never would have found were it not for searchable databases available on the Internet and in libraries. Also very special thanks go to previous owners of Estemere and their relatives whom we interviewed; and to those who had spent time at Estemere in the past and returned to see the house again, shared their remembrances, and kindly donated their memorabilia for use in this book and to become part of the Estemere Estate. Many of these materials will remain with the Estate so that the history of Estemere may be preserved. To all the others who contributed to our knowledge base about Estemere, we express our thanks and appreciation.

  Front cover photograph by H.S. Poley, 1893. Private collection of Dan Edwards.

  ©Copyright 2011. Daniel W. Edwards & Roger W. Ward

  All Rights Reserved

  About the Authors

  Daniel W. Edwards

  Daniel W. Edwards grew up in Denver, graduated from Stanford University, and received a PhD from the University of Chicago. Between college and graduate school, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal. Dan worked in Washington, D.C., for MCI Telecommunications, Corp., the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the United States Department of Commerce until his retirement in 2009.

  Dan first came to Palmer Lake in 1947 and continues to spend his summers at “Red Crag” cottage in Glen Park (a part of Palmer Lake). The cottage was built by his grandfather, J. Stanley Edwards, in 1901. Stanley was an officer of the Glen Park Improvement Company for many years. Dan’s grandmother, Mabel W. Edwards, first visited Palmer Lake in 1891, taught elocution at the 1901 Rocky Mountain Chautauqua in Glen Park, and gave performances at the Chautauquas of 1899, 1903, and 1905. Dan’s father, Walker S. Edwards, began coming to Palmer Lake in 1911, and his mother, Martha, in 1928, when she stayed at C.H.L. Pillsbury’s house across the street from the building where Pillsbury had established the first grocery store in the town in 1886.

  Dan has done extensive research on the history of Palmer Lake that has resulted in a book, Dr. William Finley Thompson: Dental Surgeon and Founder of Palmer Lake (2008), and three “occasional papers” published by the Palmer Lake Historical Society: “Hotels, Tents, and Rustic and Tent Cottages in Glen Park,” (2009); “A Painter, an Investor, and a Journalist at Early-Day Palmer Lake” (2010); and “The Glen Park Companies and Their Chautauquas” (2011). Copies of these publications are available at the Lucretia Vaile Museum in Palmer Lake.

  Roger W. Ward

  Roger and Kimberley purchased Estemere in January 1998 and spent twelve years living in and restoring the “Grand Old Lady” Estemere to her present glory.

  Roger graduated from McMurry University (then McMurry College) in Abilene, Texas, in 1967 with his BA degree in Physics. He received his MS degree in Physics from Purdue University in 1969. He began his career in quartz crystal physics at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in Palo Alto, California (before HP was known only as a computer company—the original HP is now known as Agilent).

  After working for several quartz crystal companies in various capacities, in 1983 Roger joined a small group in Salt Lake City, Utah, working on quartz crystal sensors. They formed Quartzdyne, Inc. in 1990. Quartzdyne soon became the world-premier manufacturer of quartz crystal pressure sensors for down-hole oil and gas applications. Roger was president of Quartzdyne from its inception. In January 1998 Dover Corporation purchased Quartzdyne, and Roger retired to Estemere in July 1999.

  Historical Inconsistencies

  Some of the resources we used in preparing this book contain obvious inconsistencies and inaccuracies. Based upon our extensive research, we attempted to present only what we regard as the most credible, factual information in this book, but we have not addressed all of the known errors and dubious statements published in newspaper articles and books referenced throughout this book. Sometimes historical records contradict themselves, and “facts” often can be interpreted in different ways. The reader is always referred to our text which represents, in our opinion, the most historically accurate information available, but whose details may vary considerably from those in the newspaper articles included in this book, or from statements appearing in other sources we cite.

  How to use the (optional) companion EBook

  We decided to publish this document both as a traditional paper book as well as a PDF (Portable Document File) eBook (electronic Book) on a DVD-ROM. (Should you wish to have one, please contact the authors.) The DVD allowed us to incorporate high-resolution photographs and document scans into this document which would be impossible to otherwise incorporate into a printed paper book. This companion DVD, containing over 2,000 medium- and high-resolution images of historical and recent items, plus a 1935 video digitized from an old 16 mm travelogue film made at Estemere and around the local area, is available from the authors: [email protected] or [email protected].

  Once you have opened the Estemere eBook on your computer using a PDF viewer (such as Adobe Reader), you will notice that there are numerous photographs throughout the eBook. In the interest of space, these images have been reduced in quantity, size, and resolution for display in the printed book. Since most of these images exist as large, high-resolution files, we have included hi-res files of these and additional images separately from the printed book so that you may study them. You may open the folders and view the images using any photo viewer program. Using the viewer’s zoom function to enlarge the image will reward you with a level of detail often not noticeable in the original image. The videos play on Windows Media Player, or try the VLC player.

  Also, you will find hyperlinks in the eBook that allow you to jump to files which contain additional information in the form of photos or scans of documents. To do so, simply click these hyperlinks. Hyperlinks to related web pages also are scattered throughout. (Note: if the linked web page has changed its web address since publication, it will no longer be available.) Of course, in order to use the web links, one must be connected to the Internet. A hyperlink looks like this: Estemere.

  Note to the readers of the printed book: The hyperlinks are printed in the book as underlined words. Do not mistake these underlined words as having any other significance.

  The eBook is searchable by using the “Find” function on the PDF viewer’s toolbar. This feature is particularly useful for researching a particular subject.

  You will notice that the eBook does not allow printing, editing, or saving. This allows us to maintain control over its content and distribution.

  Thank you for buying this book. We certainly hope you enjoy our endeavor to bring you the rich history of this wonderful Victorian mansion.

  Where is Palmer Lake and Estemere?

  Palmer Lake is located about eight miles (13 km) north of the United States Air Force Academy, 20 miles (33 km) north of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and 45 miles (71 km) south of Denver.

  Estemere is located at 380 Glenway Street, Palmer Lake, El Paso County, Colorado 80133. Elevation of Estemere, at the foot of Sundance Mountain (once called Mount Thompson!), is 7255 feet (2212 m).

  For you eBook users, here is a link to Estemere on MapQuest.

  And here is a hyperlink to Estemere on Google Earth. Double-click it.

  This link requires you to have Google Earth installed on your computer. If you do not have it, click here. It is a free program. Google Earth is an incredible program for viewing satellite images of virtually the entire earth, often in high resolution, and with the ability to tilt the image to allow one to see the topology of the terrain. Google Earth is a great way to learn about an area!

  Google Earth image of Palmer Lake. Estemere’s location is far left of center.

  Estemere is situated on 6.5 acres and consists of six buildings: the main house, a two-car garage with a loft above, a Chapel, ½ of the original Carriage House (with a new three-car garage attached)
, a two-bedroom Cottage, and a tool Shed (originally the summer cookhouse).

  View of Palmer Lake. Estemere is located approximately inside the black box.

  Aerial view of Estemere, ca. 1992, looking northwest.

  The property extends another few hundred feet to the right.

  Introduction

  During the 12+ years we have lived at Estemere, we have learned much about the history of the house and grounds—from local townspeople, old newspaper articles, old photographs, and from many visitors, some of whom actually stayed at Estemere as long ago as 1929! We discovered that there is much misinformation about the house, as well. We began saving all of the information we could find on Estemere and its numerous owners with the desire someday to write the history of the Estate, so that all of the material we had gathered could be archived for future owners and others who could benefit from our labors. It was likely that if we did not do this, years from now much of this material would be lost forever.

  In 2007, Dan Edwards approached me about his efforts to research the life of Dr. William Finley Thompson, who built Estemere. I told him of my desire to write the history of Estemere. Dan encouraged me to begin work on it; then in 2008 he volunteered to work with me to co-author a more complete work about this 19th century Victorian mansion. He would write about the previous owners of Estemere, its visitors and personalities, and the many ways the estate had been used over the years. I would write about the evolution of the house, its adjoining buildings, and the restoration work undertaken since 1998. I agreed. This book is the result. Enjoy.

  Roger W. Ward, Estemere, October 2011

  Collaborating with someone else to write a book can be a real challenge. The two authors may have different writing styles and opinions about what material should go in the book and how it should be presented. Happily, preparing this book with Roger proved to be a breeze, and potential disputes were easily resolved. We approached the task from different perspectives; I hope the reader will find that our perspectives proved to be complementary and led to a more complete work. Roger keeps up with the latest computer technology, so he took charge of the design, formatting, and production of the printed book and the eBook, as well as editing for stylistic consistency and readability. Construction is one of his avocations [not necessarily by choice—RWW]. Having a deep interest in the architecture of the historic buildings he and Kim bought and proceeded to renovate, he has developed a detailed knowledge of Estemere as a structure and the modifications made by its previous owners. Roger has documented the building’s most recent changes in photographs, met many people who had lived in or visited Estemere in the past, and has amassed a fine collection of materials about the house. In addition, the public has benefited from his and Kim’s generosity in opening Estemere to occasional public tours as a fund raiser for the Palmer Lake Historical Society and to local groups who make a donation to the Palmer Lake Volunteer Fire Department. This has given townspeople and others an “inside view” and the opportunity to appreciate this magnificent, historical landmark of Palmer Lake.

  I wanted to focus on the people who have owned and stayed at Estemere since the 1880s, and the many ways in which the building has been utilized over the years. It has been primarily a private residence, but also a venue for many other activities. To dig up those details required immersion in old records, books, and newspapers, and a willingness to spend hours at a microfilm reader looking, too often it seemed, for the proverbial “needle in a haystack”; and to follow many diverse trails to construct mini-biographies of the interesting and accomplished people who have been associated with Estemere throughout its lifetime. The house today is not just a beautifully restored mansion—it is a repository of memories of those who have come to Estemere for many different reasons. Knowing more about those individuals and what they did can tell us something about the times in which they lived. In this way, the social history of Estemere reaches far beyond the town limits of Palmer Lake and illustrates changes in American life and culture over the past 125 years. Estemere has never been an island unto itself, even though the house is located in a small town in (what was until recently) rural Colorado. The “outside world” has always been a part of and made its presence known within this grand Victorian mansion. This is the story I have tried to tell.

  Dan Edwards, Denver, Colorado

  Origin of the name “Estamere”

  The original name of Finley Thompson’s residence was “Estamere House,” according to the earliest reference we have found.[1] This spelling is confirmed by an early photograph (1893), other 19th century newspaper references, archival documents, town records, and this 1904 plat map signed by none other than Dr. Thompson’s sister, Mrs. C.A.J. Berry.

  The estate was referred to as “Estamere Villa” in 1893 advertisements, and when it was purchased by Eben Smith in 1898, articles called it “Estamere Place.”

  The earliest use of “Estemere” can be positively dated to 1907, and it occurs in town records about 1917. Fred Wilson and John L. Judd, who operated a grocery store at Palmer Lake, may have been responsible for changing the spelling to Estemere, and postcards with that spelling that they printed may have come out around 1907-08. However, we are quite certain that the Thompson and Eben Smith families always used the “Estamere” spelling.

  “Wilson and Judd” postcard—front and back. Photo ca. 1908. [2]

  The postcard, above, must have been printed before 1910 but after 1906, as Eben Smith died in 1906 and Mrs. Eben Smith died in 1909. The note on its reverse was written by someone on 24 July 1914.

  Wilson and Judd postcard. (Another postcard in Roger’s collection, with a postmark of 1907,

  has this exact photo, but with no captions.)

  The Wilson and Judd postcard above also uses the “Estemere” spelling. Note the cast iron lions on the front porch and the flagpole on the tower. Since the lions are present, the photo was probably taken prior to Eben Smith’s death in 1906.

  One of the last published references we found to “Estamere” occurred in 1917. The last year we found Estamere was in a 1952 advertisement.

  The origin of the name Estamere is unknown. Some have speculated that since William Finley Thompson spent four years in England prior to moving to Colorado in 1882, he may have named the estate after his daughter, Estelle, adding “mere,” which is Gaelic for a “little lake.” However, this explanation is undercut by the fact that the original spelling was Estamere (Estelle is spelled with an “e”). Reference staff at the National Library of Scotland could offer no suggestions about the possible meaning of “Estamere.” Perhaps George Estabrook or his daughter Mary (see Chapter 2) had more influence on Thompson than we realize (see footnote 7)?

  This book will use the spelling in vogue during the time period under discussion—Estamere from 1883 to 1926 (when Smith family relatives sold the mansion); and Estemere from 1926 to the present. [That is why the caption under the front-cover photograph says Estamere—it is not a typo.]

  The Rocklands Hotel

  “The Rocklands Hotel” (across the street from Estamere until it burned down in 1920) went by various names throughout its history: Rocklands; Rockland Hotel; Hotel Rockland; and Rocklands Hotel. We standardized on “The Rocklands Hotel” for this manuscript.

  A postcard depicting The Rocklands Hotel.

  Abbreviations Used in the Footnotes

  We adopted an abbreviated footnote format. For example, in the first reference to the Eben Smith Collection or the Denver Public Library, we say: “hereinafter, ESC” or “DPL.” Likewise with deeds: “hereinafter, CC&RO” for County Clerk & Recorder’s Office, Colorado Springs.

  Here is a list of the abbreviations used in the footnotes:

  El Paso County Clerk & Recorder’s Office Colorado Springs, Colorado: EPCCRO

  Rocky Mountain News: RMN

  Denver Public Library, Denver, Colorado: DPL

  Eben Smith Collection, Denver Library: ESC

  Colorado Springs Gazette and Gazet
te Telegraph: CSG

  Ordinance Book, Office of the Town Clerk, Palmer Lake, CO: OTCPL

  Palmer Lake Town Office: PLTO

  More items related to this section are on the DVD.

  Looking east—2010.

  A Victorian Mansion in the

  Colorado Rockies:

  The Estemere Estate at Palmer Lake

  Estamere ca. 1886 (the three central structures in the background, from left to right, are the Carriage House,

  Estamere I, and Estamere II). The Glen House is on the far left, and the Gazebo, in Deer Park, is on the far right.