fbpx
About > About Four Mile

About Four Mile Historic Park

Our Vision

To be Denver’s premier destination for Western storytelling and educational experiences.

Our Mission

To educate a diverse community through experiences which promote preservation, interpretation and enjoyment of Denver’s Western heritage.

Where the American West Comes to Life

Four Mile Historic Park is a gateway to Denver’s Western heritage, offering a vibrant 12-acre oasis with a working farm and Denver’s oldest standing structure, the Four Mile House Museum. The museum houses an extensive collection of mid to late 1800s western artifacts, serving educational, historical, curatorial, and research purposes. Proudly acting as a custodian of cultural treasures, the museum evolves with contemporary approaches to artifact interaction, aspiring to be an immersive cultural attraction that goes beyond traditional museum settings. Visitors actively participate in a dynamic experience that brings history to life. The Park is a hub of cultural and outdoor exploration, offering a diverse array of educational programs centered around Colorado history. Guided tours of the iconic Four Mile House, field trips, and outreach programs provide an immersive journey into the past, allowing visitors to connect with the heritage that has shaped Denver.

Step Back In Time

Four Mile Historic Park stands apart as a historic landmark and refuge from the hustle-bustle of modern life in the city. Take a break to stroll the grounds, have a picnic, and enjoy this stand-alone destination for historic preservation.

" "

Enjoy a slice of the country without leaving the city

" "

Unplug with some old-fashioned fun

" "

Observe a unique window back in time without a time machine

" "

Connect with the community during special events

" "

Embrace history through interactive educational programming

A Brief History of Four Mile

The Four Mile House is pleased to share the history of the site, which stretches much farther back than the house’s 160+ years.

" "

Time Immemorial - Present

Indigenous Land
North America has been home to Indigenous peoples since time immemorial. Numerous different peoples have called this land home over thousands of years. The Arapaho (or Hinono’ei), Cheyenne (or Tsistsistas), and Ute (or Nuche) peoples are some of the most recent traditional residents of the land we now call Denver, Colorado.
" "

1849

The Cherokee Trail
The Cherokee Trail route is established by a wagon train headed toward California, following an older trail created by Indigenous peoples.
Rustic Four Mile House sign in front of reproduction school house

1859

Construction
Brothers Samuel and Jonas Brantner build the two-story log cabin that would become the Four Mile House, offering services to travelers along the Cherokee Trail.
" "

1860

The First Purchase
Businesswoman Mary Cawker purchases the Four Mile House from the Brantner Brothers and opens an inn for travelers along the Cherokee Trail. In the 1800s, it was rare for a single woman to own and operate her own business. As a trading post with hot meals served twice a day and dances on the second floor, it becomes a hub for local activity.
" "

1862

A Stagecoach Stop
The Butterfield Stage Company begins scheduled service along Cherry Creek and Cawker’s house becomes the last “mile stop” along the route to Denver. There were originally six different mile houses along Cherry Creek! Only the Four Mile House and the Seventeen Mile House still stand. The Seventeen Mile House Farm Park is open to the public in Centennial, CO.
" "

1864

The Floods and the Second Purchase
Four days of floods in May inundate farmland around Denver and leave the Four Mile House stranded – an island in the floodplains. When the floodwaters recede, Mary Cawker sells the house and surrounding 100+ acres to Millie and Levi Booth for $800.
" "

1866

The Bee House
Levi Booth builds the Bee House as a dwelling for the family and farmhands. The house is later converted into the center of operations for Millie’s beekeeping enterprise. Today, the Bee House is used as a one-room prairie schoolhouse for children on field trips.
" "

1868

First Attempt Ditch
The Booths continue to operate a successful stagecoach stop and prosperous farm. Levi Booth creates an irrigation system by digging what he called the First Attempt Ditch from the Cherry Creek.
" "

1870

Competition
The completion of the first railroad between Denver and Cheyenne, Wyoming abruptly ends regular stagecoach service along the Cherry Creek route. The Booths are forced to pivot, and turn their efforts toward farming.
" "

1872

Success Ditch
Levi Booth expands his irrigation system with the Success Ditch, which becomes the farm’s main water supply and provides enough irrigation to plant an apple orchard.
" "

1883

An Addition
The Booths build a fashionable brick addition to the original clapboard-sided log cabin that had served as the core of their home. Over time, they acquired more than 600 acres.
" "

1912-1926

Remembering the Booths
in 1912, Levi Booth (1829-1912) passes away at the Four Mile House. Millie Booth assumes ownership of the house. In 1926, Millie Booth (c. 1837-1926) passes away, leaving her considerable estate of 400 acres, water rights, and cultivated farmland to her daughter and son-in-law, Grace and Daniel Working.

1934

Historic American Building Survey
Four Mile House and other significant structures on the site, including the Bee House, are recorded in the Historic American Buildings Survey.
" "

1939

Fire
The original structure of the Bee House, a testament to the strength and persistence of female entrepreneurs, is destroyed in a fire.

1941

A Historical Monument
Four Mile House receives Historical Monument Designation from The Daughters of the American Revolution Peace Pipe Chapter.
" "

1946

The Third Purchase
Two years after Grace Booth Working’s husband Daniel passed away, Grace sells the Four Mile House and some surrounding land to Glen and Pearl Boulton, who lived in the house until 1963. During these two decades, the property, which had been on the outskirts of Denver, “was surrounded by development as Denver spread southeast and Glendale became an enclave of businesses and bars.”

1968

Landmark Status

Four Mile House is designated as a Denver Landmark on December 27th.

1969

A Registered Historic Place
Four Mile House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 3rd, among the first five properties chosen in the Denver area.

1975

Acquisition by the City
The City and County of Denver acquire Four Mile House and surrounding property. Preservation efforts begin.

1976

Rediscovery
Archaeological investigations begin and reveal the foundations of several lost buildings including the Bee House, which burned down nearly 40 years prior.

1977

Nonprofit Established
The nonprofit Four Mile Historic Park Inc. is formed to care for the property and develop the museum.

1978

Dedication
Four Mile Historic Park is dedicated to the citizens of Denver as a public park, and the museum opens.

1980

Reconstruction of the Bee House
Architect Edward D. White Jr. reconstructs the Bee House based on family photos and archaeological evidence collected from the site.

1983

Mayoral Recognition
Denver’s Mayor Federico Peña signs a citation recognizing the Founding Members of Denver’s Four Mile Historic Park for “their vision and foresight that preserved this unique place in the history and development of Denver.”

2001

Award-winning History
The Colorado Historical Society awards 4MHP with the Josephine H Miles History Award for the advancement of Colorado history. The same year, 4MHP receives an award for merit for outstanding community contributions from the El Pomar Foundation.

2003

Award for Outstanding Achievements
Four Mile Historic Park receives the Fred A Rosenstock Award for outstanding achievements in and contributions to Rocky Mountain history from the Denver Posse of Westerners.

2004

Westword Chimes In
Four Mile Historic Park receives Westword’s Best Little Parties on the Prairie Award.

2005

Education Programs Hit the News
9News declares Four Mile Historic Park one of Colorado’s best summer camps.

2007

More Mayoral Accolades
Mayor John Hickenlooper declares Four Mile Historic Park one of 12 partners in the Five By Five Program, providing Denver Head Start and Early Head Start children and their families with year-round access and educational opportunities at no cost.

2008

Denver Story Trek
Four Mile Historic Park becomes a Denver Story Trek partner in collaboration with Historic Denver’s Molly Brown House Museum, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, Black American West Museum & Heritage Center, and Byers-Evans House Museum – bringing unity to Denver art and culture organizations through history.

2015

Local Acknowledgement
Westword declares the park Denver’s, “Best Trip Back In Time”.

2016

Nonprofit Accomplishment
The Park receives the Greater Glendale Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit of the Year Award for 2015.

2019

Rendezvous Gala
Four Mile House celebrates 160 years. Four Mile Historic Park honors the first Executive Director and employee, Charlie & Karin Woolley at the annual Rendezvous Gala.

2020

Weathering the Pandemic
Four Mile Historic Park briefly closes to the public, but is able to re-open following COVID-19 safety protocols.

Meet The Staff & Board

Rediscovering and sharing Colorado’s history is a multifaceted task which requires a passionate team of responsible stewards. Four Mile Historic Park is proud to have assembled a team of enthusiastic leaders dedicated to the task.

Meet the Staff & Board
" "

Membership

When you become a member of 4MHP, you become a part of a community that protects this extraordinary window into the past and gain access to exclusive privileges.
Learn More
" "

Donate

Your support for Four Mile Historic Park powers youth and community education programs, interpretive research, and preservation of the Museum and collections.
Learn More
" "

Volunteer

Become a steward of Colorado’s history and Four Mile’s unique story by joining our indispensable team of volunteers.
Learn More