Mueller invites families to free 'Western Heritage Day' to celebrate area's historic residents and cultures
Bill VogrinSoutheast Region Public Information Officer
719-466-3927 / [email protected] Mueller invites families to free Western Heritage Day to celebrate historic residents and cultures
Aug. 10, 2022
Mueller invites families to free Western Heritage Day to celebrate historic residents and cultures
DIVIDE, Colo. – Celebrate the Native Americans, the white explorers, miners and homesteaders and all the food, lifestyles and cultures that made up the “Old West” at Mueller State Park's family-friendly Western Heritage Day on Saturday Aug. 20.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests at the park south of Divide in Teller County will enjoy a host of free activities including:
- A hayride to the historic Cheesman Ranch
- Free pony rides
- A “Kid’s Stick-Horse Rodeo”
- Dutch-oven cooking
- Butter churning
- Frontier music
- Pioneer crafts such as spinning yarn, weaving and quilting
- Watch a woodworker carve toys from wood
- Farm animal petting zoo
- Kid’s pioneer toys
- Old-fashion games
- Gold panning
- Cattle branding and roping
Western Heritage Day aims to celebrate the Old West including the Utes and other Native Americans who lived, hunted and traveled throughout the Pikes Peak Region. The event spotlights the white homesteaders who scratched out a living from the land, miners who searched for gold and got lucky in nearby Cripple Creek and Victor and even the bootleggers and horse thieves who hid from the law in these woods.
Finally, Western Heritage Day honors the Mueller family who raised award-winning horses and cattle on their ranch, which is now Mueller State Park.
“This event will take us back to our Western roots," said Linda Groat, Mueller program coordinator. "We are excited to host a fun festival with real animals, gold panning and lots more. And we hope people will come out and see all the beauty, fun and history our state parks have to offer."
Stations throughout the park are designed to let people of all ages see and try some pioneer ways of life. Churn some butter and taste the rewards. Sample some Dutch oven cooking. See how yarn is spun on a spinning wheel. Try your hand at roping a calf (dummy). Learn about the Gold Spike in the railroad or the fur traders. Watch a farrier trim a horse’s feet.
At the Kid’s Stick Horse Rodeo, young cowgirls and cowboy can run a barrel race. Park staff also will show them how to play old-fashioned games like cat’s cradle and hopscotch.
A highlight will be the hayride to the historic Cheesman Ranch, over the hills with the tall grass blowing in the breeze. It’s so green, quiet and peaceful, you’ll think you’ve gone back 100 years.
Pick and choose the stations that interests you or try them all.
The event is open to all ages and young children must be accompanied by an adult.
No registration is necessary and the event is free. However a valid $9 daily park pass, or $80 annual pass, is required on all vehicles entering the park.
Mueller State Park is located on Colorado Highway 67, 3.5 miles south of the intersection of U.S. Highway 24 in Divide. For weather updates or for more information call 719-687-2366 or visit, http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/Parks/Mueller/.
This event is made possible by the following partners: Friends of Mueller State Park, Ute Pass Historical Society and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.