GCH3AE Memories of Mary
Type: Virtual | Size: Virtual | Difficulty: | Terrain:
By: R&KB @ | Hide Date: 10/19/2003 | Status: Available
Country: United States | State: Colorado
Coordinates: N39° 46.119 W105° 02.685 | Last updated: 08/30/2019 | Fav points: 0
       

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Urban setting. Parking on the side street is OK, just pay attention to the signs.

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This is a trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up in Denver before 1994. In 1890, John and Mary Elitch opened a transformed apple orchard as Elitch's Zoological Gardens. The rest, as they say, is history. For the young or out of towners geocaching, this was "The Place" to be on a summer's evening.
The Carousel Building was built in 1927 to house the big new Philadelphia Toboggan Company Carousel #51.

The old carousel, PTC No.6 built in 1905 for Eltich Gardens, was sold to Kit Carson County in 1928 and is now residing in Burlington, CO, on the Kit Carson County Fair Grounds. It was beautifully restored in 1976 and is on the National Registry of Historic Landmarks. A fully restored 1912 Wurlitzer Monster Military Band Organ in the middle is a sight and sound treat. 25 cents to ride, Memorial Day through Labor Day. (N39 18.531 W102 16.263) http://www.kitcarsoncountycarousel.com/

The Elitch's Pavillion's bell-shaped roof was a popular design for sheltering carousels. The carousel itself (PTC #51) was moved to Elitch Gardens in LoDo in 1994 and the Pavillion was abandoned. There is finally a sign describing the history placed by the current owners. Take time to walk the labyrinth if the pavillion is not being used. The nearby Elitch Theatre has its own fascinating history. Restoration has apparently stalled but hopefully will be completed.

To claim this virtual cache:
1. Post a photo showing your GPS

OR.....E-mail the following to me:

2. How many globe lamps are on the outside of the piers?

Unsubstantiated logs will be removed.

Please log your memories of the OLD Elitch Gardens, this is a place and piece of Denver history we all need to remember.

06/23/2019 By ( Zug ) / Shnelly12
Tftc!!! In town from Knoxville TN for some adventures. Great location!!!!

06/21/2019 By Duckfacedawe
Sweet, this is my first ever cache in Colorado.

06/17/2019 By NYC-Boy
Visited during our stay in Denver.
Thanks for this virtual cache.

06/09/2019 By A-team24
Greetings from Chicago!
Tftvc!

06/08/2019 By aaevergreen
Answers sent

10/21/2018 By geocyclists85
I have seen lots of outdoor movies at this Old Elitch site in the summertime since I moved to Denver 9 years ago. I am glad the preserved the old carousel structure.

10/11/2018 By BigChiefS4
Day 5 of an epic 6 day journey out to the western frontier. I had some vacation time that I needed to burn up by the end of the year, and what better way to use it than to go Geocaching! My main goal was to find caches in New Mexico and Nevada, which would complete my map in the western US. The rest of the 4 remaining states are on the East Coast. Secondary goals were to find oldies, mostly virtuals, and high favorited caches. The only bad part of the trip was that it rained every single day of my vacation.

I headed south out of MN on Sunday and returned home on Friday.
Sunday - Drive all the way through to Colorado (15 hours!)
Monday - Cache in and around Denver and Colorado Springs, with an attempt at Pike's Peak (closed at Mile 14)
Tuesday - Head south towards GC19 and then west through Wolf Creek Pass
Wednesday - Four Corners monument and west towards Nevada
Thursday - After a night in Richfield, UT, head east through the skiing areas of Colorado towards Nebraska
Friday - The long drive home

Thanks to all the cache owners for placing these caches for me to find and for keeping the oldies going all these years.
Some very cool history here!

10/02/2018 By Takin it Easy
We were on our way to the Broncos game and dropped by to check out the site of the old Elitch Gardens. Neat place. Thanks for the virtual!

09/28/2018 By twicehopped
Answer sent. Thanks for the history on this building, I've walked under it hundreds of times never questioning what it was. TFTC -ph

09/03/2018 By Firemnky
On a Fall trip through Colorado doing some caching and seeing the sites. A beautiful scenic drive through Rocky Mountain National Park. Visiting the downtown areas of Boulder, Denver, Castle Rock and Colorado Springs to name a few. We enjoyed a beautiful hike on the Barr trail at the Summit of Pikes Peak. It was a wonderful trip with quite a bit of caching thrown in along the way. Fun spot. Answer sent.

09/02/2018 By oz8118
Very neat historical building, although it seems something is missing here, like a big elephant in the room...
Interesting idea to install a labyrinth here. There were some folks using it so I opted not to disturb them. Beautiful flowers planted here, it is nice that the grounds are well maintained.

08/15/2018 By ZeLuvBirds
Having grown up in Denver, I thought I would bring the Dawnster out here and show her a part of my childhood - it turns out that her father brought her here when she was younger as well! My mom has always told us the stories of her and my dad coming out to the many dances they had here in the "early days ". My dad joined the Lakewood Elks later in life, and the Elks used to always have their summer picnic here. We kids would get a hot dog or burger, a drink, a box of popcorn, and an ice cream bar. Then we would ride all the rides we could until about 11 PM, returning home exhaustedly happy. My dad was always the prankster, and would try to slap the cables together on the flyer ride, or scare us kids while riding the sky ride, holding on to our shirtbacks while rocking the cab and lifting the safety bar a little (safety bar locks were still years off!) Thanks for putting this cache out here and refreshing my memories! My answer was sent.

07/31/2018 By Matze k
Today, the last day for us in America, Kattherine and I visited a few Virtual on the way to the hotel and found out the answers.

07/31/2018 By Kattherine
Found this one today with Matze k on our route from Estes Park to Denver.
I couldn’t send the answers so I will post my picture.
Tftc
GCH3AE

07/28/2018 By Lhoutz
Stopped by Starbucks and looked for a nearby caches and decided to check out this historical spot. Thanks

07/26/2018 By 2nd Son
Found with Strait Cash. We had some extra time so we decided to check out some of the local virtual caches. TFTFUN!

07/23/2018 By StraitCash
Tftc

07/21/2018 By GammaD
Thank you for this virtual. I’ve not had access to a labyrinth for years, and the time for prayer and reflection was so welcomed. Blessings to you and TFTC. Mom&pap will send answers for both of us.
GCH3AE

07/21/2018 By mimandpap
In Denver with gammaD before heading on to Vail and grabbing caches.
A very neat pavilion. And a neat history. Thanks for putting this here
GCH3AE

07/15/2018 By MissRubyG
Out looking at my future hubby's (higgy98) childhood neighborhood and stumbled upon this great possible wedding venue, and also the site of a great virtual cache!

GCH3AE

07/12/2018 By tc54915
Two week vacation and I made it to Denver without a problem. I have until 1130 pm on Friday to cache until I pick up another cachers at the airport....ohh what shall I do??? Hitting the virtuals and oldies of course...Tftc.
Photo

02/05/2017 By dustyriver
Best memory of Elitch's Gardens were the gardens themselves. The family picnic at the tables intermixed among the gardens. The fried chicken, Playing Hide-N Seek in the gardens. Watching the fancied up folks in their best, walking into the theater for a play. Us redneck kids thought it was strange get so fancied up for anything. But in the many decades, the city grew out to us, but still redneck, just in the city now.

11/06/2016 By Rock Chalk
In Denver to visit family this weekend, but I was able to sneak away for a bit of morning caching today. This is a cool structure. Would've been neat to see it back in the day when the carousel was here.

Answer is en route to the CO. TFTC!

11/01/2016 By T&A137
Cool spot! We weren't around in 1994 but can still appreciate the area. TFTF

10/23/2016 By angelwolf970
TFTC with CuteLilFuzzyMonkey on the fourth and final day of our caching trip!

10/23/2016 By CuteLilFuzzyMonkey
Day four and our final day of our four day caching trip to CO/NE/KS. Created our final list with much more of the same type target caches and hope to get to as many as we can before turning in the rental and flying home tonight. Thanks to all the COs who placed and maintain these caches for us to enjoy. If I haven't already done so, I will be sending the answers for any caches that require them for the both of us by the end of the night when back at the hotel. Thanks!!

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.TFTC . ((__)
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10/22/2016 By KJKlock
I had to pick up my wife and daughter from the airport after 11 pm, so I cached my way up there focusing on Virtuals and the new Wherigos on Colfax Ave.

I ended up finding 21 caches total, including 10 Virtuals and 2 of the 3 new Wherigos.

All required answers have already been sent to the cache owners, pictures will be added to this log as needed, and the Wherigo finds have also been logged on wherigo.com.

Favorite points awarded to all Virtual caches and both Wherigos that I found today.

This is day 1198 of my current daily caching streak. Thanks for helping me to extend it by another day.

TFTC!