That's what the headlines should have read 75 years ago. Sunday Aug. 3 marks the 75 th anniversary of the failure of Castlewood Dam. Castlewood Canyon State Park will observe this event in Denver's history on Saturday, Aug. 2and Sunday, August 3from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m..
The dam broke at 1:20 a.m., the night of August 3 and seven hours later, a torrent of water rushed down Speer Boulevard, destroying bridges and ultimately flooding downtown Denver. There was a report of 18 inches of water in Union Station.
At Castlewood Canyon State Park, you can still see the remains of the old 1890 dam and some of the damage in the canyon from the 1933 rush of water. There are even tell-tale signs of a more recent flash flood. The latest happened on July 2, 2006. Three of the bridges that cross Cherry Creek are missing as a result.
The Park plans a quiet celebration. Quiet may be a little misleading. If you come to visit, you will probably hear
Hugh Paine, the dam caretaker and real hero of the day, and
A. M. Wells, the dam engineer, engaged in a lively discussion of why the dam failed. A. M. even claims that muskrats are the culprit.
You will encounter a boisterous shyster land salesman,
Ephraim Zebulon Pickens (E. Z. Pickens) trying to get you to purchase a 10-acre piece of land downstream around the town of Sullivan, just north of Parker. The dam was constructed as a part of a land scheme. It would provide irrigation water for cherry orchards. Imagine, if you purchased 10-acres around Parker in the 1890s, what it would be worth today!
The historical characters will be on the west side of the Park. To get there; take Highway 86 east from Castle Rock or west from Franktown. About ½ mile west of Franktown, take Castlewood Canyon Road south to the Park entrance.
If you drop by the Visitor Center on the east side of the Park, 5 miles south of Franktown on Highway 83, you can experience what it was like for Hugh to venture out on the dam the night the dam failed. People of all ages can have their faces painted and best of all; build a dam out of candy.
The activities are scheduled from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.on Saturday, Aug.2 and Sunday, Aug. 3, weather permitting. If you would like to know more, call Castlewood Canyon State Park at 303-688-5242 for details.
And if you are coming down from Denver, could you please bring us a glass of water?