HRHS Happenings

The “story” of the area now known as Douglas County, from the time that Native Americans arrived more than 12,000 years ago until it was settled by non-indigenous people.  Woven into this story is a description of the archaeological work that Dr. Tucker and others have conducted in the area now under the waters of Reuter-Hess Reservoir, impounded by Frank Jaeger Dam southwest of Parker, Colorado. 

The Douglas County History Repository will be exhibiting artifacts collected from Douglas County sites during Dr. Tucker’s presentation.

With multi-generation ancestral roots in both Pioneer and Native American cultures. Leon Joseph Littlebird inherited a passion for local history, storytelling and music. This passion inspired him to do years of research into the oral and recorded histories of his ancestors and the neighboring tribes. He is a guest speaker for Colorado Mountain College classes on both Colorado and Native History and his presentations are popular with historical societies and tour groups.

In 1902, the Platte Cañon Filtration Plant, later renamed Kassler, was opened at the base of Waterton Canyon by the present-day Chatfield Reservoir. Kassler, which used the English slow-sand filter process, was the first of its kind west of the Mississippi River.