60 Years of a Guilty Conscience 

Good afternoon my fellow history lovers! Today, I would like to talk about a key that has a direct connection to our very dear Baldpate Inn, and is one of our staff favorites...

Some of us are more aware than others, that children have a tendency to be just a tad...lets say, sneaky.  Our story starts in the summer of 1952 with a little boy named Timothy Johnson.  Timothy was visiting Estes Park with his family, when they decided to stay here at the Inn.  Timothy was seven years young at the time, staying in room seven.  (Seven is a reoccurring coincidence at the Baldpate.  i.e. 7 Keys to Baldpate.) Noting the connections, and with no ill intentions, little Timothy decided to take the key to his family's room as a special souvenir.  Now, you might think that he forgot about, or perhaps misplaced this key over the years, but this was not the case.  Imagine holding onto a key for 60 years, a guilty conscience, and a plan to someday give it back to it's rightful owner.  Well that's exactly what Timothy did.  During the summer of 2012, the Baldpate staff was visited by Timothy, now aged 67.  He arrived, key in hand and a heartfelt apology.  With spare keys over the years, and no longer a room 7 (due to renovations), there was no harm done. However, we did take the key back, proudly displaying it in our beloved key room with its very own display case. This key is a Baldpate favorite between staff and guests alike due to it's innocent and comical nature, as well as the direct connection with The Baldpate Inn.  

We have over 30,000 keys in our collection, all with their very own unique stories, much like this one. Also, feel free to donate a key of your own, with a tidbit on why it's special to you or your family. 

Written by Tivory Luevane

Museum Curator at The Baldpate Inn