In The Jailhouse Now

Slammer, clink, can, pen, pokey, joint. These are all different words for the same place: jail. 

Here in the Baldpate Inn Key Room & Museum we have several keys from jails all around the country. We have the key to the old Baraga County Jail in Michigan, which was dismantled in 1911 and has since been rebuilt. An even older key unlocks the front door of the Weld County Jail in Colorado, built in 1896. 

Blair, Nebraska Jail Key

One of our jail keys tells a somewhat grim, yet fascinating story. A mob of angry people stole the jail key from the Marshal in Blair, Nebraska, a small town near Omaha. They rushed the jailhouse, pulled out a prisoner who had murdered a family, and executed him in an act of vigilante justice.

Another key unlocked the kitchen to a prisoner of war base in Germany during WWII. A longtime Estes Park resident acquired the key specifically to donate it to the Key Room.

Arthur Gooch's Handcuff Key

Lastly, we have Arthur Gooch's handcuff key, an escaped prisoner who kidnapped two policemen and transported them across state lines. Interestingly, Gooch is the only person in United States history to be executed under the 1932 Lindbergh Law, created after the infamous Lindbergh baby case, for a kidnapping in which the victims were unharmed. The key was donated to us in July 1936, only a month after Gooch was put to death. 

To learn more about history, outlaws, and all things keys, come on by The Baldpate Inn Key Room & Museum. Until next time!

Written by Danielle New

Museum Curator

Royal Keys

Today while chatting with some visitors, I was asked to find our famous Key to Buckingham Palace. If you've ever been to the Key Room, you know that finding one certain key can be a bit of a challenge. Thankfully, we have pretty detailed records of where our most notable keys are placed, so after a few minutes of digging I was able to find it. Ooohs and Ahhs ensued as onlookers imagined which famous figure might have held this key in the past. Or more likely, which famous figure's dutiful servant.

Hailing all the way back to 1936, our key to the side gate of Buckingham Palace contains lots of storied history. Did you know that Buckingham Palace wasn't always possessed by the crown? In the Middle Ages, various parties leased the residence from royal owners and it changed hands many times. It wasn't until 1837 that Buckingham Palace became the principal home of the monarchy, with Queen Victoria establishing residence there. 

You might be imagining a lavish retreat with all the finest fabrics, 14k gold silverware, and spotlessly clean furnishings. In reality, Buckingham Palace was something of a fixer upper in the mid-19th century, with a significant ventilation problem and neglectful staff. All the architectural issues and staff organization problems were solved in the late 1800s, with Buckingham Palace finally taking shape as the picture of perfection we know it as today.

Nowadays, Buckingham Palace has a whopping 775 rooms and the largest private garden in London. If you can't make it to London this season to see the wonderful estate in person, head on up to The Baldpate Inn to marvel at a piece of its history instead! 

Written by Danielle New
Museum Curator

Christmas in July!

Merry Christmas, folks! 🎅

Today begins The Baldpate Inn's yearly Christmas in July celebration. Our halls are decked, our stockings are hung, and festive tunes are playing. This year's staff is hard at work for the 2020 Gingerbread House Competition, with many creative ideas brewing. Stay tuned to see the final designs and pick the winning team!

Did you know that the Christmas in July tradition goes all the way back to 1922? This newspaper clipping from the Estes Park Trail announces that the guests of The Baldpate Inn celebrated Christmas #2 with all the trimmings: a tree, handmade presents, and decorations galore. Today we continue this time-tested tradition with a little friendly competition and Christmas cheer. Perhaps most exciting of all, you won't want to miss out on our Holiday Beverage Specials! Get your Cranberry Mimosas, Peppermint Schnapps Hot Chocolate, and Hot Buttered Rum this weekend only! Hope to see you soon! 🎄

Written by Danielle New
Museum Curator

Then and Now - Baldpate in the 1960's versus 2020

Today's musing comes from a small envelope full of old pictures taken in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Pairing each location with a photo taken today, a striking contrast appears as the history of Baldpate comes out through its changes.

Baldpates 2nd Floor Back Entrance:

An entire staircase is missing today, as well as an extra room attached to the second floor. The trees are different too as the skinny birch in the mid-ground of the old photo is missing today. A large pine has also cropped up to replace the other pine in the old photo as rear guard of the inn.

Baldpate's Back Office:

This image was one of the hardest locations to identify out of the old photographs in the envelope because of how strikingly different the back office has become. The desk, seen in the 1960's photo, has been succeed by a green filing cabinet and printer. The only recognizable landmark from this photo is a window that, today, is completely blocked off.

Dining Room Entrance:

There have been some slight modifications to the layout that includes the modern maitre d' station and bathroom hallway. A slight repositioning of the snowshoes and the addition of the twisty log are some changes in the decorations. 

Baldpate's Front Desk:

A major upgrade to our lobby, we have gone from shag carpeting to hardwood floors! Other than this drastically positive change and some minor shifts in decoration, the desk has seen little change in the last five decades.

Our Front Porch:
A spitting image of the past, our front porch has miraculously stood the test of time. Just the additions of a new bench and some stickers in our window have changed the look of the porch.

The Kitchen:
By far the most dramatically overhauled section of the Inn, the old kitchen is unrecognizable in the face of our modern facility. The room has been so drastically stripped and redone that discerning where the original 1960's photograph was taken is next to impossible. Although much has changed, the basic elements of a kitchen can be seen reflected in both old and new.

Building exterior:
The foliage surrounding the Inn has definitely grown significantly from the 1960's to the 2020's. The other major difference between these photos is the old deck on the roof of the Baldpate. It is said that every 4th of July the guests were invited to the deck to watch the fireworks in the valley below. While the days of the deck are long past, our 24/7 live-stream camera remains on the roof giving glorious views of the valley. 

Kitchen Roof & Deck:
There's something to say about this transformation. For one, we have an air conditioner now! If you look carefully, you can see the growth of two pine trees just behind the inn.

Telephone Booth:
Lastly, the story of the missing telephone booth. Directly to the side of the main entrance, this telephone booth stood until just a few year ago. Of course times have changed and guests no longer need to use the booth as cellphones give that freedom. The taxidermied bird that adorned the top of the booth remains, however his perch has become our brochure stand.

If you like this look back into Baldpate history, then you also might like our 100 years blog! Check it out at https://baldpate100yearsbook.blogspot.com/ !

Written by Adam Dohn
Museum Curator

Bears, Oh My!

As a city girl born and raised in Los Angeles, I never saw too much wildlife growing up unless it was at the zoo. The occasional deer or coyote wandering around my crowded suburban town would always grab my attention, without a doubt. But for the most part, L.A. wildlife consisted of overly confident squirrels and fat pigeons threatening to steal a bite of your $12 avocado toast or almond milk smoothie.

Moving to the Rocky Mountains this summer, I knew nature was going to be a bigger part of my life than ever before. After all, that was one of the main reasons I did it! But I never would have anticipated seeing a formidable black bear my first day here. 

Strolling around nearby Lily Lake listening to music, I decided to take a detour onto Storm Pass Trail. I was used to the concept of taking "walks"or "strolls" in my suburban neighborhood, where the only thing to watch out for is passing cars. Little did I know,

There is no such thing as a casual walk in the Rockies! 

Mid-stride, I spotted the all-too-familiar side profile of a gigantic black bear about 50 feet away. After pausing just a second to take in its beauty, I slowly walked away and back down the path I had came from. What an experience to welcome me to the Rocky Mountains!

The Baldpate Inn is no stranger to diverse wildlife either. Check out this incredible video of three playful black bears finding their way into the Library and Key Room on one October night. They didn't do any damage to the place, just checked out our wondrous keys! Experiences like these remind me of the awesome and intimidating beauty of nature. Like a Curator cares for their collection, we should all be responsible stewards of the Earth. For ourselves and for us all. From The Baldpate Inn, have a bear-y good day everyone! 😉

Written by Danielle New

Museum Curator

When the Breeze blow the Keys

I would like to start this post by saying that the weather, this season at the Baldpate, has been temperate to say the least. Moving up to altitude, I did not expect the temperature to be so pleasant everyday, but here we are. The days average around 75° while nights remain in the low 60's, and rain comes only about once a week. All of this combines for the perfect summer get away, a place above the heat and away from the crowds. The Baldpate is certainly serves a unique niche for both tourists and Estes Park residents alike. It is hard to understate the advantages of an enchanted mountain retreat as them present themselves in obvious ways to those who visit.

The view of the Estes Park valley from the Baldpate is something that hikers strive for, and yet, we are just a short drive away. In the age of time entry reservations for the gates of Rocky Mountain National Park, Lily Lake, our little sanctuary here next to the Baldpate, has become just a bustling as downtown Estes with cars lining the road from sunup until sundown. It has become nigh impossible to find a secluded place in our modern world, yet just down a short dirt road the Baldpate stands.

Intermittent thunderstorms that tumble eastward off of Long's peak break up the almost monotonous good weather. The thunder rolling and echoing across the valley makes it seem like there is some bigger storm looming, but they never seem to coalesce into any great storm. It is truly a pleasure to see the sheets of rain drift slowly downward over the valley, as thunder shakes the foundations of the Baldpate.

There is nothing quite like sitting in front of a roaring fire on a cool summer night, and that will be my lasting memory of the Baldpate.


Written by Adam Dohn

From Tibet, With Love

Hand delivered to the Baldpate Inn by Glen Porzak, this key came all the way from Tibet. 

Newspaper article about Porzak's trip to Tibet
and donation to the Baldpate Inn

Having banned foreigners to visit or trade in Tibet in the 1850s, the Chinese "Open Door" policy reopened the borders of China between 1978 and 1981. Glen Porzak and his friends were the first three Americans to scale the 26,398 foot summit. The men climbed the three headwalls of  Shishapagma-- equivalent to scaling the Diamond of Long's Peak 10 times.

The key Porzak found was at the base of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. The Potala was where the Dalai Lama spent their winters from 1649 until 1959, when the Dalai Lama fled to India. After the Dalai Lama fled, the People's Republic of China took control of the palace and made it into a museum.  The Palace has over 1,000 rooms and 200,000 shrines.The building is divided into two sections-- the Red Palace and the White Palace. The Red Palace serves as a Buddhist sanctuary and the White Palace serves as an administrative area. This key could easily be to one of the 1,000+ rooms in the Palace or to a neighboring monastery.

Porzak found the key and made a "heavy barter" for it before bringing it to the Baldpate.

This key is a beautiful historic artifact that is easily over 1,000 years old. It has ornate carvings that have tarnished over the years, but its intricacy is not to be overlooked. This is easily one of my favorite keys here at the Baldpate Inn.

Written by Maddie Anderson