Museum opening hours: LUCRETIA VAILE MUSEUM HOURS: Wed 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM & Sat 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

66 Lower Glenway Street

Palmer Lake, Colorado 80133

Our Mission

Our Mission

The Palmer Lake Historical Society

Become a Member Today!                                      

We are a 501 (c)(3) educational nonprofit and the only organization dedicated to preserving the history of the Palmer Divide area since 1956.

Click on our “Join Today” link to learn more and to obtain a membership form.

Mission

The mission of the Palmer Lake Historical Society (PLHS) is to preserve, protect, promote, and provide access to historical data, artifacts and other items of significance relating to the Palmer Divide area and make resources available to the public primarily through the Lucretia Vaile Museum and annual programming.

Goals 

The primary goals and objectives of the Palmer Lake Historical Society are to assemble, preserve, display, and interpret historical objects and printed material pertaining to the Palmer Divide area that includes Palmer Lake, Monument, School District 38, the U. S. Air Force Academy, and as far east as Table Rock (now Black Forest).

The secondary goal and purpose—no less important—is to sponsor, maintain, ensure the continuance of, and be responsible for the activities and commitments of the Lucretia Vaile Museum. The Society hosts monthly historical talks and field trips. See our upcoming events within our Current Events section.

The Society serves our greater community by publishing books, pamphlets, the commissioning/sponsoring of historical DVDs, and by placing historical markers throughout Monument and Palmer Lake.

Two significant public-art history sculptures have been placed with “Come Dizzy” the German Shepherd in the Palmer Lake Village Green and the “Monument 1879” bas-relief panel located in the Town Hall of Monument. Both were a gift from the Society to the people of the two towns.

Please help us in our effort to preserve the irreplaceable historical heritage of our area. The Society and Museum need your donations of time and money to operate. We can’t survive without your support! Click here to make a donation.

More About Us

2024 Officers and Board of Directors 

Our NEW 2024 President is Jeannine Engel. Jeannine is a long-time resident and very deserving of being our president. Jeannine has been a director at Large this past year and is an active docent for the Lucretia Vaile Museum. We welcome Jeannine and are so glad for her experience and leadership. Thank you, Jeannine, for volunteering with us in 2024. We look forward to working with you and accomplishing many great things.

We are currently looking for an additional Director at Large. If you are interested in meeting new people and sharing in and utilizing the talents you have nurtured over the years, please consider joining us.

Thank you to Diane Kokes for filling in this year as Acting President, you did a great job!

Welcome to our newest Director at Large, Kathie Lombardy Kaufer, a long time Palmer Lake resident will bring much enthusiasm to our board. We welcome Kathie and look forward to her many contributions. Kathie enjoys meeting new people and is looking forward to being a part of our Board. Kathie’s previous volunteering includes the Ronald McDonald House and the Mining Museum.

All our Officers and Board of Directors are volunteers. Without their many hours and dedication to community service, the many fine projects and accomplishments of the PLHS would not have been possible.

Please join us. We have many opportunities to help plan programs and events, provide hospitality and help preserve the mission of the Palmer Lake Historical Society.

Projects include: The Annual Potluck Supper and Membership Meeting in January, monthly programs throughout the year including our Father’s Day Ice Cream Social in June,  Historical Chautauqua, our annual Tri-Lakes calendar and more…

Jeannine Engel, President

Diane Kokes, Vice President

Patricia Atkins, Secretary

Doug Lang, Treasurer

Roger Davis, Museum Director and Curator

Rogers Davis, Museum Director & Curator

Barbara Morehead, Director at Large

Barb Morehead, At Large

Heather Kruger, Director at Large

Wayne Russert, Director at Large

Wayne Russert, At Large

Kathie Lombardy Kaufer, Director at Large

Newsletter Archives

Accomplishments

In 1956, a group of citizens recommended that a manuscript written by Marion Savage Sabin detailing the founding of Palmer Lake, Monument, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes region, entitled “Palmer Lake, A Historical Narrative,” be published. To accomplish this, they also recommended that a Historical Society be formed to continue the preservation of the area’s history.

The Palmer Lake Historical Society was subsequently founded by Marian McIntyre-McDonough and was incorporated with a full slate of officers and directors.

The Society established a museum, which later became the Lucretia Vaile Museum, and expanded its scope to collecting the history and artifacts from the Palmer Divide area.

The Society publishes histories of Monument, Palmer Lake, and the area surrounding these towns with additional research and historical publications planned.

  • 1964

    The Society opened a museum housed in the present Palmer Lake Police Department offices (originally the AT&SF Section Foreman house).

  • 1981

    The Society helped fund construction and moved to the new Lucretia Vaile Library and Museum.

  • 1998

    The Society provided a lake fountain to replicate a fountain that existed at the turn of the century.

  • 2001

    The Society and the Town of Palmer Lake completed a memorial honoring William (Bill) J. Crawford who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for action during WWII.

  • 2006

    The Society commissioned a bronze statue of “Dizzy” a German Shepherd as a gift to the people of Palmer Lake. The statue commemorated the Society's 50th anniversary and the 70th anniversary of the Palmer Lake Star. Dizzy helped build “The Star.”

  • 2008

    The Society presented the first Return of the Rocky Mountain Chautauqua Assembly to Palmer Lake.

  • 2009

    The Society commissioned a bas-relief panel to commemorate significant historical events and people of the Town of Monument. The panel, along with additional historical artworks, on display in the new Monument Town Hall represent a gift of the Society to the people of Monument and the Palmer Divide area.

  • The Society began the Annual Colorado Springs Native American Powwow.

  • 2013

    Partnered with One Nation Walking Together, a Colorado Springs Native charity, the Society moves the powwow indoors to the Freedom Financial Services EXPO Center (now Mortgage Solutions Financial EXPO Center) in Colorado Springs, ensuring its sustainability.

  • 2015

    The society began annual summer field trips to unique historic sites in the Palmer Divide region such as the Estemere historic home tour, Three Eagles Ranch, and the Monument Tree Farm.

  • 2016

    The Society turned 60 on October 18 (founded in 1956), a mighty feat for an all-volunteer organization!

  • 2017

    Lucretia Vaile Museum began assessment and evaluation, preservation, storage, and accessioning of the clothing collection (over 300 items catalogued electronically by 2019).

  • Published children’s coloring book of local sites and figures.

  • 2018

    The Society participated in the IndyGive! non-profit fundraising campaign bringing in $4,234.

  • 2019

    PLHS reprinted its flagship publication, Palmer Lake: A Historical Narrative by Marion S. Sabin. The 5th edition includes 75 photographs and illustrations as well as new information including a People Index for all names mentioned in the book.

  • Lucretia Vaile Museum hosted a Trick or Treat for local youth.

  • Palmer Lake Town Hall was accepted to Colorado State Register of Historic Properties due to the diligent work of members of the Society and the community.

  • 2020

    Development of the Society's updated website which was released in January 2021

  • Future

    Vaile Museum building and exhibit expansions and new publications are projects under consideration.

The Palmer Lake Historical Society was named the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit of the Year in 2014. This was based on our past years of service to the community and our many events and activities that promote, protect, and preserve local history. The Selection Committee was unanimous in their choice.