OVERVIEW

EMAHS Research Library

The Evergreen Mountain Area Historical Society research library is a regional research facility with collections that focus on Colorado and Jefferson County History. The library is open to the general public. There is no charge to visit the library or to view the collections.

The library is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, and on Monday by appointment only. Appointments are suggested at all times. It is located in the museum office behind the main museum building of the Hiwan Homestead Museum, 28743 Meadow Drive, Evergreen, Colorado.

Visitors Information

On their first visit, patrons will complete a registration form. A photo ID is needed for registration. Library users are welcome to retrieve books in the public areas of the reading room. Most of the collections are stored in non-public areas and will be retrieved upon request. The staff will assist and advise researchers as to library holdings and use of indexes and/or catalogs.

Research Collection Holdings

  • Books
  • Manuscripts
  • Maps
  • Oral Histories
  • Photographs
  • Special Collections

SERVICES/COPIES

Contact the Hiwan Homestead Museum staff for detailed information on collection use, copies and photographic reproductions.

HIWAN VIRUTAL TOUR

Hiwan Heritage Park and Museum Virtual Tour

The vibrant history of Jefferson County comes to life at Hiwan Heritage Park. A magnificent, 25-room log lodge, now a museum, is the centerpiece of the grounds. This Colorado rustic architectural classic evolved from a one-room cabin constructed in 1893. The lodge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Throughout the lodge are original and historic furnishings. Native American artwork is on permanent display.

PHOTO GALLERIES

The Evergreen Mountain Area Historical Society has a collection of more than 6,000 photographs. This collection reflects Jefferson County history from the earliest times to the present. The photographs show the growth and development of Jefferson County, its people, industries, agriculture and communities.

ORAL HISTORIES

The Oral History collection consists of 48 interviews captured on cassette tape recordings, transcripts, indexes and summaries. Recalling our history as far back as the 1850’s up until the recent past these histories tell of trappers and mountain men along with the Native Americans of the area. Early settlers including ranchers, miners, Swedish immigrants and even outlaws are remembered.

For summaries of the interviews in the collection, please click on the surname. A new window will open with the summary in .pdf format for printing. Adobe (Acrobat) Reader is required to open and/or print these files.

PANDEMIC PERSPECTIVES

Living through History: Pandemic Perspectives

Local Students Contribute to History Project

As we sought to grapple with changes in the face of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic this spring, one thing became clear: We live in historic times. Capturing it for those who will come after us is an important task, as lessons from the past help us to understand the present and consider the future. In this spirit, staff at Hiwan Museum began by reaching out to Evergreen-area schools.

For the Living through History: Pandemic Perspectives project, local students are creating essays, journal entries, articles, photographs and artwork to express what they are seeing, doing and feeling in these remarkable times. Hiwan staff are compiling the entries for the EMAHS local history files at the museum so that future generations can research what life was like in 2020, and we are making them available here on the website for everyone to see. They illuminate common experiences to which many can relate. The hope is to expand the project to other Evergreen-area residents and create a bigger picture of our community during this historic era.

If you would like to contribute an entry, please email it to jhancock@jeffco.us with the subject Pandemic Perspectives, or mail to: Living through History: Pandemic Perspectives, c/o Hiwan Museum, 28473 Meadow Drive, Evergreen, CO 80439. Anonymous entries are welcome if they are genuine. Please make a note if you prefer yours to remain anonymous or to not be posted online.

PRESENTATIONS
CO HW 74 - Mark Joyce

Colorado Highway 74 - The Early Years Mark Joyce

Silas Soule - Larry French