Hometown History: Part II

Yesterday I posted Part I of my historical photo adventure through my hometown of Longmont, CO.  I always thought Longmont was so boring growing up. In fact, I used to get into trouble just to give myself something to do. (Sorry Misfit Mom and Dad!). The reality is, Longmont has some interesting history. Oh who am I kidding…there’s still nothing to do in Longmont even with this interesting history. 😉

Moving on. Misfit Nephew and I made our way to old town Longmont to look for buildings with this sign on them:

Here’s what we found:

St. Stephen’s church was an important part of Longmont’s development. When it was first built, the areas surrounding the church were relatively undeveloped, which made it a visual centerpiece for the town.

This fountain was off to the side of the church. I’m a sucker for water shots, so I took this one.

The M.J. Perrin house was built in 1902 for Mr. John C. Perrin and his wife, who moved to Longmont in 1870. This house was a visual anchor for the Eastside Neighborhood.

I like to imagine it like this…

Growing up, I heard a rumor that there were underground tunnels running between some of these historic houses. Why? Well, in 1925 the Ku Klux Klan gained control of the city council. They were voted out of office just 2 years later, but their 2-year reign left an impression on the locals.

The gardens around some of these historic houses are amazing!

And the trees in this area are well established.

Our last stop was at Collyer Park, which was dedicated in 1871 at the heart of Historic Old Town Longmont.

We only scratched the surface of historical Longmont, but it was fun to learn about its past through photos.

What’s the most interesting thing you have learned about your hometown?