Convicts' Bread Oven facts for kids
The Convicts' Bread Oven is a special oven built a long time ago in Colorado. It looks a bit like ovens from Mexico. This oven was used to bake fresh bread every day for workers who were building a road.
Contents
What is the Convicts' Bread Oven?
This unique oven was built in 1911. It is made of concrete and was designed to look like traditional adobe ovens. For over a year, from April 1911 to July 1912, it baked bread daily. This bread fed about 30 people from a state prison and their guards. They were all working hard to build a road in a place called Plateau Canyon.
Why Was This Oven Built?
Imagine needing to feed many people working far from towns! The oven was built to make sure the road workers had fresh bread. These workers were helping to build an important road. They lived in a camp nearby while they worked on this big project.
Where Can You Find This Historic Oven?
The oven is quite large! It measures about 7 feet long, almost 5 feet wide, and 4 feet tall. You can find it in Colorado, near Plateau Creek and Colorado State Highway 65. It sits about 7 miles east of Interstate 70. The camp where the workers stayed was about two miles north of the oven.
A Historic Landmark
Because of its history and unique purpose, the Convicts' Bread Oven is a recognized landmark. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 31, 1974. This means it is an important part of history that should be protected.
