Moraine Park Museum and Amphitheater facts for kids
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Moraine Park Museum and Amphitheater
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Moraine Park Museum
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 Location in Colorado
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Estes Park, Colorado |
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| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | National Park Service; Civilian Conservation Corps |
| MPS | Rocky Mountain National Park MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000206 (original) 05000602 (increase) |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 8, 1976 |
| Boundary increase | June 15, 2005 |
The Moraine Park Museum and Amphitheater are special buildings found in Rocky Mountain National Park. They are located in a beautiful area called Moraine Park. This park is a wide, flat meadow that was shaped by ancient glaciers. It sits between two large hills of rock and dirt left behind by glaciers, which are called moraines.
These two important structures are also known as the Moraine Park Lodge and the Moraine Park Visitor Center. They were built to help people visiting the park learn and enjoy the area. Both the museum and the amphitheater are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites.
Contents
History of Moraine Park Museum
The museum building was first built in 1923. A woman named Imogene Green MacPherson created it as a private place for tourists to stay. Back then, it was called the Moraine Park Lodge.
In 1931, the National Park Service bought the property. They later removed the smaller cabins that were around the lodge. The lodge itself was updated between 1934 and 1935.
Building the Amphitheater
The amphitheater was designed and built in 1935. The design came from the National Park Service's planning team. The actual building work was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps. This was a group of young men who worked on public projects during the Great Depression.
Both the museum and the amphitheater were built in a style called National Park Service Rustic. This style uses natural materials like stone and logs. It helps the buildings blend in with the beautiful park surroundings.
Early Days at Moraine Park
Imogene Green MacPherson first settled in Moraine Park in 1903. She named her land "Hillcrest." In 1905, after she got married, she built more structures. These included a lodge, a dining hall, a stable, and cabins for guests.
Visitors started coming to her resort in 1910. Mrs. MacPherson kept running the resort even after her husband passed away in 1919. She also helped with the effort to create Rocky Mountain National Park. After she died in 1928, her family continued to run the lodge. The National Park Service then bought it from them.
Amphitheater Design
The amphitheater is about 100 feet away from the museum building. It has seating areas mixed in with trees. There used to be a place for showing movies and a screen, but these were removed. The amphitheater also has a clever system of stone gutters and drains to handle rainwater.
The Moraine Park Lodge is also very close to another historic area called the William Allen White Cabins.
What You Can See at the Museum
The Moraine Park Museum has fun and interactive exhibits about nature. You can learn about how mountains are formed by geology. You can also discover how glaciers shaped the land. Other topics include weather, climate, and different ecosystems. You can also learn about how humans have impacted the environment.
The park also offers special education programs about these same topics. These programs help visitors learn more about nature and the park.
The lodge building was first recognized as a historic place on October 8, 1976. The amphitheater was added to this important list on June 15, 2005.
Moraine Park Meadows
The flat valley of Moraine Park was created a long time ago. An ancient glacial lake filled up with dirt and then drained away. This left behind the flat, open meadow you see today. The soil here is often wet, so most large trees don't grow well. Instead, you'll find grasses, willows, and aspen trees.
The Big Thompson River flows through this valley. It comes down from the glacier-carved Forest Canyon. This area is home to ponderosa pine, aspen, and douglas-fir forests. There are also many large and small meadows. Moraine Park is a great place to see elk, especially in the fall. Many elk gather here during the fall rut, which is their mating season.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Larimer County, Colorado
