Rosemount Castle; Pueblo, CO ~ Julie Lence

 

Rosemount Castle
Trip Advisor 

I’m very fortunate to live in Colorado. Not only is the scenery breathtaking, Colorado is knee-deep in history. Denver is home Molly Brown’s house and the U.S. Mint. Colorado Springs boasts Pikes Peak and Garden of the Gods, and just south of Colorado Springs is the Rosemount Museum in Pueblo.

Pueblo is one of few prominent steel towns in the United States. In the early 20^th century, the city was also known as the Melting Pot, because the steel industry attracted and employed many immigrants. The Arkansas River flows through Pueblo, with locals and tourists strolling the Riverwalk. The Colorado State fair is held annually on the outskirts of the city and Pueblo is home to 4 medal of honor recipients. And within the midst of such history and boasting sits the Rosemount Museum.

John and Margaret Ann Thatcher were the original owners of the Rosemount, which is named after Margaret’s favorite flower. John moved to Pueblo from Pennsylvania and earned a living in dry goods. He eventually moved on to the banking, mining, and cattle ranching businesses, and married Margaret April, 1866. The daughter of a judge, Margaret Ann (Henry) lived in Pueblo with her family, and she and John moved to a home on Santa Fe Avenue. The house had 5 rooms and Mrs. Thatcher employed Irish servants to help with household chores.  

John hired famed New York architect Henry Hudson  Holly to build the mansion. Crafted of pink Rhyolite volcanic rock on the outside and several different types of wood on the inside to include cherry, mahogany, maple and oak, the 37 room mansion took 2 years to build, with the family taking up residence in 1893. The Thatchers enjoyed many years in the mansion with their 5 children before John’s passing in 1913. Margaret passed away in 1968, and the last of their children to own the mansion was Raymond, who passed away in 1968.

Pueblo Graveyard

Raymond donated the museum to the city of Pueblo, who in turn donated it to the Metropolitan Museum Association.  A public trust was set up by the Thatcher family in 1969 for the creation of Rosemount as a non-profit museum. The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places July 30, 1974, the 1^st in Pueblo county, along with the Goodnight Barn. Currently, Rosemount is open to tours and most of the family’s original furnishings remain.     

 

Colorado Springs Gazette 

The Road Blogger