Brief Crestview History
- Brenton Elmore
- Jan 1, 2000
- 5 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Indigenous peoples
The Altona, Colorado area is on land originally and historically occupied by Indigenous peoples, including the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes who hunted and lived in the Boulder Valley area. The Ute people also traditionally used the region, particularly the mountains. With the arrival of gold prospectors in 1858, settlers founded the town of Boulder despite protests from Arapaho Chief Niwot. Following the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, the Cheyenne and Arapaho were forcibly removed from the area, marking a significant shift in the region's history.
Indigenous history
Cheyenne and Arapaho: These tribes, referred to locally as the Arapaho and Cheyenne, had a significant presence in the Boulder Valley, which was designated as their territory under the 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie. They were drawn to the area for its water sources and abundant wildlife like antelope, deer, elk, and buffalo, which formed the basis of their nomadic lifestyle.
Ute: The Ute people used the Rocky Mountain foothills and mountains seasonally for hunting and gathering. They were expert hunters and gatherers who utilized a variety of plants and hunted large game like elk and deer.
Chief Niwot: The Arapaho leader Niwot is a significant figure in the area's history. He and his people tried to prevent the initial gold prospectors from settling on their land in 1858.
Removal and displacement: The 1860s saw the displacement of these tribes due to increased Euro-American settlement and conflict. The Sand Creek Massacre in 1864 was a horrific event where hundreds of Cheyenne and Arapaho people were killed. Following this, the surviving tribes were forcibly relocated to reservations.
American settlement
The Altona, Colorado area's European history began as an early mining and trading center in the late 19th century, originally named Modoc, then Ni Wot, before becoming Altona in 1879. It served as a vital supply and transportation hub for miners in Left Hand Canyon, and its development as a community is marked by the establishment of the independent School District No. 22 in 1873, followed by the construction of the one-room Altona Schoolhouse in 1880. Today, the area is an unincorporated community in Boulder County known for its historic schoolhouse and rural character.
Key historical events and developments
Early settlement and naming: The area, located at the mouth of Left Hand Canyon, was originally known as Modoc, then Ni Wot, and was renamed Altona in 1879.
Transportation and supply hub: It served as an important trading and transportation point for miners and farmers in the area, benefiting from the Colorado Central Railroad.
School and community development:
In 1873, the community became Boulder County's School District No. 22.
The one-room Altona Schoolhouse was built in 1880 and operated until the mid-1940s.
The Altona Grange Hall was built in 1895 by local farmers and was designated a Boulder County Historical Landmark in 1999.
Historic preservation: The Altona Schoolhouse was restored by Boulder County and reopened to the public, while the Grange Hall has undergone restoration efforts to maintain it as a community resource.
Crestview Filings
Filing 1
Crestview Estates Filing 1 was done in 1966. The lower section of the existing community was included in the first filing. The first filing included:
Lot up to the junction of Middle Fork Rd. and Crestridge Ct.
Lots along Lefthand Canyon Dr, excluding the Greenbriar property.
Lots on Streamcrest Dr. off Lefthand Canyon Dr.
The lots to the south of Middle Fork Rd west of Foothills Hwy (US 36.) This was later to become McNair Meadows with a road leading from Middle Fork Rd south dividing what are now the long lots on the west side of Foothills Hwy.
The original plat included a bridge connecting Streamcrest Dr. with Middle Fork Rd. (this was never built.) The road to the bridge was to connect between the second and third lots on the north side of Middle Fork Dr.
Filing 2
Crestview Estates Filing 2 was done in 1967. The Upper section of the current formal subdivision was included. The second filing added:
Crestridge Ct.
Middle Fork Rd from Crestridge Ct to the Middle Crest, then the four lots on the west side of Middle Fork as it continued south.
Middle Crest Rd.
Thunderhead Dr.
Larkspur Rd.
West Fork Rd.
Pinion Dr.
Stoneridge Terrace
Not included were:
The large lot to the east of Middle Fork Rd as it headed south.
The properties on the private extension of Middle Fork (subdivisions: xxxxx)
The properties south from the end of Larkspur Rd, West Frok Rd, and Stoneridge Terrace.
The property to the west of the lots on Stoneridge Terrace that is accessed from the southwestern most lot on Stoneridge Terrace.
Crestview Estates Covenants
The Covenants for both filings of Crestview Estates were basically identical.
The Covenants did not call for a formal Homeowner's Association. Enforcement of the Covenants was put into the hands of the individual property owners.
The Covenants established an Architectural Control Committee consisting of the interested parties of Lee Hoppes, Edward Stanford, and Jack Griener. Jack Griener lived at the head of Lake of the Pines on an 8 acres lot and was the original listing agent for Crestview properties.
Entrance Area
The Crestview entrance area consisted of a small lot that was given to Boulder County by the developers. A small section between that lot and Lefthand Creek belonged(s) to the property across Lefthand Creek. To the west, the lot that continues is part of the first property in Crestview on the right.
Entrance Signs
Roads
The roads were originally graveled. The plats for the subdivision filings dictated that the maintenance of the roads was the responsibility of the subdivision (not Boulder County.) The section of the road from Foothills Hwy (US 36) up to Crestridge Ct was paved (asphalt) early on in the development. The remaining roads remained gravel.
The gravel roads in the community were "accepted" for maintenance by Boulder County in 1973. This included all the roads with the following exceptions:
Streamcrest Dr. was not accepted (bridge not built, road not to standards?)
Middle Fork Rd. beyond the fourth lot past the Middle Crest intersection.
Paving the Gravel Roads
The process of paving the gravel roads was begin in the early 1990s after many years of dust, slick roads, and maintenance issue with the gravel. In 1992, Boulder County has agreed to pave a number of areas, Crestview asked to be one of the selected areas. Traffic counts were done by Boulder County. The County determined that Middle Fork Rd and Middle Crest had sufficient traffic (400 vehicles per day) to justify paving. The County, however, did not want to.
Lefthand Creek, Haldi Ditch and Lefthand Water District
Water Rights
There were different water rights when the development began. Near the entrance folks has water rights to the Haldi Ditch. At that time the Haldi Ditch was above ground and ran under the road about 1/4 mile south of the intersection of Middle Fork and Crestridge.
Developed lots had wells drilled. Water usage restrictions on the wells changed for wells drilled after May 7, 1972. Before that date, wells were classified as "Domestic" as water could be used on the property as the owner desired. After that date, all wells in the community were classified as "Household Use Only", meaning the owner could only use water with the house itself and not outside on the property.
During the late 1980s, a number of wells failed. Also, some newer homes built higher up had cisterns installed. Some cisterns were installed as a primary source of water for the house. Other cisterns were added for use in watering gardens and other outside uses.
Fire Prevention
A cistern was installed at the southeast corner of Stoneridge Terrace and Pinion Dr. The cistern was used and there were leaking issue from the beginning. Eventually, the cistern was abandoned as a source of water for fire-fighting.
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