Search Castle Rock Magazine April 2024

7 Questions

WITH MARSHALL EKHOFF

Marshall Ekhoff

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?

My first job out of college was an assistant manager at Burger King at Mississippi & Peoria in Aurora. After college, my wife and I immediately got married and moved to Colorado. We didn’t know anyone, and I needed a job right away to pay the bills. I am always nice and thoughtful to fast food workers. Fast food workers are real people too!

What is your favorite vacation?

I love all beach and water vacations. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the Caribbean, Hawaii, or Lake of the Ozarks. If there is warm water, jet skis or a pontoon boat, I love it!

Who was the most influential person in your life?

My father. While is he wasn’t perfect, or the smartest, or the fastest, or the strongest, or the wisest and so on; he simply gave us everything that he had, every single day! We never went without and always seemed to have just enough.

What is a moment in your life you wish you had a picture from?

In 1990, Denver hosted the Men’s NCAA Championship Final Four. I was selling Converse shoes for Famous Footwear at the time, and I sold the Converse basketball shoes that month. I won the opportunity to have lunch with Julias “Dr. J” Erving. There were only ten of us in the room and for two hours we were able to ask him any/all the questions we wanted. His hand size was amazingly large, his hand dwarfed my hand when I was shaking his. It left no wonder how he could balm the ball with the greatest of ease.

Marshall is a Financial Advisor of COUNTRY Trust Bank® and Registered Representative of COUNTRY® Capital Management Company, as well as a COUNTRY Financial® Insurance Agent. He and his wife, Julie, have lived in Parker for over 27 years and are deeply involved in the community and local schools.

What was the worst date you ever went on?

One of my first high school dates, I locked my keys in the car and I immediately knew it. We missed the movie and I had to beg the Baskin Robbins employee to let me use their land line phone to call my dad. He had to drive 30 minutes to come over with the extra set of keys. This was long before we all carried cell phones and bought AAA road service.

What is your favorite “Douglas County” memory?

We moved to a Parker North subdivision in the summer of 1990. A couple of nights per week, we would walk downtown to the old O’Brien Park and play slow pitch softball. Afterwards the team we played on would always head over to the Sweaty Betty’s bar (today’s Tailgate) for beers and live entertainment. That was so good ol’ smalltown fun!

What is your favorite “Colorado” memory?

Julie and I were at Superbowl XXXII in San Diego when the Denver Broncos beat the hated Green Bay Packers. It seemed like thousands of Packer fans went to San Diego expecting the Broncos fans to sell our tickets because “everybody” thought we had no chance of winning. John Elway, Terrell Davis and the Broncos team shut the cheese heads up from the kickoff! It doesn’t get any better than this!

Proud To Be DCSD!

There is so much to be proud of within the Douglas County School District.

We have incredible students, fantastic teachers and staff, and amazing parents/guardians and community members who all work together to make this school district one of the best!

Did You Know?

• For the first time in a decade, DCSD is the TOP scoring district in the Denver/Metro area!

• DCSD is one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic!!) scores in every subject and every grade.

• DCSD is one of the only school districts in the state to increase proficiency levels across all student subgroups.

• DCSD is one of the leaders, nationwide, in “blurring the lines” between PK-12 and higher education through our incredible Concurrent Enrollment/Career & Technical Education offerings (Over 20K seats!) and our partnerships with multiple higher education institutions, providing students additional pathways to success after high school, whether they choose college or go straight to industry.

Finally, DCSD was just rated number 11 on the list of the 250 “most envied” school districts in the country by Test Prep Insight. (DCSD is the only Colorado school district in the top 65).

Thank you!

We are so thankful, again, for the support we received to get 5A over the finish line. Thanks to 5A, we have been able to retain the amazing educators that made all of that happen for our kids and move our starting teacher pay from $45K to $51K. 5A resulted in a net increase of 2.939 mills to the district’s tax rate ($194 for a million dollar home), and yet we still have one of the lowest tax rates in the metro area, so the district’s return on investment for our community is amazing.

Ihad the chance to go to the Legacy Campus in recently for an engineering competition. The spacious and modern building serves a great purpose. In 2018, a bond was approved by voters to purchase the previous CU South Extension and Wildlife Experience in Lone Tree. The Douglas County School District and Board of Education bought the property with a plan to renovate and serve the district as the Legacy Campus. The new purchase cost the district $10.3 million, a fair price for a 14-acre plot of land and 175,000 square feet for staff offices, classroom space, and areas for conference and competition events.

Dr. Rex Corr is the Director at Legacy Campus, and he shared his incredible excitement about providing greater opportunities for students currently in the Douglas County School District. The Legacy Campus provides opportunities to expand the Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Concurrent Enrollment (CE) programs. These programs have been growing in DCSD and are helping prepare students for careers after high school. The Legacy Campus offers classes to point students to future pathways in both trade and university.

"We're not pulling in any of the programming from our neighborhood existing schools. We are building additional pathways to really connect student passion to pathway," Dr. Corr said. "We have a breadth of programming we're bringing on board."

Legacy

BY AMBER TUELLER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

“It is a central offering of career and technical education courses through nine different pathways.” Architecture and Engineering, Building Controls Technology, Advanced Robotics, Culinary and Hospitality, EMT Fundamentals, Aviation, Secure Network Technologies, Future Educator, Nursing are the seven current areas of focus. They were selected by looking at which industries would have the most demand.

Students stay enrolled in their home schools and attend Legacy Campus for these pathway specific classes for several class periods each week. Local universities helped to create curriculum for students to work toward college credits and industry certificates. No tuition is paid by students in their concurrent enrollment courses. Dual enrollment courses require a very fair tuition price that was negotiated by the district.

Students attend Legacy Campus by choice. They enroll in the CTE offerings from the district and are excited to learn in their chosen field. College credits are available through the classes offered and the beautiful campus provides facilities needed for hands-on learning. For example, students receive instruction in a kitchen, engineering lab, aviation simulator, or medical classroom.

Transforming the museum spaces into what can serve students has been a creative process. Animatronics have been repurposed to be studied in the robotics pathway. Mannequins and statues can still be seen around the educational campus. The large museum rooms offer wide open spaces and opportunities for learning. Some fun photos showing transformations can be seen on the Legacy Campus website, legacycampus.org.

Creating this unique, centrally located campus provides a great opportunity for our district's students. Students do not have to leave their home school completely, but can remain involved in classes, sports, and activities with their current high school. Supplementing with additional learning at the Legacy Campus within the seven pathways makes the program especially convenient and flexible. Investing in our students’ future is a great mission, and it will be exciting to see how the program at Legacy Campus grows.

In the interest of providing the 50 best dining options in Douglas County, we must be able to personally recommend each listing. The guide is subject to change. If you have a suggestion for inclusion on the list, email us at contribute@tuellers.com.

KEY

Based on a typical dinner for one person, excluding drinks, tax or tip.

$ ............................. Under $15 $$ ............................... $15-$25

$$$ ......................... Over $25

(EC) Editors Choice (N) New

Asian fusion

CHERRY VILLAGE

ASIAN GRILL

Offering a Chinese and Vietnamese-centric menu in a relaxed atmosphere.

17001 Lincoln Ave, #A, Parker 303-840-7338 $$

DANCING NOODLE

A small, family owned, dinein and take-out restaurant that serves authentic homestyle Thai food.

10841 S. Crossroads Dr., Suite 10, Parker 303-805-3880 $$

INDOCHINE

A local go-to for quality home-style cuisine. This Parker fixture is known for a fresh, creative menu.

19751 E Mainstreet, Parker 720-851-8559 $$

JOHN HOLLY’S Chinese and Thai dishes that are nothing less than the culinary equivalent of an exotic adventure.

9232 Park Meadows Dr, Lone Tree 303-768-9088 $$

PEGASUS

A local favorite for breakfast and lunch, Pegasus has something for everyone. They have served an ecletic menu in a comfortable setting for the past 31 years. While you're there, go see the giant riverboat roulette wheel behind the bar!

JUNZ

A favorite sushi place in town with a unique blend of Japanese and French at its very best.

11211 S. Dransfeldt Rd., Parker 720-851-1005 $$

BAKERY/DESSERTs

LA PETITE CREPERIE

The locals favorite spot to grab made-to-order crepes. Sweet or savory, you can’t go wrong. Proudly serving farm to table fresh.

19751 Mainstreet, Parker 720-638-9722 $ (EC)

PARIS BAGUETTE

Popular Korean chain that brings expertly crafted baked goods through a warm and welcoming bakery cafe' experience that delivers joy to everyone.

18374 Cottonwood Dr., Parker 720-500-5555 $ (N)

POULETTE BAKESHOP

New artisan bakers taking Parker by storm. Order early, they sell out every day! 19585 Hess Road, Parker 303-955-5647 $ (N)

BARBEQUE

BIG JIMS

Don’t be fooled by this being a food truck; if you like southern BBQ, this is your place. Corner of Parker Rd and Longs Way, Parker $$$

GQUE BBQ

Award-winning food. Try the wood-smoked ribs, brisket, pork, or garlic potatoes. 8433 Park Meadows Center Dr., Suite 143B, Lone Tree 303-729-2506 $$

HICKORY HOUSE

The Parker tradition. Known for their baby back ribs, but don’t miss the pulled pork and barbeque chicken. 10335 S Parker Rd, Parker 303-805-9742 $$

OLD WEST BBQ

A hidden gem with familyfriendly pricing. Don’t miss out on their breakfast burritos. 107 Wolfensberger Rd., Castle Rock 303-660-6340 $

BREW PUB

20 MILE TAP HOUSE

Best known for their burgers and wings. Make sure to catch Trivia Tuesdays. 12543 N Hwy 83, Parker 303-841-6782 $$

GREAT DIVIDE BREWERY & ROADHOUSE

Destination locale with an informal ambiance offering hearty comfort classics 215 Wilcox St Suite G, Castle Rock 303-955-5788 $$ - $$$ (N)

ROCKYARD BREWING CO.

Douglas County’s longest running brew pub. Steaks, burgers, pizza and soup! 880 Castleton Rd, Castle Rock 303-814-9273 $$

TAILGATE TAVERN & GRILL

Your neighborhood tavern for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Sports bar with live music not to miss on the weekends.

19552 E. Mainstreet, Parker 303-841-7179 $$

THE LIBRARY CO. BAR & KITCHEN

Offering great food & amazing drinks in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. Clear and simple menu options.

3911 Ambrosia St., Suite 101, Castle Rock 720-389-5986 $$

ITalian

CRANELLI’S Comfort Italian food in a rustic, cozy, casual familyoriented format.

10047 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree 303-799-3661 $$

DANIELLE’S SCRATCH KITCHEN

Stylish, energetic eatery offering elevated Italian fare with an emphasis on great customer service.

872 Happy Canyon Rd. Suite 100, Castle Rock 303-524-9788 $$$

PORTOFINO

Authentic Italian eatery featuring pizza, pasta, calzones and heros. The local “go-to” for fresh Italian. 10920 S Parker Rd, Parker 303-841-9900 $$

SCILEPPI’S

A modern Italian restaurant focused on family recipes and premium ingredients. 210 Third St., Castle Rock 303-688-9000 $$

VIA BACI

Neapolitan pizzas join modern Italian fare at this casual eatery featuring a full bar & patio. 10005 Commons St, Lone Tree 303-790-0828 $$

MEXICAN ADRIANNA’S

Intimate Mexican eatery for authentic cuisine in a relaxed ambiance. Great for parties. 7272 E Hwy 86, Franktown 303-663-7800 $$

CASA MARIACHI

Unassuming local joint serving up straight-forward Mexican plates.

9771 S Parker Rd, Parker 720-842-5105 $$

LA CASITA

Vibrant, cantina-style eatery offering Mexican cuisine in a laid-back atmosphere.

18951 E Mainstreet, Parker 720-842-5181 $$

LAS DELICIAS

Bare-bones, family-owned local Tex-Mex eats for breakfast, lunch & dinner.

19553 E Mainstreet, Parker 303-840-0325 $$

LOS DOS POTRILLOS

Elegant family-owned eatery. There’s a combo dish to please everyone.

19340 Cottonwood Dr., Parker 303-840-6574 $$

LOS VOLCANES

Don’t miss the Carnitas! And bring your appetite for the large portions.

10471 S. Parker Rd., Parker 303-841-0160 $$

new american

CASTLE CAFE

Set in a former 1890s hotel. Plating hearty American fare like pan-fried chicken & burgers.

403 Wilcox St, Castle Rock 303-814-2233 $$

VALERIE'S BREWHOUSE

Uniquely fun sports bar with a creative menu of brats and dogs.

971 Park St., Castle Rock 303-660-2399 $

CRAVE

A favorite gourmet burger joint. Imaginative menu with amazing handcrafted shakes.

3982 Limelight Ave, Castle Rock 303-814-2829 $$

DOUG'S DAY DINER

American breakfast cafe where everything is made from scratch.

18595 Mainstreet, Parker 720-476-7162 $$

MANNA

A casual sit-down destination with a menu that reflects Colorado’s growing season. 2350 Meadows Blvd., Castle Rock 720-455-3664 $

PARKER GARAGE

The Parker landmark located right downtown offers a locally-sourced menu. Great service and large portions. 19420 Mainstreet, Parker 720-389-8105 $$ (EC)

PEGASUS

A local favorite for breakfast or lunch. American, Greek or Mexican dishes.

313 Jerry St., Castle Rock 303-688-6746 $$

RORY’S

Comfort food and baked goods at their finest. Don’t see it on the menu? Ask for it! Downtown gem. 11020 S Pikes Peak Dr., Parker 720-708-2889 $$

SIERRA

High-end, wood-fired kitchen with a warm ambiance, preparing select American dishes. 10680 Cabela Dr., Lone Tree 303-662-8800 $$

TRIBE AT RIVERWALK

Upscale, yet casual dining experience with a one-of-akind menu. Don't miss the brunch.

115 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock 303-362-0904 $$$ (N)

WEST MAIN TAPROOM

A modern and open venue that boasts thoughtful and honest cuisine. A haven for the gluten-free crowd. 18595 Mainstreet, Parker 720-826-3689 $$

PIZZA

ANTONIO’S

A traditional family-style Italian pizza restaurant with a Brooklyn flair. 12947 S Parker Rd., Parker 720-851-5300 $

ARTISAN

Delicious Neapolitan-style pizza that makes each dish an individual work of art! And don’t forget dessert. 12311 Pine Bluffs Way, Parker 303-840-0518 $

COLORADOUGH

A refreshing take on madefrom-scratch pizza. So fresh they don’t even have a freezer! 17860 Cottonwood Dr., Parker 303-386-3333 $$

LIL’ RICCI’S

New York pizzas & other red sauce staples in a low-key setting. Can’t miss the garlic knots. 16526 Keystone Blvd, Parker 303-220-7422 $$

PARRY’S

NY-style pizza, wings, & casual Italian eats, in kidfriendly quarters. 5650 Allen Way, Castle Rock 303-814-8686 $$

STEAKHOUSE

DUKE’S Rustic restaurant featuring beef & seafood dishes, plus a sports tavern with an Irish vibe.

363 Village Square Lane, Castle Pines

303-814-2487 $$$

FOGO DE CHAO

Upscale Brasilian steakhouse with all-you-can-eat meat carved tableside. Guaraná is a must, and try the Creme de Papaya. 8419 Park Meadows Center Dr., Lone Tree 303-481-4001 $$$ (EC)

PERRY’S

Chops, seafood, wine, & cocktails served in an upscale setting with a lounge & live jazz. 8433 Park Meadows Center Dr., Lone Tree 303-792-2571 $$$

TEXAS ROADHOUSE

Texas-themed steakhouse with a great menu and wonderful atmosphere. 11205 S. Parker Rd, Parker 303-805-5848 $$

TRAPPER’S CHOP HOUSE

Upscale hideaway local favorite featuring their signature Volcanic Hot Rock sear-it-yourself experience. 19308 Cottonwood Dr., Parker 303-248-2132 $$$

UNIQUE VISTAVINO MODERN

Quaint Tuscan grill made fresh from local fare. Every dish is a winner! 611 Wilcox St., Castle Rock 303-814-2487 $$

HISTORY HASHTAG

Newcomb House

Victoria Newcomb on the left and her sister, Laura

BY AMBER TUELLER

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOUGLAS COUNTY LIBRARY ARCHIVES

Newcomb original center section of house, facing south

The historic yellow house at 10965 S. Pikes Peak Drive in downtown Parker has always caught my eye. The home has a plaque out front designating it as a Parker historic landmark. It was built on a portion of land from George Parker’s original homestead. James Parker and his brother, George, were instrumental in establishing the town of Parker in the late 1800s.

James Newcomb visited a friend in Parker in 1909 and liked it well enough to come back to stay. Victoria Stover and her sister, Laura, came to Parker a few years earlier to teach school. James met and married Victoria in 1910. The Newcombs purchased land from George Parker for $150 and built their house in 1911, which consisted of the center portion of the existing home, facing south at the time. In 1911, the Newcombs also built a barbershop off Mainstreet. Once completed, they lived in the rear of the barbershop and rented out their house.

James was involved in the local orchestra, tended to his barbershop, and even started to publish the Parker Post with his brother, but this venture only lasted for about a year. Victoria became the postmaster for Parker in 1914 and continued there for 35 years. James traveled away from Parker quite often and eventually did not come back.

After both Victoria and her sister separated from their husbands, Laura came to live with Victoria in Parker. The barbershop became the post office, and the sisters lived in the rear of the shop together. In 1937, Victoria added the two side wings onto the home and had it turned to face east, looking onto Pikes Peak Drive. Victoria and Laura lived in the house off and on until Victoria’s death in 1965.

The home changed hands through the years. I had the opportunity to interview Weyland and Marsha Britt, who purchased the Newcomb home in the early 1990s from the Jerry Ratliff family. The Britts moved to Parker in 1981 when there was one swinging light over the intersection of Parker Road and Mainstreet. They built a home in east Parker and their children, two sons and one daughter, attended Pine Lane Elementary, Parker Junior High, and Ponderosa High School.

The 1400 square foot Newcombe house was a residence when the Britts purchased it for their engineering business offices, living off a very sulfur laden, odiferous well with pumping capabilities. They had to tap into the sewer to obtain city water and fill the well. The Britts said the house had been in good shape when they bought it and most of the historic character remained.

Weyland and Marsha tried to keep it as historically accurate as the town would let them, now being commercial property. The Town of Parker helped with clearing away some of the large trees that fell during a storm.

The Episcopal church also helped to contribute to some of the tree trimming and maintenance. On multiple occasions, the picket fence had to be repaired from treefall damage and an automobile run-through, both wood pickets and original cement finished brick pilons. Weyland often hired teenagers to repaint the fence.

With their contractor, Tony Mamos, they upgraded all the plumbing and electricity in the home and changed parts of the bathroom and kitchen to meet commercial codes. They also had to put some beams to support the upstairs and reroof the home and separate model T garage. Weyland designed and Tony built a deck onto the back of the house for required wheelchair access and upstairs access.

Marsha described how she very lovingly remodeled the house, sanded and painted the mahogany woodwork, stripped the varnish off all the woodwork, and put in a tin ceiling in one room to cover up an old, cracked ceiling. She sanded, repaired, painted the plaster walls and stripped and refinished the original windows. She refinished the original oak and pine floors. She kept the very old lilac bushes believed to be planted by Victoria Newcomb, herself.

Keeping it historical was not an accident. It wasn’t easy. The Town of Parker tried to help with building codes and variations as much as possible. Friends at the fire department helped install smoke detectors that would ring straight to the firehouse, circumventing the need for ceiling sprinklers. In the mid-1990s, the Town of Parker approached the Britts and asked if they would like to designate it as historical property. In 1997, it was added to the Historic Registry List, and they received the home's plaque.

The Britts saw many changes from the quiet, private neighborhood when they first purchased the home to a noisy and lively Mainstreet in recent years. Through the years they welcomed the community during holiday events and home tours. When it came time to sell, they were careful to choose a buyer who was intent on saving the home. They know the importance of keeping a historical building on its original foundation to preserve and protect it, and they put so much love and effort into keeping the home in good repair.

The current owners bought the home at the end of 2022 to use as a residence. They have cleared the trees and foliage from much of the property and updated the paint on both buildings, as well as updated and made repairs inside. They have enjoyed living close to the hustle and bustle. This historic gem needs to be preserved and appreciated by the community. We give gratitude to those who have cared for it.

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