Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Doors Open Denver Huge Success!

Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast celebrated Doors Open Denver with unprecedented numbers. Over 80 historically or architecturally significant sites in Denver were open for free tours Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15, 2012.   Castle Marne had nearly 1500 visitors this year!

Denver's CBS affiliate, Channel 4 stopped by to showcase the Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast.

Check out Louie, one of the family of Castle Marne in his top hat.  He looks great!

http://denver.cbslocal.com/video/6955282-doors-open-denver-is-this-weekend/


For all the successes, the future of Doors Open Denver is in doubt.  According to Carol Hiller, Event Manager of Doors Open Denver 2012,

"We do not know what the future holds, but there is a good possibility
that without more funding this will be the last year of DOD. If the
event was successful for you we would greatly appreciate a donation."

Contact Carol Hiller for more information:

Doors Open Denver - City and County of Denver

www.denvergov.org/doorsopendenver

Help Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast keep Doors Open Denver open and free to the general public, contact us here at www.castlemarne.com.  303-331-0621.

Thank you City of Denver, for promoting the rich history of our community.   The citizens of this beautiful city are grateful!




Thursday, April 12, 2012

Castle Marne B&B honors the lives lost that fateful day the Titanic went down to the bottom of the sea.

Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast joins the world in honoring the lives lost in the sinking of the Titanic 100 years ago, April 14, 1912.

Denver's own "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, the Titanic's most famous survivor of the disaster at sea, whose strength and leadership became known to the world on that fateful day.  Her home at 1340 Pennsylvania Street in downtown Denver is now a museum dedicated to telling Margaret "Molly" Brown's amazing life story.  http://www.mollybrown.org/

* Did you know that Molly ran for the Colorado State Senate three times before women had the right to vote?
* Molly fought for the rights of others including miners, children and animals?
* Molly traveled the world to experience the cultures of Africa, Egypt, Japan and India?

Learn more about Denver's most unique woman at the Molly Brown House Museum.

Another interesting piece of history trivia, William Lang, one of Denver's most eclectic architects built the Molly Brown House.  He also built the Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast.  Click here to learn more about William Lang.  http://www.castlemarne.com/the-inn/history-of-the-castle-marne.htm



LISTEN TO ROADTRIP RADIO WITH PATTY SUE SPIERS 2 TO 3 SATURDAY AND 6 TO 7 AM ON SUN

http://www.newstalk1460.com

THIS WEEK'S SHOW COMMEMORATES THE 100 ANNIVERSARY OF THE SINKING OF 
THE TITAN. WE BROADCAST FROM THE HOME OF ONE OF SURVIVORS, SURROUNDED BY ARTIFACTS, S.O.S. SOUNDS, THE TITANIC FOG HORN, THE MUSIC AS IT SUNK AND MORE!

Photograph:Poster of the Titanic, 1912.

On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic embarked on its maiden voyage, sailing from Southampton, England, to New York City. One of the largest and most luxurious passenger liners at the time, the Titanic was also considered by many to be unsinkable. On April 14, however, the ship struck an iceberg, and early the next day it sank. Some 1,500 people perished. Because of the tragedy, the Titanic became perhaps the best-known ship in the world, capturing the public imagination and inspiring popular books and movies. After the 1985 discovery of its wreckage, interest in the famed liner only increased. Some 100 years after its sinking, the Titanic remains an enduring legend.
LISTEN TO ROADTRIP RADIO WITH PATTY SUE SPIERS 2 TO 3 SATURDAYS AND 6 TO 7 AM ON SUN

GO TO:
http://www.newstalk1460.com  then click "listen live" 2-3 Saturdays, and 6 to 7 Sunday mornings.

Go to Roadtrip Radio on Facebook or www.roadtripradio.net to tell me your favorite roadtrip!
http://www.mollybrown.org/

Friday, April 6, 2012

Castle Marne B&B featured in Doors Open Denver 2012

Doors Open Denver 2012, Features Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast in today's  denver post article.   Once at the Denver Post site, click on Arts, then scroll down to Architecture, "Do Denver".  Over 70 architectural and historically significant sites throughout Denver are open for free tours next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, April 14 & 15.  The Castle Marne's hours are 10:00 to 3:00.

Castle Marne was built in 1889 as the home of Silver Baron Wilbur Raymond.  Raymond hired eclectic architect William Lang to build his new home.  He was the architect of over 300 homes in Denver.  He is best known for building the "Unsinkable Molly Brown" house.  www.mollybrown.org   Due to Denver's "Urban Renewal" in the 60's and 70's, over 200 homes were torn down, less than 100 survive today.  The Castle Marne's architectural style is Richardsonian Romenesque with Queen Anne overtones.  Raymond went over budget and lost the home in 1891.

The Second owner, Col. James H. Platt opened the Platte River Paper Mill, the largest paper mill west of the Mississippi River.  He was drowned in Green Lake in a fishing accident, near Georgetown, Colorado, August 13, 1894.

Third owner, John T Mason, a world renowned lepidopterist, collector of butterflies and moths, was first curator of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.  Experts suggest anywhere between 20,000 and 40,000 specimen were housed in the Ball Room of the Castle Marne's third floor until the completion of the museum in 1911.  Mason and his second wife, Dora Porter, daughter of philanthropist Henry Porter, of Denver's Porter's Hospital traveled around the world with her husband discovering new species and bringing them back to the house to be catalogued.  At the completion of the museum, the entire collection was donated as one of the first permanent collections.  The Masons moved to Pasadena, California where he died in 1928.  For more information on the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, www.dmns.org

By the end of WW1, the fourth owner, Adele Van Cise, mother of Col. Philip Van Cise, District Attorney for the city of Denver,  converted the 6000 sq. ft. 2 bedroom house into 8 apartments. While Adele was converting the house, Philip returned from France where he had fought in one of the bloodiest battles of the war, the Battle of the Marne.  This house reminded him of the castles and manor homes along the River Marne in the northern River Marne Valley.  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Battle_of_the_Marne.  The apartment house was known as the Marne Apartments for the next 50 years.

By the 1970's the Marne was converted into offices for the next 10 years.  The room we call the Conservatory Room www.castlemarne.com was home to an anarchist newspaper.  An employment agency called Employer X offering day labor jobs to ex-cons recently released from the State Penal system was housed here too.

By the 1980's, due to the Saving's and Loan Crises, the mansion went into foreclosure.  The building was vacant for over 7 and a half years.  The plumbing froze and burst and for more than two weeks the water ran, filling the basement with water, destroying ceilings, walls and floors.

In 1988, the Peiker and Feher-Peikers purchased the derelict building with the intention of turning it into a bed and breakfast.  After extensive renovation and restoration, the Castle Marne Bed and Breakfast has been in operation for 25 years this August 1st.

For more information on individual sites open for the FREE tours, click here: www.denvergov.org/doorsopendenver.


                                            We're looking forward to seeing you next weekend.


                                                   The Peiker and Feher-Peiker family 





Monday, April 2, 2012

Blockbuster Magic Moments, 2012!

Another blockbuster show for Magic Moments, 2012!                       Home-Page_02.jpg

This year's production of "A Night At Nick's, A Love Story Of Passion, Pirates, and Pianos" took audience members by storm.  The show welcomed us into Nick's, a neighborhood hangout located on a fictional wharf.  We met the "barfly" regulars and joined in celebrating Marty's 35th birthday with songs and dance.

The cast of over 200 was comprised of special needs and able-bodied singers, dancers and actors from all over the Denver metro-area.  Kids and adults alike sang and danced their way into the audience's hearts with songs like "I'm Proud To Be An American",  "Under The Sea", "I'd Walk 500  Miles" and more.

For more information on Magic Moments, the not-for-profit Musical Theater group based in Denver, Colorado, please go to magicmomentsinc.org.