Parker Consolidated School

History
The original school building in Pine Grove (Parker) was replaced in 1915 by this structure. The 1.15-acre site was sold to Consolidated School District #37 in 1914 for $300.

When the school opened in 1915, 38 children from the Parker, Allison, and Plainfield schools attended grades one through twelve. The building contained new classrooms, an administrative area, open space and a lunchroom.

As built, the original structure had no electricity until 1925. In 1949, two votes prevented passage of a bond election to fund the construction of a much needed gymnasium, so the community built the Parker Community Center (Quonset Hut) in what is now O’Brien park. At that time the auditorium and gymnasium activities were moved to the Community Center and the vacated school space was remodeled into two classrooms. The lunchroom in the basement was also enclosed and turned into a classroom.
All grades utilized the building until 1958, when high school students began attending Douglas County High School in Castle Rock. At that time, an all-purpose gymnasium and kitchen were added to the southwest corner of the facility.

In 1967, use of the building as a school was discontinued, and in 1970 the structure was sold to the Parker United Methodist Church, which later added an annex to the south side. The church used the property until 1996 when they moved into their current facility on Parker Road. At that time the old church property, which included Ruth Memorial Chapel and the parsonage, was purchased by the Town of Parker.

In 1997, the building was turned into a town center, providing a location for civic, social, educational, and cultural activities for the community. Ruth Memorial Chapel provides a quaint venue for weddings and small gatherings.

How to find it
From the intersection of Parker’s Mainstreet and Parker Road (Colorado 83) drive east on Mainstreet for 0.21 miles. The building is on the right or south side of the street.

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