Alonzo Nelson Allen was born in New York in 1820. Little is known about his young life. He was a man of few words, hard of hearing as he aged, and always reluctant to talk about his early family. What facts can be pieced together indicate he grew up as the son of John and Anna (Greenleaf) Allen on the Allen's farm near Seneca, New York.
As a young man, Alonzo moved to Ohio and thence to Columbus, Wisconsin, where he was a pioneer farmer and mill operator. In 1847, he met and married Mary Ann (Harris) Dickens, a widow with a small farm and three children: Elizabeth, William Henry, and Maria. By 1860, the couple had another five children: Mary, Rodolphus (Doll), George, Charles, and Alonzo Harris. Mr. Allen owned stone quarries and raised wheat. He prospered, until the Panic of 1857 crushed him financially.
In 1859, Alonzo Nelson set out for "Pike's Peak." He captained a "prairie schooner" with two yoke of oxen and two cows. He settled next to Saint Vrain Creek in today's Boulder County, Colorado, where he built a 12X18 foot, mud-chinked log cabin with a stone fireplace.
He was soon joined by his step-son William Dickens. They homesteaded a tract of land, and commenced cultivating hay on a large scale. The hay, all cut and raked by hand, was hauled to mountain mining camps and stagecoach-team barns. They sold it for exorbitant prices. The prices for groceries and all kinds of merchandise were equally inflated.
In 1863, Alonzo Allen's wife Mary Ann and their six minor children made the trek from Wisconsin to Colorado. The cabin was not large enough so the family camped out until the Overland Stage Company gave Mary Ann a contract to have Alonzo build a stage station and for Mary Ann to feed the passengers. The business was extremely successful. The original three-room station was replaced by a new seven-room frame house in 1865. In 1868, William Dickens had a two-story building erected. The upper floor was for dances and entertainment, all catered by Mary Ann Allen.
In 1871, Alonzo Nelson Allen and William Dickens joined the "Chicago-Colorado Colony," a creative venture that marketed Denver Pacific Railroad expansion opportunities to wealthy Chicago investors and raised funds for the creation of a new city called Longmont in Colorado. Allen, Dickens and the entire Allen family played an important role in the success of Longmont, a city planned so that people would like and enjoy living in it. The Allen family prided itself on being the first to move home and businesses from Saint Vrain Creek into the new town to help Longmont grow. Even the children pitched in, staking out the perspective settlers' lots until the land had been surveyed and plotted.
Alonzo Nelson Allen was a good mechanic and helped to build the early saw mills and two or three grist mills. He often turned his attention to stock raising and mining. He had been sinking prospecting holes since his arrival in Colorado, mostly around Left Hand Creek and in Allen's Park. He had discovered the Allen Park area in 1864 -- it and its lake are named after him. He explored opportunities in the placer mines in the Black Hills of the Colorado Rockies; and, upon his return, he continued his mining enterprises around Longmont. He made fortunes and lost them.
His last years were spent in Routt and Boulder Counties. He died in 1894, aged 74 years.
Alonzo Allen's cabin on Saint Vrain Creek eventually burned to the ground. In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution unveiled a marker near the site. The inscription on the marker reads: "1860 – 1928 - The site of the first log cabin in the St. Vrain valley lies 200 feet west of this marker. The cabin was built by Alonzo N. Allen and used as a stage station on the Overland Trail."
As a young man, Alonzo moved to Ohio and thence to Columbus, Wisconsin, where he was a pioneer farmer and mill operator. In 1847, he met and married Mary Ann (Harris) Dickens, a widow with a small farm and three children: Elizabeth, William Henry, and Maria. By 1860, the couple had another five children: Mary, Rodolphus (Doll), George, Charles, and Alonzo Harris. Mr. Allen owned stone quarries and raised wheat. He prospered, until the Panic of 1857 crushed him financially.
In 1859, Alonzo Nelson set out for "Pike's Peak." He captained a "prairie schooner" with two yoke of oxen and two cows. He settled next to Saint Vrain Creek in today's Boulder County, Colorado, where he built a 12X18 foot, mud-chinked log cabin with a stone fireplace.
He was soon joined by his step-son William Dickens. They homesteaded a tract of land, and commenced cultivating hay on a large scale. The hay, all cut and raked by hand, was hauled to mountain mining camps and stagecoach-team barns. They sold it for exorbitant prices. The prices for groceries and all kinds of merchandise were equally inflated.
In 1863, Alonzo Allen's wife Mary Ann and their six minor children made the trek from Wisconsin to Colorado. The cabin was not large enough so the family camped out until the Overland Stage Company gave Mary Ann a contract to have Alonzo build a stage station and for Mary Ann to feed the passengers. The business was extremely successful. The original three-room station was replaced by a new seven-room frame house in 1865. In 1868, William Dickens had a two-story building erected. The upper floor was for dances and entertainment, all catered by Mary Ann Allen.
In 1871, Alonzo Nelson Allen and William Dickens joined the "Chicago-Colorado Colony," a creative venture that marketed Denver Pacific Railroad expansion opportunities to wealthy Chicago investors and raised funds for the creation of a new city called Longmont in Colorado. Allen, Dickens and the entire Allen family played an important role in the success of Longmont, a city planned so that people would like and enjoy living in it. The Allen family prided itself on being the first to move home and businesses from Saint Vrain Creek into the new town to help Longmont grow. Even the children pitched in, staking out the perspective settlers' lots until the land had been surveyed and plotted.
Alonzo Nelson Allen was a good mechanic and helped to build the early saw mills and two or three grist mills. He often turned his attention to stock raising and mining. He had been sinking prospecting holes since his arrival in Colorado, mostly around Left Hand Creek and in Allen's Park. He had discovered the Allen Park area in 1864 -- it and its lake are named after him. He explored opportunities in the placer mines in the Black Hills of the Colorado Rockies; and, upon his return, he continued his mining enterprises around Longmont. He made fortunes and lost them.
His last years were spent in Routt and Boulder Counties. He died in 1894, aged 74 years.
Alonzo Allen's cabin on Saint Vrain Creek eventually burned to the ground. In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution unveiled a marker near the site. The inscription on the marker reads: "1860 – 1928 - The site of the first log cabin in the St. Vrain valley lies 200 feet west of this marker. The cabin was built by Alonzo N. Allen and used as a stage station on the Overland Trail."
Alonzo Nelson Allen was born in New York in 1820. Little is known about his young life. He was a man of few words, hard of hearing as he aged, and always reluctant to talk about his early family. What facts can be pieced together indicate he grew up as the son of John and Anna (Greenleaf) Allen on the Allen's farm near Seneca, New York.
As a young man, Alonzo moved to Ohio and thence to Columbus, Wisconsin, where he was a pioneer farmer and mill operator. In 1847, he met and married Mary Ann (Harris) Dickens, a widow with a small farm and three children: Elizabeth, William Henry, and Maria. By 1860, the couple had another five children: Mary, Rodolphus (Doll), George, Charles, and Alonzo Harris. Mr. Allen owned stone quarries and raised wheat. He prospered, until the Panic of 1857 crushed him financially.
In 1859, Alonzo Nelson set out for "Pike's Peak." He captained a "prairie schooner" with two yoke of oxen and two cows. He settled next to Saint Vrain Creek in today's Boulder County, Colorado, where he built a 12X18 foot, mud-chinked log cabin with a stone fireplace.
He was soon joined by his step-son William Dickens. They homesteaded a tract of land, and commenced cultivating hay on a large scale. The hay, all cut and raked by hand, was hauled to mountain mining camps and stagecoach-team barns. They sold it for exorbitant prices. The prices for groceries and all kinds of merchandise were equally inflated.
In 1863, Alonzo Allen's wife Mary Ann and their six minor children made the trek from Wisconsin to Colorado. The cabin was not large enough so the family camped out until the Overland Stage Company gave Mary Ann a contract to have Alonzo build a stage station and for Mary Ann to feed the passengers. The business was extremely successful. The original three-room station was replaced by a new seven-room frame house in 1865. In 1868, William Dickens had a two-story building erected. The upper floor was for dances and entertainment, all catered by Mary Ann Allen.
In 1871, Alonzo Nelson Allen and William Dickens joined the "Chicago-Colorado Colony," a creative venture that marketed Denver Pacific Railroad expansion opportunities to wealthy Chicago investors and raised funds for the creation of a new city called Longmont in Colorado. Allen, Dickens and the entire Allen family played an important role in the success of Longmont, a city planned so that people would like and enjoy living in it. The Allen family prided itself on being the first to move home and businesses from Saint Vrain Creek into the new town to help Longmont grow. Even the children pitched in, staking out the perspective settlers' lots until the land had been surveyed and plotted.
Alonzo Nelson Allen was a good mechanic and helped to build the early saw mills and two or three grist mills. He often turned his attention to stock raising and mining. He had been sinking prospecting holes since his arrival in Colorado, mostly around Left Hand Creek and in Allen's Park. He had discovered the Allen Park area in 1864 -- it and its lake are named after him. He explored opportunities in the placer mines in the Black Hills of the Colorado Rockies; and, upon his return, he continued his mining enterprises around Longmont. He made fortunes and lost them.
His last years were spent in Routt and Boulder Counties. He died in 1894, aged 74 years.
Alonzo Allen's cabin on Saint Vrain Creek eventually burned to the ground. In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution unveiled a marker near the site. The inscription on the marker reads: "1860 – 1928 - The site of the first log cabin in the St. Vrain valley lies 200 feet west of this marker. The cabin was built by Alonzo N. Allen and used as a stage station on the Overland Trail."
As a young man, Alonzo moved to Ohio and thence to Columbus, Wisconsin, where he was a pioneer farmer and mill operator. In 1847, he met and married Mary Ann (Harris) Dickens, a widow with a small farm and three children: Elizabeth, William Henry, and Maria. By 1860, the couple had another five children: Mary, Rodolphus (Doll), George, Charles, and Alonzo Harris. Mr. Allen owned stone quarries and raised wheat. He prospered, until the Panic of 1857 crushed him financially.
In 1859, Alonzo Nelson set out for "Pike's Peak." He captained a "prairie schooner" with two yoke of oxen and two cows. He settled next to Saint Vrain Creek in today's Boulder County, Colorado, where he built a 12X18 foot, mud-chinked log cabin with a stone fireplace.
He was soon joined by his step-son William Dickens. They homesteaded a tract of land, and commenced cultivating hay on a large scale. The hay, all cut and raked by hand, was hauled to mountain mining camps and stagecoach-team barns. They sold it for exorbitant prices. The prices for groceries and all kinds of merchandise were equally inflated.
In 1863, Alonzo Allen's wife Mary Ann and their six minor children made the trek from Wisconsin to Colorado. The cabin was not large enough so the family camped out until the Overland Stage Company gave Mary Ann a contract to have Alonzo build a stage station and for Mary Ann to feed the passengers. The business was extremely successful. The original three-room station was replaced by a new seven-room frame house in 1865. In 1868, William Dickens had a two-story building erected. The upper floor was for dances and entertainment, all catered by Mary Ann Allen.
In 1871, Alonzo Nelson Allen and William Dickens joined the "Chicago-Colorado Colony," a creative venture that marketed Denver Pacific Railroad expansion opportunities to wealthy Chicago investors and raised funds for the creation of a new city called Longmont in Colorado. Allen, Dickens and the entire Allen family played an important role in the success of Longmont, a city planned so that people would like and enjoy living in it. The Allen family prided itself on being the first to move home and businesses from Saint Vrain Creek into the new town to help Longmont grow. Even the children pitched in, staking out the perspective settlers' lots until the land had been surveyed and plotted.
Alonzo Nelson Allen was a good mechanic and helped to build the early saw mills and two or three grist mills. He often turned his attention to stock raising and mining. He had been sinking prospecting holes since his arrival in Colorado, mostly around Left Hand Creek and in Allen's Park. He had discovered the Allen Park area in 1864 -- it and its lake are named after him. He explored opportunities in the placer mines in the Black Hills of the Colorado Rockies; and, upon his return, he continued his mining enterprises around Longmont. He made fortunes and lost them.
His last years were spent in Routt and Boulder Counties. He died in 1894, aged 74 years.
Alonzo Allen's cabin on Saint Vrain Creek eventually burned to the ground. In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution unveiled a marker near the site. The inscription on the marker reads: "1860 – 1928 - The site of the first log cabin in the St. Vrain valley lies 200 feet west of this marker. The cabin was built by Alonzo N. Allen and used as a stage station on the Overland Trail."
Inscription
Pioneer 1859
