Throwback Thursday: Rose Acre Gardens

A view of the Rose Acre gardens – From the Denver Post

Tucked away on the northwest side of Edgewater, is a small subdivision called Rose Acres that has an interesting past. The only remnants of a storied past is the mention of the subdivision on real estate listings and a large estate connected to a church.

Louis F. Liebhardt, a vegetable and fruit broker, owned a 37 acre plot of land in Edgewater from 26th Avenue to 20th Avenue west of Lamar Street. He filled the property with gardens of roses and other exotic plants. In the early 1920s and 1930s it was the most popular sightseeing destination in Jefferson County. Liebhardt also purchased the Cherrelyn Horse Car and displayed it on the property. Harry Lumberg, who Lumberg Elementary is named after, worked at the rose gardens and owned a farm house at 2440 Lamar Street.

The Cherrelyn Horse Car – from History Colorado

The property was sold on October 21, 1951 for over $100,000 to Denver meat packers Sam and Morris Sigman. The Sigmans subdivided the land for over 200 homes as part of the Rose Acres Subdivision which is bordered by 24th Avenue, 26th Avenue, Pierce Street and Marshall Street. Truett Memorial Church purchased the land that included the mansion and built their church. The church and mansion are still standing today and are owned by Vietnamese Central Baptist Church at 6400 W. 26th Avenue.

The Liebhart Mansion located just south of Vietnamese Central Baptist Church

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.