719-545-5290 |visit our websiteRosemount was the home of prominent Pueblo businessman John A. Thatcher and his wife Margaret. It was designed by noted New York architect Henry Hudson Holly. Completed in 1893, the home cost $100,000 including appointments and furnishings-- an enormous sum for those times. The 37 room mansion is a three story brick building faced with rose colored rhyolite. The roof is Vermont slate with columned chimneys serving ten fireplaces.
Nearly all of the furnishings, window and wall treatments, paintings and other decorative arts on display are original to the home. There are Tiffany chandeliers, a 9x13 foot stained glass window, ten gorgeously carved and accented fireplaces, many elaborately painted ceilings, and lots of fine oak, cherry, mahogany, and maple woodwork. Rosemount is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
John Thatcher moved from Pennsylvania to Colorado and became a successful merchant and banker, with other interests in cattle, mining and farming. Shortly after his arrival in Pueblo, he met and married Margaret Henry. The fortune he amassed allowed him to build Rosemount.
The Thatchers were the only family to live in the home and therefore nothing has been changed-from hand-carved woodwork, to the use of the rooms in the house, and in many cases even the layout of the furniture in the rooms remains unchanged. Family pictures and their fine arts collection are prominently displayed.
In 1967, the museum was set up as a public trust with support provided by members of the Thatcher family, memberships and admissions.
Visitors to Rosemount receive a guided tour led by trained docents who tell the story of Rosemount and the Thatcher family. Tours begin every half hour. There is also a video produced by A&E and one produced by HGTV that give brief summaries of the house and its history. Brochures on the museum are also available. The museum gift shop sells a book about the Thatchers and about the home.
Rosemount is open from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm Tuesday through Saturday. It is closed Sunday and Monday, all major holidays and the month of January.
Fun Facts
Rosemount was named after Mrs. Thatcher's favorite flower.
The single most important event in Pueblo history was the flood of 1921 which inundated the Union Avenue District and surrounding areas in over 11 feet of water.
The settlement and naming of Pueblo is attributed to James P. Beckwourth. The African-American trader (the WPA Guide to 1930s Colorado uses the word "mulatto") erected a trading post (El Pueblo) there in 1842.
Pueblo was known as both the "Pittsburgh of the West" and the "Smelting Capital of the World."
Other Sites to Visit While There
Steelworks Museum of Industry and Culture
Islands of Life at the Pueblo Zoo
El Pueblo History Museum
Union Avenue Historic District
Pueblo Railway Museum
EVENTS
Annual Easter Egg Hunt
The Rosemount Museum Junior Docents will host the Annual Children's Easter Egg Hunt Fundraising event on Saturday, April 11, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. on the grounds of the museum. Children will hunt for eggs by age group and there are three separate age categories. Refreshments will be served. Tickets are $4 per child and can be purchased beginning April 6th at the museum office, located in the basement of the museum at 419 W. 14th Street. Tickets are limited and are not available the day of the egg hunt. A prize Easter basket is awarded in each age group and a Grand Prize will be awarded to the child who best guesses the number of jellybeans in a jar. The Egg Hunt event will not be cancelled for inclement weather. Parents are asked to dress children appropriately for cold and wet conditions. Children who cannot hunt in inclement weather can receive eggs and candy from the Easter Bunny in the Carriage House Restaurant from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m. |
April 11 |
Rosemount Museum Rose Walk
The Rose Walk at Rosemount, a new event for the museum, will be held Tuesday, June 9 through Saturday, June 13, 2009. The house is adorned with roses and rose arrangements and is featuring vintage wedding dresses with rose bouquets. Rose bushes will also be sold during the week. Proceeds from admissions and the sale of bushes will go directly to the museum. Local florists, businesses and individuals have donated both silk and fresh roses for the event. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday opening at 10 a.m. with the last tour of the day at 3:30 p.m. Tours are $6 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, and $4 for children 6 -18 years old. Groups of 10 or more are required to schedule a tour in advance. Group rates are available. |
June 9-13 |
Best Times to Visit
Anytime except January
Byways
Frontier Pathways Scenic & Historic Byway (also one of America's Byways®)
