Day 89: Guinness World Records

The current Guinness World Record for largest collection of keys is held by Lisa J. Large of Kansas City. She has 3,604 keys.

Well, sorry to be the one to break the news to you Lisa, but I hope you’ve enjoyed being the Guinness record holder; your days are numbered. 

With an estimated 30,000 keys in The Baldpate Inn’s key collection, we far surpass the current record. The task before is us is to meet the stipulations of the Guinness Record submission. 

Would you like to be part of this project, and one of the first to know exactly how many keys are in The Baldpate’s collection? 

Written by Liz Rodgers

Day 88: A to Z of a Key Collection

When guests or news people experience our Baldpate Key Collection, almost invariably they ask the question, “But do you have a key to ……?”  Most every time the answer is, "Yes!" since we have keys to most everything from A to Z!

A: Adding machine key

B: Bathroom token key

C: Casket key (did you know there was such a thing?)

D: Donkey (relax, it’s just toy stuffed one)

E: Encryption key

F: Flunkey

G: Gate key to Sherwood Forest

H: Horse Collar lock key

I: Isle of Enchantment (Puerto Rico) key

J: Judge magazine “Seven Baldpates to a 
Keyhole”

K: Keyhole

L: Lightening rod key

M: Master key, T.O. Ranch, Raton, NM

N: Not-a-thing key

O: Opera House, Denver’s oldest, Tabor House key

P: Pocket watch key

Q: Quoin key, used to lock print press forms

R: Rollerskate key

S: Sardine can key

T: Transit key for survey

U: Understanding between all nations, “Key to Peace”

V: Violin chin rest key

W: Wheel key from Civil War cannon

X: Xylophone key

Y: Yale key

Z: Zephyr, streamliner train key

Next time you visit, can you find all these keys? 

If you think of a key that we should have in our collection, bring it with you, join the legacy and make an honored donation!     

Written by Lois Smith

Photos: Casket key and poem, guest contribution 1937
Key to the Gate of Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest

Day 71: Christmas in July at The Baldpate Inn

What is more fun than decorating for Christmas? Since we are closed during the winter, we didn’t want to miss out, hence Christmas in July! Noting this 1922 news story, our recent promo is not a new idea.

Our dining promotions have always been sort of a marketing idea, but intended as fun for the staff as well. An initial aspect of our Christmas in July celebration was our behind the scenes staff competition (who can sell the most gift shop items). When our cooks commented that they really couldn’t compete, we brainstormed how to get them involved.  Competition for specially decorated Christmas cookies for our B&B guests' nightly snacks was the first plan.

Somewhere along the way we decided on an even better idea ~ Gingerbread Houses!  With a cook or manager heading each team, the competition took on a whole new level.  Not to be left out, we decided our guests could be the judges to join in the fun. (Our resident Santa seemed perhaps a little biased!)

Our cooks are responsible for the basic shape, then only imagination is the limit! 

Yes, we have added some basic rules over the years, to limit size and edible-ness, along with, "Don’t eat the gummi bears off your opponent’s house."

Team bonding happens for sure, but also it has been a fun culture-sharing event especially for our international staff.


Of course the winning team loves the special bragging honors!

Written by Lois Smith

Day 69: New Recipes

Having an award-winning restaurant doesn’t mean you can just relax with your menu offerings. There are always new ideas being suggested either by guests, or food trends, or a popular new ingredient.

As the primary chef, I’ve tried hard to be unique and original. Being known as the “best of” is always fun, but it is especially nice to be “one of a kind” as well.  So when developing our menu items I’ve tried to not copy other places, especially in Estes Park, but to have our own branded items.

We have to admit as well, our menu gets a little too familiar to our staff by the end of the season (especially since we eat it twice a day every day).  We do get a laugh at the concoctions that diners and staff come up with, adding this to that from the Salad Bar or mixing soups or whatever!

Fall seems to be our most experimental season for new recipes.  We’ve had some huge winners, think Banana Butterscotch Muffins, and some long forgotten sincere losers, like Baseball Park Muffin with pickle relish and hot dogs.

You know how things sometimes just stick in your mind, well that pickle relish did, and so be on the lookout for our new 2017 Dill Pickle soup….. working on a name, but so far, family reviews are positive!

Wish I’d kept a diary of our new menu items as they were created! We started with just Beef Stew and Red Chili as our hearty soups, then my sister-in-law, Loretta, gave me the idea for our White Chili recipe. I must admit I hesitated trying it, but when we added it to our menu in 1991, customers greeted it with lots of odd looks and ridiculously silly comments, along with some rave reviews.

Being located in the mountains we often received requests for “wild game” so our Cowboy Buffalo Stew became our answer in 2005. The “wild west trail drive” flavors (simple ingredients you might find along the trail), made this an instant favorite.  Its name has a special double meaning too, as the year we perfected this recipe, several of our cooks were “Cowboys” students from Oklahoma State University.

Then there is our beloved Pumpkin Curry Soup, recipe yet unpublished, which is based on one that Jen sent me. She discovered it during her time stationed in Germany in the US military.  Several years after we added the recipe, as I was telling guests the recipe was originally from Germany, she told me the full story. The recipe wasn’t from one of our favorite little German pubs as I had thought, but she had actually found the idea on the side of a canned product she had purchased in the US Army commissary!  So much for my proud story of its German culinary ties. 

Although the “German” pumpkin one isn’t there, you can find many of our classic recipes in our famed cookbook, Collections of Baldpate. 

What have been your most favorite Baldpate recipes? Anything you’d like to see us add?

Written by Lois Smith

Day 67: Baldpate Inn Special Guest Interview

With 100 years of history, the number of guest memories surrounding The Baldpate Inn is astronomical! 

Today, we would like to honor a special guest, Marguerite, who first started visiting the Baldpate Inn in 1945. Marguerite sat down with one of our curators, Lauren, to share her memories of this magical place in 2012. 

Each summer, Marguerite would make a special point to visit The Baldpate Inn during her stay in Estes Park. “It was a highlight to come up here! A highlight.” she warmly remembers.  


In the early years, she remembers that the road to the Baldpate was gravel, and much narrower. In portions, it was only one way with pullouts, and it took much longer to get up to the Inn from town. 

With 67 seasons of visits, what keeps her coming back? There are many reasons for her, but especially because, “The uniqueness of the Baldpate is just so charming.” 

The Key Room always held a great fascination for Marguerite and her husband. They have also enjoyed many special memories dining and lodging at the Inn. Over the years, Marguerite and her family brought many of their own guests to experience The Baldpate Inn. 

The employees of the Baldpate made a strong impression on her, always kind and enthusiastic. She’s not the first to tell us, “Baldpate is like family!”

When we asked Marguerite whether there was anything she would have like to tell us and future generations, she stated that she, "Wishes places like these would stick around, regardless of advances in technology. People need to experience things like this and technology can’t do that in the same way."

Thank you, Marguerite, for sharing your story with us! It’s been a delight knowing how much The Baldpate Inn has impacted your life! 

What Baldpate memories do you have? Please share with us, by commenting on this blog, or emailing Keys@Baldpateinn.com.

 

Written by Liz Rodgers

Day 66: Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival Guest Invitation

One of the most popular attractions in the Estes Park area is the Longs Peak Scottish Irish Highland Festival.  The festival is infused with colorful world class athletes, competing in jousting, caber-throwing, and more. It is quite a sensory experience with bagpipes and drumming, Highland and Irish dancing, as well as Folk music and Celtic rock. 

We have been honored over the years to have many Highland games families stay and dine with us. For some of our staff and guests it has been a unique new experience to actually witness men in kilts or the sound of bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace” before breakfast. 

Now, crazy as it seems, we don’t seem to have any sort of a key to bagpipes in our Key Collection. (Have one you’d like to donate? Please do!) 

We do have several keys with Scottish and Irish connections. Our collection includes the key to the Captain’s quarters of the four-masted “Star of Scotland” sailing ship built in 1887, which was operational until it was sunk by a German U-boat in 1942.  

As well, you can find the key to the Limerick Castle Stables in Ireland. And in 2013, we were most honored to receive the Adare Castle Key, from Adare Ireland, presented to us by the Countess of Dunraven after her visit to Estes Park.

The festival this year is September 7-10, 2017. The town packs out so make your Baldpate Inn B&B Lodging reservations now, and Dining Reservations after May 1^st. You’ll be able to enjoy the festivities in town and then retire to a mostly quiet retreat and excellent dining to refresh yourself.

Until then, Slàinte mhòr agus a h-uile beannachd duibh, which means, “Great health and every good blessing to you!” 

Written by Lois Smith and Liz Rodgers

Day 64: Steadfast Guardians: The German Shepherds of Baldpate

Our collection of memories would not be complete without including the canine contributions to Baldpate! The Smith family has been blessed to share life with a long line of German Shepherds. 

Perhaps the most famous, Duke, was a guest and employee favorite for many years. After a quick assessment, his friendly nature was soon evident in wagging tail. Unless, of course, you were up to no good, or you were the UPS delivery man. With a bark to deter any intruder or mischievous escapee, Duke was a formidable security officer, especially to errant chipmunks. However, even staff that were initially afraid, or came from a culture unaccustomed to having a dog around, found Duke to be endearing and sweet. 

Jen's German Shepherd Penny spent two summers at the Inn, usually found cleverly stealing unattended sandwiches from staff. 

Mackenzie’s German Shepherd, Leika, was often around the Inn, and despite photographic evidence, was very helpful! 
 

The Inn’s current resident German Shepherd is Moose.  At two and a half years, he still has some learning to do, but has undoubtedly captured our hearts. And some keys, as you can see! 

Other dogs that have spent time at The Baldpate Inn have been horseman Chuck Malone’s dog, Buster, and maintenance man Paul’s dogs, Brown Dog and Black Dog.  And of course, every rotational staff gets the chance to be dish dog! 

The Smith family is not the only one to connect Baldpate and German Shepherds as a key part of Baldpate! This photo of “Smo-key” the neighborhood pal was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Mace in 1937, and has secured a place in the Baldpate Key Collection since. 

Do you have a favorite memory of the furry friends that have made Baldpate such a special place?

Written by Liz Rodgers and Jen Macakanja

Day 61: Baldpate Collectables

Not quite sure what was Baldpate’s first merchandise, but it’s fascinating the variety of items that folks have brought to show us that we did not even know existed.

Along with our famed recipes Collection Book, our signature mugs have always been big souvenirs for our guests, but when we added our own jewelry line, we later discovered it was not a Baldpate first!

The Zaegler family from Texas showed us this family bracelet treasure, which has 7 keys (of course) with a medallion that says “Baldpate Inn Estes Rocky Mt Nat’l Park.”  Wish we knew the date it was sold.

In recent years, we were so honored when a guest suggested the help of their daughter, Allison, at RockLove Jewelry of NYC to design and create custom pieces for us. Available as an ornament, necklace pendant, and key chain, the custom work of art she designed is beloved by all!

 

Found this old candle holder sketch from our archives, of a piece planned at some time, with later correspondence that indicates the cost was too great to ever be produced.

It seems rather odd that we evidently sold pottery ashtrays at one time, since many have told us that Ethel was famous for putting out cigarettes, not liking her guests to smoke at the Inn. We have been smoke free since 1986.

We were honored when an Estes Park business friend suggested we apply for a Cats Meow famous buildings design, and thrilled to have been made part of the collection.  Sadly, no longer available, it’s still a great collector item.

Local artist, Michael Ricker, also produced custom key pieces for us in his pewter line. With the artist gone and our inventory depleted, these pieces have joined the collectible circle.

Another personal favorite is our Baldpate watercolor card created by Nancy Axell.

It really has been so fascinating over the years to work with artists in so many mediums to attempt to capture Baldpate for our travelers.

Not to worry, we still have lots of treasures available and even some fun new ones for our 100^th year! Mugs, books, and more! What’s your favorite?

Written by Lois Smith

Day 60: Music in the Mountains

Music at Baldpate has had many rhythms and tempos!  We don’t know as much as we would like about the earliest days, other than our Dance Hall was renowned for wonderful times. 

As mentioned before, when we shared bands with other local lodges, our night was Thursday.  Pictures of the Tall Timber Boys from our photo collection and notes from family members make us wonder even more just who all performed during those early years.  Know any stories? Please share with us!

The keys to our piano in the Dining Room  (albeit sincerely old) have been graced by many a guest.  

 
Nothing new apparently, we still love it when staff are willing to contribute their musical talents as well.

Our Photo Collection and Memorabilia tells us that at one time we even had an organ for entertainment which was eventually donated to Denver University.

Over the past 30 years, we have been most honored by the friendship of our neighbors at Rocky Ridge Music Center.  They have often treated us with performances and dinner music by stars from their students and staff.   

Baldpate’s long tradition of entertaining music will continue. So if you are thinking Music & Mountains, think of us!

Written by Lois Smith

Day 59: Baldpate Black & White Photograph Collection

The Baldpate PhotoCollectionis one of those things about Baldpate that fascinate some guests while others don’t even notice it. Thankfully our friends at American History Savers took note and were instrumental in preserving and documenting our collection.

Their work over the years to painstakingly repair frames and research short bios for each photo (yes, all except the chimpanzee are identified) have greatly added to the interest in our collection.

In the dining room, many guests recognize the faces of Presidents and the most famous of persons, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and perhaps Jack London. Others, once we know the name, we can tag, like Roy Rogers and Emilia Earhart.   Then it gets a little more difficult, how about Tetrazzini (the opera singer whose love for food lent its name), or Billy Sunday (baseball star and later evangelist), or Marlowe & Southern (Shakespearean actors), or Barney Oldfield (race car driver).

Most of these photos are the artistic talent of Charles Mace, one of Baldpate’s founders, and his brother Stuart during their time as a photojournalists for Denver newspapers. Charles was also General Pershing’s personal photographer during World War I.

Guests often inquire if all these people have actually visited our Inn. At this point we cannot document that they all have. Although some have inscriptions or guest register notes, like this one from Johnny Morris of Philip Morris, that do let us know they were here, most are a mystery with clues and answers likely still hiding in our guest registers.

Another other interesting feature of our photo collection are the early advertising photos for Kodak, Palmolive Soaps, and Colgate that are hanging in our lobby. Charles Mace won a Kodak national contest in 1911, and during the 1920s, he sold many photos featuring his wife, Gloria, daughter, Jeanie, and other family members. 

Come see these snapshots of history, and don’t forget to “Bring up the Kodak!”

Written by Lois Smith

Day 57: Making Memories: Guest Photos

Each time I look at the piles of photos we have of guests at Baldpate, I am reminded how blessed we are when we take the time to make memories with friends and family.  Those trips far or near, when we laughed at old adventures, cried over losses and created new memories to cherish were worth every dime.  So make plans with your family, or sweetheart, or your sister, or silly friends to come for lunch or a stay at Baldpate. Make some memories in 2017!

Written by Lois Smith