For the many families and guest that have lived in and visited Estes Park for multiple decades, when they hear about ‘the history of Estes Park,’ they probably think about the pioneers of the old west and the brave men and women of the early 20th century who forged a path through the mountains to begin life in the Estes Valley.
But, for some of the Town’s newer residents and guests, the 1980s is still a part of ‘the history of Estes Park,’ and it is the late 1980’s where the history of the Official Estes Park Seal begins.
In 1987, a public art project by sculptor Dan Ostermiller created the beloved bronze bighorn sheep statues of a ram, a ewe, and a lamb named “Mountain Legacy” that sits proudly at the intersection of US34 and US36.
According to Estes Park Public Information Officer Kate Rusch, the statues were commissioned by the Estes Park Urban Renewal Authority and installed in 1987, to serve as a gateway to downtown Estes Park celebrating the Colorado State Animal.
“The statues inspired the Town of Estes Park seal, which the Town designed with a graphic arts consultant in 1989,” Rusch said. “The first use of the seal — its original purpose — was to feature on a lapel pin.”
The seal was also used to emboss official Town records.
“The seal features the three bighorn sheep statues with Longs Peak and Mount Meeker in the background,” said Rusch.
Historically, Longs Peak played a large role in the seasonal migrations, hunting practices, and cosmology of the Ute and Arapaho, who knew Mount Meeker and Longs Peak as the “Two Guides” for their prominent roles as landmarks in the region.
Uses of the seal eventually expanded to include the Estes Park flag, which was first created via public contest in 2007 to commemorate the Town’s 90th anniversary.
“I feel our Estes Park flag is one of the best town flags I have seen,” said Mayor Wendy Koenig. “It represents our wonderful outdoor appeal for our community and the visitors coming to Estes. Spotting Big Horn Sheep in Rocky Mountain National Park and in the canyon is a real treat!”
Four designs were produced for the Town Flag Contest and, after 3,574 votes were cast in an informal vote, the community selected its favorite which is the flag you may have seen flying at many Town buildings including Town Hall and the Fire Department.
The new flag was unveiled at the Town’s ice cream social on Tuesday, Aug. 7, but the event ended quickly due to rain, after the winning flag was made official.
“I was pleased with the overwhelming participation in choosing the new Town Flag,” Mayor at the time, John Baudek said. “All members of the community voted, including the elementary, middle and high school students. Choosing the new Town Flag was a true community effort.”
The winning flag received 61 percent of the vote which took place during May and June of 2007, mostly through ballots that were included in utility billing.
“It should be noted that the seal is used for very limited applications, and is distinct from the Town’s pine tree logo,” said Rusch. “The logo was developed later and is used much more often to represent the organization.”
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June 02, 2022 at 05:17AM
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Off the Beaten Trail: A brief history of the Estes Park Seal - Estes Park Trail-Gazette
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