Rough and Ready
At various points in its history, the Rough and Ready Mill churned out flour, lumber, and livestock feed. But the end product was always the same: growth for Littleton. Built in 1867 by pioneers Richard Little, Joseph Bowles, and John Lilley, among others, it stood at the present-day corner of Santa Fe Drive and Bowles Avenue (now occupied by the Riverfront Center). As the Front Range's first flour mill — and one of the Denver & Rio Grande Western's first big shipping customers — this mighty industrial engine lured jobs, settlers, and business investment to Littleton. By the late nineteenth century, Rough and Ready flour was a prominent national brand. Leased to a timber company in 1902, the mill shut down during the Great Depression and stood vacant until 1959, when a fire destroyed it. But it had already served its purpose: it put the bread on Littleton's table.
The train depot in front of you once served passengers on Littleton's first railroad, the Denver & Rio Grande Western. When this historic line reached Littleton in 1871, both town and tracks were in their infancy. As the D&RGW grew, extending its branches throughout the Colorado Rockies, Littleton grew along with it, becoming one of Colorado's most prosperous agricultural regions. This depot became one of the busiest on the D&RGW network, with twenty-four trains arriving
daily by the late 1880s — and departing with freight cars full of local farmers' crops. For nearly a century the D&RGW was the town's economic lifeline; when the last freight train rolled through here in 1982, Littleton had long since made the transition from prosperous farming town to prosperous suburb. Today the old depot stands as a reminder of this community's deep railroading roots — and its everlasting debt to the D&RGW.[background image caption]
The Denver & Rio Grande Western and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe helped make Littleton a thriving center of commerce. The D&RGW depot (in front of you) was relocated and restored in 1984. The AT&SF depot (center of photo) is home to the "Depot Art Center" — established to promote fine art in the Littleton area. Both are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
—Colorado Historical Society
Erected 2003 by Colorado Historical Society; and Colorado Department of Transportation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Colorado - History Colorado series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1867.
Location. 39° 36.728′ N, 105° 0.927′
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Good, The Bad, and the Hungry (here, next to this marker); Public Transportation (here, next to this marker); Denver & Rio Grande Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Littleton, Colorado Post Office (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Arapahoe County Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); J. D. Hill General Store (approx. ¼ mile away); Weston Masonic Lodge (approx. ¼ mile away); A Memorial to the Pioneers (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Littleton.
Also see . . .
1. General History of Littleton. Surveying in an area several miles south of Denver, Richard Little fell in love with the site of present-day Littleton. Upon filing a home stake and other land claims, Richard brought his wife Angeline from the East in 1862, and began to farm. The Littles joined with several neighbors to build the Rough and Ready Flour Mill in 1867, providing a solid economic base in the community for years to come. (Submitted on July 19, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (Wikipedia). The D&RGW started as a narrow-gauge line running south from Denver, Colorado, in 1870. It served mainly as a transcontinental bridge line between Denver, and Salt Lake City, Utah. (Submitted on July 19, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 19, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 18, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 541 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 18, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 3. submitted on July 19, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 18, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.