History Colorado has awarded La Foret Conference & Retreat Center in Black Forest a $200,000 grant for the restoration of the Ponderosa Lodge.The Ponderosa Lodge, built in 1928, was once the summer home of Alice Bemis Taylor and her daughter, Alice Doree. Taylor was well-known in Colorado Springs for creating the Colorado Springs Day Nursery, the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and the Taylor Memorial Chapel at La Foret. She also financially contributed to many local causes.Larry McCulloch, executive director of La Foret, said bids are out to contractors that specialize in restoration work. The grant allows two years for the completion of the project.ìThe first grant we received covered drainage work, replaced rotten logs and finished a roof inside the building, which was previously the kitchen,î McCulloch said. ìThis grant will continue identifying and replacing more logs, mostly around the foundation, renovate the windows, screens, doors and hardware.îThis grant is a 3:1 grant, with funds coming from ìgenerousî donors equalling $66,700, McCulloch said. ìWe are responsible for one-third or $66,700 of the $200,000 total,î he said. ìThe State Historical Fund pays two-thirds, or $133,300.îMcCulloch said the Ponderosa building looks exactly like the original, except for the fire escape, which was added in the 1950s to meet fire regulations.He said he believes Taylor picked this site for the Ponderosa because of the views of Pikes Peak from her windows and front porch. Generators on the Ponderosa ensured electricity from the beginning, McCulloch said.There were two bedrooms on the main floor: one for Taylor and one for her daughter, he said. ìThe original pie safe is still in the kitchen; itís a cooling safe to keep critters out of baked goods and is set up so air can flow through,î McCulloch said. Along the balconies and above are original wood carvings of the heads of animals.Brad Carroll, assistant executive director, said all of the light fixtures are handcrafted and original; and the two large tables they assume were used for dining and reading are still in the building. The curtains are original, but they have been re-lined and shortened, McCulloch said. The original red painted bedroom furniture is still there, Carroll said.ìOne of the closets is tin-lined to keep the critters out in the winter so they could store things in there,î McCulloch said. In an original picture of the Ponderosa, there are two wooden bear sculptures on the fire mantle. ìThe bears left with Doree after Taylor died in 1942,î McCulloch said. ìHer lifelong friend brought them back to LaForet in 2010, per Doreeís request after her passing; and they have been sitting on the fireplace mantle ever since.ìThis building is 91 years old, and we hope to preserve it for another 100 years.î The Ponderosa hosts meetings, weddings, worship services and workshops. For more on History Colorado, visit https://historycolorado.org.
