KITTREDGE — Kittredge has its own civic association, a community garden and the annual Canyonfest. The small community sees a lot of traffic from motorcyclists and drivers who cruise Colorado 74 in Bear Creek Canyon, as well as an influx of weekend visitors to O’Fallon Park, a Denver Mountain Park on its east side.
But residents say that community identity is often overshadowed by its better-known neighbor 2 miles to the west, Evergreen.
“What people should know about Kittredge is that it’s a good place to be. It’s friendly, with neighbors who talk to you and you actually know your neighbors,” said Kate Mondragon, president of the Kittredge Civic Association. A longtime resident, Mondragon helped establish Kittredge Park, now managed by Evergreen Park and Recreation District and the location of Canyonfest on Saturday.
Like Evergreen, Kittredge is an unincorporated community of Jefferson County. Unlike Evergreen, which is very spread out, Kittredge is confined to a small valley about 1½ miles along Bear Creek.
Many residents describe Kittredge as a blue-collar community, with a high number of rental properties. The closeness of the homes creates a community of people who help each other, said Brian Anderson, owner of Kittredge General Store.
“There’s a good mix of people here,” he said. “People with more money give to the ones without — everybody gets along out here, everyone’s willing to give you a way, hold the door for you.”
Anderson has been making connections in the community since moving there in 1992; he bought the vacant gas station in town 10 years ago. Anderson said regulars come every morning to chat while enjoying their coffee and house-made burrito, and cars around town sport “KGS” stickers.
“The general store is certainly a hub for the community in a lot of ways,” said Pastor Michael Ullrich of Kittredge Community Bible Church, citing Anderson’s annual customer appreciation barbecue. He also noted popular restaurants such as Country Road Cafe, Tivoli Deer — now Black Hat Cattle Co. — and Bear Creek Restaurant have been draws for outsiders throughout his 15 years living there.
Ullrich said he sees the closeness of the community, such as when residents pitched in to help others touched by floodwaters last year. He also sees a divide, though, between the residents who have a Kittredge ZIP code on the south side of the highway and therefore do not get mail carrier service (many pick up at the post office) and residents on the north side of Colorado 74 in an Evergreen ZIP code.
Charles Kittredge, who ranched the area, applied for the Kittredge post office in 1921, said Sandy Nadeau, a longtime resident who has researched the history. She also wrote a biweekly column about Kittredge news for the Canyon Courier for years.
Nadeau has found that the area’s history goes back much further than that, to 1874 when the first ranch was settled by John and Amanda Myers. Early settlers entertained Ute Native American chiefs on the land.
Nadeau said: “Just to know this canyon’s been active and full of life for so many years, it’s just fun to know there were so many people here before us when it was a much simpler time.”
Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com or twitter.com/JosieKlemaier
Canyonfest
What: Family-oriented festival with live music, vendors, rubber duck races and more
When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday
Where: Kittredge Park, 26440 Colorado 74
Cost: Free
More information: kittredge civic.org