The Hilltop Guild

We are a productive and creative association of residents returning the fruits of their labors to areas of need in the greater Allenspark community.

Started in the early 1930’s, the group began as an informal gathering of women from the area.  This group continued to meet and grow, and in 1948 was officially organized by Grace Day, Mamie McAllister, Leona Trevarton, Vera Rubendall and Ethel White as the “Hilltop Guild”.

The corporation name of “Hilltop Guild” was recorded on May 17, 1954, with the Secretary of State’s Office and was signed by Eula McCollister, Secretary.  Other directors name:  Marie Estill, Mary Fry, Eva Hallburg, Isabelle Nisewander, Emma Wolter, Ethel White, Reva Wooley and Grace Yaeger.

Kelley House

On July 26, 1954, Mr. and Mrs. L.B. Kelley of St. Marys, Ohio, deeded their large log building, formerly known as “The Dolley House”, to the Hilltop Guild, to be used as their meeting place as well as a community gathering space. In return, they asked the Guild to return the building, currently in disrepair, to a respectful condition. Having spent the past year meeting in the tiny Bunce Schoolhouse, the Guild readily agreed. They re-named the building “The Kelley House” to honor such a generous gift. One of the first repair jobs involved rebuilding the front porch and roof after a wind storm. Through the years, additions and improvements have been made to the original modest structure. The Guild added on the loom room as well as indoor restrooms, modernized the kitchen, refinished the hardwood floors, added heat to all the rooms, and even added a stage for performances. The Kelley House is located at 18720 Highway 7, 5 miles east of Allenspark and just west of the intersection of Highway 7 and Highway 72.

The Allen Cabin Site

 

Alonzo Nelson Allen (1820-1894), Allenspark’s namesake, built the first log cabin in the area in 1864 in Pine Valley, two miles west of the Kelley House.  It served as seasonal shelter for Allen, who prospected, hayed, and ran cattle on the site.  The building burned in 1894, leaving only the remains of the original stone fireplace.  Today, the Hilltop Guild owns the site located at Taylor Rd. and Highway 7, which they have marked with a plaque and a fence.

Over the summers of 2012 and 2013 an archaeological survey of the Allen cabin site revealed charred logs from the burnt structure, along with a cache of Civil War era mining tools and artifacts. The Hilltop Guild is custodian of the site and the historic materials found there. It was added to Colorado’s Inventory of Historical Places in 2014.

The Historic Bunce Schoolhouse

Built in 1888 by V.H. (Dick) Rowley, the school is an excellent example of the early educational structures in the high mountain areas of Colorado in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was named after J.H. Bunce, an early settler in the area. The school served the local communities of Riverside, Raymond,
Heathermeade, and Peaceful Valley.

The Bunce School was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May
22, 1986 and has both state and county historic designation as well.

In the spring of 1996, the members of the Hilltop Guild purchased the adjoining Bunce School house property and buildings from the Allenspark Fire Protection District The Kelley property once included this land (as well as that now occupied by the fire barn.) The use of this building is controlled by a committee, the board, and the membership of the Hilltop Guild. It is currently serving as a museum.

Check our calendar to find times when it is open for visiting.

Tax Exempt Status

Hilltop Guild is an IRS designated 501(c)(4).  These organizations are generally civic leagues and other corporations operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare, or local associations of employees with membership limited to a designated company or people in a particular municipality or neighborhood, and with net earnings devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes.

Contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations are not deductible as charitable contributions for U.S. income tax.