About The Horse Protection League
Formed in 1994, The Horse Protection League is a non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of horses, ponies, donkeys and mules in the greater Rocky Mountain Region. Located near Arvada and Golden, HPL is supported and run entirely by volunteer members who love and cherish the horse.
The Horse Protection League is headquartered at Churches Ranch, part of the Long Lake Regional Park annexed by the City of Arvada. The ranch is located at 17999 W. 60th Avenue in Golden, on the north side between Highway 93 and Easley Road. Our mailing address is P.O. Box 741089, Arvada, CO 80006.
For a list of our Board of Directors, click here.
About Churches Ranch (from the Arvada Report, April/May 2004)
Churches Ranch, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, will undergo restoration in 2004, thanks to a $152,500 grant from the Colorado State Historical Fund augmented with City of Arvada funds. Architectural and construction management services will be provided by the firm of Andrew & Anderson Architects, PC. The primary residence at Churches Ranch was the home of pioneering Arvada family John C. and Mary Ann Churches, who built it as part of their original homestead in 1862.
Under the direction of Mundus Bishop Design, Inc., Andrew & Anderson Architects completed an historic structures report on the 48.9-acre property as part of the Churches Ranch Master Plan in 2003. This plan received a Merit Award in Planning and Urban Design from the Colorado Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The plan was also awarded the Land Stewardship Designation, given to projects that provide exemplary models for other landscape architects. Both the Master Plan and historic structures report were completed with extensive involvement of a community advisory committee, comprised of City staff and representatives from the Arvada Historical Society, North Jeffco Recreation District, Arvada City Council, Arvada Parks Advisory Committee, Denver Water, Jefferson County Public Schools, the Arvada Horse Protection League (HPL), and the State Historical Fund.
The purpose of the initial grant project will be to restore the exterior of the historic residence to its original condition, rehabilitate the first floor to allow for interior exhibit spaces and accommodate an accessible public restroom, and renovate the second floor as office space for use by the Horse Protection League. The HPL provides an ideal tenant and user for the property, playing an important role in maintaining the Ranch as a working farm complex. A multi-purpose trail project, funded separately by Jefferson County Open Space and the State Trails Program, will run along the north side of Van Bibber Creek to connect the Ranch complex with other improvements at Long Lake Regional Park to the north. These projects will serve as a catalyst for further work at Churches Ranch in the future, including preservation of the distinctive stone barn and silo which serve as highly visible landmarks along West 60th Avenue in Arvada.
A public meeting will be held for all interested persons on Thursdays, April 29, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. in the Anne Campbell Room at Arvada City Hall. For information please contact the Parks, Golf, and Hospitality Department at (720) 898-7400.