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Early settlement of the Welby Community dates back to 1889, when the first pioneers from eastern homes came to Denver and the adjacent territory in wagons drawn by oxen.

These people (mostly men) were on their way to the famous Pikes Peak Gold field. Many of them went on to the gold mining sections; a great many became discouraged and turned back; a few stopped in Denver which was then a frontier settlement on the west bank of Cherry Creek and known as Auraria; while few of the hardy, earnest home seekers settled along the banks of Clear Creek and the Platte River. It was only natural that the settlements should be made near streams, and close to the little towns and military forts.

All supplies were brought into the area by wagons from the east. Not until 1870 was there a railroad through here. Then, principally, through the efforts of Mr. John Evans, who had served as territorial Governor from 1862 to 1865, and some co—workers who had a vision of the ultimate development of this new west, the Union Pacific Railroad Company built a branch line into Denver from Cheyenne. During these years, the food and other necessities were exorbitantly high in price, principally because everything was freighted so far by means of wagons, and also because this time embraced the civil war and the reconstruction period.

Sluice—mining produced a quantity of gold dust, which was largely used instead of money. Some of the settlers were quite successful in raising potatoes near the streams, and these were taken by wagon loads to the mining camps and sold for almost their weight in gold.

The country on both sides of the Platte River, and extending west. to the mountains, was practically unfenced. The raising of horses, cattle and mules where there was so much free range, was a successful industry.

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Realizing the necessity for irrigation, the foreseeing farmers of Welby surveyed for ditches, and received charters from the government recording their water-rights for irrigation purposes. The water was taken out of Clear Creek; the ditches extending ten or twelve miles toward the northeast on the west side of the river.

The Lower Clear Creek Ditch water—right dates from 1861, while the Agricultural Ditch dates back to 1866. It was these exceptional water—rights that have made Welby a desirable farm and garden section.

Among the very early settlers here were: J. H. Batcheler, C. Corbic, Mr. Sepris (later mayor of Denver); Mr. Fox, J. W. Cline, George Seigler, P. Smith, J. W. Kerr, G. Dennisen, A. R. Taggart, and V. S. Wright. Many of those early settlers sold their farms and moved to the city in the 1870’s.

A very few of the men brought young wives with them across the plains, other "made a stake" and went back after "the girls they left behind", and a few married the sisters of pioneer neighbors.

The first marriage in the Welby community was that of Charles Corbin and Eliza Birch, the latter being a girl of sixteen who came with her brother and a young married couple from Ohio. Early one morning in the summer of 1859, this young couple started for Golden, walking all the way, where they were married, returning the next day. Their oldest daughter, Mary Corbin, born in September 1860, was the first white child born in this vicinity.

The early settlers, like pioneers in all new countries, endured many hardships. Not the least of their worries were the annoying Indians. While they were not malicious, they were very much inclined to steal anything which was left outside the door and unless the women kept their doors securely locked, they would walk in without knocking and would try to "swap" for any article which might attract their admiration.

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The round top mound currently known as Welby Hill was then known as Mt. Lookout and was used as an observation point by military scouts, as there were several Indian camps nearby. The Utes, Cheyennes, and Arapahoe Indians had one large camp near the mouth of Clear Creek. Old Chief Renshaw was a prominent figure, whose camp was up the draw or hollow, above what was the Globeville road and is now Washington Street. This draw was and is still known as Renshaw Hollow. The camp is near the old Bukeutz School which is now an Indian swap shop.

Nearby territory was organized into school districts, namely: District No. 3 north of Welby and known as Patron, and District No. 14 just across the river known as Adams City. Realizing the importance of education, the parents of Welby proceeded to get a petition having the names of all children from cradle—size to the younger married women, and in 1873 District No. 16, now District No. 1, was organized.

The first board of directors were J. H. Batcheller, J. W. Cline, and William Dennison. The first school teacher was a Mr. Allender, the school house being an abandoned claim shanty about twelve feet square, standing on the hillside about forty feet west from the Cline School on 78th and York. About ten years later, a one room brick building was erected at the present site of Cline School.

In 1893 the school population having outgrown accommodations, the present four room building known as the Cline School was created and the school was graded. The first principal who was made responsible for the grading of the school was Mrs. Decatur, her first assistant being Mrs. Parker Cline of Patron. Other home girls who taught with Mrs. Decatur were: Mrs. McCarrier of Delta, and Miss Hutchings.

A three room building, the Rankin School, and a primary school known as Siegrist School were established in the western and southern parts of the district. In 1919 the first separate high school was established with Mrs. F. P. Douglas as principal.

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Our pioneer ancestors traveled miles to attend social gatherings, consisting of kitchen dances, neck—tie parties, quilting bees, etc. The first church was a union church, the little frame building standing at Patron, and in this little church the people gathered from far and near for the first community Christmas tree about 1873. Soon after an Episcopalian Church was built but later the building was sold.

About 1904 a Methodist Church was erected but it was destroyed by fire in 1916. The Catholic Church was built in 1911. During all those years, however, the school building had been used for Sunday School and other church services when churches were not available.

In 1921 a Catholic Parochial School was built across the street from the Cline school. This alleviated the overcrowded conditions of the public school within the area. By 1935 the enrollment at the Cline School was 50 students with three respective teachers. One teacher taught kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd; the intermediate teacher taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th and the upper—grade teacher taught 6th, 7th and 8th.

Between 1921 and 1924 Cline School was modernized; That is, a hand-fed stoker replaced the "pot-belly" stove; lavatories replaced outside accommodations and a water drinking fountain replaced the outside water pump. During the forties the enrollment dropped to 38 students; however, the district continued to employ 3 teachers who were able to meet the needs of each student.

From a farming community, Welby gradually changed to an intensive gardening vicinity. A few truck farmers, realizing the advantages of our good soil, excellent water rights, nearness to Denver as an exceptional market, and other advantages, began buying land in five and ten acre tracts and now there are many gardens instead of former large fields of hay and grain. The population at that time was composed of Americans, Scandinavians, Italians, Germans, and a few Japanese, with the Italian population predominating.

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Among the first Italians to locate in the Welby vicinity were the Rende, Mauro, Center, Mazone, Covillo, DeRose, and Domenico families. About 1909, soon after the D. L. & N. W. and the U. P. Railroads constructed their lines through the valley, a general store was opened at Welby by Mr. and Mrs. D. Rotello. This business was then transferred to Tony Labriola.

With the development of the Western Hills area and the Thornton area, and the state mandate for consolidation of school districts, during the early fifties the entire picture of the Cline School changed. In 1953 the K-4 students were bussed to the North Washington Street School and the 5th—8th students were bussed to the Cline School with 5 teachers at the Washington School and 4 teachers at the Cline School. This arrangement was to continue until the Lucy Auld School was completed, when all students of the district would attend one school and the two older schools would be abandoned.

On January 28, 1954, District No. 16 united with District No. 1. The new school district was named Mapleton School District No. 1. Lucy Auld School, which was to house all the students of the former school district No. 16, opened September 1954. However, the enrollment had increased to such an extent that the following arrangement had to be made: 4 sections of first graders, 3 sections of third graders and 2 sections of fourth graders were housed at the Lucy Auld School; 4 sections of second graders were housed at the Cline School; 2 sections of fifth graders and 2 sections of sixth graders were housed at the North Washington School and the seventh and eighth grade students were transported to the Mapleton Junior High School.

By September 1955, Cline School was closed. The original building with its additions and modernization built in the early 1800s still exists. It is no longer school property, having been sold several years ago. It has served many purposed since its erection; namely, social gatherings, consisting of kitchen and box socials, dances, neck-tie parties, church services for our pioneer ancestors, as well as education for

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many parents and grandparents who are still living in the area and scattered throughout the world.

Recently, the school has been remodeled and has been used as a flea market and several Mexican Restaurants. Presently the building is unoccupied.

References:

Mr. and Mrs. Tony Cosimi
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Fiore
Mrs. Mary Decatur
Mrs. Clara Ciancio
School District No. 1

Many parts of this chapter were taken from published writing by Mary Decatur and Marie Cosimi.