Joel Estes moved his family to the Park in 1860 to become the first permanent settler. The Park was named for Estes by William Newton Byers, editor of the Rocky Mountain News.

In 1867, Griff Evans purchased the squatter’s claim vacated the year before by Joel Estes. Either by design or by accident, Evans became the first in the area to promote a tourist business by ...

Joel Estes, after whom Estes Park was named, first arrived in Colorado with five enslaved people, and until the early 1900s, at least 10 people were lynched in Colorado – those are the findings ...

The town of Estes Park was founded by Joel Estes in 1859 and officially incorporated in 1917. Editor’s Note: *Due to the current Covid-19 outbreak, the potential complications that may arise ...

If you go What: “Cousin Estes,” by Mike Estes Dixon When: 7 p.m. Saturday Where: Estes Park High School, 1600 Manford Ave., Estes Park Cost: $18; $20 day of the performance; $15 for Estes Park ...

Mar. 26—Written By Mikaela Fundaun, Curator of Interpretation at the Estes Park Museum On Wednesday, April 16, 2025 the 1917 Book Club, hosted by the Estes Park Museum, will explore local title ...

Joel Estes. Rocky Mountain National Park is 100. Fran Loft / October 20, 2015. Around 10,000 years ago, hunters roamed the plains east of what is today the park’s ...

He was born in Longmont, Colorado, to Carlton Chase Estes and Ethelyn Angeline Estes. Bill’s great-great-grandfather was Joel Estes, founder and namesake of Estes Park, Colorado.