A new exhibit at the Parker Water and Sanitation District headquarters slated to open later this week illustrates the history of Douglas County and the Palmer Divide.

County officials, in a news release, called its newest showcase “the largest public display of Douglas County artifacts to date.”

The display spotlights the Palmer Divide, the region between Denver and Colorado Springs that makes up much of Douglas County. 

Named after railroad engineer and Civil War veteran William Jackson Palmer, the Palmer Divide represented a strategic thoroughfare for 19th century settlers. It is located between Colorado’s mountainous Front Range and the Eastern Plains.

Historically, the region is known for its various trails, mountainous scenery, wildlife, ranching, water management, ecosystems and history of Native American and European settlers moving West.

Starting Friday, that history is on display in Parker.

The free-to-enter exhibit includes mammoth remains, early hunting tools, artifacts from the gold rush era, mining resources and minerals and a converted oil wagon.

Douglas County officials dubbed the exhibit “Thriving Through Time, Adaptation on the Palmer Divide.”

“It features a rich collection of archaeological finds, historical reproductions and engaging elements that trace the region’s human journey — from mammoth hunters to early settlers to gold rush dreamers,” officials said in the release.

“We were aware of the artifacts in storage with the county, since many of them were found onsite during the construction of the Rueter-Hess Reservoir, water treatment plant, and headquarters building,” Parker Water Communications Manager Deirdre Mueller said.

“After discussing it with the county,” she said, “this exhibit made perfect sense as a shared opportunity to highlight Douglas County history while also welcoming visitors to our building.”

Douglas County commissioners, Douglas County History Repository officials, Native American tribal and community partners are scheduled to help open the new exhibit.

“It’s also a rare partnership with the County’s historic preservation community and a water district working together to communicate a deeper understanding of place,” Douglas County History Repository officials told The Denver Gazette.

“That collaboration alone makes this exhibit unique in Colorado,” county historians said.

Douglas County’s new Palmer Divide exhibit opens at 1 p.m. on Friday, 13939 Ancestry Drive, Parker. Anyone interested in attending is asked to RSVP.

“This exhibit is more than a collection of artifacts: it’s a bridge between generations,” Douglas County Commissioner George Teal said in a statement. “It honors the resilience of those who shaped this land and invites us to reflect on how we continue to adapt and grow as a community.”

The exhibit, officials concluded in the release, “reflects our shared commitment to honoring the past while inspiring future generations.”