Valley Hi Country Club Talk & Home Tours
About this Event
In 1955, developer Roy Pring announced the construction of Valley Hi Country Club on former Pring ranch lands then east of Colorado Springs. Contemporary accounts described more than a golf course; they outlined a comprehensive vision for recreation, residential living, and community development centered on a modern country club environment.
Unlike many postwar subdivisions, Valley Hi was conceived as an integrated community in which the golf course, clubhouse, residential homesites, and recreational amenities were planned together from the outset. Property owners were able to receive ownership shares in the club, creating a direct relationship between homeownership and community participation.
Today, Valley Hi remains a remarkable example of mid-century planning where architecture, landscape, recreation, and social life were intentionally combined.
✦ About the Talk ✦
Join us over lunch ($5 voucher is included in your ticket!) at “Caddies” at the Valley Hi Clubhouse and learn more about the significance of the building, the architect Jan Ruhtenberg, and the importance for the Valley Hi neighborhood. Kathy Murray and Jeanette Caproon are longtime residents of the Valley Hi neighborhood and have been advocating for its preservation for many years.
✦ About Our Speakers ✦
Kathy Murray is a long time resident of Colorado and graduate of Air Academy High School. Kathy has owned and restored three historic properties in Colorado Springs and Cascade and has been a resident of the Valley Hi neighborhood since 2013. Kathy has a unique situation where she has several family members that live in the golf course community. Kathy is retired from the Library world and has researched much about mid century and Colorado Springs.
Jeanette Caproon has lived in Colorado Springs since 2016 and has lived in Valley Hi since 2018. She and Kathy started their efforts to save the clubhouse in 2023 when the city published a study on various demolition scenarios. Jeanette is the secretary for Historic Neighborhood Partnership and is very civically involved. She is a Chicago native and has also lived in Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire, Florida, and Iowa. She is a retired Air Traffic Controller, the mother of 2 daughters and enjoys quilting.
✦ About the Home Tours ✦
Explore 4 exclusive custom built mid-century modern homes and 1 authentic vintage camper in the Valley Hi neighborhood in a self guided walking tour. Starting at the Clubhouse, designed by renowned architect Jan Ruhtenberg, you will be able to enjoy the walkable neighborhood along Valley Hi Ave with displays of classic cars and golf course views!
By September 1955, construction of the Valley Hi Golf Course was underway. Newspaper reports documented completed engineering studies, irrigation planning, water surveys, and infrastructure design before construction began.
The development offered a wide range of recreational opportunities including golf, swimming, tennis, fishing, water skiing, equestrian activities, and skeet shooting.
These amenities reflected a distinctly mid-century vision of leisure and outdoor living, designed to attract families and professionals seeking a modern lifestyle beyond the city center.
Valley Hi was promoted as a country club community where recreation was not an afterthought but the organizing principle of the neighborhood itself.
The architectural centerpiece of the development was the Valley Hi clubhouse, designed by architect Jan Ruhtenberg and completed in 1956. Ruhtenberg, an important figure in Colorado modernism, created a clubhouse that embodied postwar ideals of openness, social interaction, and integration with the landscape. The building served not only as a recreational facility but as the symbolic and social center of the community.
The golf course was designed by Henry Hughes, whose layout responded to the natural terrain and reinforced the relationship between landscape and development.
Together, the clubhouse and golf course established the physical framework around which the community evolved.
Valley Hi was different from conventional golf-course subdivisions through its ownership structure. Homesites were sold with the option to purchase ownership shares in the club, linking residential property directly to the country club. Residents were participants in the community rather than simply neighbors of a recreational facility. Since 1975, Valley Hi Golf Course has been owned by the City of Colorado Springs and is available to the public.
✦ Accessibility ✦
The main level of the club house is accessible, however other areas and levels in the club house require climbing stairs. Please contact Anne at [email protected] if you need to drive the home tour route or need accommodations due to limited mobility.
✦ Parking & Meeting Location ✦
Parking is available in the club house parking lot free of charge. All registered attendees must park and check-in at the club house prior to starting the walking tour. Once checked-in, attendees will receive the exact locations of the homes to commence the walking tour.
Please note that tours take place rain, snow or shine. If your tour includes an outdoor portion, please dress for the weather. A member of the Docomomo team will contact all attendees directly should a tour be canceled for any reason.
By providing your email address, you agree to receive updates about Docomomo US/Colorado's programs, events and other happenings.
Agenda
🕑: 11:00 AM - 01:00 PM
Lunch & Talk
Info: Join us over lunch ($5 voucher is included in your ticket!) at “Caddies” at the Valley Hi Clubhouse and learn more about the significance of the building, the architect Jan Ruhtenberg, and the importance for the Valley Hi neighborhood. Kathy Murray and Jeanette Caproon are longtime residents of the Valley Hi neighborhood and have been advocating for its preservation for many years.
🕑: 01:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Home Tours
Info: Explore 4 exclusive custom built mid-century modern homes and 1 authentic vintage camper in the Valley Hi neighborhood in a self guided walking tour. Starting at the Clubhouse, designed by renowned architect Jan Ruhtenberg, you will be able to enjoy the walkable neighborhood along Valley Hi Ave with displays of classic cars and golf course views!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 33.85 to USD 39.19
