A piece of Colorado history roughly 140 years old will soon get a facelift, as the red barn at the 17 Mile House Farm Park undergoes repairs starting this month.

“As the only remaining mile house in Colorado in its original, historic, rural and agricultural setting, it's vital we preserve it for future generations to enjoy and learn from,” said Glen Poole, Arapahoe County Open Spaces operations manager.

Located just south of Centennial on South Parker Road, the 17 Mile House is one of several inns that emerged along the Cherry Creek for travelers and freighters when the 1859-60 gold rush caused large-scale settlement of the state, according to the county website.

Those “mile houses” sat every two to three miles along the Cherokee/Smoky Hill wagon trails from Kansas, named based on their distance to the intersection of Colfax Avenue and Broadway in Denver, according to the website. Out of the original six mile houses, only 17 Mile House and Four Mile House exist in their entirety today, the website said.

“The barn is a physical history book for the region, as it has followed the evolution of the land use of the area from serving as a resting barn for tired trail horses to a vibrant dairy barn,” Poole said.

The red barn at Arapahoe County's 17 Mile House Farm Park will undergo a $320,000 construction project starting in March, limiting access at the park until the fall, according to the county. The project comes with the support of a $200,000 grant from the History Colorado State Historical Fund. A state agency, History Colorado houses the state's official historic preservation office.

The property is a county park that sits at 8181 S. Parker Road, just north of the Town of Parker.

It's important for residents to get a feeling of the history of their community, and the 17 Mile House Farm Park can give that experience, History Colorado staff said in a statement. Previous State Historical Fund grants helped preserve the site's ranch house, and with the barn also stabilized, future generations can stop and see a place that looks much as it did when prior generations came to rest for their journey onward, staff continued.

At mile houses, travelers could get a meal, spend the night, rest their animals and have minor repairs made to coaches or wagons, according to the county website.

The barn was constructed in the late 1870s, according to a county news release.

“Over the years, time and the elements have taken a toll on the structure, rendering the barn unsafe for public access. The grant — coupled with matching funds from the Arapahoe County Open Space Sales and Use Tax and a donation from the Cherry Creek Valley Historical Society — will support foundation repairs, roof replacement, weatherproofing and reconstruction of the east brick wall of the structure,” the release said.

Once the project wraps up, the barn will display farm equipment from the 1940s and 50s, be open for public tours, and support historical education events and agricultural demonstrations from that era, the release continued.

“The 17 Mile House barn is the most iconic structure on the property, with its red sides, white trim, brick walls, sloped roof and sturdy interlocking wood-pegged beams,” Poole said. “The barn is beloved by the community and often the backdrop of important life moments for many.”

The county's open-spaces department offers free monthly tours of the house, and the property is the backdrop for the county's annual Fall Festival, the news release said. In 2018, more than 30,000 people explored the property, the release continued. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places through the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the park also serves as a trailhead for the Cherry Creek Regional Trail.

The park “is not only a treasured part of the Arapahoe County Open Spaces program, it is an iconic and historic landmark in our community,” said Nancy Sharpe, commissioner for county District 2, in the news release. “Completing the much-needed stabilization of the barn will allow the public to explore and experience this historic jewel — citizens can step back in time to experience the county's rich pioneer and agricultural traditions and history.”