We are open Mon to Sat, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Please call us at +1 303-288-2590
Commerce City Heritage and Cultural Center
6505 E 60th Ave Commerce City. CO

Our Legendary Locals

Jean Klein Angel Award


In 2009 when we were organizing the Historical Society, Jean Klein passed away.


If you were lucky enough to know Jean you would have known that she would always give you something when she would see you. One of those items was an angel. The angels we put on the plaques were given to use by the Klein family. So they were Jean’s Angels!


Jean was very involved in her community. She worked in her community as a Realtor for over 40 years (Jean’s Realty). She was involved with many organizations. She served on many boards and she was very active in getting our water cleaned up in Commerce City. Jean was President of the South Adams County Water and Sanitation District for 30 years.


So at the end of 2009 we were planning our first annual From Time To Time event for 2010, and we named our event awards the Jean Klein Angel Award. And she was one of the first recipients.


In 2014 we added a Business Awards category for our long time businesses in Commerce City.


In 2016 we added the CCHS Volunteer of the Year award to honor our dedicated volunteers.


The recipients that have made contributions of time, and talent to our city that have profoundly and positively affected our history. 


In 2020, our Jean Klein Angel Awards celebration had to be cancelled due to COVID 19. In 2020, and 2021 we did not do our event. 


In 2022, we changed the name to Legendary Locals and the CCHS Board of Directors select 4 people each quarter as our Legendary Locals.

A Commerce City Legendary Local may be identified by the following...

  • Remarkable, Extra Ordinary, Well-Known 
  • Lived or worked in Commerce City and has made contributions of Time and Talent to our city 
  • Distinctive accomplishments for Commerce City 
  • Leaves an unforgettable impression on others 
  • Has done things to make Commerce City a better place 
  • Has profoundly and positively affected the history for Commerce City 
  • Touched lives in Commerce City 
  • Finding your role or calling and following it in Commerce City 


Please stop by the museum to view all the years of our legendary people from Commerce City. 

Jean Klein Angel

Award Recipients


Jean Klein was a long-time resident of Commerce City who served on a variety of boards and worked tirelessly to improve the water in Commerce City. The Commerce City Historical Society honors people in the community each year that have made a profound impact on the city and residents in Commerce City. Please come and help us honor the 2016 recipients in our community.

  • 2010

    Mrs. Jean Klein 

    Mr. Larry Ford 

    Mr. Bob Hutchings 

    Mr. Hans Alfred Krogh 

    Mr. Lester Arnold and Mrs. Mary Arnold

  • 2011

    Mr. Harlow and Mrs. Shirley Leeper 

    Mr. Hal Rarick 

    Mr. Joe Gilas 

    Commerce City Rotary 

    Frank Nakagawa

  • 2012

    Commerce City Founding Fathers 

    (Mr. Carl Horblit, Mr. Gordon Hutchings, Mr. Hans Alfred Krogh, Mr. 

    Kenneth Gahagen, Mr. Herbert Hast, Mr. Earl Saurini, Mr. Floyd Templeton) 

    Mr. E.E. Casey Hayes 

    Mr. Leo Younger Jr.

  • 2013

    Mr. Norm Union and Mrs. Janet Union 

    Ms. Barbara Anne Jones 

    Mrs. Charlene Jaramillo 

    First Responders Award (Mr. Richard Watts, Mr. Harold Hubbell Sr.)

  • 2014

    Senator Bob Martinez 

    The Teter Brothers 

    The Commerce City Charter Convention 

    Kids First 

    Mr. Paskey Teto 

    Business Award – Hi-Lo Employees Corporation

  • 2015

    Mrs. Reba Drotar 

    Mrs. Lois Kimmes 

    CCHS Board of Directors 

    Mr. Bob Gehler 

    Business Award – Riggi Oil

  • 2016

    Mr. Carlyle Edwards 

    Mr. Kevin Phillips 

    Mr. Chuck Baker 

    Mr. L.C. Fulenwider 

    Business Award -The Deck Superstore 

    Business Award - Younger Brothers Lumber & Hardware 

    Ron Brown – Volunteer of the Year

  • 2017

    Ms. Loretta Garcia 

    Mr. Dale Mingilton 

    Mr. Russ Waterson, Sr. 

    Business Award – Commerce City Ace Hardware 

    Business Award –Murray Farm 

    Business Award – Suncor Energy USA 

    Harley Hall – Volunteer of the Year 

    Janet Union – Volunteer of the Year 

  • 2018

    Al & Kathy Cordova 

    Business Award – Rocky Mountain Recycling 

    Business Award – Ardent Mills 

    Ron Brown – Volunteer of the Year

  • 2019

    Betty Pepin-posthumously 

    Timothy Moore 

    Business Award – United Power 

    Business Award – Commerce City Parks, Recreation & Golf 

    Business Award-Kids First Health Care 

    JoAnn Hardt– Volunteer of the Year

Commerce City Legendary Locals


2022

  • April-June

    Ernesto Benito Martinez, Sr. 

    Rene’ Bullock 

    Sean Ford 

    Senator Dominick Moreno

  • July-September

    Curt Holland 

    Jim Deden 

    Esther Hall 

    Maria Zubia

  • October-December

    James Allen 

    Jennifer Allen-Thomas 

    Maria Gonzalez 

    Kevin Vincel 

2023

  • Jan-March

    Maria Carabajal 

    David Busby 

    Debra Bullock 

    Guillermo Serna

  • April-June

    Gene Leffell 

    Joann stevenson 

    Richard “Steve” Stevenson 

    Marilyn Krause

  • July - September

    Dan Clark 

    Lanny Cook 

    Larry Lobato, Jr. 

    Rudy Bustos

  • October-December

    Karen Osburn Castleschouldt 

    Sally McIntosh 

    Vi Vigil 

    Richard M. Vigil, Sr.

Share by: