The Broomcorn Express, Quarterly Publication of the Broomfield Historical Society
Vol. 3, No. 2, April–June 2023
In preparation for the re-opening of the Crawford Honey House, I took the time to deep dive into getting to know the family’s role in Broomfield History. Looking at newspaper clippings in the archive, as well as Ancestry.com, I started to build a narrative about the family.
Our story revolves around two men, Harry R. Crawford (1871–1946) and his son Miles Crawford (1900-1987); together they represent nearly 100 years of beekeeping in Broomfield.
Harry came to Broomfield in 1891—around the age of 20—purchasing a single acre of land from Adolph Zang to start a beekeeping enterprise. Harry had grown up in Marion, Ohio, where he attended school in a one-room schoolhouse. The teacher was Warren G. Harding, future US president, and only 18 at the time (it was his first job after graduating). When Harding was inaugurated, Harry sent him a case of honey from Broomfield.
We don’t know why Harry chose Broomfield or how he had even heard of it. Harry may have traveled to Broomfield with his parents King (1836–1911) and Elizabeth (née Leaper) Crawford (1836–1906) who are both buried in Broomfield’s Lakeview Cemetery. Both born in Ireland, King and Elizabeth settled in Marion, Ohio, where they raised at least 5 children. Oddly, King and Elizabeth don’t appear on another census after 1880, so we don’t know exactly when they came to Broomfield (maybe they were traveling during the 1890 census). We also don’t know where Harry learned beekeeping; his father King is listed as a farmer, so he may have learned from him or came to it independently.
A few years after settling in Broomfield, Harry R. Crawford married Ada (née Coward) Crawford on September 25, 1899 in Denver.Ada was born in England in 1872, immigrating to New York City in 1882. Harry and Ada had three children: Miles (1900–1987) Dora (1903–?) Harry James (1904–1976?)
In 1904 Harry had 500 bee colonies producing 32,000 pounds of comb honey. That same year he won a silver medal for honey at the World’s Fair in St. Louis. Shortly after this win, Henry built the Honey House right along 120th Ave and “used the building to can and sell honey.” Harry also served as the Broomfield postmaster from 1897-1898.
Likely sometime in the 1920s, Harry handed over the honey operation and farm to his oldest son Miles, retiring to Long Beach, CA with Ada. Both appear on the 1930 census as living in Long Beach, passing away there in 1946 and 1943 respectively. Interestingly, the 1930 census also lists their youngest son, Harry James Crawford (age 25 in 1930) as living with his parents, with his occupation listed as apiarist (beekeeper).
Miles Crawford claimed to have been beekeeping since the age of six, no doubt learning directly from his father. Photos show all three Crawford siblings working on the farm and helping sell honey.
In 1924, Miles married Emily Crawford (née Krugel, 1903–1977) who had come to Broomfield from California to teach at the Lorraine schoolhouse. The two met at the Crescent Grange, the major spot for dances, picnics, and socialization. Emily and Miles had three children: Doris (1926–2016) Harry M. (1929–1998) Robert J. (1932–2016)
Throughout the Depression, the couple eked out a living selling honey wholesale and retailing it from a stand along the highway. They also helped harvest beets. This “stand” may or may not have been the Honey House, as a different, smaller small building also appears in photos from the 1950s. In 1944, Miles claimed to have 700 beehives, but relying on beekeeping alone for a living had become too precarious and Miles “wanted a job with a paycheck.” So again like his father, he took a job as postmaster. But unlike his father, who only held the position for one year, Miles was Broomfield’s postmaster for 21 years (from 1944 to 1965), seeing the growth of the city from a few hundred people to over 5,000. Emily also joined him at the post office, working there from 1950-1965.
Miles and Emily lived on Crawford Farm on 120th until the late 1950s, when they purchased a new “Princess” home in Broomfield Heights (First Filing) at 390 Kohl St. Miles reportedly did not want to leave the family farm, but Emily wanted a more modern and spacious house in the new community, and he relented.
Both Emily and Miles remained members of the Crescent Grange for their entire lives. They were also members of the Methodist Church. Miles was a member of the Masonic lodge and supported the early Depot Museum later in life. He also cared for bees for his entire life, although had to move the hives as Broomfield became more developed. Emily loved to garden and travel, and Emily amassed a large collection of dolls from around the world.
While none of Miles and Emily’s children stayed in Broomfield, the couple remained here for the rest of their lives and are buried at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Wheat Ridge, CO. Photos and objects relating to the Crawfords can be seen on our publicly accessible database at https://hub.catalogit.app/9352.
Image: The Crawford Honey House, c. 1910, Broomfield History Collections.
