Welcome to the Historic Crissey House!

Located at 218 West First Street, the Historic Crissey House was built in 1908 by Mr. & Mrs. H. G. Crissey, prominent pioneers of Palisade. The property is the only private residence in Palisade on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mr. & Mrs. H. G. Crissey

Herbert "Grant" and Edith "May" Sayles Crissey were instrumental in making Palisade what it is today: Orchards, Banking, Irrigation and the Leadership of Palisade.

Mr. Crissey was the first manager of the United Fruit Growers Association, a local co-op. He was the CEO of Palisades National Bank**, and he even served as Town Mayor from 1918 to 1921.

They built the house in 1908 and lived here until 1935.

The house was then owned by Mr. & Mrs. Fred Bower until 1945.

Dr. & Mrs. Fred Larimore owned the house from 1945 until 1971.

Jim & Mary Dawn Carstens bought the house in 1971, and 2002 and 2003, it was placed on the Colorado State Registry and National Registry of Historic Places.

In 2021, Kirk and JoAnn Rasmussen purchased the property and continued its rehabilitation to preserve it for future generations.

**In the early 1900s, Mr. Crissey was the "cashier" at Palisades National Bank. This was the equivalent of the CEO! Also? That 's' at the end of Palisades is not a typo! When the Town of Palisade incorporated on April 4, 1904, they did so as "Palisade" without the 's.' Palisades National Bank was already an established entity and discovered it would cost $500 to drop the 's.' That was a lot of money in 1904, so they remained The Palisades National Bank! You can visit that building (with the 's') at the corner of 3rd and Main Street, here in Palisade! (without the 's'...)

What are these trees?

The Historic Crissey House is surrounded by heirloom Apricot trees.

How old are they?

These Apricot trees are over 100 years old!

When Kirk & JoAnn Rasmussen purchased the property in 2021, the house was flanked on all sides by 18 original variety Smith & Moorpark Apricot trees.

In 2022, two trees had to be removed, as they'd reached the end of their lifespan, and they had over 104 years of tree rings!

Currently, there are 14 trees remaining.

Do they still produce apricots?

Yes, Yes, Yes!

(Usually...)

Smith & Moorpark Variety apricots are delicious. They are bigger than "normal" apricots. They also ripen quickly, so they don't transport to market well.

In 2022, there were more apricots than JoAnn & Kirk had ever seen in one place in their entire lives (up to that point). In 2023, a local orchardist helped The Rasmussens harvest FOUR THOUSAND POUNDS (yes, 4,000!!) of apricots! That harvest was turned into wine at a local winery. In 2026, the crews picked ANOTHER 4,420 POUNDS, and it was turned into jam!

Will they produce a bumper crop every year?

...of leaves to rake? YES.

...of apricots? Time will tell.

As one of our local grower friends likes to say, "If you have an apricot orchard, you are either a genius or a fool. ...and you won't know which until it's time to pick."

Apricots bloom before Peaches, so they are more susceptible to a hard freeze in early Spring. Even during the years they got zapped, they produced a couple hundred pounds of apricots. One year, we didn't think we'd get any, and they surprised us.

These trees are well past their expected lifespans, and we don't know how much longer we will have to enjoy them. Every year, we cross our fingers and wait!

Apricot Leaves

We always have an abundance of apricot leaves in the Autumn. Anyone want to help us rake?

Winter Wonderland

We don't get a lot of snow in Palisade, but when we do, it's magical!

The Carriage House

Also built in 1908, the Carriage House / original fruit packing barn sits at the back of the property, with the Bookcliffs as a gorgeous backdrop.

Even though the Historic Crissey House is on the National Register of Historic Places, this is our private residence & property, so we kindly ask people to respect that. No trespassing, please!

Flora & Fauna

The award winning gardens of the Historic Crissey House boast 80 roses and hundreds of other Heirloom, Antique, and Old Garden Variety plants.

Here is a brochure from when The Historic Crissey House was a stop on the Palisade Tour of Roses!

Hummingbirds

From April through September, many families of Hummingbirds grace us with their presence and nest on the property. They love Palisade almost as much as we do, and we love to host them every year!

Wherever you go, there you are...

...and now you're here.

(We're probably on the front porch or in the gardens. Wave at us! We'll wave back.)

Where are you off to next?

Whether you are a local out exploring, a visitor just passing through, or here in Palisade on a return trip (your first of many, for sure), there are lots of things to do. Check out some ideas below.

Adventures Await!

Take a Self-Guided Historic Walking of Palisade!

Yes, it's true. You're standing at Site #10 on the FREE Self-Guided Historic Walking Tour of Palisade!

The Palisade Historical Society is testing a new mapping feature with DestinationHub. Click here to learn more.

Click here to head over to learn about Tours on the Palisade Historical Society website, or you can click here to check out HistoricPalisade.org.

If you prefer an more old-school experience, free Walking Tour Brochures are available in the kiosk on 3rd Street, behind Family Food Town. Enjoy!

Have you ever searched for hidden treasure?

If you know, you know.

Visit the Palisade History Museum!

Check out the Palisade History Museum! It's here in Palisade at 3740 G Road. It's FREE admission, and it's open Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm.

HistoricPalisade.org

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