The grave of Shep, the Turnpike Dog has been a Broomfield landmark all of my life. The grave was originally at N39° 54.917, W105° 05.618. The story is below.
"Shep the Turnpike Dog: remains found
BROOMFIELD, CO -- A five-year effort to relocate a memorial to a dog in the right-of-way at the junction of U.S. 287/Wadsworth Blvd. and U.S. 36 took an unexpected turn during preparations for moving the headstones and fencing that mark the grave of Shep, the Turnpike Dog. Shep's remains were found.
The efforts to relocate the memorial intensified when plans for the construction on the 120th Avenue Connection became a reality with the project's Sept. 24 groundbreaking. The discovery of Shep's remains insures that the entire memorial will be replicated on the Broomfield Depot Museum grounds, 2201 W. 10th Ave.
"Shep has been a fixture in our community for over 50 years and we wanted to ensure that his memory and story would be around for another 50 years," said Peggy Atkinson, member of Broomfield's Historic Landmark Board and leader of the efforts to relocate Shep.
Shep the "Turnpike Dog" showed up, thin and bedraggled, when the toll booth was still under construction. A shaggy shepherd mix, he became a notable fixture at the toll booth. The toll takers adopted him, and motorists often contributed their change to his upkeep or brought him bones and tidbits. Shep was a fixture at the tollbooth for 13 years and was wellloved by the citizens of Broomfield.
Dr. Clyde Brunner donated his services when Shep was mysteriously shot, and thereafter became Shep's "personal" vet. It was Dr. Brunner who, in 1964, put Shep to sleep.
Dr. Brunner was part of the crew that was on site as Shep's remains were exhumed. "I wanted to be sure that, although moving the head stones and other items was a good idea, I didn't want Shep to be left behind. The fact that his remains were also found just completes the effort," Dr. Brunner said.
Rick Sedbrook, City and County of Broomfield Park Operations Foreman, in charge of the relocation effort and the individual who actually discovered the remains, was raised in Broomfield and remembers Shep. "I have so many found memories of Shep. My Mom ran a dress shop on the 'hill' in Boulder and my sister and I would argue about who got to throw the change in the toll bucket because we knew the extra change would go to feed Shep. He was really the community's dog ... everyone loved him."
Jane Spain, member of the Broomfield Landmark Board, commented on the team effort to relocate the memorial: "CDOT has been instrumental in partnering to make this happen. Shep is as much of a part of their history as he was to Broomfield's history."
The relocation to Shep's new home, between the historical Honey House and the Depot Museum in Zang's Spur Park, will coincide with the Depot 100-year celebration, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, from 1 to 4 p.m. The celebration is open to the public." (from (
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