Charles O. Moore Papers & Moore Family Papers, 1947-1990

Charles O. Moore was born in 1913 in Eldorado Springs. He attended high school in Boulder and in 1934 graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. He then moved to Pittsburgh, PA for two years and attended the University of Pittsburgh to work on his master’s degree.

In June 1936, Charles Moore married Alva Virginia Henderson in Chester, Pennsylvania. In 1937, the Moores moved back to Colorado and in 1939, Charles began employment with Gates Rubber Co. as an engineer. He and his family moved to Jefferson County in 1946, settling on a farm in Arvada. In 1948, Moore was elected president of the Fremont School District, formerly R-6 in Arvada, and is credited with setting the groundwork for consolidating all 39 Jefferson County school districts into the R-1 district known today. He was elected to serve as the Arvada representative on the R-1 board until 1959 when he accepted a job in Ohio with the Dayton Rubber Co.

Moore and his family returned to Wheat Ridge in 1961. In 1963, Moore was again appointed to the R-1 school board to fill a vacancy. He was re-elected in 1967 and served as president until he resigned in 1969. He was also very active with 4-H clubs and Boy and Girl Scout troops. The Sentinel newspapers named Moore Man of the Year in 1969.

Mr. Moore’s wife, Virginia, was also named a Sentinel Woman of the Year. Mrs. Moore served as president of the Mile-Hi Council of Girl Scouts in the 1960s. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a large reception on June 21, 1986.

Mrs. Cherry Moore Newell, one of Charles and Virginia’s five children, was a teacher at Bell Junior High School in Golden from 1967-1970. Moore Junior High School, built in 1980 at 8455 W. 88th Ave. in Arvada, was named for Charles Moore.