History of the Chapel of the Cross
Don and Inez Petersen, donors of the chapel, were impressed with a chapel they had visited in New Zealand. They were so impressed that they aspired to provide a place of inspiration such as this for other people. It seemed right to build the chapel in Pioneer Town. Symbols of the Christian faith are featured throughout. Entering the sanctuary, eyes are immediatel
y drawn to the large slender stainless steel cross in a self standing wall seen through the large windows to the south. The effect is intriguing, giving the appearance that the wall has been pushed out and is open to the out-of-doors. The state-of-the art three manual model of the Allen organ is the same as that installed in the largest church in the world located on the Gold Coast of Africa. Not only is the Chapel of the Cross home to many incredible concert series, but the Chapel (as well as other Pioneer Town venues) is also available for rent for any imaginable event! In 1990 the building won first place award from Wood Organization of Denver Inc. and the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. A plaque on a stone near the entrance reads, “Built to glorify God – and create a place for you to worship – to meet Him – and praise his name.”
