The history of Conifer lives on in the buildings and landmarks that we pass by every day. Some others are gone, but equally interesting to remember.
The 1860s homestead of George O. Kennedy was 583 acres and known as Beaver Ranch. It’s location was where the Bradford Toll Road intersected Kennedy Gulch – today the junction of Highway 285 and Foxton Road. Beaver Ranch was a favorite stop on the trail to Leadville because it had cold spring water, good corrals, and hotel space for the men and families who made their way to the mountains seeking gold. The first Conifer Post Office was located at Beaver Ranch. The Kennedy home was built over a period of 20 years, starting with 2 cabins that stood close together. A third room was then added to connect the cabins, along with a roof covering all 3 buildings. Later a second story and a porch was added. The red barn close to Highway 285 was also part of the original ranch.
In 1895 Willie and Laura (Oakes) Bennett purchased Beaver Ranch. The Bennett’s hosted community events at the Ranch, including rodeos with bucking bronco contests. Eventually the ranch was owned by James Quigg Newton, Sr. the father of Quigg Newton, Denver mayor from 1945 to 1951. In 1939 Mr. Newton donated 583 acres to the Grace Methodist Church. In 1951 a portion of the property was established as Camp Newton, a camp for both girls and boys ages eight to thirteen. The Camp was operated by the Beaver Ranch Foundation supported by the Kiwanis. The stone chapel visible from Highway 285 dates back to this time and the camp directors – H.R. and Ginnie Linville – lived in a home at the rear of the chapel.
In 1968 the camp changed its name back to Beaver Ranch and became a camp for under-privileged children, run by the Kiwanis Club. In 1995 the camp became the responsibility of the YMCA of Metro Denver.
The large parcel on the north side of Foxton Road was donated to the Denver Mountain Park System and was named Newton Park. The park was one of the last to join the Denver Mountain Park System. It features large shelters, potable water, electricity, restrooms, and recreation areas for private group retreats with spectacular views to the south.
In May 2001 Jefferson County Open Space purchased the land on the south side of Foxton Road from the YMCA and entered into an agreement with Beaver Ranch Community, Inc. to jointly manage and operate a community park. It is used for many purposes including private events and festivals.
The Bradford Toll Road was developed by Major Robert Bradford, chartered October 11, 1861. It provided the most direct path to the mining communities in Leadville, Blue Creek and beyond. Although it was considered an ‘air line’ path, the route was vertical and treacherous in parts. It began in what we now know as Ken Caryl Ranch and reached our area around Twin Forks on 285, continuing up and over multiple passes and touted saving travelers 18 miles! Eventually it was replaced by today’s Highway 285.
Learn more in these resources:
- View toll road map from Upper Side of the Pie Crust
- View Leadville area map (road in far right side of map)
- An 1860 description of the future road “New Road to the South Park”
- Historic 1861 ad promoting the Bradford Toll Road
- Read CHSM’s article
- Read 2024 Historically JeffCo article
- A personal account of the road by Noah LeGault
- Read the history of on Ken Caryl Ranch’s site
Did you know this historic Jefferson County Landmark was once the site of a stagecoach holdup? Clifton House – now on the beautiful venue Conifer Ranch – has a storied and colorful history that dates back to 1875 when it was Rudolph Pollitz’s homestead cabin.
That cabin was what is now the back portion of the current home, before it was expanded into a 2-story, 14-room home. After Rudolph and his wife Mary Long Pollitz, their son Charles Long and his wife Tillithy lived there with their 6 children. In that era, the Denver-Leadville Stagecoach Road used to run in front of the home and the couple ran it as a stagecoach stop and hotel. That’s when the holdup occurred – with the bandits bursting into the barn, stealing horses and racing off.
Clifton House is also known for running the local telephone exchange for over 30 years and a handwritten newspaper – the Rocky Mountain Boomerang – in 1896.
You can catch a glimpse of it across from Kings Valley still today, or host a private event to see it up close and in person!
View pictures here
Conifer’s schools began with one structure and have grown to several modern facilities. Here’s a brief overview:
- 1860: Residents of the area around present-day Conifer file for the Junction School District
- Late 1870’s: Pleasant Park Log School is built with logs donated by a nearly sawmill and constructed in one day by digging into a hillside and building from there. It had a door (without a window) and one window. The door was kept open weather-permitting.
- 1885: Classes begin at the Hutchinson schoolhouse, located about a half-mile south of today’s intersection of Barkley Road and Highway 73.
- 1886: First Urmstrom School built across the road and slightly west of Long Brothers Garage
- 1887: School district formed by 5 families, high up on Kuehster Road, opening the Lamb School in a log building. After it is destroyed by fire a second Lamb School opens in 1887 near the same location.
- 1894: Pleasant Park School begins operations. One of the few schools in the county that continued to have summer sessions only. Long distances, severe winters and deep snow maintained this schedule until the 1930s.
- 1911: School district purchases a second building – the Junction Schoolhouse – that had been used as a church, located south of Kitty Drive. The building was originally a church built by the Reformed Church of Latter Day Saints but then abandoned.
- 1922: Local resident John J. Mullen loans property adjacent to his yellow barn to the school district. Conifer Junction schoolhouse is built and known as the Little White Schoolhouse.
- 1920s: Urmstrom School classes moved to the Grange Hall at Shaffers Crossing (white, six-sided building)
- 1923-1953: Students from first through eighth grades are educated in the new schoolhouse.
- 1936: New brick school built near Urmstrom Grange and named “Elk Creek School”
- 1937: Junction Schoolhouse is sold and dismantled.
- 1946: Little White Schoolhouse property is sold to the school district.
- 1950: Little White Schoolhouse property ownership is transferred to Jefferson County Public Schools ownership
- 1951: Elk Creek School burns down. Students go to Pine Junction until 1955
- 1953: Seventh/eighth grade students are sent to Evergreen Junior High School; Fourth-Sixth grade classes go to Pleasant Park schoolhouse (now the Pleasant Park Grange)
- March 7, 1955: West Jefferson School opens and Conifer Junction school is used as an overflow classroom
- 1965: Conifer Junction School converted into a library
- March 21, 1974: West Jefferson Junior High School opens to seventh-ninth graders after West Jefferson School exceeds capacity
- 1995: Additional building built at West Jefferson Junior High School for sixth graders
- 1996: School transitions to a middle school, for sixth-eighth graders
- 1996: Conifer High School opens to serve students in the southern portion of what had previously been Evergreen High School’s area
- 2012: Lamb School destroyed by the Lower North Fork fire.
View historic school and teacher photos
Read Conifer Area Schools presentation
In 1860 the McIntyre family immigrated from Canada to Conifer and created one of the most recognizable properties in our area. Duncan and Elizabeth brought their sons John (24), Duncan (18) and Daniel (13) and their daughter Elizabeth (20). The homestead property eventually totaled 480 acres where the current Midway House and Meyer Ranch are located, as well as a 160 acres to the east. Four more families made their mark in the subsequent years and now this property is one of Conifer’s jewels as a Jefferson County park and historic home.
Read the full story Meyer Ranch History
View pictures here (more to be added soon)
Stay tuned for history on more landmarks!