History

The Meyer Ranch property was homesteaded by Duncan McIntyre in the 1870s. A large barn was built in 1870-1871. A portion of the property was sold in 1883 to Louis Ramboz and the present Queen Anne style house was built in 1889. The house was used as a boarding house and hotel for stage passengers on the Bradford Toll Road which in front of it.

The house became know as the Midway House as it was midway between Denver and Bailey. The ranch was sold again in 1912 to Ralph Kirkpatrick who ran it as a working ranch and sold it in 1950 to Norm and Ethel Meyer.

Now that Open Space owns the ranch, the house will be a museum for the Conifer area. In 1939 a small ski area was built on the slope of Mount Legault. It included a warming house, ski runs, and an old Buick engine to power a five-tower rope tow, World War II ended the operation and the Meyers bought the land in 1970.

The initial 397 acres of the Meyer Ranch was purchased by Jefferson County in 1986. In subsequent years (2008 – 2009)an additional 258 acres were added through a combination of fee purchase and Bond funds.