Hayden Ranch

Ranch Description

Hayden Ranch was founded originally as Elkhorn Ranch in 1860. When the silver industry boomed in the Leadville Mining District and settlers flocked by the thousands, a huge need arose for the agricultural foundations to support such an influx. These were found nearby in the fields of the Arkansas River Valley, where ranchers grew the copious amounts of hay needed to feed the animals that powered every cart. The successes and ultimate recessions of this industrial boom was mirrored in the systems it relied on, and in the 1890'S the empty silver mine encampments of post-Gold-Standard America no longer consumed the resources it had a decade previously. The Hayden Family began grazing cattle and built many of the structures we see today to house operations. The Ranch was sold in 1933 to the Callahan Construction Company and briefly used to breed horses for the US Army Cavalry, then resumed cattle breeding for another 14 years until it was sold again in 1947.

The buildings fell out of use and into disrepair. The 1960S saw hopeful prospects through ski industry success, exemplified by nearby resorts like Aspen and Vail, and as a result many larger lots in Lake County were subdivided with thoughts of development. The lot to the north of the Hayden Homestead is one such example, and was planned to house 40 condominiums, three of which were constructed.

In 1998, the City of Aurora purchased the ranch for water rights and approached the Lake County Commissioners to work collaboratively on how best to utilize the land. The Lake County Open Space Initiative (Lcosi) was founded, and Hayden Ranch was designated as open space under the care of the Colorado Preservation Inc (Cpi) in partnership with Colorado Mountain College (Cmc). In 2008, Hayden Ranch was conveyed by a Special Warranty Deed from CPI to a new ownership under Cmc. This transfer included a Deed of Conservation Easement, indicating standards for preserving the historic integrity of the Hayden Homestead. In 2023, CMC commissioned this report by Shape Architects and Superbloom in order to assess new uses for Hayden Ranch. It is their hope that the site may pass to a new owner with the adequate resources to revive the homestead in a new context while preserving its historic and community value.

The Hayden Ranch has incredible potential to be a resource of great public value. The 35-acre ranch headquarters, with sixteen buildings constructed between 1880 and 1930, is on the National Register of Historic Places; a cultural asset and natural resource in the surrounding rich and varied ecosystem to be enjoyed in perpetuity for generations to come.