Sunday, April 19, 2026

The Higlands Ranch Mansion in Highland Ranch, Colorado


The Highlands Ranch Mansion is located in the Highlands Ranch Community, part of Douglas County, Colorado.  Highlands Ranch has a long and interesting history, which my husband and I learned about on a lecture and tour we attended at the mansion. 


At one time, most of the Front Range land west of the city of Denver became farm and ranchland, as settlers from the East came West.


Please click on to enlarge. 

The first to settle in this area was Samuel Allen Long, who came from Pennsylvania in 1884 and filed a 40-acre Homestead claim. He expanded his claim to 2,000 acres a few years later and, in 1991, built a barn and farmhouse which he called Rotherwood Ranch.


Please click on to enlarge.

John W. Springer, a wealthy man with ties to politics, banking, and law, became the new owner from 1897 to 1913, and he renamed it to Springer Cross Country Horse and Cattle Ranch. He expanded the home to include a turret and gave it a castle-like appearance.  Springer became the first president of what was then called the National Livestock Association. 
He became the area's largest landowner. He bought the property through a series of purchases while he was married to his first wife, Eliza Hughes Springer. The ranch grew to 12,000 acres, and Springer pursued his interest in show horses, raising rare German Oldenburg Coach Stallions. After his first wife, Eliza, died, and his second wife was involved in a murder scandal, he sold the Colorado ranch to Eliza's father, Colonel William E. Hughes, in 1913.

Please click on to enlarge

In 1913, Hughes purchased John Springer’s Cross Country Horse and Cattle Ranch, changed the name to Sunland Ranch, and continued to operate it as a working ranch. At the time of his death in July 1918, it was estimated that Hughes was Colorado’s second-wealthiest man (the first being Lawrence Phipps, Sr.). Hughes bequeathed Sunland Ranch to his granddaughter Annie, who sold it two years later to oil tycoon Waite Phillips.



Please click on to enlarge

Waite Philips purchased Sunland Ranch in 1920 and used it as a breeding location for high-grade horses and cattle. He consolidated the ranch with other nearby land purchases to create a prodigious spread called Phillips Highland Ranch, named after the Highland Hereford cattle he raised here.

Please click on to enlarge

In 1926, Frank Kistler purchased Highland Ranch from Waite Phillips, renamed it the Diamond K Ranch, and began breeding operations that specialized in dairy and Angus cattle, sheep, chickens, and hogs. During his time living on the ranch, he did extensive renovations on the ranch, converting it from a castle to an English Tudor-style home.


Please click on to enlarge

The last ranch owner was Lawrence Phipps, Jr., who named it Highlands Ranch. As one of the largest ranches in Colorado, it hosted the Arapahoe Hunt Club for more than 40 years.  Upon Lawrence’s death in 1976, the ranch passed to his estate, which handled its sale to Marvin Davis, head of the Highlands Venturers Corporation. 


In 1978, Highland Venturers sold the property to Mission Viejo Company, and development began of the modern community called Highlands Ranch. Mission Viejo sold Highlands Ranch to Shea Homes in 1997. In 2010, Shea Homes gave the Mansion property and funds for renovation, as well as an endowment to the Highlands Ranch Metro District.
 The Highlands Ranch Metro District became the new owner of the Highlands Ranch Mansion in April.  On June 15, 2012, the Highlands Ranch Metro District hosted the grand opening of the renovated Mansion, inviting the community to enjoy this community treasure.

We toured the open rooms of the mansion...


Full descriptions and historical photos of each of the mansion's rooms can be seen on this link.


Much of the original furnishing remains. I loved the stained-glass lighting fixtures!


The extensive, long hallway is tiled in Italian Terrazzo tile and was used for formal dances by one of the owners.


The multiple dining areas have gorgeous tapestries.


The butler's pantry was filled with interesting period china and other artifacts.


Surrounded by 250 acres of ranchland and tucked away in a beautiful Highland Ranch neighborhood, at 9950 Gateway Dr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-3022, the Mansion is less than 20 miles south of downtown Denver, and is a 45-minute drive to Denver International Airport.

Go to the Highlands Ranch Mansion calendar or call 303.791.0177 for more information about free tours or special events held at the mansion. 
The Highlands Ranch Mansion website will also provide information about renting the mansion for special events, such as weddings or business conferences.

It is well worth a visit to learn more about the long ranching and development history of this part of Colorado.





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Sunday, April 12, 2026

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

My husband and I were driving to the Denver International Airport to pick up our daughter, who was flying home from a business trip, and we decided to leave our home a few hours earlier to make a side visit to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, which is located on the Colorado Great Plains in Commerce City, about 8 miles (13 km)  northeast of Denver, Colorado.

 

 We began our visit at The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, located at the refuge entrance. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed on federal holidays.)

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest urban refuges in the country. It is a 15,000-acre expanse of prairie and home to over 330 species of wildlife, including bald eagles, bison, black-footed ferrets, deer, coyotes, burrowing owls, and prairie dogs.

There are many exhibits inside the visitor center:

According to historical information on the Wildlife Refuge's website:
"Prior to becoming a Refuge, the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Ute followed large herds of bison and lived off the land. Later, as settlers moved west to start a new life, they began growing crops and grazing cattle.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army transformed the area into a chemical weapons manufacturing facility called the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to support World War II. As production declined at war's end, a portion of the idle facilities were leased to Shell Chemical Company for the production of agricultural chemicals. The Arsenal was later used for Cold-War weapons production and demilitarization."


"The Arsenal is one of the most studied environmental restoration sites in the country. Following an extensive site evaluation in the early 1980s, the Army and Shell began a comprehensive environmental cleanup under the oversight of federal, state, and local regulatory agencies. Soon after, a roost of bald eagles was discovered, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to become involved in managing wildlife at the site. The discovery also led Congress to designate the site as a national wildlife refuge in 1992."


About two-thirds of the refuge consists of mixed-grass and shortgrass prairie, while the remainder is a mix of forest, shrubland, and lakes, streams, and riparian areas.

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge is free to visit, and visitors can enjoy 20 miles of hiking trails, bicycling, fishing (with a fishing license--catch and release), archery, photography, and nature programs.



Sixteen American bison were brought from the National Bison Range in Montana to an enclosed 1,400-acre (5.7 km) section of the refuge in March 2007 as part of the USFWS Pilot Bison Project. The number of bison reached 87 in 2013, forcing the USFWS to reduce the herd to just 60 animals because the limited acreage could not support that many. USFWS officials said that in a few years, they would expand the bison acreage to 12,000 acres (49 km), to allow the herd to expand to an anticipated 210 animals.

To see the bison, we entered a one-way 11-mile self-guided auto Wildlife Drive that took approximately 1 hour to complete.


I did not think we would see many bison because we were driving during the middle of the day, and wildlife is usually most active in the early morning or at dusk, but we did see some!



You can see that this resting bison is beginning to shed its winter fur.



We saw many active prairie dogs on our drive.


Two black-footed ferrets--photo credit: Kimberly Fraser/USFWS,

In 2015, America’s most endangered mammal, the black-footed ferret, was reintroduced to the Refuge. If you click on this link, you can read how this American native ferret almost became totally extinct. They are nocturnal and hard to spot, but there is a ferret enclosure at the Refuge Visitor Center where some can be observed.


I loved this quote by President Theodore Roosevelt that was on display in the Refuge Visitor Center:
"Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us."

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge is located at
6550 Gateway Rd, Commerce City, CO 80022-4327
and is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The Visitor Center is open Wednesdays - Sundays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed on federal holidays). 

Visiting the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge was something I had wanted to do for a long time, and I was happy to have finally seen it!

 
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Monday, March 30, 2026

A Tour of the Colorado Rockies Coors Stadium


 
The 2026 American baseball season has begun, and it reminded me that I never showed photos of a tour we took last April of the National League Denver Rockies baseball team's home field,  Coors Field in Denver, Colorado!

Opened in 1995, the park is located in Denver's Lower Downtown neighborhood, four blocks from Union Station. The stadium has a capacity of 50,144 people for baseball.


Tours of Coors Field are available Monday through Saturday. Our tours provide a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier ballparks in Major League Baseball. Tours typically last 70-80 minutes and cover a distance of approximately one mile. Our "Motley Crew" friends group all pre-purchased tickets to attend the tour, and we met in front of Gate D, where the tour begins.



The guided Coors Field tour took us through the dugout, premium seating areas, press level, and the rooftop, and gave us many insights into how Coors Field operates beyond what fans see during a game.


One of the most distinctive features of Coors Field is the famous purple row of seats, in the upper deck, 20th row, which marks exactly 5,280 feet--one mile--above sea level. (1,609.344 meters)


We learned fascinating facts about the stadium on the tour, such as the fact that the grass has an electric heating element below ground to keep it green and fresh even in cold early-season weather. We also learned that baseballs have to be specially treated to function in the mile-high altitude of Denver. The baseballs are kept in a humidor set at 70 degrees and 50% humidity. It is well-known that baseballs travel approximately 9% further at Coors Field because of its elevation.


The Rockies Clubhouse was off limits to visit, as the players leave their private possessions there, but we were able to visit the visiting teams' clubhouse. Our tour guide showed us the various rooms for the visiting manager and coaches, as well as the dressing room for the teams. The teams are treated to gourmet meals, and laundry and other services are provided. 



Coors Field has many dining options, from casual to upscale.
The Rooftop at Coors Field is a 38,000-square-foot addition to the upper deck in right field, offering numerous eateries, a variety of seating and standing-room options, and stunning views of downtown Denver and the Rocky Mountains, along with craft beer options and lively entertainment. The Rooftop opens when gates open and remains a favorite hangout spot for fans throughout the game. No special access is required, but it’s best to arrive early to claim a good spot.





The Rockpile is one of the most budget-friendly and iconic seating areas in baseball. With a history dating back to Coors Field’s opening in 1995, these seats offer an old-school bleacher experience. 

Day of Game Rockpile: Both $4.00 and $1.00 Rockpile tickets are available for purchase on the day of the game for most home games, beginning two hours before game time at the Rockpile Ticket Office located near Gate A. Rockpile tickets are available to Guests 12 years of age and younger and 55 years of age and older for $1.00.

We have attended a few games with our grandchildren at this great price and enjoyed seeing the game from one of the most unique spots in the park!


Some fun displays around the stadium.
Dinger is the Rockies Mascot. He is a lovable, purple anthropomorhic triceratops dinosaur that has been the Colorado Rockies’ biggest fan since he firsthatched from his egg at Mile High Stadium on April 16, 1994. 

The choice of a dinosaur, specifically this type, was inspired by the discovery of a number of dinosaur fossils—most notably a 7-foot-long (2.1 m), 1,000-pound (450 kg) triceratops skull—at Coors Field during its construction.



McGregor Square is a new addition to the Coors Field experience, featuring dining, shopping, and a massive outdoor screen that broadcasts games. It’s a great spot to soak in the baseball atmosphere before or after a game, and entry is free!

We all enjoyed our tour of Coors Field and highly recommend it to all baseball fans.

Go Rockies!!




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Sunday, March 22, 2026

The Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance Visits our Community Senior Group


 Last week, our community's senior group, which has the catchy name "Ageless and Unstoppable," and is sponsored by a local realtor, Kali Hepker, and our area's Metro District, hosted a wonderful visit by the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.  All registered participants met at our community Ranch House one morning on a bright blue-sky day. The bit of snow we had already melted, except for the north face of one of our high foothills in the distance.


There, we all met a wonderful Outreach Program Specialist, James Garcia. 
James has been with Denver Zoo for 22 years, most of which have been with "Zoo to You Community Outreach Programs."
 He had four different zoo species to show us on this visit — the first being a Red-tailed Hawk.

The Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, according to Wikipedia,  is an 80-acre (32 ha) nonprofit zoological garden and conservation organization located in City Park of Denver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1896, it is operated by the Denver Zoological Foundation and funded in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Its other sources of funding are ticket sales and private donations. It is the most visited paid attraction in Denver.
Denver Zoo was started with the donation of an orphaned American black bear. With the construction of Bear Mountain, it became the first zoo in the United States to use naturalistic zoo enclosures rather than cages with bars.  It expanded on this concept with Primate Panorama, featuring huge mesh tents and open areas for apes and monkeys, and with Predator Ridge, which has three separate areas through which animals are rotated so that their overlapping scents provide environmental enrichment.



James explained the Red-tailed Hawk's diverse North American habitat, hunting abilities, and distinguishing features of this common bird of prey. The red-tailed hawk preys on small mammals such as rodents and lagomorphs, but also opportunistically consumes birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. 



In the short video clip above, you can hear the hawk's distinctive high-pitched sound


The next creature James showed us was a lizard commonly called a  Shingleback Stink (Tiliqua Rugosa). The species is widely distributed in arid to semiarid regions of southern and western Australia. It is an omnivore that eats snails, insects, carrion, vegetation, and flowers.




The third creature that James showed us was the most surprising to me! It was a Boreal Toad. 

They are commonly found in the western U.S. and western Canada. 
 It is known in Colorado as the only alpine species of toad. It prefers high-altitude wet habitats (8,000–12,000 ft -- 2,438.4 meters-3,657.6 meters in elevation) such as lakes, marshes, ponds, bogs, and quiet shallow water.

Sadly, Boreal toad populations have declined recently due to an emerging amphibian disease, chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd).

 The boreal toad is currently listed as an endangered species by Colorado and New Mexico.


James explained how the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance and Colorado Parks and Wildlife are studying the boreal toad and hoping to breed ones that are fungus-resistant and reintroduce them back into their natural habitat. 
Boreal toads feed on a wide range of invertebrates and insects, including flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, beetles, and moths. 



The last creature that James exhibited was the Corn Snake.

James laughed when some people in the audience grimaced and groaned at the sight of the snake. He said that snakes are not well-loved, but that they play a very important role in the environment, and the earth would suffer without them. He said that when he shows a rabbit, an audience will usually smile and say "Aww" with affection, but in his 22 years of handling assorted creatures, the only one that ever bit him was a rabbit!



The Corn Snake is found throughout the southeastern and central United States. The corn snake is named for the species' regular presence near grain stores, where it feeds on the mice and rats that eat harvested corn.

James pointed out that while many people feel zoos are hurtful to wildlife by keeping them captive, zoos are usually more helpful and holistic these days, with many conservation programs that are helping to preserve species from total elimination due to the destruction of their habitat
through poaching, pollution, overdevelopment, deforestation, loss of prey, diseases, climate change, etc. 


I believe all the seniors in attendance enjoyed Mr. Garcia's presentation and learned a lot about the different species he showcased. We are also excited to know that, as a follow-up, we will all be visiting the Denver Zoo together in April for a guided zoo tour. I've visited the Denver Zoo many times with my grandchildren, but I'm looking forward to this "adult visit" very much!


Have a very Happy Spring!








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