Granddads Homestead Ranch is a historic site where you can enjoy some of the little things brought to you by God. Open prairie, birds, coyotes, antelope, and many other flora and fauna. Here, where the original Homesteaders set out to make a new life with their families, you can enjoy the smells of fresh country air, and see for what seems to be hundreds of miles of open blue sky. Enjoy the night sky featuring the sparkling of millions of stars, uninterrupted by city lights and breath taking sunrises and sunsets.
Granddad came west in the early 1900's, along with thousands of others, seeking a government promised 160 acres. He settled on a ranch 12 miles east of Grover, Co located only 4 miles north of the famous Pawnee Buttes. Although many homesteads have disappeared, we were fortunate to keep this one in the family for four generations.
The original homestead house was built in 1911. It was added on to in 1924 when Granddad purchased the Bill Sage homestead just 1 mile east. With help of his neighbors, Hank, John, and Bill Knupple, they used teams and poles to move the Sage house and connect it to their house. A horse barn was built in 1911 and another building was erected in 1912 for calves and horses. It was built onto in 1922 and housed horses and mules on one side and calves on the other side . Teams of horses and slings and a lot of manual labor was used to pile hay down the center. It burned down in December 1928. The following year, Granddad rebuilt another barn to replace that one. At this time, they were raising horses, mules, shorthorn cattle and a few bum lambs. In the summer of 1928 he had a good crop of barley and rye to harvest. They were to start harvesting on Monday and a big hail storm came in on Sunday and wiped them out. They had a neighbor, Brown Wade, who ran sheep. He had 100 old ewes to sell, so Granddad bought them to run on his hailed out crop. The sheep did so good for him that he sold most of his cattle and bought more sheep. By 1948, with the help of Grandma, daughter Louise, sons John, Victor, Edwin and Henry he had acquired more land and was running about 1500 ewes. He built a 50'x100' sheep shed for lambing and housing the sheep.
Whether you are looking for a week long working cattle experience, birding, biking, arrowhead hunting, hiking, or just a peaceful bed and breakfast week-end get away, you are sure to enjoy your stay at Granddads Homestead Ranch. We are looking forward to meeting you and having you as our guests.
Henry With Mule Mare and Colt 1927
John and Vic training a mule colt to lead
Louise, John,Victor,Edwin, and Henry 1926
Edwin 1932
