48:
319:
Additional structures in the historic property listing include Garage No. 1 (1936), Granary (1936), Blacksmith Shop (1940; constructed as a house for ranch hands, named for its location on the site of the ranch's original blacksmith shop), Basement House (1942), Duplex (1946), Garage No. 2 (1946),
315:
The current barn was originally built in 1890 on the site of the ranch's original log barn and used timbers from its predecessor in the rear (northeast) elevation. An addition was built in 1936 and sandstone veneer was applied to the first story at that time. An arched rock mosaic sign reading
320:
Grandma Rooney's House (1946), Garage No. 3 (1946), James Vesey House (1950), a spring house (c. 1950), Inspiration Tree Picnic Area (1954), Eileen Rooney House (1955), Garage and
Apartment (1955), Alex Rooney House (1959), and a spring house (c. 1980).
296:, and there are a mineral spring, clay pits, lime deposits, and coal deposits nearby. The original buildings were constructed by Alexander. Over the years, additional buildings were added by other family members, who have maintained the masonry skills.
287:
The Ranch buildings appear, externally, much as they did in 1865 when they were built. Internally, the buildings have been updated with plumbing and electricity. The buildings are in the valley between a hogback range on the west and
776:
274:
140 acres of the ranch property was sold in 2006, leaving members of the Rooney family holding two parcels of land that include the original ranch house. The company that purchased the property continues the ranching legacy with
781:
190:, to a dairy farm. He found the high altitude uncomfortable, so he sought out winter pasture at lower elevations for his cattle. In the fall of 1861 he found what he was looking for along the eastern edge of the
307:
foundation. The walls are 18 inches (46 cm) thick. The mortar used to bind the stones was made from lime mined on the ranch, burned in the ranch kilns, and mixed with horsehair and sand from the creek. A
766:
271:
and was worked until August 1932. In 1933, a mine gas explosion destroyed much of the machinery and improvements to the mine, caving the ground in for about 40 feet (12 m) around the mine shaft.
369:
Rooney Ranch; author unknown; National
Register of Historic Places Inventory – Nomination Form; United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service; Washington, D.C.; February 13, 1975
299:
The original ranch house is a two story, vernacular style structure built by
Alexander Rooney and Thomas Littlefield circa 1865. The 36 by 24 feet (11.0 by 7.3 m) house is built of coursed
380:
312:, 10 by 12 feet (3.0 by 3.7 m), has the same appearance as the house and was constructed at the same time. It houses a spring which kept dairy products at 51 °F (11 °C).
435:
409:
248:. Shipped from Scotland to Missouri, he drove them overland to his ranch. The Galloway cattle provided both meat and heavy coats from their hides. He also bred
739:
81:
342:
178:
Alexander Rooney came west in 1859 seeking an opportunity. He did a variety of work to earn his keep from stone masonry (Central City, the
34:
461:
289:
213:
to acquire 160 acres (65 hectares) for each qualified member of the family. Subsequent land acquisitions came through the purchase of
187:
511:
163:
487:
771:
347:
253:
230:
222:
218:
206:
226:
159:
69:
225:
lands, and property from other homesteaders. The ranch ran from the
Hogback on the west to the
194:, between the mountains and the plains. He brought his wife, Emeline, and his family west from
234:
183:
59:
241:
240:
Alexander Rooney's main earnings were from the cattle and horses he raised. He introduced
202:
170:
and is the oldest property continuously operated by the same family in
Jefferson County.
276:
210:
191:
381:"The legend of Rooney Ranch, a Colorado landmark refusing to fade 7 generations later"
135:
760:
261:
195:
179:
309:
257:
249:
167:
268:
214:
96:
83:
751:
304:
300:
245:
723:
710:
697:
684:
671:
658:
645:
632:
619:
606:
593:
580:
567:
554:
541:
528:
515:
237:
on the north, covering over 4,400 acres (1,800 hectares) at its height.
47:
182:), cartage of lumber and other supplies to the mining camps around
777:
National
Register of Historic Places in Jefferson County, Colorado
155:
462:"Historic Rooney Ranch dwindles with impending sale of 140 acres"
337:
782:
Ranches on the
National Register of Historic Places in Colorado
436:"Mine Gas Explosion On the Rooney Ranch Causes $ 10,000 Loss"
264:, yet remained the largest ranch in the county at the time.
205:
recounts that
Alexander Rooney formed an agreement with
260:. About two-thirds of the ranch was sold following the
767:
Buildings and structures in
Jefferson County, Colorado
141:
128:
120:
112:
75:
65:
54:
316:"Rooney Ranch 1860", is found above the entrance.
267:A coal seam under the property was developed as a
752:Historic Rooney Ranch - Rooney Hardwood Floors
8:
303:ashlar laid in lime mortar, supported by a
488:"Preservation hand in hand with tradition"
46:
403:
401:
365:
363:
361:
359:
357:
35:U.S. National Register of Historic Places
740:List of the oldest buildings in Colorado
292:on the east. A creek runs the length of
166:. The ranch is one of Colorado's oldest
329:
338:"National Register Information System"
18:
460:Nicholson, Kieran (31 January 2006).
7:
434:Pike, Mrs. O. A. (9 February 1933).
343:National Register of Historic Places
233:on the south to Table Mountain near
512:Historic American Buildings Survey
14:
408:Dempsey, Alice (1 October 1987).
209:to use the land, the family used
486:Raabe, Steve (10 October 2009).
130:
1:
58:Rooney Rd. and Alameda Pkwy,
672:Inspiration Tree Picnic Area
379:Boster, Seth (10 May 2023).
16:United States historic place
798:
514:(HABS) No. CO-65-A, "
164:Jefferson County, Colorado
129:NRHP reference
45:
41:
32:
25:
21:
722:HABS No. CO-65-C, "
709:HABS No. CO-65-O, "
696:HABS No. CO-65-M, "
683:HABS No. CO-65-L, "
670:HABS No. CO-65-Q, "
657:HABS No. CO-65-P, "
644:HABS No. CO-65-N, "
631:HABS No. CO-65-K, "
618:HABS No. CO-65-J, "
605:HABS No. CO-65-I, "
592:HABS No. CO-65-H, "
579:HABS No. CO-65-G, "
566:HABS No. CO-65-E, "
553:HABS No. CO-65-D, "
540:HABS No. CO-65-F, "
527:HABS No. CO-65-B, "
252:which were sold to the
620:Grandma Rooney's House
97:39.68858°N 105.19275°W
348:National Park Service
254:United States Cavalry
698:Garage and Apartment
102:39.68858; -105.19275
685:Eileen Rooney House
440:Colorado Transcript
93: /
277:Black Angus cattle
229:on the east, from
227:South Platte River
219:land grant college
70:Morrison, Colorado
724:Springhouse No. 1
711:Alex Rooney House
659:Springhouse No. 2
646:James Vesey House
414:Golden Transcript
162:, unincorporated
149:
148:
789:
727:
720:
714:
707:
701:
694:
688:
681:
675:
668:
662:
655:
649:
642:
636:
629:
623:
616:
610:
603:
597:
590:
584:
577:
571:
564:
558:
551:
545:
538:
532:
525:
519:
509:
503:
502:
500:
498:
483:
477:
476:
474:
472:
457:
451:
450:
448:
446:
431:
425:
424:
422:
420:
405:
396:
395:
393:
391:
376:
370:
367:
352:
351:
334:
215:military patents
168:centennial farms
132:
124:Alexander Rooney
108:
107:
105:
104:
103:
98:
94:
91:
90:
89:
86:
60:Golden, Colorado
50:
19:
797:
796:
792:
791:
790:
788:
787:
786:
757:
756:
748:
736:
731:
730:
721:
717:
708:
704:
695:
691:
682:
678:
669:
665:
656:
652:
643:
639:
630:
626:
617:
613:
604:
600:
591:
587:
578:
574:
568:Blacksmith Shop
565:
561:
552:
548:
539:
535:
526:
522:
510:
506:
496:
494:
485:
484:
480:
470:
468:
459:
458:
454:
444:
442:
433:
432:
428:
418:
416:
407:
406:
399:
389:
387:
378:
377:
373:
368:
355:
350:. July 9, 2010.
336:
335:
331:
326:
285:
242:Galloway cattle
176:
154:is an historic
101:
99:
95:
92:
87:
84:
82:
80:
79:
37:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
795:
793:
785:
784:
779:
774:
769:
759:
758:
755:
754:
747:
746:External links
744:
743:
742:
735:
732:
729:
728:
715:
702:
689:
676:
663:
650:
637:
624:
611:
598:
585:
581:Basement House
572:
559:
546:
533:
520:
504:
478:
452:
426:
410:"Rooney Ranch"
397:
371:
353:
328:
327:
325:
322:
290:Green Mountain
284:
281:
192:Dakota Hogback
175:
172:
147:
146:
143:
139:
138:
133:
126:
125:
122:
118:
117:
114:
110:
109:
77:
73:
72:
67:
63:
62:
56:
52:
51:
43:
42:
39:
38:
33:
30:
29:
26:
23:
22:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
794:
783:
780:
778:
775:
773:
772:Century farms
770:
768:
765:
764:
762:
753:
750:
749:
745:
741:
738:
737:
733:
725:
719:
716:
712:
706:
703:
699:
693:
690:
686:
680:
677:
673:
667:
664:
660:
654:
651:
647:
641:
638:
634:
628:
625:
621:
615:
612:
608:
602:
599:
595:
589:
586:
582:
576:
573:
569:
563:
560:
556:
550:
547:
543:
537:
534:
530:
524:
521:
517:
513:
508:
505:
493:
489:
482:
479:
467:
463:
456:
453:
441:
437:
430:
427:
415:
411:
404:
402:
398:
386:
382:
375:
372:
366:
364:
362:
360:
358:
354:
349:
345:
344:
339:
333:
330:
323:
321:
317:
313:
311:
306:
302:
297:
295:
291:
282:
280:
278:
272:
270:
265:
263:
262:Panic of 1893
259:
255:
251:
250:Morgan horses
247:
243:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
223:Union pacific
220:
216:
212:
208:
204:
199:
197:
196:Anamosa, Iowa
193:
189:
185:
181:
180:Masonic Lodge
173:
171:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
144:
142:Added to NRHP
140:
137:
134:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
106:
78:
74:
71:
68:
64:
61:
57:
53:
49:
44:
40:
36:
31:
24:
20:
718:
705:
692:
679:
666:
653:
640:
633:Garage No. 3
627:
614:
607:Garage No. 2
601:
588:
575:
562:
549:
542:Garage No. 1
536:
523:
507:
495:. Retrieved
491:
481:
469:. Retrieved
465:
455:
443:. Retrieved
439:
429:
417:. Retrieved
413:
388:. Retrieved
384:
374:
341:
332:
318:
314:
310:spring house
298:
294:Rooney Gulch
293:
286:
273:
266:
258:British Army
239:
211:homesteading
200:
177:
152:Rooney Ranch
151:
150:
66:Nearest city
27:Rooney Ranch
492:Denver Post
466:Denver Post
385:The Gazette
283:Description
203:family lore
100: /
88:105°11′34″W
76:Coordinates
761:Categories
516:Main House
324:References
231:Bear Creek
188:South Park
145:1975-02-13
85:39°41′19″N
305:limestone
301:sandstone
269:coal mine
121:Architect
734:See also
256:and the
246:Scotland
217:, state
160:Morrison
136:75000522
55:Location
555:Granary
221:lands,
207:Colorow
174:History
594:Duplex
497:7 July
471:7 July
445:7 July
419:7 July
390:7 July
235:Golden
201:While
184:Denver
244:from
158:near
156:ranch
116:1860s
113:Built
529:Barn
499:2024
473:2024
447:2024
421:2024
392:2024
186:and
131:No.
763::
490:.
464:.
438:.
412:.
400:^
383:.
356:^
346:.
340:.
279:.
198:.
726:"
713:"
700:"
687:"
674:"
661:"
648:"
635:"
622:"
609:"
596:"
583:"
570:"
557:"
544:"
531:"
518:"
501:.
475:.
449:.
423:.
394:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
