From The Archives

California Mission-style in Colorado

This “California Mission-style” home is located in SE Colorado on the historic St. Vrain Land Grant near the Arkansas and Huerfano Rivers, twenty miles east of Pueblo, Colorado.

The red-tiled two story adobe house has 5,146 square feet, was built in 1917, and has been updated several times. The living room or “great room” measures 20’ by 30’ with 16’ high cathedral ceiling with hand-hewn wood beams, fireplace and custom tile floor. There are approx. 5 bedrooms, 2 3/4 baths, office, dining room and two kitchens. Several bedrooms have large walk-in closets. A shaded patio entrance features a three-tiered fountain. There is a fireplace in the dining room and a fireplace in the master bedroom. A portion of the house may be used as a separate 1,500 s.f. apartment. Besides the fireplace inserts, the primary heating system is hot water. House water is supplied by the Avondale Water system; a good well supplies stock water through three different outlets, as well as five yard faucets, and a four-zone yard sprinkler system. Stock water is also available from a spring-fed ditch that flows year-round through the north pasture.

Without very much change, the house can accommodate four bedrooms, two with fireplaces. The existing apartment can become the owners’ private quarters. With the house only a short distance off US Hwy 50, access is very convenient. The entire area offers an increasing number of attractions, including the expanding Historic Arkansas River Project in Pueblo, 20 minutes to the west. Forty minutes to the east is LaJunta with the Koshare Indian Museum and nearby Bent’s Fort, a recreated traders stop on the Santa Fe Trail. The many tourists’ attractions of the Colorado Springs area are only a little over an hour to the north.

There is a detached 4 car garage of 1,100 s.f. (currently being used as a sculpture studio). Also, there are two horse barns with 16+ stalls and two tack rooms (total s.f. over 5,200), all on 10.357 acres.

Good weather and great soil, combine with ample water to create beautiful flowers, and delicious vegetables from spring through fall. Gravelled paths through the garden area lead you through the garden. There are corrals and 4 pastures with one laid out as a roping arena. A stone summer house with a unique river-stone roof is located next to the back yard.

304 Days of Sunshine in 2006
Average Max. Temperature: 69.8
Average Min. Temperature: 35.9
Average Annual Precipitation: 13.86
Average Wind Speed: 8.4 mph

Area Information and History

The population of Pueblo County is estimated to be about 151,000, with the City of Pueblo at 103, 500. For more about Pueblo, try this link:

http://www.imagespueblo.com/

The area where our house and land is located, over the course of early American history, has flown the flags of six different countries. Shortly after the Civil War, the government had built a military post called Fort Reynolds to protect the area against Indian raids (primarily Ute & Comanche), even though an early settler, Charles Autobee, told them that that was no longer necessary (even back then, the government didn't listen). The fort was built about a mile west of us, and no trace exists today. But, at that time (late 1860s & 1870s) where our land's located, the army raised crops for feeding the troops.

While most of this area, south of the Arkansas River, was at one time, part of the Vigil-St. Vrain Land Grant, it basically has no affect on land descriptions today. Here is an excerpt from a website:

Ceran St. Vrain ran the company stores in Taos and Santa Fe and served as American consul in Santa Fe during the 1830's. He also partnered with Cornelio Vigil, a prominent Taos trader and former alcalde (mayor) of Taos, in procuring the Vigil-St. Vrain Land Grant: some 4 million acres spread across south-eastern Colorado. (Cornelio Vigil was also killed in the Taos Uprising) ..... Ceran St. Vrain died in 1870.

This came from: http://www.sangres.com/history/bentstvrain.htm

While we're on the east side of the county, the mountains begin on the west side, with the small towns of Beulah and Rye in or next to the higher elevations, less than an hour away.