“THE TIMES THEY’VE BEEN A CHANGING”

The only thing certain about change is the fact it will happen. Here is a timeline of some events that have made major impact in Red Feather Lakes and surrounding communities.

• 1871: Harden family built home on South Lone Pine. They ranched and hauled lumber to support family.
• 1895: Westlake School District: Township 10, Range 73 and 74 and part of T9, R73.
• 1897: Nov. 4, Patent from U.S. to Union Pacific Railroad, several sections of land in Red Feather area.
• 1902: Establishment of the Roosevelt National Forest.
• 1902: U.S. Patent to Robert S. Poor, parts of section 28 & 29 in current Red Feather Lakes.
• 1903: U.S. Patent, “UP” railroad much more land in the area and deed from Poor to McIntyre.
• 1906: U.S. Patent to Nettie Poor, additional 160 acres in Section 2. George W. Bond received a deed from th “UP” Railroad for several thousand acres, and he also acquired deeds from Poor and McIntyre for all their interest in Red Feather area.
• 1907: Quitclaim Deed from Bond to Laramie-Poudre Reservoir & Irrigation Co. A long list of reservoirs, ditches and space to enlarge and properly operate the same. These lakes, ditches, and water rights are now owned by the Red Feather Lakes Storage & Ditch Co.
• 1911: Akin’s “Detroit Chalmers” was probably the first motor vehicle in the area.
• 1913: Deed from Bond to Elizabeth M. Akin, all the current Red Feather Lakes area.
• 1923: Formation of “The Red Feather Mountain Lakes Association,” authorized to acquire, lease, exchange, subdivide, manage land and build a resort.
• 1923: Deed from Akin to Red Feather Mountain Lakes Association, for 4,320 acres.
• 1923 thru 1928: Recording of plats of Hiawatha Heights, Ramona Heights, South Nokomis, West Hiawatha Heights, Letitia Lake, Owassa Lake(now called Snake Lake) and East Owassa Subdivisions.
• 1925: Incorporation of Silver Fox Farm according to County records, which is now Fox Acres Country Club.
• 1929: Deed to John Ross (father of Mary Ross Quaintance) for all the unsold lots, unplatted land and all those strips and tracts in and around all of Red Feather Lakes and surrounding area.
• 1935: Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established a camp within a mile of Red Feather Lakes Resort. Foreman “Red Feather Lou” Young welcomed 185 men from Oklahoma and the CCC began many area public works projects.
• 1948: Formation of the Red Feather Storage and Irrigation Co. Owner of lakes and water in Red Feather.
• 1950’s: Gene Barker built a sawmill and planing mill, turning native timber into logs and finished lumber used in hundreds of Red Feather projects, including the Chapel in the Pines. Ray and Mary Stenzel purchased “Fox Farm” which led to the exquisite Fox Acres Golf Course.
• 1952: Electricity via the Rural Electric Association (the REA) reached the area.
• 1950 thru 1971: Important Red Feather Lakes community Improvements including POA community building, churches, fire station, new elementary school house, library.
• 1960’s & 1970’s: Crystal Lakes was created from the Black Mountain Ranch portion of the Currie Ranch. Glacier View Meadows community was created from part of the lower portion of the Currie Ranch, as was Green Mountain Meadows. The former Painted Post Guest Ranch and resort became the Beaver Meadows Resort. Red Feather Ranch and Red Feather Highlands, Piney Knolls, High Country Estates were also developed.
• 1971: Senate Bill 35 was enacted, a Colorado Statute whereby you had to endure a tough subdivision process to sell less than 35 acres; thus, when large landowners found that it was time to sell their land, they created the various communities of “35s.” There are over 20 such communities in our northwestern part of Larimer County.
• 1980’s: Establishment of Morningstar Church, new Red Feather Lakes Library, Red Feather Historical Society.
• 2000’s: Major facelift of business properties, new fire barn, library addition, Soaring Eagle Ecology Center. Red Feather Historical Society combined lots so plans for an outdoor historical park in the central village area can proceed.

Timeline by Lucille Schmitt, May 2013