National Register of Historic Places

Walker Ranch Historic District

Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado
Listed
June 13, 1984
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
84000798

About this property

The Walker Ranch is a historic ranch in Boulder County, Colorado. The ranch was built by James A. Walker, who first settled in the Boulder area in 1865. Walker and his family initially lived in a log cabin on the ranch, which was built in 1865. In 1881, Walker and his family built and moved to a new ranch house. Walker engaged in a number of business ventures on the ranch and leased parts of the ranch to other businessmen, and the enterprises which took place on the ranch represent many of the region's industries at the time. Walker mainly raised cattle and milled lumber on the property, and an English firm mined gold using a cyanide mill; payments from the latter operation allowed Walker to eliminate his debt and purchase additional land for the ranch. Of the remaining historic buildings on the ranch, eleven are from Walker's homestead and his ranching operations, fourteen were part of Walker's sawmill operations, and fourteen are related to the cyanide mill. The ranch also includes five archaeological sites; three of these are remnants of aboriginal settlement in the area and two of these are Arapahoe sites, including a site Walker may have shared with the Arapahoe when he first came to the area. The ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984 as the Walker Ranch Historic District. In 1988, two additional parcels of land were determined to be associated with the ranch's historic activities and were added to the historic district.

Location

Boulder, Boulder County, Colorado
39.96086, -105.33700

Categories

HISTORIC - ABORIGINALAGRICULTUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Sunshine School
Industrial
1.6 mi
Walker Ranch Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
1.8 mi
Boulder Creek Bridge
Modern
3.8 mi
Colorado Chautauqua
Listed
3.9 mi
Chautauqua Auditorium
Industrial
3.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Walker Ranch Historic District listed on the National Register?

Walker Ranch Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 13, 1984.

What type of historic resource is Walker Ranch Historic District?

Walker Ranch Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Walker Ranch Historic District?

The period of significance for Walker Ranch Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Walker Ranch Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Walker Ranch Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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