Centennial Farms & Ranches

Jillson Farm

Weld County

In 1878, the Jillson Family homesteaded Section 22 in the Rinn area of Weld County before purchasing the land eight years later.  Bryon Jillson was one of the first in the area to raise Hereford cattle.  Byron and Jennie’s children all attended the Idaho Creek schoolhouse.

Jillson Farm barn.

Jillson Farm barn.

Photo courtesy of Jillson Farm.

In 1923 Byron gave his land to son Charles, who had already bought a ¼ of Section 21 in 1913.  This land holding became the Jillson Farm.  After Charles’ death in 1953, the farm was bequeathed to the family of his late son Harvey, whose wife Edith ran the operation until 1976 when her daughter Charla started running cattle.

Jillson Farm house.

Jillson Farm house.

Photo courtesy of Jillson Farm.

Charla Jillson Richardson has lived all but 12 years of her life on the property, working side jobs at times, including driving an RTD bus.  Today, Charla rents the land to a farmer who raises sugar beets, barley corn, and alfalfa.  Although life on the Jillson Farm has been anything but easy, and was often marked by tragedy, it is still in operation and has retained its integrity through the remaining historic buildings on the property.