Online Exhibits

Mayk (Michael) Hlatki arrived in New York from Austria-Hungary in 1883. Jobs included Pennsylvania coal mines, railroading, and CF&I. Married Mary in 1892. They filed for homestead in 1897, on 160 acres north of Calhan. In 1898, they moved onto the homestead in a shanty with 2 mules, 1 cow, 6 chickens, 1 rooster, a dog, and 2 cats. They built a barn, well house and chicken coop - all connected, separated by partitions. Soon planted potatoes, pinto beans, corn, and oats.

Finding herself widowed and all the children grown, what should Temperence Potter do now? Wither her son, Isaac Newton Potter, she took off from Indiana, moved to Iowa for a short time, then continued to Colorado. She was eligible to file for land under the Veteren’s Homestead Act since her husband, Thomas had fought in the Civil War. Her son built her a home, and she bgan living on this land in April of 1887. Her claim became finalized in May of 1891. Isaac, her son, homesteaded land next to her in 1891 and 1900.

Pine Grove Ranch was originally settled by Anton and Mary Sinkovich in 1904. Anton and Mary Milovic Sinkovich came to Colorado from Slovenia via Cleveland, Ohio. Anton worked in the coal mines around Aguilar and Walsenburg, Colorado as many of the immigrants from Europe did in the early days of Southern Colorado. Anton and Mary would have 8 children, many would also go on to work the coal mines in Colorado and Northern New Mexico. The ranch would be home and a place to make extra money from raising cattle to sell and provide food for the family.

The Mountain brothers, Wray and Silas Artie, came west in 1919 looking for farmland to homestead or purchase. In the spring of 1921, they moved their families from Cumberland, Cass County, Iowa to settle on the parcels they had purchased and begin life anew in a land much different than the wooded rolling hills of southwestern Iowa.

In 1921 Augusta Shalberg and his two sons, Roy and Gilbert moved from Croften, Nebraska to Sheridan Lake, Colorado. Augusta had purchased 160 acres one and one-half miles north of Sheridan Lake. They built a two-story barn and lived in it while the house was being constructed. At that time the farming was done with a team of horses. Their livestock consisted of cows, pigs and chickens. Roy Shalberg married in 1930, he and his wife Lucille, lived the rest of their lives on the farm. They had three children, Charlotte, Merle, and Shirley.

In 1867, Alex Scott brought his family to the United States from Scotland. In 1885, Alex purchased the first 160 acres of his ranch using the U.S. Homestead Act. The Scott homestead was eventually passed down to Earnest Scott. This forced his brother, Walter, to find his own homestead. Walter's father-in-law had owned the ranch next to the Scott ranch since 1909. Walter purchased that ranch in 1917. That property became known at the Scott Cattle Ranch. As a family, the Scotts were a ranching and agricultural institution in Douglas County.

Frederick Young, Nebraska farmer and stove company traveling salesman, met Carrie Bell in California while staying on her father’s ranch.  They married in 1885, moved to Union, Nebraska and farmed. They had 8 children: Leland, Dick, Darrel, Clifford, Harold, AltoFive n, Daphne, and Bernice.  The older sons experienced trouble in Nebraska and needed a fresh start. Frederick moved the entire family, including 4 adult “children” in 1920 to a farm in Joes, CO that boasted a 2-story farmhouse and a large red barn.

In 1916, Edgar and Arra Woodward moved from Missouri to a farm northwest of Snyder, Colorado.  On December 29, 1919, Edgar purchased some adjoining property for their son Russell, who bought this farm from his father in 1927.  Russell and his wife Lorraine raised five sons on this farm and lived there until 1964. Their son Lowell and his wife Phyllis moved into the house and built a state of the art dairy. In 1968, Lowell and his brothers John and Barton created Woodward Inc. (later Wildcat Ranches).

Bob's parents moved to Fort Lupton, Colorado early in 1920. They purchased the farm from Lew Berkley in May of 1920. J C & Dakota raised 3 girls (Anna, Mary, & Betty) and 3 sons (John Leonard, Bill & Bob). All of the Children worked on the farm and both Leonard and Bill operated the farm for a short period of time after returning from military service. Bob began buying the farm as soon as he resigned his commission from active duty with the Air Force.