Cold Springs Ranch

Ross Ranch

Charlie Brand Ranch - Red Polled Breeding Farm

Angus McBane/McIntosh Ranch

Tom Oxley, E.E. Myers Ranch

Tom Oxley Family

Wilbur Dowdy

Colonel Danks

Edward Serrell Family

Cold Springs Ranch is located south west of Larkspur along highway 105 or Perry Park Road. This historic area has seen many families owning and renting the property since before June of 1887. As the name implies a cold spring was a major and valuable feature of this ranch.

Charlie Brand purchased the property from a man called Ross, in 1887 and even with al the proceeding owners the name Cold Springs Ranch is still heard today. Charlie raised champion Red Poll cattle and called his ranch the Red Polled Breeding Farm. The ranch at times was referred to as the Brand Ranch as in this example from the book, “Our Heritage People of Douglas County” page 141, John C. Kinner, II, written by Jerome E. Kinner. “During his early years as a young man (referring to John C. Kinner) he worked on several ranches, but the one most remembered was the Charley Brand Ranch at the mouth of Stone Canyon. John and a couple of other boys drove several hundred head of cattle for Band from Larkspur to the stock yards in Denver. They spent several days on the road and spent the last night near the University of Denver, then drove them on into the stock yards the next day.” The Brand Ownership also saw hogs being raised these were possibly the Polland China pigs, that the papers remarked on being purchased by Charlie. It was sometime in 1910 that Charlie Brand sold his beloved ranch.

Then the combination ownership of McBane and McIntosh is referred to in the Record Journal of Douglas County newspaper article of December 1910, the pair is referred to as “sheep feeders” and a reference to the pair’s recent purchase of the “Chas. Brand ranch” is mentioned. In November of 1910 the McBane and McIntosh ranch had improvements made to it when they purchased a lighting system from a plumber from Castle Rock. Pet lambs could be purchased from this ranch for $1 each and also in 1911 the same paper reported that the pair shipped sheep to Fort Morgan. Angus McBane also served his community by working as Deputy Sheriff; this was reported in 1912 when he apprehended two young horse thieves near his ranch.

Tom Oxley and E. E. Myers took over the ranch in 1919, but in August of that same year, Mr. Myers sold out to his partner and was reported in the Record Journal of Douglas County to have moved back to Greeley. It seems that this team was back to raising shorthorn cattle, horses and hogs on the ranch. Then in February of 1920 the Record Journal of Douglas County has this article; “Cold Spring Ranch Sold; The famous Cold Spring Ranch, three miles southwest of Larkspur, owned by J. T. Oxley was sold this week to Wilbur Dowdy of Monument, who will take possession of the place in the near future. The ranch is one of the best dairy and stock ranches in the county and the new owner made no mistake whatever in securing it. The ranch has, as its name implies, a cold spring of water upon it which alone is worth a fortune to any place…. After their sale Mr. and Mrs. Oxley expect to go to Iowa.” Although it was reported that the Oxley’s were moving to Iowa they were reported to still be on the ranch through October of 1923 with daughters Adele and Doris, spending the summer, attending the movies, fair and graduation exercises. Mr. Dowdy’s name was not found among the archives and it is not known (at this time) if he actually took possession of the ranch.

It is known, however, that the Ed Serrell Family had possession of the ranch in the early 1940s. Purchased from Colonel W. C. Danks, who was a former Adjutant General of the Colorado National Guard, Colonel Danks leased his Cold Springs Ranch before the Serrell’s purchase. Mr. Edward Serrell, Sr. was president of the Western Aberdeen Angus Association. They raised a registered Angus cattle herd and exhibited at the National Western Stock Show. The Serrell children were involved in 4-H, Junior Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and United States Pony Club.

Today the Cold Springs Ranch is larger, it includes the property that was once the Jerry R. Noe ranch, and cashmere goats are being raised on it.

Information on the Serrell family comes from the book “Our Heritage People of Douglas County”. Thanks to the Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection.