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History of the Walther Ranch
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"Ranching - Early 1900's"
by Bernice Brown
Acrylic painting of Liza
Ortman's grandmother,
Bess Rohlfs at
Walther Ranch.
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Great grandfather of Liza Ortman, Amos E. Walther, acquired the Walther Ranch property in 1904. There was a cabin on the property homesteaded by George Marlow.
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In the 1960's a movie, "The Sons of Katie Elder", starring John Wayne, was filmed in the Ridgway area portraying the colorful Marlow family.
Great Grandfather Walther incorporated with his daughter, Bess,
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and son-in-law, Sterling Rohlfs, to raise purebred Hereford bulls. The founding sire was High Fairfax, calved March 14, 1921.
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There were no elk in Colorado in those days and hay and grain were raised in the irrigated pastures.
My grandparents lived year-round at 8500', had milk cows, chickens, vegetable gardens of potatoes, strawberries and asparagus, and cut ice from the pond to store meat, lard and butter.
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The family was very social and enjoyed frequent picnics.
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Sadly, grandfather Sterling was killed in an airplane crash in 1928. Amos was a vigorous 60 year old with three ranches to oversee.
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The Wars, Depression and end of the Rio Grande Southern led to a series of leases for Walther Ranch. The upkeep became minimal until arson destroyed all vestiges of a working ranch except the homestead cabin, icehouse and the brick chimney to the main house.
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In 1980 my aunt built a new ranch house north of the cabin across the big lake field pasture. She began the clean up process removing dump truck loads of old barbed wire. At her death in 1994, my husband, John, and I have returned to the physical labor of ranching by irrigating, woodcutting and clearing, fencing, and animal and vegetable husbandry.
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There is now a conservation easement on 760 acres. We have decided to help preserve the integrity of traditional ranching, combined with the abundant wildlife and natural beauty of southwestern Colorado, by sharing it with others.
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