Wonderful historical gem left unspoiled for centuries!!! Built priory to 1870 by William Burgess(one of many pioneers who settled in this area). It is one of the oldest homes in the Pikes Peak region. In those years, ox-drawn wagons travelled the Colorado City/Denver stage road a short distance from the cabin. Dirty Woman’s ranch and Pretty Woman’s ranch were famous stops along this route. The 1st narrow gauge(Denver/Rio Grande Railroad train) was passing about 2 miles from the cabin as well. William Burgess came to the Pikes Peak Region in 1861 with his mother and filed a homestead claim for 160 acres in Douglas Valley. 2 years earlier Colorado City had just been founded, 10 miles to the south. Bill cleared this land, and built a very rustic cabin without nails(the construction is made of simple notched logs with wooden pegs and mud calking). It is a simple and small one room cabin, it has a small loft upstairs and a stone fireplace on one side of the room. They had no running water and off course no electricity. This was as basic as you can get from today’s standards, but very common of the dwellings of the time. William Burgess survived, as he could, attempting to garden at high altitude. He also worked as a lumberjack and cut logs used in the developing railroad system. He tried also to run an apple orchard, he had odd jobs cutting ice for local businesses, mining and whatever he could find to scrape by a living. Life and work was made harder by hot summers and snowbound winters in the Rockies. He eventually married Adeline, in 1880, and raised 5 kids in the single-room cabin. As the story was passed down, Adeline tried to make the best out of the situation, but being a pioneer woman in such isolated place was too much for her. She eventually left Bill. She took their three girls with her and left Bill with the two boys, his cabin and his dreams. Read more of the Burgess’ story and legacy at
