Ranching: An Enduring Legacy

Ranching: An Enduring Legacy. . , Dating from 1878, when Leadville butcher Reid Mathews used the valley's abundant grass to fatten his cattle during the summer, ranching is the oldest continuous industry in North Park. Many other cattlemen followed, drawn to the area in part by severe drought along the Front Range. , Promising 160 to 640 acres of land to anyone who would occupy and improve the land for five years, the Homestead Act of 1862 helped establish numerous North Park ranches. Ranching remains a major North Park industry today. , A Tough Way to Make a Living , Early ranching in North Park was a major challenge. Enduring the valley's remote location and its long, bone-chilling winters was hazardous, and the brief summers were exhausting. There were constant threats from blizzards and various diseases that could quickly devastate livestock herds. , Although the valley's plentiful native grasses could be harvested for winter use, the short growing season, averaging 44 days, made other farming virtually impossible. , Did You Know? , As many as one-half of the cattle in North Park died during the brutal winters of 1884-1885 and 1885-1886.