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Cherokee Ranch and Castle is a place where people can discover a distinctive architectural treasure in an extraordinary natural setting. It is the legacy of two families–the Johnson Family from the early 1900s and Tweet Kimball in the mid 1900s. The Johnsons purchased the land, built the castle and started a working ranch on about 2,200 acres. In 1954, Tweet Kimball purchased the ranch and raised prize winning Santa Gertrudis cattle.
Denver Realtor Charles Johnson purchased an old homestead in Douglas County in 1924 for the construction of what was initially intended to be a summer home for his family. He asked renowned Denver architect Burnham Hoyt to design a grand home similar to the 15th century castles Mr. and Mrs. Johnson had seen on trips to Scotland and England. When it was completed in 1926, the 26 room mansion featured a medieval great hall with a vaulted oak ceiling and a musicians' balcony. Constructed with local rhyolite and roof tiles made from Vermont slate, the castle sits on a bluff overlooking Plum Creek and has commanding views of the front range of the Rocky Mountains.
Tweet Kimball, a divorced mother of two sons, purchased the property in 1954 to go into the cattle business. When her seasoned Colorado ranch manager refused to unload her Texas bred Santa Gertrudis cattle on the grounds that the breed wouldn't survive Colorado's harsh winters, Tweet fired him on the spot and unloaded them herself. Her bulls and cows won many awards at the Denver Stock Show earning Tweet the respect of ranchers across the West.
Upon her death, Tweet left the ranch to the Cherokee Ranch and Castle Foundation to be preserved in perpetuity. She also created 3,140 acres of open space by donating a conservation easement on the property to Douglas County. Roaming the land are 500 head of elk, deer, coyotes, foxes, rabbits, raccoons and other wildlife. The ranch also includes two 19th century homesteads which serve as headquarters for the cattle operation that continues today.
Visitors to Cherokee Castle enjoy the medieval architecture, furnishings, and collections. First-edition manuscripts, world-renowned paintings, and personal photographs make it a unique and memorable place to visit.
Cherokee Ranch is open to the public year round for tours, educational programs, and for English Teas and Brunches. Tours are led by volunteer docents and generally last 1.5 hours. However, they can be modified by length and theme upon request.
During the summer months, the Foundation sponsors a Performing Arts Series in partnership with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra's Chamber Music Series, the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music, The Denver Brass and the Denver Center Theatre Company. Tours are included in all of the programming, including the Performing Arts Series, Teas and Brunches, and private events.
Reservations are required for all programming and tours.
Fun Facts
Tweet Kimball named each of her cows and bulls after favorite artists, writers, and saints.
Sedalia was founded in 1865 as the Round Corral by John Craig. Five years later the site was sold and became Plum, Station or the Town of Plum, named after the nearby creeks. But that name didn't last either. Apparently one of the original settlers eventually decided to name the town after his home town, Sedalia, Missouri.
Best Time to Visit May through September
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