The Fred Ward Ranch, now known as The Ranch, sits on the southwest corner of land close to where 120th Avenue and Huron Street meet. The street address for The Ranch is 120th and Tejon. The old Fred Ward Ranch sits on a 160 acre lot.

The actual Fred Ward Ranch was built soon after the year 1940. It was built by a man named Wilkins after he bought the land it presently sits on, in 1940. Mr. Wilkins bought this land from the heirs of Mr. Joseph Marion.

Mr. Marion homesteaded the land that the present day Ranch now sits on, on November 22, 1884. When Mr. Marion homesteaded this land there was nothing but a claim shack on it. In 1907, Mr. Marion built a fine two-story, brick home on the land. It is presumed that before this brick home was built that Mr. Marion and his wife lived in a wooden home.

Mr. Marion and his family, wife Philena and their three children, lived in the brick home until 1927, when Mr. Marion died. After that Mrs. Marion divided the land between the three, children, who in 1940, sold the land to Mr. Wilkins.

Mr. Wilkins tore down the Marion's brick house and built the house that Fred Ward was later to live in. Wilkins lived there until 1948, when he sold the ranch and the land to Fred Ward. Fred Ward filed a claim on the land June 15, 1948. Mr. Ward had a wife, Iva, a daughter, Patricia, and a son, Gene F.

Mr. Ward's profession was selling Hudson automobiles. Ward was the number one dealer in Colorado and one of the top dealers in the United States. Mr. Ward was very wealthy and very generous. One morning he and some of his guests flew to Albuquerque to have break-

fast in one of his favorite restaurants. When the Ward Family first began residing at the Ranch, it was referred to as the Fred Ward Mansion, but was later changed to the Fred Ward Ranch.

At first, when Mr. Ward moved to the Ranch, there wasn't much more than the house there. Mr. Ward turned the home and the surrounding land into a picture area. All the buildings, which included the house, two barns, and a servant's house, were painted white with red trim. There was a long driveway that led to the house. The driveway was made up of something like a garden rock, and on either side of the driveway were tall trees. There were twenty-seven miles of fence around the Ranch.

All the other building, beside the house, were built after Mr. Ward took up residency there. The Wards showed gaited, American saddle-bred horses. One of the two barns on the property was used for show-horses. This show barn was very luxurious. The floors were wooden, the walls were paneled, and there were offices in it. Mr. Ward also owned a trained Brahma bull, just for riding. Both of the Ward children, Patricia and Gene, were excellent horsemen. One of the Ward's horses, named Orchid, was at one point sold for $22,000.

Mr. Ward was considered a fine host. Often times he would host week-long parties at the Ranch. When celebrities were in Denver, Mr. Ward would invite them to stay at the Ranch, so that they could get away from the city. Some of his more prominent guests included Bob Hope and Jane Russell. The Ward Ranch also had a very beautiful swimming pool behind the house.

Mr. Corky Karas dated Patty Ward. One night when Mr. Karas took Patty out, Mr. Ward gave Mr. Karas $50.00 to show Patty a nice time. Mr. Karas ended up going home with $52.00 because he didn't have to pay for anything.

This gaiety and life of luxury only lasted for three short years. In 1951, Mr. Ward was convicted for double-mortgaging Hudson automobiles. He spent five years in Canon City and two years in Leavenworth.

While Fred Ward was In prison he made $500,000 by coming up with a washer for women's nylon stockings. This washer was shaped like a football.

In 1958, Fred Ward completed his prison sentence and moved to California with his wife. He started a pro- ject to help with the beautification of America. His idea was synthetic, kangaroo-shaped tops for roadside litter barrels. While he was in Dallas, Texas, in 1962, working on this idea, he choked on a piece of meat in a hotel and died.

Mr. Ward's wife, Iva, resides in California as does his daughter Patty. Gene F., Mr. Ward's son, sells insurance in Nebraska.

In 1953, the Ranch was sold to Mr. Vogler in Texas, by the Bankruptcy Court, for $152,000. Sometime after 1953, Rollins A. Furbush bought the Ranch from Mr. Vogler. Furbush hung onto the Ranch until 1969, when he sold it to Fuller Land Company for $960,000.

In 1972, Fuller Land Company sold the Ranch to Loup Miller Development Company. Loup Miller presently owns "The Ranch," as it is now called.