Beckwith Ranch

64159 CO 69 Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number 98000568

Hope Lutheran Church

310 S. 3rd St. Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number 78000838

Kennicott Cabin

63161 CO 69 Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number 97000046

Mingus Homestead

Off CO 165 N of jct. with Ophir Cr. Rd., San Isabel NF Beulah
National Historical site Reference number 90001791

National Hotel--Wolff Building

201 Second St. Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number 87001288

Westcliff School

304 4th St. Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number Rural School Buildings in Colorado MPS 89000999

Westcliffe Jail

116 Second St. Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number 92001846

Willows School

Willows Ln. (Co. Rd. 141) between Muddy Ln. (Co. Rd. 155)
and Schoolfield Rd. (Co. Rd. 328) Westcliffe
National Historical site Reference number Rural School Buildings in Colorado MPS 93000413

Wulsten wrote of the venture in the 1879 county history:

In 1869 [Wulsten], propelled by a desire to ameliorate the physical condition of the poorer class of Germans, who were condemned by a cruel fate to work in greasy, ill-ventilated and nerve-destroyed factories of the great city of Chicago, formed a band of about a hundred into a colony, took them and their families out of the nauseous back alleys and cellars of the over-crowded Garden City and brought them to "El Mojada." But short-sighted is man, and his ways do "gang aft aglee." This was in the spring of 1870. The organization of this colony stood until fall, when it collapsed, every pater familias from thence shifting for himself....

Evidence of mineral wealth [was found] which should have made the] founding of an agricultural and industrial colony upon the co-operative plan...a success instead of a failure. Collectively a failure, it has individually become a distinct success, for every family which [joined] is today in perfectly independent circumstances.

Welcome to Custer County COGenWeb page.
Custer County History and Genealogy page
Return to County index page.
COKids Main page.

written by by Brian Millin
© 1999- by Mary Ann Hetrick