The History of Glendevey

  • 1820-Jacques Laramie, a renowned French Trapper, begins trapping in what is now known as the Laramie River Valley and it's surrounding tributaries. He would build a cabin on the banks of the Laramie River, but ultimately meet is demise in this valley at the hands of the Native Americans.



  • 1870's-Several Tie Camps are established in the Laramie River Valley that supply the Union Pacific Railroad with ties from the surrounding hills. Some ties were likely cut on the property and floated down the McIntyre Creek.
  • 1890's-Cowboys begin moving pushing their cattle in and around the property seeking summer grazing meadows.
  • 1895- Colorado State Legislature Established $15,000 in funding to build State Road from Fort Collins to Steamboat over Ute Pass.The State Road passes through what is now known as Glendevey.
  • 1897- Daily stage lines begin running from Fort Collins to Laramie on the State Road. The stage was discontinued after one year.
  • 1900- Thomas "Cap" Davey, a former Mississippi River captain, purchases the Sholine Ranch and establishes the Glen Davey post office.
  • 1907- C.E. Talmadge homesteads 160 acres of what is now the Ranch. Mr. Talmadge was a trapper, after returning from winter trapping he would find several people camped on his property that were making their way up the old state road. Mr. Talmadge built a few cabins and began renting them out.
  • 1916- Leslie Burns and his family buy the ranch and bring the Glendevey Post Office with them.
  • 1920 to 1935- George and Elizabeth Jones operate the Glendevey Summer Resort. The Lodge is constructed in the early 1920's and serves as a meeting place for ranchers and travelers alike.















  • 1937-Josephine Lamb buys the the Glendevey Ranch. Josephine had close ties with John Elliott and the Elliott family.
  • 1941- Buck and Helen Elliott (Daughter of George and Elizabeth Jones) propose a trade of Buck Elliott's stake in his fathers (John Elliot) much larger ranch, for ownership of the Glendevey Ranch, to which Josephine agreed.
  • 1941 to 1964- The Elliot's build several more cabins, update and expand the lodge, and begin selling supplies and again renting out the cabins.















  • 1965- Len Caranna becomes the sole proprietor of the ranch and largely keeps the land to himself for several years.
  • 1970- Roland Kleinhansen signs a lease from Mr. Caranna and opens the lodge to the public again in the form of a saloon. He also rented rooms and horses. The Glendevey Lodge acquired quite a reputation for having some wild parties with all the local cowboys stopping in for drinks.



  • 1986- Garth and Liv Peterson buy Glendevey Ranch and begin running an outfitting operation and restoring the lodge and other structures on the property.
















  • Early 2000's- Jeff Lebesch purchases the ranch and undertakes yet again another major restoration project on the old lodge. With the help of friends and family, Jeff continues to preserve the history of this amazing ranch and in recent years has added several new structures.

A private, old style western ranch with modern conveniences nestled next to the Rawah Wilderness