Longmont Visitors Guide

SANDSTONE RANCH

Morse Coffin came west from Illinois during the gold rush of 1859. He quickly found that gold mining did not provide a stable income and homesteaded 160 acres east of what would become the city of Longmont. He eventually owned 400 acres along the St. Vrain River growing wheat, oats and other crops and, for a time, quarrying the sandstone on the property. In the 1880's he built his family a large home from the sandstone of the cliffs on the property. The property and home stayed in the Coffin family for the next century.

In 1980 the Bigelow family purchased the property. They did major renovation and preservation work on the house and had it listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. The house and 313 acres were purchased by the city of Longmont in 1998. A portion of the property was used for the Community Park with ball fields, soccer fields, skate park and picnic facilities. The remainder of the property was kept as Open Space to preserve the varied wildlife and the agricultural history. The Coffin family home remains, and is now the Visitor Center for the District Park.

The Visitor Center exhibits highlight the wildlife often seen in the Open Space and inform visitors about the Coffin family history. Wildlife seen at the Visitor Center include white-tailed deer, bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, owls, fox and wild turkeys. Visitors will learn about the Coffin family and their influence in early Longmont history such as starting the first rural school districts and their place in Colorado water law history. Guests can also tour original homestead buildings - the ice house, tool shed and barn which each contain educational exhibits. The Visitor Center periodically holds special events where visitors can try their hand at crafts from pioneer days along with children's and senior activities and summer camps.

by: Sharon Bokan