Willow Ridge Manor

Willow Ridge Manor was built as a family home in 1911. It was located on a farm close to present day Kipling and Bear Creek.  It was featured in a publication of the Lakewood Historical Society with this description; "Extensively remodeled from a pre-existing dwelling into this Colonial style mansion by George Allen in 1915. Allen's home and Kendalvue Fram occupied history land. Joseph Rist of Pennsylvania, lumberman and grain raiser, acquired acreage hear the home's site in 1865 and probably built and named Pennsylvania House, a stage stop on south kipling street at Bear Creek. The property was later acquired by another pioneer, Henry Teller, 30 year United States Senator [representing Colorado] and Secretary of the Interior on President Chester Arthur's cabinet. This home was also the residence of the inventor of the Redfield gunsight." In the 1980's the farm was re-devloped for housing units and the mansion fell into disrepair. But a group of people rescued the mansion from demolition by moving it to its present location, surrounded by red rock formations, south of the town of Morrison. They then breathed new life into the mansion by re-purposing it into a local event venue. The re-modeling retained many of the classic features of the original Colonial Revival style including the elaborate front doors, decorative crown pediments and fanlights, symmetrical windows flanking the front entrance and a columned porch.