Richard Snair met his wife Sophia Bysong in Iowa, and the couple moved to Denver in 1860 to construct what is considered the first frame house in the newly formed town.
They then moved to Central City to seek their fortune in the gold fields.
Snair was apparently unsuccessful in finding gold, and by 1870, he had turned to wagon making. While they lived in Gilpin County, three of their children perished.
Homestead: 1875 Snair Cabin.
Where: Park County, cabin along U.S. 24 in Lake George.
What: Site of Snair Ranch a mile north of Lake George on Colorado 77. Interpretive sign at ranch site.
With their two surviving children, they moved to the Tarryall Valley.
The Snair ranch was homesteaded in 1875, and Snair raised cattle, milk cows and chickens. In partnership with a neighbor, Charles Clarkson, the Snairs established a cheese and butter dairy business.
The Snair cabin was moved to his present site along U.S. 24 in Lake George as a means of preserving the 24-foot by 24-foot structure. It contains period furniture and a coal stove.
North of Lake George by County Road 77, there is an interpretive sign and pullout where the ranch was once located. It is void of structures.
Kenneth Jessen has been a Loveland resident since 1965. He is an author of 18 books and more than 1,300 articles. He was an engineer for Hewlett-Packard for 33 years and now works as a full-time author, lecturer and guide.