An Historic Ranch Restoration

A family restores an 1874 cabin to its original glory

By Christy Heitger-Ewing

Published: March 1, 2010

Photo by Jessyel Gonzalez & Melissa Melendez

When Alex Bogusky first laid eyes on Phantom Lake Ranch, the oldest settler community in northern Colorado, he was smitten. He especially loved what was sitting on the property: a 964-square-foot cabin, which was erected in 1874. Cradled in the Rocky Mountains just south of a quaint mountain village called Red Feather Lakes, the 650-acre ranch was a short two-hour drive from Bogusky’s home in Boulder, Colo., making it an ideal weekend retreat for his family.

Alex and his wife, Ana, appreciated the cabin’s rich history, but they didn’t feel its current construction paid homage to that history. The main problem was a “slapped on” addition, which was added years earlier, probably to accommodate extra ranch hands.

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