This week, eight of the Fillies are meeting up in Deadwood, SD for a mini retreat and book signing. I’m sure many of us will be posting about our western adventures. My husband Wes and I got an early start and left Texas this past Saturday, planning to stop in Colorado Springs and Cody, WY before meeting up with everyone in Deadwood.
We took a day to visit the Garden of the Gods and a wonderful living history ranch right next door.
My favorite thing about Rock Ledge Ranch was that not only did it have have wonderfully knowledgeable docents and tradesmen throughout the property, but they had young docents-in-training. Seeing these children in costume made it feel like we had truly stepped back in time. And they weren’t just running around in costume. They knew their stuff!
We started with a cabin representing the one the original homesteader had on the property back in 1867. Wes enjoyed meeting Martha the cow before we made it to the cabin where some lovely young girls were playing checkers.
We encountered more children as we made our way through the farm section. Feeding the horses a treat and corralling chickens into the coop.
Next, we headed to Rock Ledge House. This house represents the Victoria era and belonged to a family who ran an orchard. During the lean years, they used the extra space in their house to take in boarders, sometimes 3 or 4 to a room. One upstairs room was for male boarders, the other for female boarders. The children had rooms down the hall.
We came to the smithy next, and the blacksmith working the forge was an excellent craftsman. Not only did he make practical items, but he created the gorgeous rose pictured below.
The final stop on the ranch was a visit to Orchard House. This was representative of the Edwardian era, built in 1907. During the time the family lived in the house, there were only female servants, and we had the chance to interact with all of them, from housekeeper, to cook, to a pair of maids.
I had such a lovely afternoon stepping back in time.
Have you ever visited a living history museum or an historical home where a costumed docent showed you around and filled your mind with fabulous historical tidbits?
