CONIFER — One of Conifer’s most iconic historic structures, Midway House at Meyer Ranch, is for sale, and the local historical society has challenged the community to help purchase it.
Meyer Ranch is the unofficial gateway to the Conifer community along U.S. 285. Nestled in its picturesque meadow is the yellow Midway House, as it has long been called for being midway between Denver and many mountain destinations. Built in 1889, it is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been home to the Meyer family since 1950.
For sale along with the house is roughly 10 acres of land on which sits a cabin (one of the first structures built in Conifer), a hand-hewn wooden barn built in the 1870s and other historic structures.
“Is there a possibility for us to purchase the home? Yes,” Suzi Morris, president of , said at a recent Conifer town hall meeting. “Is the Conifer historical society going to do it all themselves? No.”
Morris said the community has the opportunity to help take ownership of the site, the fate of which was set in motion after its owner,
Meyer was passionate about local history and worked closely with the Conifer Historical Society to allow studies of the property in anticipation of the organization one day owning or managing the site. Morris said she has since received confirmation from local and state preservation organizations that there is funding available to help the society get the site.
But that will not happen unless more
“If the community is interested in purchasing this property, it’s going to take quite a few people to work through all the details,” Morris said.
For more information or to get involved, leave a message with the historical society at 303-396-5975.
Norm Meyer Sr.’s children share their late father’s wishes that the community somehow be involved in the site’s future, said his son and Conifer resident, Norm Meyer Jr.
“Some members of the family would like to keep the home in the family, but it just may not be practical,” he said. “We need to find a new owner for the house. The primary interest is to get it to the various historical societies.”
Jefferson County Open Space has an easement on the Meyer property and a right of first offer, said real-estate coordinator Joy Lucisano. This means that Open Space is notified when there is a buyer and makes the call on whether to change the easement, pursue ownership or work with the potential new owner.
The easement also allows for potential use of the house by Open Space, but Lucisano said that is not likely.
“I don’t think we have ever thought that we would take ownership of the house,” she said.
Because of both the easement and the National Register status, the property is protected from a number of uses, including commercial and development.
The exact fate of the property at this point is not certain, but if the community and historical society cannot mobilize efforts to buy it, Norm Meyer Jr. said he hopes that a private party steps in with the community’s interest in mind.
“The family hopes that the home will become a historical site,” he said. “And that the historic site will be accessible to the public at some point.”
Josie Klemaier: 303-954-2465, jklemaier@denverpost.com
Norm Meyer S. Tribute
When: 1 p.m. March 1
Where: Stage Door Theater, 25797 Conifer Road, Conifer
Cost: Free; seating is limited
Who: For more information about the late, high-profile Conifer-area resident, go to the “Meyer History” tab at conifer historicalsociety.org, the Conifer Historical Society and Museum website
