How do you turn an abandoned historic ranch into a residential library?
Sometime during our long (& still ongoing) planning process we decided that Buffalo Peaks Ranch would house not one, but several libraries spread across the ranch — in various buildings and barns.
The list is not complete, but Buffalo Peaks Ranch will have special libraries dedicated to Natural History, Western & Native American history, poetry & literature, environmental studies, astronomy, mining, railroads, and Public Lands across the world (from National Parks to community gardens).
Plus one very special library that we are really excited about!
In the ranch’s Main House, right through the green screen door to the right, we’ll be setting up the Marie Guiraud Ranching Library — celebrating ranching history & traditions, from the early days to the present, with books on ranching in the American West, and across the globe.
This constantly-growing library is named after Marie Guiraud, who along with her husband Adolph, first established this homestead ranch, back in 1861 along the Middle Fork of Colorado’s South Platte River.
Marie’s life was a remarkable one that we’ll return to again and again. Her story will help us tell the larger story of women in the West.
photo of Marie Guiraud courtesy of Jacquelyn Guiraud Miller & Fred Guiraud
The library has many books on artists & photographers who captured this traditional way of working on the land.
The growing collection includes old ranch histories, ranch memoirs, cowboy songs & poetry.
plus tales of new ranching traditions.
And yes, this is a Ranch Library dedicated to ranching across the world!
