Everson Ranch History

In 1872, Martin (1830-1882) and Franzisca (1832-1891) Rominger homesteaded in the San Luis Valley.  They had emigrated from Germany in the 1850’s and joined the exodus of fortune seekers moving to the west. Their son Frank and his wife Karoline managed a large ranch and farm along both sides of CR 61 heading south from CR GG including what is now the Everson Ranch. In 1904, Valley View Hot Springs became a part of the ranch.

John Everson and his son, Earl, moved to the valley. Earl married Frank and Karoline’s daughter, Anna. Earl and Anna moved into the present log home at the Everson Ranch.  Like Neil Seitz was to do 70 years later, John fell in love with Valley View Hot Springs. His dream was to live at Valley View and develop the springs into a resort; the Romingers agreed to lease Valley View to him.

 John Everson moved to Valley View with his family and began his life long work of building and managing the hot springs. He was an accomplished carpenter and built most of the older buildings that are currently in use, including the Oak House and the cabins, as well as the original swimming pool and main pond.

Examples of John’s fine craftsmanship are also evident in some of the buildings on the Everson Ranch which he helped to build.  The lumber in all these buildings apparently arrived by train at the Mineral Hot Springs station, to be picked up by John with his buckboard wagon.

 Valley View’s early development was closely tied to the Orient Mine, an iron mine which operated a mile north.  Many of the buildings were used as overflow lodging by the miners. In its heyday, over 200 inhabitants lived at the company town at Orient. Other visitors from afar came to “take the waters” and stay as well.  The original Oak House did not have a large living room nor an upstairs as it does now, but was comprised of eight small rooms, each with a small potbelly stove.

Elm and Willow cabins were originally a store which supplied the miners.  In order to get the miners to shop at his store, John would cash their payroll checks, which amounted to a large amount of cash.  John would hitch up his buckboard, hop on with twin, pearl-handled 45’s strapped to his belt and make the trip to the bank in Saguache and back, his saddle bags full of money.  The miners’ trade provided a ready source of income to enable John to make his lease payments on Valley View.

 John was a man of small stature.  The pearl handled 45s did much to increase his standing in the community.  He was also known to carry a Shillelagh, an Irish walking stick or cudgel, made of very hard, blackthorn wood with a big knob on the top.  The youngsters of the valley coming to swim in Valley View’s pool did not argue when John, with his Shillelagh, told them their swimming time was up!

 The Orient Mine closed in the 1930’s leaving John with little business. John lived out the rest of his life at Valley View until his death in 1952.

Meanwhile John’s grandson, Roy Everson came home to run the ranch after several years as a cook in WWII. During this time only occasional groups would use Valley View. The large ranch suffered hard times and parcels were sold until only 1120 acres remained.

After John’s death, the buildings and other facilities of the hot springs received little upkeep until Neil Seitz arrived in 1974. By then many more people were coming to enjoy the hot springs.  Following in John Everson’s footsteps, Neil repaired the buildings and put his heart and soul into this magical place that we all love.

Roy died in 1977, Neil purchased Valley View in 1979 and the remainder of the ranch was sold out of the family in 1988.