HISTORY

O  ur family, Strait-Phillips family has owned in this area since the 1920’s. The Wide Acre Ranch and surrounding Wide Acres was owned and developed by the Phillips Family.  When most of the Real Estate was sold in the 1970’s, my mom and dad began planning their dream home.

My dad was dear friends with a Real Estate man name Myron Bunger.  Myron owned and developed a lot of Applewood. Myron and my father shared a love of gardening and Real Estate.  Myron lived with his family on a property with a pond on 16th & Youngfield. One day my dad said to Myron, I wish I owned something like this, and Myron said I have that property for you.

Myron showed my dad this 4.3-acre plot of land that he owned, which he used when he had the Applewood Water District.   The property had a pond which held the water for his water district and all the pumps and mechanical equipment were housed in the brick barn, which is still on the property.  Mom and Dad bought the property and started to plan their dream home. Papa needed more fill dirt, so he purchased a property across on Foothills and dug out the dirt to fill in a pad for the house. There was access on Foothills Road to the property at that time.  This was in 1970. Oscar Parra was the architect for the home, and I remember mom made changes as it was built, the stairway was wrong and had to be rebuilt was one of the major items. Mom and dad lived in a rental home in Wheatridge, they would visit every day during construction. Al Kilpatrick was the contractor for the home.

Over the years, Papa would farm and garden and plant trees. Many fruit trees remain surrounding the pond that Papa planted.  He had an elaborate black pipe irrigation system.

Mom loved the serenity of the pond and wildlife and they both enjoyed the many birds that would visit.  Mom had her favorites, and some would visit her yearly.

Over the years, both became ill and finally my Husband and I moved to Eldridge to care for Papa. Mom had passed.  Eventually he agreed to sell us the property, which my Husband being a lot like Papa, loved tractoring around the property and working in the barn on days off. I caught the gardening fever from Papa and have carried on that legacy, planting away.

We have had many wonderful memories here with family and friends. We have had some massive parties where the seams of the house were bursting with fun and laughter.

 

We hope you enjoy touring our family home, and we hope you’ll continue the legacy of beauty this wonderful property encompasses.