Larkspur historical Society
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Ephraim Blake Ranch

Ephraim was born in the state of Main in 1829. He settled in Colorado in Douglas County and was considered a pioneer.   By 1876 he had purchased 200 acres just north of Larkspur Butte in the area around Lower Lake Gulch road and where the I-25 expressway is today. He was listed in the 1880 census as a farmer with three children; George, Mary and Lucius. The census information also showed that he was married to Martha.

From newspaper reports we know that Ephraim raised horses and cattle on his ranch.

An interesting story appeared in the Castle Rock Journal on July 2, 1890 “While Mrs. E. Blake and the children were on Raspberry mountain a while ago they came across a pair of young catamounts which they captured and now have in the their possession. Fortunately the mother was not at home just then or there might have been a different ending to the days outing”.   Catamount is another name for the Mountain Lion or Cougar that still roams the lands that Ephraim Blake once called home. Raspberry Mountain is the name for the Butte in Larkspur which has the Monkey Face on one of its hill tops.

On October 11, 1890 Ephraim died of heart disease and is buried in the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Castle Rock.


Thanks to the Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection, the U.S. Census records and  BLM records.