Flying W Ranch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flying W Ranch |
|
|---|---|
Flying W Ranch, from the Outdoor Eating Area. On the right is the outdoor stage, to the left is the indoor Facility.
|
|
| General information | |
| Status | Opened, partially under reconstruction |
| Type | Restaurant, Working mountain cattle ranch |
| Address | 3330 Chuckwagon Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80919 |
| Town or city | Colorado Springs, Colorado |
| Country | United States |
| Opened | July 10, 2020 |
| Destroyed | June 26, 2012 |
The Flying W Ranch is a real mountain cattle ranch located in the beautiful foothills of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Since 1953, it has also been a popular place for tourism and entertainment.
From May to October, visitors can enjoy outdoor chuckwagon suppers. These meals are like those served on old cattle drives. The ranch also has areas that show what life was like in the American Old West.
Sadly, a big fire called the Waldo Canyon Fire destroyed the ranch in 2012. But the owners worked hard to rebuild it! The Chuckwagon Supper reopened for the 2020 season, with its first dinner and show on May 21, 2020.
Contents
The Flying W Ranch Story
Russ and Marian Wolfe started the Flying W Chuckwagon in 1953. In the summer, people from town would ride horses across the ranch lands. Sometimes, Marian would invite the riders to share a home-cooked meal.
Russ and Marian decided to make these meals a regular event. It became a scenic horseback ride followed by a delicious meal under the stars. They cooked around an open campfire, just like cowboys did.
Building the Western Village
Over time, Russ and Marian built a unique Western Village. They added many different buildings, brick by brick. Eventually, there were 29 structures.
These included a Church, a Jail, a School House, and a Printing Press. There was also a Taos Pueblo, a Kiva, a Library, and a Drug Store. All these buildings were either built on the ranch or moved there.
Before the 2012 fire, meals and shows moved indoors in the fall. They went into the Winter Steakhouse. This building was once the Ute Theatre in Colorado Springs. It was taken apart in 1968 and rebuilt at the Flying W as a steakhouse.
Shows happened in the Winter Steakhouse from October to December. They also ran from March to May. The Picketwire Bar, named after the Purgatoire River, was built in the 1880s. It was moved to the ranch in 1969.
The Chuckwagon Association
The Flying W Chuckwagon and its performers, the Flying W Wranglers, are part of a special group. It's called the Chuckwagon Association of the West. This group includes five other chuckwagons in different states.
These chuckwagons are in Wyoming, South Dakota, New Mexico, Missouri, and Colorado. They all offer traditional chuckwagon cooking. After dinner, they provide professional entertainment. This includes comedy and western songs.
The Waldo Canyon Fire and Rebuilding
The Waldo Canyon fire sadly destroyed the Flying W Ranch on June 26, 2012. The owners promised to rebuild it. Parts of the ranch officially reopened on July 10, 2020.
The General Manager at the time, Jay Chladek, got married just before the fire. He was on his honeymoon when the ranch was destroyed. He had worked at the Flying W Ranch for almost 27 years.
The last event at the ranch before the fire was a wedding. It took place in the Old Chapel on June 23, 2012. That was the same day the fire started. The wedding guests had to leave quickly as staff tried to save important items.
On June 29, 2019, work began on a new event building. This building is 8,000 square feet and can seat 900 people. Other new features include a donkey barn, animal activities, and garden areas.
The Flying W Foundation
After the Flying W Ranch was destroyed, a new group was formed. It was called the Flying W Ranch Foundation. This happened after 346 homes in the nearby Mountain Shadows community were also lost.
The Flying W Ranch Foundation is a non-profit organization. It is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Its main goals are to help the Waldo Canyon burn area recover. It also works to preserve the history of the Old West. The Foundation aims to help the community in many ways.
How the Foundation Helps
The Foundation does important work to restore the land. Here are some of the things they do:
- They install log structures to stop soil from washing away on hills. This helps prevent floods.
- They plant seeds and spread mulch over large areas that were burned.
- They plant young trees to help the forest grow back.
- They remove harmful weeds that can hurt new plants.
- They clear away burned tree stands to make the area safer.
See also
- Movie ranch
- Flying J Wranglers of Alto, New Mexico
