Wild Horse Colorado Townsite - Ghost town
Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell December 2007 and December 2008
I ran across this town sort of unexpected. It derived it's name from a nearby creek. The creek was a watering hole for the wild mustangs that once roamed the area. Apparently the wild horses were plentiful and made the earth tremble as they charged across the plains. The legends suggest that they were descendants of the horses brought to America by Spanish explorers. The Spanish called them "bronchos".
A viewer writes 12/2008 - I was just browsing around on this thing and ran across your web site. I live in the town of Wild Horse and i really do appreciate your putting it on your site. Our town burnt down in 1917 and was rebuilt. there was only one house left standing on the east side of main street. the others on main were moved in by horses after the fire from other parts of the town. jim lafferty
A viewer writes Sunday, November 22, 2009 Checking out your pictures, love them. My grandpa William H. Pfalzgraff settled in Wildhorse, Colorado and my father Wilburt H. Pfalzgraff was born there on April 25, 1910. My family had a hotel called the Pfalzgraff Hotel which burned down during the fire. My grandpa moved to Spiritfalls, Wisconsin around 1917, I assume after the fire. Keep up the good work. Willie Pfalzgraff
A viewer writes. - Tuesday, December 29, 2009 My father Anthony James Reymann was born in Wildhorse Colorado in 1907. Since he died when I was nine in 1963 I didn't get the chance to find out much about Wildhorse. If the town burned in 1917 were birth records saved? Is the town still there? I would like to visit someday. His fathers name was William Reymann. They moved to Denver I don't know the date , but it was said that my grandpa was a volunteer firemen in Denver. If anyone has info please email me at areymann@charter.net
A viewer writes - Sunday, April 03, 2011 -- looking through the Pfalzgraff site and ran into your site. Wild Horse is part of my children's family history. (Herman Otto, John Hugo), Karl Johan and sisters Christina, Jennifer and Elizabeth would have the most information. I will pass this site on to him. Neat photos. Nancy White
A viewer writes - Tuesday, May 17, 2011 -- Great pictures. My dad talked about Wild Horse and he had visited there when he was a kid. My Grand Father was Herman Otto Pfalzgraff. All the old picture I have were taken of Deer Creek Minnesota, where my Grand father/ great grandfather lived before going to Wild Horse to help build the town. So thank you for the great picture of Wild Horse. Karl Pfalzgraff
A viewer writes - Thursday, August 02, 2012 -- Well I wrote back in 2009 saying my dad Anthony James Reymann was born in Wildhorse in 1907, and someday I would like to visit . Well today that wish came true took pictures and spoke to Curtis and Kevin! Learned a lot from the two great gentlemen!
A viewer writes - Friday, August 17, 2012 -- My grandparents met in Wild Horse and my mother was born there. My grandfather, T.J. McNevin founded and published the newspaper The Wild Horse Times. He also sold real estate and worked hard to promote the area. Alison St Paul, MN
A viewer writes - Friday, February 21, 2014 -- I remember visiting Wild Horse as a child. Was there once for a town celebration. My grandmother moved there in 1948 with her 3 youngest children and taught school in various schools in the area. We would stop and visit Curtis and Leona and family on the way through from Kit Carson to Hugo. Kit Carson was home to great uncle Hooley and Hugo was home by that time to my grandmother Agnes.
A viewer writes - Wednesday, May 07, 2014 - About a year or so ago, when I was working on my first novel, I was looking for a small Colorado town to base as the main characters' home town. In my research, I came across the story of Wild Horse. But, in my story, the town didn't vanish; it became a thriving railroad and cattle community, a stop on Amtrak and the home of the annual Wild Horse Stampede, an annual rodeo and western show akin to the Brush rodeo. -- Jeff sagedad02@hotmail.com
A viewer writes - Sunday, September 6th, 2015 - I just wanted to say thank you for posting about wild horse. When I was younger my great grandparents bud and opal nicholls lived in wild horse. As a result I spent a lot of time there growing up, my great grandparents had a small orchard there and my great grand mother used the fruit produced to make pies and jellies and won several blue ribbons at the county fair. I have great memories of walking down to the tracks across from the church to watch the trains. My uncles parents still live there. I think its wonderful that your keeping the memories from that time alive and well, thank you -nikki branham-
A viewer writes - Sunday September 16th 2015 - I rode my motorcycle from ME to CO and home. I took C94 out of Colorado Springs to 40. I actually stopped and took a picture of the PO there in Wild Horse. Couldn't believe a ghost town had an active post office. Lovely little abandoned enclave in the middle of nowhere.
A viewer writes - Andi Hallberg Mon, Jan 7, 12:20 PM writes - I am so happy to see the pictures you have here for Wild Horse. My grandfather, Walter Roesner and several great uncles and aunts were born there. Their house burned down in the fire as well. My great aunt tells the story of her parents being gone and she and her sister had to drag their grandma out of the house. She had a bit of dementia and didn't understand and didn't want to go. Apparently, the parents could see the fire in the distance and didn't know if the girls would be alive by the time they got there. They ended up moving to Denver afterwards.
As an fyi…my great grandparents are buried on the JOD ranch out there.