Holzwarth Historic Site - Tent Cabin

Tent Cabin

NPS

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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

The Tent Cabin belonged to Johnnie Holzwarth and was built by him the first summer he stayed at the homestead with his father. The original tent cabin was said to have been pitched in the valley between the cabins and modern-day Trail Ridge Road.

Who Was Johnnie Holzwarth?

John Holzwarth II, known as Johnnie, was the only child of John Sr. and Sophia who lived on the homestead full time. During the early years of the trout lodge, he charged $10 a day as a pack and fishing guide and claimed he could catch three trout per minute due to the sheer abundance of fish in the Colorado River.

Johnnie quickly became a famed sportsman as he fished for trout, trapped smaller mammals for fur, and successfully hunted big game throughout his decades in the Kawuneeche Valley.

He expanded the family business by leading the construction of the Never Summer Ranch adjacent to Highway 34 (Trail Ridge Road). He was able to do this after receiving a loan from his eldest sister Julia in 1929, who was by then a prominent businesswoman in Denver. He eventually managed over 70 horses and more than 30 staff.

His natural storytelling abilities were well known during the prominent days of the dude ranch, especially during campfire cookouts and social hours when he entertained guests with talks of hunting, cowboying, and traveling tales. Later, this talent proved useful when the park needed to gathered information about the historic site, as Johnnie was a vivid primary source regarding the members of the family and their personal lives.

Johnnie was married twice. He was first married to Carolyn Pratt in 1931, with whom he had three children. After her death, he married Wanda Fiecher in 1971. Johnnie died in 1983 at 80 years old.

Johnnie was the driving character that transitioned the homestead from family frontier life to a modern enterprise with Western American culture at its forefront.