What Comforts Make Your House Feel Like You Were at Home?

The décor? The people? Maybe the food? All of these factors were draws of Mama Holzwarth’s hospitality for her guests at the trout lodge and Never Summer Ranch.

As much as the major events in people’s lives tell the story of a place, so do their daily practices. We see the intersection of skill and hard work through the daily practices of Mama Holzwarth, who used this space in its later years as the primary kitchen and dining room. These areas provided not only nourishment and hominess for guests, but also acted as an extension of her German heritage.

The meals that Mama prepared for guests were geared towards the American diet but were sourced from what was available in the surrounding landscape. She used plants and animals found in the nearby environment, since the transport of food and goods was difficult. For example, meals would consist of freshly caught trout, soup was made with dandelion greens, and meat roasts were made with deer. Meals were served three times a day at the dining hall. On the other hand, food prepared for Mama’s family and staff were traditionally German, with specialties such as liver dumplings, pig ear sandwiches, and spaetzle.

A niece of Sophia’s once described ranch life as: “Whatever Mama did, she did well. Ambitious, proud, clean. She would give anything to you. But at the same time she expected you to work...” It was reported that after a one-night stay at the lodge, her housekeepers would have to tear the cabins apart to clean them from top to bottom.

Her family credits her as the one who initially had the dream to open a lodge in the mountains before they moved away from Denver. 

Hard work was a key factor to the Holzwarth's success as businessowners, but adaptability was also an equally important characteristic that helped the family persevere in the untamed Rocky Mountains.