Book Description

Abner Sprague's first home in the wilderness that would become Rocky Mountain National Park was a simple log cabin, its roof covered with peat. From these humble beginnings, the nenowned Colorado pioneer would build a successful guest ranch and a lasting legacy. This collection of Sprague's own writings and photographs tells of his extraordinary life, from his family and upbringing in the frontier Midwest to the Spragues' journey across the plains in a covered wagon and eventual settlement on homesteads in Estes Park. In the almost seven decades that followed, Abner Sprague played a role in America's railway expansion, married, explored the region's untamed backcountry, met many of its unique characters and operated two successful ranch resorts amid spectacular surroundings. My Pioneer Life is a unique account of the American frontier experience, told by a man who lived it to the fullest.--Back cover.