From the Vault
Keystone
Keystone c. 1920s
This image shows Keystone c. 1920s.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Einar and Ada Lundgren Digital Collection.
Located one-half mile west of today’s Keystone Resort, the Old Town of Keystone was a timber town, with popular lumber yards selling timber to homesteaders and railroads.
Town of Keystone c. 1890
This image shows the town of Keystone c. 1890 with Buffalo and Red Mountain in the background.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Alan Rice Digital Collection.
Keystone in July 1937
This image shows the townsite of Keystone in July 1937.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Doug Pierce Collection.
While Keystone was a timber town, it was also the location of many homesteads. One of the homesteads was Lemuel (Lee) and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Squires, who patented two Homesteads along Keystone Ranch Road in 1900 and 1908. Interested in learning more about Homesteaders in Summit County? Click Here to go to our interactive map!
Keystone Depot
This image shows the Keystone Depot. On the building, there is an advertisement for Wild-Wood Cabins and cafe. Buffalo and Red Mountain are visible in the background.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Alan Rice Collection.
Lee and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Squires at Their Homestead c. 1905
Lee and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Squire stand in front of the barn of their homestead with their cows in Keystone c. 1905.
Photograph Courtesy of the Summit Historical Society Collections; The Riley Family Photograph Collection.
What is a Homestead?
The Homestead Act of 1862 was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. The act defined how federal land could be distributed. Federal land was divided into 160 acres (approximately), and land offices were established for individuals. Men and women who were heads of household, over the age of 21 could apply for a petition. They had to develop the land, build a house, and live on the land for 5 years. When requirements were met, or “proved up”, they received a patent that granted them official ownership.
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