Property Description

Addition to sell info:

The 422 Oak Street house was remodeled a in recent years with modern windows, new carpet, wood floors, painting, inside and out.  This year the old roof was taken off and a new metal roof replaced it.  The home is old but has been refurbished and keeping the 1896 charm.

History:  The Rathmell house and barn built in 1896 by Milton Moore.  The house sold to George Wright after the Moore's lived in it for five years.  The Wrights sold the home to William and Minnie Rathmell.  William wrote the book that became the movie, “The sons of Katie Elder” in which John Wayne played a lead role.  After that the house sold to a relative of the Rathmell family, the Fords.  John and Patricia Ford bought the house on June 6, 1967.  The current owners bought the house in 2014 from the Ford/Rathmell family.

You will be the fifth known family owner since 1896. An addition of a garage and family room was added sometime around the 1980-90s.  At that time, it appears they insulated the entire home.  The house has been restored to a magnificent look back in time but modernized.   A large back yard with fruit trees is a favorite among local wild animals.

Judge Rathmell was close friend to Chief Ouray and Chipeta (Ouray’s wife).  This is from the book, Of Record and Reminiscence, written by Ruth Rathmell and Judge Rathmell.  “After securing the Indians ponies, the band, consisting of Chipeta, Captain Charlie, Mountain Sheep, some three squaws and a little Indian girl named Mamie were escorted to the Beaumont Hotel and rooms secured.”

In 1913, Chipeta and her band of Indians came to Ouray on a “good will tour.”  Mr. Rathmell, as Secretary of the Commercial Club, was delegated to entertain the distinguished visitors.   It is possible that both Chief Ouray and Chipeta could have been guest in the Rathmell house.  There is known record of such.

The house has been kept in as close to 1900 as possible.