The Highlands Ranch mansion was once just a single cottage, sat on top of a grassy hill. Built in 1891 by a Pennsylvania man named Samuel Allen Long, the original building measured about 30 feet by 50 feet and featured a traditional gabled roof, a one and one half story upstairs bedroom space, and a front porch with an overhang. Long called his home and surrounding farm “Rotherwood” after another farm he admired during his childhood. He carved this name in the stone above the front doorway of his home and the construction year “1891” just below an upstairs window. Visitors to the Mansion can find these two carvings by simply looking upward when entering the building through what is referred to today as the Rotherwood door. Today, 139 years later, it is one of the most spectacular mansions Colorado has to offer.

The Mansion’s foyer presents an impressive entrance to the prestigious estate. The room as it appears today was constructed during owner Frank Kistler’s 1929-1930 renovation of the building and included the addition of a grand staircase and equally grand carved wooden door. Prior to Kistler’s renovation, the stairway was located along the back wall of the first house, and connected the kitchen with the upstairs bedrooms. A window formerly occupied the space of Kistler’s exquisitely carved front door.

Perhaps the most memorable room in the house, the living room has seen several transformations throughout its history, reflecting the personalities of various owners. In 1930, the original fireplace was replaced with an ornate polished sandstone centerpiece that included the building floor plan, date of construction, and ranch brand chiseled into the mantel. The addition of large arched doorways provided elegant transitions into adjoining rooms to the south, east and west. A massive clock, imported from Italy and Germany, was added to the east wall.

Many elaborate dinners and festive gatherings took place in the Mansion’s dining room. The elevation of the floor changes as you enter the dining room from the living room, however, it matches the rooms to the west. The floor is Brazilian cherry, the crown molding is wood, and the sconces appear to be from the 1930s. During the Metro District’s renovation of the Mansion from 2011 to 2012, two large rainwater storage cisterns were found under the south half of the floor of the dining room.

The walls were covered with an elaborate wood paneling treatment with “coupons” that hold it in place without visible metal nails. An intricately carved wooden crown molding along the ceiling added even more distinction. Constructed at a time when the building complex had a coal-fired boiler to deliver steam heat through radiators, the craftsmanship of the builders was also demonstrated by hiding the radiators behind a wood and iron screen. Before the addition of the solarium and upstairs bedrooms, the library’s west door would have opened into an outdoor garden area with a clear view to the Front Range.

Throughout its long history, the Mansion has been a place of celebration. In keeping with this tradition, the Metro District’s 2011-2012 renovation included the addition of a 5,000-square-foot great hall, built by connecting the back of the Mansion with its historic carriage house, thus creating a venue for modern day celebrations that embraces the past and also looks to the future. The great hall is not necessarily a new space as much as it is a fusion of existing structures dedicated to the purpose of bringing families, friends and neighbors together.

2025 - The Highlands Ranch Mansion, Westside

1891 - The Highlands Ranch Mansion after the first construction

The Living Room

The Card Room

The Highlands Ranch Mansion - Southside