17 Mile House - Tours and Experiences Hosts 🏡

Visitors can step back in time at 17 Mile House, a 160-year old farm which served as an important resting stop for pioneers traveling on the Cherokee/Smoky Hill wagon trails in the 1860s. This patchwork built house was used as a cattle ranch and dairy farm until 1976. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and protected in perpetuity in 1983 after an outpouring of community support.

The Open Spaces team at Arapahoe County manages this heritage area with support from volunteers!

Volunteer roles include:

• Leading tours of the farmhouse
• Interpreting historical and natural history stories for school groups
• Providing hands-on experiences during open house events
• Creating interpretive displays
• Maintaining the gardens
• Caring for the historic collection of artifacts

This is a great opportunity for history students or history enthusiasts. We are happy to support fulfilling volunteer hours for school clubs and other requirements.