Montoya Ranch, Historic ranch in Farisita, Colorado, United States

Montoya Ranch is a ranch in Farisita, Colorado, along the Huerfano River. Its adobe ranch house, built in or after 1867 with Spanish Colonial and territorial elements, has two-foot-thick walls and a full adobe basement, the only one in New Mexico or Colorado. The property also had an underground ice house, sheep pens, and irrigation ditches.

The adobe ranch house was built in or after 1867, when New Mexicans were settling the Huerfano valley. In 1874 Juliana and Victor Montoya ran sheep there and gave the ranch its name. Lebanese-heritage newcomers Louise Saliba Faris and Asperidon Faris bought it in 1908, added a storefront in 1911, and ran the post office that gave Farisita its name. It joined the National Register in 2012.

The ranch was established by Juliana and Victor Montoya and reflects the influence of New Mexican settlers who shaped the Huerfano valley. The name and building style reveal the cultural identity of this region.

The property requires ongoing restoration work and is not easily accessible without prior arrangement. It is best to contact local authorities in advance to understand current conditions and visiting options.

The adobe ranch house is the only building in New Mexico or Colorado recorded with a full adobe basement. Its walls are about two feet thick, and the house was built to look fort-like. The property also had an underground ice house, sheep pens and irrigation ditches.