Families flocked to the Drennan community where Cottonwood Creek Estates now is, after El Paso County released government land to homesteaders in the early 1900s. Forging a new path in the quiet country, while living with the amenities offered in nearby Colorado Springs, was the appeal of the early community. The Edwards were one of those early families. With a rich history of homesteading on the eastern plains of El Paso County in the early 1900s, the current Edwards family hopes to share that heritage with others seeking the peace of country life, with close proximity to city luxuries.

Harley Edwards, the grandson of Fred and Minnie Edwards, who homesteaded to the Drennan community around 1915, said the ranch has been in his family for three generations. He has lived in the area for over 60 years and said the ranch once spanned about 9,500 acres. It's about 3,000 acres today.  The Edwards raised pure bred Herfords for 3 generations.  Some say they were the best looking cattle at the auction.

During the homesteading of the Drennan community, farming and ranching prevailed as the families' livelihood. The Edwards family used their land for ranching. The homesteading families introduced telephone service, mail service and schools to the area. The present four-room Drennan school just 4 miles from here was completed in 1917.  Edwards said families in the Drennan community still have neighborly get-together's and take care of the old school. Mail was delivered once a day from Colorado Springs.

Massive cottonwood trees, rolling hills and views of Pikes Peak to the Spanish Peaks of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range made the area absolutely beautiful.

"What attracted people to the area are the cottonwood trees and the sandstone layer under the trees, which spans to the creek and provides running water," Harley Edwards said.

Land was plowed with horses or mules-- not many walking plows were used. Since no one could afford to buy all the machinery needed for working their farms, there was some equipment bought on a cooperative method, usually two or three persons owning a lister, cultivator, disk, etc.. together. Wagons were often borrowed to haul prairie hay, corn and small grain to market. Grain binders and some of the more expensive
machinery were rented from those who were fortunate enough to own such equipment. At one time a corn-shredder was purchased by six neighbors on a co-operative basis.

A Sheep Ranch was Here

The El Paso County Mutual Telephone Company was organized with Harry Huffman as one of the promoters for telephones in the community. Prior to the organization of the telephone company, emergency calls were made from the Ashley Sheep Camp (Now part of Cottonwood Creek Estates) and the Crow's Roost and old Lackey Sheep camp. The historic wagon track is still visible running through much of the Estate.

From Horse Drawn Carriage to Now

"Someone may ask about our mode of travel to and from the city. We usually drove to town in a buggy or carriage, always a second-hand conveyance. I do not ever remember of a brand new carriage owned by any person in the community. - When the autos began to replace the horse and buggy. The cars that were purchased were not the latest models. Quite often the cars balked and would not start or would stop in the middle of the road and often times were hauled back to the yard. Then a. trip would be made on foot to the pasture to drive in good old faithful Dobbin (our horse) who 'could be depended on to get us somewhere, sometimes. "

The Edwards family of today is sharing this heritage with others seeking the peace of country life and close proximity to city.