About the time that George Dauth purchased Idlewild Lodge in 1920, a large portion of the Idlewild homestead was purchased by Frend Alford Neville. This area encompassed the hundred or so acres of pasture land south of Idlewild sub-division that sits higher up on Sheep Mountain as well as several lots west of Idlewild bridge. Frend in turn sold the land to George “Ed” Wild who decided to subdivide the land into a new sub-division called Harding Heights.1The Fort Collins Courier, 31 Aug. 1921. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Since Ed Wild owned the majority of land in this area the Harding Heights name began to take precedent and was used interchangeably with Idlewild when describing this part of the canyon. The earliest use of Harding Heights was in 1924.2The Mirror, 3 Apr. 1924. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - 1924-04-03 - The Mirror - House Party at Harding Heights

House Party Held by Y. W. Cabinet at Harding Heights

Old and New Offices Attend Annual Training Conference

Cabinet members and officers of the Y.W.C.A. held their training conference at Harding Heights in the Big Thompson Canon over the last weekend. The Conference is and annual affair and was held last year at Boulder in conjunction with the Y.W.C.A. cabinets of the entire Rocky region.3The Mirror, 3 Apr. 1924. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

The Mirror – April 3, 1924

The article below from 1927 shows how Ed Wild’s Harding Heights was used to describe the location of Idlewild lodge, referred to as “Idlewild cabin.”4The Mirror, 19 May. 1927. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Alpha Lambda Tau Members Spend Week End in Mountains

Members of Alpha Lambda Tau had their annual spring house party at “Idlewild cabin” at Harding Heights, the week end of May 13. Moonlight hikes, bridge, and taffy pulls added zest to the party. Helen Jergensen, in appreciation of her work as president of Alpha Lambda Tau, was the honor guest of the sorority. Mrs. W. A. Lamb and Miss Etheline Reiner chaperoned the party. Members present were: Miriam Pritchard, Sadie Allen, Inza Beiderbeck, Arlene Dodding, Margaret Elder, Marjorie Haskell, Elsie Whitthour, Ruth Williams, Mildred Fairchild, Margaret Spencer, and Margaret Ellis.5The Mirror, 19 May. 1927. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

The Mirror – May 19, 1927

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - 1927-05-19 - The Mirror - Alpha Lambda Tau at Harding Heights

The home of Robert Hanna, which was located on Lot 22, was also described as being within Harding Heights rather than Idlewild.6Windsor Beacon, 26 Jul. 1928. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - 1928-07-26 - Windsor Beacon - Robert Hanna at Harding Heights

Mr. and Mrs. John Cable spent last week end as guests of Mr. and Mrs. R. E. Hanna at their cottage at Harding Heights in the Thompson canon.7Windsor Beacon, 26 Jul. 1928. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Windsor Beacon – July 26, 1928

The same was true with the Gilbert home, which was located on Lot 5.8Fort Collins Courier, 1 Jul. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Miss Marjorie Teller was a weekend guests of Miss Marion Gilbert of Greeley at the Gilbert mountain cottage at Harding Heights in the Thompson canon.9Fort Collins Courier, 1 Aug. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Windsor Beacon – August 1, 1929

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - 1929-08-01 - Windsor Beacon - Gilbert Mountain Cottage at Harding Heights

The first home built in Harding Heights was the stone cottage that sits on the hill overlooking Idlewild sub-division. It was owned by Lee Bonnell who jointly owned the Harding Heights property with Ed Wild.10Drake Home Demonstration Club, “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” 1939. p9-11

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - 1940-06-16 - Lee Bonnell Cabin at Idlewild - Eugene Hancock - Fort Collins History Connection

Lee Bonnell’s stone cabin in Harding Heights as seen from the lookout on the Round Mountain Nature Trail taken June 16th 1940. Idlewild Lodge sits about 400ft away from this cabin at the base of the hill [bottom right of photo]. Photo from the Fort Collins History Connection.11“Up River From Overlook.” Fort Collins History Connection: An Online Collaboration of the Fort Collins Museum and the Poudre River Public Library District. 2021. 01 Feb 2021.

The use of the name Harding Heights would peak in the late 1930s after the publication of the book “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” where the Harding Heights name is used extensively and even implied as the more appropriate name for the Idlewild area.12Drake Home Demonstration Club, “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” 1939. p9-11

“It extended from Louie Papa’s to Idlewild (now Harding Heights).”13Drake Home Demonstration Club, “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” 1939. p9-11

Stella Rose, Rosedale, History of the Big Thompson Canyon

In the mid 1940s Ed Wild would sell his property and move from the area.14Fort Collins Coloradan, 13 Sep. 1946. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. It’s likely that because he was one of the major proponents of using the Harding Height name his departure would cause its use to fall out of fashion.

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - Document - Harding Heights Chart - Use of

Use of “Harding Heights” in Newspaper Articles from 1920-1950. Data from the Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection and Newspapers.com

The last time Harding Heights was mentioned in a newspaper article was in 1949.15The Estes Park Trail, 17 Jun. 1949. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Idlewild Lodge - idlewildlodge.github.io - 1949-06-17 - The Estes Park Trail - Bridge Collapse Harold Hudson Death

Sympathy is extended the families of Harold Hudson and John Lesser who lost their lives on Tuesday morning when the bridge at Harding Heights collapsed after being undermined by the high water of the Big Thompson river.16The Estes Park Trail, 17 Jun. 1949. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

The Estes Park Trail – June 17th, 1949

The last time Harding Heights was uniquely published in a document was in Harold Dunning’s third volume of Over Hill and Vale printed in 1971.17Neville, Frend. (1971). Marvin Flats. Harold M. Dunning (Author), Over Hill and Vale; In The Evening Shadows of Colorado’s Longs Peak. Boulder, CO: Johnson Publishing Company.

  • The Fort Collins Courier, 31 Aug. 1921. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • The Mirror, 3 Apr. 1924. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • The Mirror, 19 May. 1927. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • Windsor Beacon, 26 Jul. 1928. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • Fort Collins Courier, 1 Jul. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • Windsor Beacon, 1 Aug. 1928. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • “Up River From Overlook.” Fort Collins History Connection: An Online Collaboration of the Fort Collins Museum and the Poudre River Public Library District. 2021. 01 Feb 2021.
  • Fort Collins Coloradan, 13 Sep. 1946. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • Drake Home Demonstration Club, “History of the Big Thompson Canyon” 1939. p9-11
  • The Estes Park Trail, 17 Jun. 1949. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.
  • Neville, Frend. (1971). Marvin Flats. Harold M. Dunning (Author), Over Hill and Vale; In The Evening Shadows of Colorado's Longs Peak. Boulder, CO: Johnson Publishing Company.