Historic Garden Railroad
The Historic Garden Railroad was established in the Spring of 2015 on the grounds of the historic Milner-Schwarz Farmhouse Museum, which is located just south of the Old Fairgrounds Park. The Milner-Schwarz Farmhouse Museum is the oldest brick house in Larimer County that is still standing. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is under the management of the Loveland Historical Society.
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The town of Loveland in large part owes its existence to railroading. The rail lines of the Colorado Central Railroad were laid on the west side of the property in 1877 and the town was platted soon after. Several railroad companies have owned the rail lines since that time, but the Milner-Schwarz Farmhouse Museum endures.
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A plan for building a garden railroad on the Milner-Schwarz Historic Farmhouse Museum property was conceived by three members of the
Miniature Railroad Video
Loveland Historical Society. They foresaw that a garden railroad with streets and buildings depicting early Loveland would be an asset to the property without detracting from its designation as a National Register of Historic Places property. Approximately 120 feet of track has been installed, and a depot built for off-season storage and maintenance of rolling stock. Buildings depicting those built in downtown Loveland between 1877 and 1905 are placed on a grid that replicates the original streets of downtown. Properly scaled plants are being installed to make it a true “garden railroad.”
An Open House is held at the property several times during the summer months. (closed during the winter). The public is invited to tour the house, visit the gardens and observe the train in operation.
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See our Event Calendar for open dates. Donations are always appreciated.
The BNSF running though the town alongside our own miniature Garden Railroad